Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

No-one could have predicted the reality of 2020. We are living through a time that will continue to be spoken about long after we have left this world. This year will be seen as historic for generations to come. The country's economy was in a relatively strong position at the start of 2020. We had entered the year with a budget surplus along with the much-publicised rainy day fund. Employment levels were good and people had relaxed into a sense of security for the future. More people were returning to live in Ireland than were leaving for foreign shores. There was confidence in Ireland again after the years of uncertainty. Despite the concerns about Britain leaving the European Union, Irish fears were not insurmountable. Less than 10 months later that entire scenario has been turned upside down. Covid-19 has swept the globe, leaving a trail of economic destruction that will take many years to repair. The prospect of a no-deal Brexit looms. Ireland is facing a battering from all sides.

Against this backdrop, this budget is critical. The long-term outcome of both of these crises is unknown. The only absolute certainty is uncertainty. This budget offers an opportunity to give some relief to as many people and as many sectors as possible. It is a chance to help those who have been and will be most severely impacted to put some of the jigsaw back together. This budget is the largest in the history of the State. To some, that may sound as though there will be something for everyone. Throughout the country, eager hands are waiting to get their slice of the budget cake. There are those who desperately need it, whose very survival depends on it.

This budget has gone a long way towards offering help. Our strong position going into 2020 and our ability to borrow have made this possible. It cannot and will not solve all the problems. How the funds are allocated by the various Departments will be crucial to the budget's effectiveness. We cannot continue to borrow indefinitely. Our rainy day fund is depleted. We cannot pass insurmountable debt to the next generation.

Personally, I never thought I would see the day when a Government would be acclaimed for spending €40 billion of borrowed money to underpin a budget. It is remarkable that we have had to do this and that we have no other option. It is remarkable that we have the capacity to borrow so heavily to keep our economy afloat. It underlines the detrimental economic impact of Covid-19 combined with Brexit. It is a precarious position, and the next few years will be a dangerous time for our country and its people. The reality is stark. There is no room for miscalculation or mistakes. We must proceed with caution and mental dexterity. The borrowed money must be put to good use. It must be wisely spent and productively invested. It is of vital importance that the funding allocated across various Departments is spent in such a way as to guarantee maximum long-term benefit. It must be directed to those who need it most and used to deliver services that will be unable to function effectively or may cease to exist without financial assistance. Such circumstances exist in every constituency in Ireland, including my own constituency of Tipperary. Over the coming weeks I will be making representations to each of the relevant Departments.

I welcome the €100 million that has been allocated to disability services. In County Tipperary we have been fortunate to secure funding for three Ability programmes, Knockanrawley Resource Centre in Tipperary town, St. Cronan's Services in Roscrea and Youth Work Ireland in Tipperary town. The aim of the national Ability programme is to bring young people with disabilities or mental heath challenges who are not work-ready closer to the labour market using a wide range of person-centred supports. The uncertainty of future funding is a major concern for all three Ability programmes in Tipperary. Staff retention is already seen as a problem for Ability programmes throughout the country, and will become more problematic the longer this uncertainty goes on, with staff looking to secure their long-term future employment.

For many who benefit from the programmes, the process has taken a long time, with small incremental steps along the way. This process can only be planned and implemented with programme security and long-term commitment to staff from the funding agencies. I am asking for the extension of disability funding which would allow them to support and develop young people into the future.

The uncertainty surrounding the future of the project has created concern and anxiety for young people on the programme. They are worried that the support they have found so beneficial will not be available to them beyond June 2021. I am asking the Government not only on behalf of the staff of these three centres in Tipperary, but on behalf of more than 160 young people with a disability and their families, for its support to ensure an extension of programme funding to compensate for time lost due to the late start-up and the impacts of Covid. I am also seeking a long-term commitment to provide continued funding to the 70 ability programmes across the country in order that they can continue their vital work.

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