Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Frances Fitzgerald, Joe O'Toole, Alex White, Ann Ormonde, Paul Coghlan,Eoghan Harris, Ivana Bacik, Geraldine Feeney, Nicky McFadden, Labhrás Ó Murchú, Alan Kelly, Ivor Callely, Joe O'Reilly and Fiona O'Malley all expressed their serious concerns and views regarding the various items in the budget. There were statements on the budget in this House last Wednesday, and Fianna Fáil gave Private Members' time, and added time to it by leave of the House, which I very much appreciated.

Over the weekend there was much concern and alarm, and many of our senior citizens were deeply hurt and concerned about their plight regarding the medical card. To put everything in context, as Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú said, there is a massive economic downturn worldwide and we, as Senators, have a serious challenge and considerable obligation to deal with the facts and challenges as they arise for the Government. The assistance of the Opposition has always been appreciated, regardless of who has been in Government. The difficulty and challenge are not just our own; they are universal. They are being faced by strong nations — I do not have to name them — from the United States of America down.

On returning from the summer recess, the Government had to call an early budget. We were also faced with the challenge of the banking dilemma which was occurring worldwide. On the Order of Business, I stated as one of the three longest serving in the House that Senators met and excelled in that challenge in an extraordinary way. The people acknowledged that, as did the media, and I respect that.

The time allocated for Government deliberations on budget matters may not have been the longest or fullest. That said, I am trying to reassure the people, especially those over 70 years of age because I know dozens of such citizens who were very annoyed and hurt and had many sleepless nights since the budget was announced last Tuesday. This must be acknowledged because we are the representatives of these honest people who have placed their trust in us to come to Parliament to see what we can do to assist them and their families for the future.

The Government has worked hard over the past two days, as was stated by Senator Feeney. The Taoiseach was in Brussels for two days, came back and met the leaders from the North of Ireland to see how he could assist with their challenges and difficulties. The earliest opportunity he had to address the matters of concern to all Senators was on Friday. He has been giving every minute of his time until the Order of Business and Question Time in the Dáil today.

The statement made by the Taoiseach this morning, which allows 95% of all those over 70 to retain their medical card, will be of great assistance. A statistic that has come out from the deliberations since the budget is that discretionary medical cards are held by 70,000 people. This is an area where discretion has been left with area representatives of the Health Service Executive and general practitioners. Speaking as a person who was a member of a health board for more than 18 years, and the Cathaoirleach and Senator Glynn will have considerable experience of this as former chairpersons, when we went as public representatives to a representative of what is now known as the Health Service Executive with a genuine case for a discretionary medical card, we were always listened to, and long may that continue. I will do my utmost to accede to the request for a full debate in the Seanad at the earliest opportunity I can get a date in the diary of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. That is a commitment to the House. I have always found the Minister very forthcoming in giving us a date in her diary and giving us all the time we needed to deliberate on the challenges that faced us then in terms of the HSE, including the medical card issue and all other issues pertaining to the health services that are of concern to Members in regard to the budget.

I wish to inform the House that the Taoiseach has announced that the 1% levy will not apply to the minimum wage. I welcome that——