Madam, – I hardly know how to express my anger at what the Government has done to welfare recipients.
For six years I cared full-time for a dependent parent in the home. Except for the work of a few wonderful paid carers for a few hours a week I was unsupported. Over those years I had a handful of days of complete rest and I lived in fear of becoming ill myself.
Carers save this country huge sums every year. They work with little or no respite, constantly tired, often isolated and lonely. They may face financial hardship. They are not members of powerful unions. It may be difficult even to get to a TD’s clinic. They cannot leave their responsibilities to go on protest demonstrations. Therefore they have had – to date – little voice.
We now live in a world of newspeak where “protection” means “attack”. This Government appears to have declared war on our most vulnerable citizens, while it reinforces the strong defences round its own privileged positions as self-styled “top people”, heaven help us.
I am far beyond feeling shock at the cynicism of Fianna Fáil. I am glad – sort of – that I am capable of being sickened by their cowardice and by their petty and pitiless cruelty.
I hope other citizens who feel as I do will find ways of expressing our collective support for our carers and our readiness to defend them now and in the future. Let us try – and thanks here to Fintan O’Toole – to make a republic fit to live in for those of us who remain here. We may make a beginning by insisting that the next government immediately reverses these cuts. Let us see if there is any reality behind the rhetoric. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The issues raised by Cloda Ryan with regard to the cut in pension for public servants who have already retired (December 9th) would lead one to believe that there are grounds for a constitutional challenge to this measure. As Ms Ryan correctly states “Pension arrangements are, in essence, the final contract between a person and his/her employer”.
The court ruling in respect of the AIB bonuses gave great weight to the contract already in place. It is worth noting that in 2009 public servants paid €3.1 billion in pension contributions and just €2.5 billion was paid out to public service pensioners. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – All through the Celtic Tiger illusion people with disability and their loved ones marched up and down Kildare Street seeking services. We had to march when very few others in society felt the need or urge to.
Since the Fianna Fáil bubble has burst the Government departments (with the support of FF and Greens) were quick out of the traps to line up people with special needs to take the first cuts. We had cuts to special classes, cuts in resource teaching, cuts to special needs assistants in schools, abolition of ABA schooling, cuts to much-needed respite services and reduced supply in residential services for people who need support to live independently.
Now they tell us they are going to cut disability allowances and carer’s allowances in addition to cuts in funding to the education and health services which support children and adults with disability to live rather than just exist.
I can’t do any more of the pleading, the begging and the “please leave us alone” approach to lobbying and seeking services: it has got us nowhere. People with disability are valuable human beings with inalienable rights even if this Government and its courts refuse to recognise them.
We need to remember that there are more of us than there are of them, but that they are just better organised. That has to change. I will not sacrifice my child for a casino in Tipperary or to protect millionaire bankers. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The responses of the Opposition spokesmen and women to the Minister for Finance were addressed to an almost empty Dáil chamber. The emptying of the Dáil chamber on Budget day, particularly on the Government benches, after the Minister for Finance had concluded his Budget speech was once again mind-boggling.
It is galling to witness the utter contempt and disdain with which politicians treat the nation. Was it of greater national importance for deputies to rush to TV and radio studios and elsewhere than to remain in the chamber of our national parliament on such a momentous occasion as this Budget? The very same situation of an almost empty Dáil persisted in subsequent debates on budgetary issues, such as elements of the social welfare changes. Why do these deputies deserve to represent the people and be paid out of the public purse? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Here’s a little budget quiz to cheer you up. Name different social groups that are separately: 1. Asset rich. 2. Have no worries about their job security or pensions, and 3. Are the least burdened by debt? To my mind, farmers, public service workers and pensioners fit the bill.
Apart from general taxes, name three groups that were left totally untouched in the budget? Again, we have farmers, public service workers and pensioners.
Name three groups from which Fianna Fáil draws a large proportion of its support? Amazingly, again we have farmers, public service workers and pensioners Coincidence or what? – Yours, etc,