Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

I wished to comment during the debate yesterday evening as well but due to time constraints I did not get to say my piece. I understand that we must run the Seanad in an orderly way but perhaps if we cut out the repetition we would be able to operate within the time constraints agreed on the Order of Business. If we allow it to run over all the time we will get nowhere. It would be good if research was done in the Seanad on how many times an issue was repeated because one hears the same things.

An emergency meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party discussed disability. I heard the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, on "Prime Time". He said he would re-examine the issue, which I welcome. By chance I met the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, this morning. I would never stop a Minister in his or her tracks in a corridor because it is discourteous. I apologised for mentioning the issue to her but I said it is the most important issue which has arisen in the Seanad since I became a Senator. Her heart is in the right place. She said she was prepared to look at the issue.

I ask the Leader to go to both Ministers and tell them there is all-party agreement that the issue will have to be revisited. The change will not affect those currently in receipt of the allowance and there is a two-year span. The issue needs to be addressed immediately.

The labour market activation fund, work experience, SpringBoard and JobBridge are all in place. I know children with Down's syndrome who are well able to work and have told me they have been on work experience for a long time. They asked me if there is anything I can do to take them off that platform and into a real job. I ask the Minister to address things like that and the use of the labour market activation fund for such people.