Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, thank Deputy Tully and Sinn Féin for bringing forward this timely debate. If the Government really wanted to help carers and people with disabilities, it could have clearly done so in the budget. The disability capacity review tells us that between €80 million and €90 million was needed yet the Government only provided €64 million. The €20 million it is splashing out on this referendum would have made the difference this year.

The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, speaking on behalf of the Government today, and I am not blaming her personally, said that if the people gave a "Yes" vote, people with disabilities would get more. It is shameful to try to bribe the people of Ireland like that and to stoop so low. People are worried that if this part of the referendum passes, it will reduce the State's responsibility towards patients and transfer responsibility back to the family or extended family. The word "strive" in the text is very dangerous. It does not guarantee anything. Parents with grown-up children with physical and mental disabilities have one worry, namely, who will look after their children or child when they pass on. The "Yes" vote would not strengthen their hand to do more. That is shameful.

This referendum also seeks to change the definition of the family and the lead part of the Constitution relating to mothers' duties in the home. We must help them and the elderly to stay in their homes for as long as possible. We see every day that carers are not being provided for people who want to stay in their homes. After giving all their lives to the country and the families they reared, it is shameful that we cannot provide home help for people to stay for the last few days of their lives in the homes they kept together all their lives. This is what we are doing, however.

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