Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The Government and I have reviewed carefully the matter and I have no notion of accepting the Senator's amendment. The proposal is off the wall. We do not live in a perfect world. The Senator is saying this is the equality we want. We will never have perfect equality, but I would prefer to have a type of equality which encourages employers to bring in more people with disabilities rather than give them the equality of getting social welfare benefits rather than gainful employment. It is absolutely wrong to say the disability organisations as a whole oppose this measure. They do not. I am in constant consultation with the disability organisations. We are preparing disability legislation and were speaking with such organisations as recently as yesterday. The majority of the disability organisations to which I have spoken see the sense in the amendment, which they agree will help, as I do. This is why I propose to leave the section as it is.