Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

I support my colleague, Senator Fiach Mac Conghail, in his call for a debate on the proposed changes in respect of the disability allowance. I hope the House will see its way to facilitating that debate rather than accepting the proposal from the other side of the House that we wait for the departmental officials to do the driving and come back with their considered view.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that we debate the issue of public sector pay increments, which are not covered under the Croke Park agreement. An increase of €300 million in the public sector pay bill is money that could have been used elsewhere to soften the blow of budgetary measures. Under those proposals a family of three in receipt of social welfare will see their income reduced by €1,052 per annum. On the other hand, a family with three children and a joint income of €150,000 will be impacted to the tune of €1,078. This does not sound like a fair and balanced proposal. On the contrary, it seems that the most vulnerable are being targeted.

I look forward to the proposed debate in the new year on parliamentary debating procedures. Parliamentary politics is about cut and thrust. If a Member opposite raises an issue or makes a point in regard to a particular proposal and induces heckling in so doing, one can be sure that this was precisely his or her intention. A particular party tries to induce a bit of heckling rather than allow us sit idle on this side of the House. The budget is anti-rural.