Marie Moloney (Labour)

As spokesperson on social welfare, I cannot let this go without speaking about this aspect of the budget. I know we will be discussing it in more detail next week. However, we are where we are today. Unfortunately, cuts have to be made, and social welfare payments represent 40% of Exchequer outgoings. When cuts are made to social welfare, somebody is hurt, because by its nature social welfare is there to help people in need. People are going to be hurt, be they carers, the elderly or the disabled.

I must speak on behalf of carers, who are dear to my heart. By retaining the basic-rate and half-rate carer's allowance, the Minister has acknowledged the valuable contribution carers make to this society. I hope she will continue to retain this allowance over the coming years.

I cannot leave the cuts to the disability allowance unmentioned. I understand where the Minister is coming from and I understand her thinking on this. I understand that people with disabilities, in many cases - certainly in cases of mild to moderate disability - like to be considered on a par with those without disabilities and prefer to be judged on that basis. I have spoken to many parents who are in favour of the payment of the domiciliary care allowance up to the age of 18, when the child becomes an adult. This is a non-means-tested payment and it is there to help parents who have children with special needs and so on. I understand this and I agree that the domiciliary care allowance should be extended to the age of 18.

However, like my colleagues on both sides of the Houses, I have grave reservations about the effect of these changes on those with profound or severe and ongoing disabilities. Even today, I started the ball rolling on this by going, as my colleagues will know, to the party leader and telling him of my concerns. We have two years in which to deal with this issue because, once the domiciliary care allowance is extended to the age of 18, it will be two years before those receiving it apply for the disability allowance. We must work hard on getting this amended before those two years are up so that when those children become adults they will not be affected by the cut.

I would like to speak about lots of things, but I can see the Cathaoirleach is getting cross.