Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It not a fair message to the parents. We must all accept economic realities. However, there are alternatives, and last year we proposed an alternative budget that reached the same overall target as the one implemented by the Government but that protected services, including mental health services and those for people with disabilities. We will do the same again this year. All we ask is that the Government consider fairer alternatives, such as increasing the universal social charge by 3% for people who earn more than €100,000. I do not understand why that was not done last year; it is precisely the type of policy that should be looked at before making the unthinkable disability cuts that I have mentioned.

As I have said, the purpose of the debate is to highlight the cuts that have already been made. That is not to score a political point, but to ensure that Members are aware of how wide the cuts are. I know that Members will be aware of the cuts relating to their individual briefs. For example, while some may be aware of the education cuts, they may not be conscious of all the other cuts that people with disabilities have experienced. As the Disability Federation of Ireland constantly points out, as well as seeing reductions in specific services for people with disabilities, people have also had their basic payments cut, so they are experiencing a double whammy, and the cuts are having a doubly unfair effect.

As I said, the primary reason for tabling the motion is to get in ahead of the budget and to signal that disabilities should be prioritised and to seek all-party support for that approach. We were hopeful that the Government would not table an amendment and that we would all agree that this area deserves support from us all. Unfortunately, I saw this morning that such an amendment was tabled, which is regrettable. However, I ask Members that, should there be a vote later and we walk to opposite sides of the lobby, if in their hearts they agree that disability services should be protected, they should at least use the next few weeks to reach out to their Government and ask them to ensure that in making choices in the next budget they pick ones that are fairer than those picked last year.