Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

I thank everyone who made a contribution to the debate. The Minister of State will agree the depth of feeling is very much evident in the Chamber. The cost-of-living crisis cuts deeper and lasts longer for people with disabilities and the Government knows this. The motion sets out an alternative to the Government's approach. The least we should expect from any decent Government is that it will not make things worse for disabled people and yet, under the budget, they will be worse off by up to €1,400.

I urge the Ministers of State to listen to the voices of our disabled citizens, act in their interests and recognise the actual cost of being and living as disabled person in this State. When disabled people turn 66 or they get a job, their primary condition and the costs associated with it do not disappear. It is still expensive. They still face additional costs. They are not disabled by themselves. They are disabled by society. They are disabled by infrastructure that does not suit their needs. They are disabled by a payment structure from the Department that will see them worse off this year. They are disabled by a Government that neither listens nor understands what they need.

I want to speak very briefly about a constituent of mine, whom I will call Paul. He is visually impaired. He is legally blind. He lost all of his disability payments at the age of 66. He got plenty of presents when he turned 66 but he did not get the gift of sight. He was disabled when he was 65 and 364 days and he woke up the next morning - happy birthday - and he is now worse off. It is this failure to understand the cliff edge that people with disabilities face. It is those on the Government benches failing to see they have the power to make their lives better. Every budget is about choices. Every decision made is a political choice. In this budget the choice was to leave people with disabilities worse off. This is why we tabled the motion. I welcome the fact the Government will not oppose it but it would be better, and the people in the Gallery know it, if the Government supported it and supported them.

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