Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Let us call a spade a spade here. Let us look at what Inclusion Ireland, which is not a political body, stated. The measures in the budget means those on disability allowances are down €847.60 a year since 2008. I refer to those on disability allowance and on the carer's allowance. Whether the Minister likes it, he is attacking the living standards of the people who need the most. In the Minister's absence I spoke about the people we are discussing. They are not in five star hotels in Dublin, Cork or Galway. They are not out in fancy restaurants. They are not buying extravagant gifts for Christmas. The quality of life of these people, and they are people with a disability, has been affected again. The Minister announced an €8 cut on top of a cut of €8.30 last year. This is a cut of €16.30 over two years. In 2008 it was €204.30 and in the budget announced last Tuesday it was €188. Do the bureaucrats and Members sitting around the Cabinet table understand that disability is one part of living but that extra costs are associated with living with a disability?

In fairness to the Minister, he acknowledges that carers do huge work on behalf of the State and they save it a fortune. Their benefit is being cut again. The Minister has responsibility for social protection, which has to do with social equality and protection of the citizens. Does this mean the national disability strategy is in rag order and gone completely? I cannot comprehend where the Government is coming from regarding social justice. If I had never been involved in politics I would have been involved with the COPE Foundation, a disability group in Cork. I see the hardship people endure. Every day in my role as a politician I see the work done by carers. Yesterday afternoon, I was in the house of an elderly gentleman. I am not exaggerating when I state that out of ignorance of the facts or out of fear, the man was completely petrified that no home help would come to him. The Minister knows I could show him the e-mails and text messages I have received from gnáth daoine, ordinary people who are not involved in Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the mass media or e-mail campaigns and who do not go on the public airwaves. They are desperately faoi bhrú, under pressure, today because of this and other budgets.

I will not recite the mantra of the Carers Association, which I respect. I will ask why we are cutting the carer's allowance when they are the only people working to save the State money. Why are we doing this? Why are we being this unfair? This is what I want to hear. In his Second Stage speech, the Minister spoke about reform and stated he has not been in the job long enough. I appreciate this but the Bill flies completely in the face of reform. I am no genius, but I understand people.