Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)

I commend my colleagues on their work on this motion. Most importantly, I pay tribute to the various disability advocacy groups for their invaluable assistance.

I worked as a carer for people with disabilities for 18 years in south Kilkenny. The most consistent thing I encountered over those years was that people with a disability want to live as independently as possible. The harsh reality is that the actions of the Minister and his colleagues over several budgets have made this increasingly difficult. The Government has pushed them towards a greater dependency on family, friends and neighbours. They face the loss of their disability allowance and other essential supports like medical cards, with even the slightest increase in their income. Many people living with a disability want to work. They want to contribute what they can to society. They want to experience the social inclusion that comes with it. However, the risk of losing these vital supports holds them back. As a result, people with disabilities and their households are at a dangerous risk of poverty. This is simply wrong.

These are not the values of equality our Republic is built on. The State should be tearing down these barriers to social inclusion, not building them higher. It is clear to me, as someone who worked in the disability sector for 18 years, that too many in the Dáil simply do not understand these daily struggles because if they did and we had more elected Members with this lived experience, we would have seen a very different budget last week. A miserable €10 weekly increase in the disability allowance is an insult. It does not even keep up with inflation. There is a cost-of-living crisis that we are all aware of but what is not being addressed enough is the harsh reality of the cost-of-living crisis for those living with a disability.

I want to share with the Dáil the words of one such person who lives with this reality every day. They have to attend a food bank weekly and apart from it being demoralising it is a necessity to survive. The word "saving" does not apply to them as simply, there is nothing left. They know the cold, long winter nights are around the corner and it scares them to think about it.

It is our duty to ensure those living with a disability are not left behind, are not shut off from society and get to play their part in an inclusive Ireland.

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