Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have the opportunity to say a few words in this important debate. I regret we did not have a sufficient opportunity to do so yesterday on Second Stage.

I have listened to the debate in the Chamber and watched it in my office on the monitor. At times it was enlightening and at other times it was rather depressing. It was enlightening because many Members have brought to the Chamber their sense of deep and genuine concern for carers and their awareness of their importance. The debate has been a little depressing because we reverted to the normal Punch and Judy politics, name-calling and charades that were responsible for our having had to have this sort of budget and the current economic mess.

The challenge for the Minister and other Members is to examine how we can proceed and ensure fairness for every social sector, not only in respect of carers. From listening to what is said, the Minister will learn much. She will have heard some of the options that could be considered for future Social Welfare Bills. Given the considerable public demand for reform in addition to change and for new ideas rather than new faces in old jobs, it disappoints me, almost two years after the general election, that we are still practising a form of politics, political management and government that has quite clearly not worked.