Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise two issues. Many of us watched the recent "Prime Time" programme on people with intellectual disabilities and people with autism. As a politician for 15 years, I was ashamed at the deficiencies in that area and the painful experiences of many families whose members have autism and the lack of resources within the system. It is difficult to understand why funding is not provided for that area given that each year prior to the budget the financial projections are considered. The Department of Finance has an uncanny way of underestimating the projections. The Minister can envisage €1 billion extra at the end of the year over the projected amount he had to spend which he did not have at the beginning of the year. I ask that this area be examined because of the increasing uncertainty in the disability sector. Even before the collapse of the last Government——