Tá seanfhocal ann a deireann - Is cuma le fear na mbróg cá leagann sé a chos. Cuireann an seanfhocal seo Rialtas an Taoisigh i gcuimhne dom. The Taoiseach said there would be no change in these awful, spiteful, shameful, sleekit measures that the Government has brought in. The Taoiseach must be aware that senior citizens are outside protesting. They are deeply concerned about the reduction of the over 70s medical card, the ending of the bereavement grant, the axing of the telephone allowance and the increase in prescription charges. The Government has now targeted €113 million in cuts to the medical card system in 2014. This will result in thousands of citizens who need medical cards losing them. This is not an issue of communication or a lack of information. This is a policy decision by Fine Gael and the Labour Party.

Let us consider some examples, which I sent to the Taoiseach last week. Let us take Kate McShane from Drogheda. She is just over a year old and has Down's syndrome. She has required heart surgery and will require long-term GP and hospital care. Let us take Ryan Healy, a seven year old with a congenital heart condition. He has been denied a medical card and so has Kate. To deny the full medical card to sick children reliant on medication is punitive, petty and unfair.

While the Taoiseach claims the Government is moving towards universal free GP care, it actually is moving in the exact opposite direction. The Government again has set its face against reversing any of these budget measures, which means that come what may or whatever happens, it will cut €113 million from those entitled to the medical card. The Taoiseach should outline to Members his vision of the type of small country that will emerge from these austerity policies. The Government is making the State the worst small country in the world in which to be sick or to grow old. The Taoiseach should outline his vision. What will be the product of these austerity measures? Will it be the best small country in the world for bankers and the elites? The Taoiseach should tell Members.

Ní chreidim sa rud a dúirt an Teachta ar chor ar bith agus ní fíor é.

Is fíor é.

This is the third budget introduced by this Government and it was introduced on the basis of sorting out the unholy economic mess with which it was left to deal, and the Government is dealing with it. I might point out to Deputy Adams that the changes which have been made in the agri sector mean that Ireland's exports will be between €10 billion and €12 billion next year.

That was on foot of the Food Harvest 2020 programme drawn up by the previous Government.

Moreover, the most recent budget, which was pro-business, pro-enterprise and pro-start-up opportunity for so many people, means there is real opportunity for those who wish to get out and provide employment, as well as a chance to have a career themselves. The construction sector will be revitalised to an extent, hopefully effectively, by virtue of the credit that is available for people to get involved in reconstruction grants or in reconstructions or developments of their houses, aided and assisted by the scheme from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in respect of assistance from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for insulation and so on. As for the impact and the challenge for the Government in providing opportunities for training, internships, apprenticeships, as well as JobBridge and Momentum-----

What of the elderly and the young?

-----an additional sum of €14 million has been provided there and is an example of further development.

That is pathetic.

The Taoiseach should mention Grangegorman again.

In addition, I note the recognition on the part of the Government of the sustaining of an industry and the creation of 15,000 extra jobs in the hospitality sector through the retention of VAT at the lower rate of 9%. Indeed, it also showed its understanding of the competition the newspaper industry faces by keeping the rate at that level for that sector.

In respect of the elderly, I still hold my strong view that by 2016, we will demonstrate we have left the bailout far behind us. We have put the shutters up on going back to the kind of culture that created all of that. Moreover, we will have an economy that is effectively run and that is running strongly in the interests of growth, prosperity and jobs for people-----

Enough of speaking notes. What about an answer to the question?

-----and in which resources will be available to provide facilities for elderly people through the primary care system and through a universal health care system that will provide opportunities and facilities for young children, the extension of the free GP care system, opportunities for those in the middle to have work, careers and opportunity, as well as for those who are elderly to live in a country with a sense of dignity and respect. I acknowledge it is difficult to make these changes. The choices are always unpalatable when one tries to shift a structure that is as ingrained as the health system had become over many years. Fundamentally, the Minister, Deputy Reilly, is focused on cutting the cost of the provision of services but keeping those services for those who need them, particularly children and the elderly, as well as those who are sick.

I might add to Deputy Adams that I also spoke in recent days to a number of parents with children who have particular difficulties. They are aware of the availability of the long-term illness card, as well as the capacity to provide aids, appliances and facilities. One couple told me they were not entitled to a medical card as both were public servants and they were well over the income limit. While they did not seek a medical card, they had children with particular problems and sought assistance in that regard and this is the flexibility of the scheme, where discretion and weighting to that discretion applies.

I hope both the case in Drogheda and the second case mentioned by the Deputy can be dealt with in that fashion and that those concerned can be given an understanding that this is still a caring country. Changing the system has not been easy where some applicants either have not responded or the information has not been full or complete. I guarantee the Deputy that the structure that now will be in place for dealing with all cases in the first instance will make clear to people that when reviews take place, it is important that they be replied to but that on the other end, there is empathy and understanding of the difficulties that families in particular may face from one source or another.

First, I remind the Taoiseach the Government has no mandate to do what it is doing. Fine Gael has no mandate to do what it is doing and neither does the Labour Party.

You often did things without a mandate.

The Taoiseach stated it is difficult to make these decisions but these are the easy options. It is difficult to tackle the elites, the wealthy and those who actually are in power in the State. It is not difficult to tackle the elderly, those who are sick and young people. How does the Taoiseach expect the health service to survive a cut of up to €1 billion next year on top of the billions taken out of health over the past five years by this Administration and by Fianna Fáil? How does he expect it to survive at all? Moreover, this is not a mathematical question but one of ideology. Either citizens have the right to universal health care or they do not. The Government clearly believes they do not. Moreover, it is wedded to this austerity agenda in face of all the facts, all the disadvantage and all the hardship that is being caused, as well as all the destruction that is being inflicted on society, on communities and families.

To take the example of prescription charges, the Government promised it would cut them. When in opposition, the Government parties railed against Fianna Fáil when it introduced a change during its stewardship. However, the Government has increased this charge fivefold, despite giving a clear commitment during the general election campaign that the Minister, Deputy Reilly, would abolish prescription charges. The Government has also axed the telephone allowance, thereby increasing the social isolation of elderly people in rural Ireland in particular but also in urban areas.

A big question going about at present is whether the Minister, Deputy Reilly, should resign. That is a no-brainer, as of course he should do so.

The Deputy has questions to answer too.

However, I repeat the Government has no mandate to implement these policies. The Taoiseach talks all the time about the people and democratic revolution. I have a question for the Taoiseach.

A question please, Deputy.

Why does the Taoiseach not resign? Why does the Taoiseach not do the right thing, go to the people and let them have their say? That is what the Taoiseach should do. The Government should go and give citizens their say on its policies.

Hear, hear.

That was constructive.

Brass necks all round.

I call upon the Taoiseach for his final reply. Order please.

Deputy Adams has great faith in Ireland really. He is the man who went off to America to get his health care provided by a private benefactor. I am glad to see he is in a good, healthy condition to raise these points here.

The Taoiseach should answer the question.

I might point out to Deputy Adams that an additional €100 million was provided in this budget for facilities for elderly people to give them one of the highest rates of pensions paid in Europe, to maintain their travel, electricity and heating allowances and not to have any change in their net income.

What about their telephone allowance?

Look at how upset poor Pat was by the taking away of €5 million from RTE.

What about milking RTE?

Can we have some order please?

The mandate given to this Government was to sort out the unprecedented economic mess left behind by incompetence, greed and a culture to which we will never return. That is my mandate as Taoiseach-----

Half the people.

-----and it is my privilege to lead the Government, which is making serious decisions to make serious changes to rectify this. I pointed out to the Deputy that there have been 16 consecutive months in which there has been a fall in the numbers on the live register.

That is because they are all in Australia.

Order, please.

The unemployment rate has fallen from 15.5% to 13.5%, consumer confidence is at its highest for six years and there has been a return in places around the country to confidence in the construction sector, which is very important. There are unprecedented levels of confidence and potential in the agrifood sector.

And poverty.

Deputy Adams does not wish to know these things because his deputy leader sitting beside him last week sought to confine all the young people to the dole for the rest of their lives.

Joan wants to send them to Canada.

To Abu Dhabi.

Sinn Féin does not see opportunities for them to get out to have an opportunity to have a job, a career or to have retraining or upskilling in the many areas of opportunity and potential in the time ahead.

The Taoiseach is clueless.

Consequently, I do not accept Deputy Adams's premise for a resignation. The Government is not in the business of shirking responsibility, unlike some others on the far side of the Chamber.

If he read the Irish Independent this morning, the Taoiseach would see who was shirking responsibility to whom. It was savage stuff.

This is a case of dealing with reality and people's lives, and we will make those decisions in the fairest and most equitable way that we can.

No.

The Taoiseach does not understand it.

In 2016 the people will have their opportunity to judge this Government on whether we fulfilled our mandate.

And they will judge you.

Between this and then we will continue to make our decisions in the interests of our country and people in the fairest and most equitable way we can. Things are not easy and decisions are never easy. It must have been great to do budgets in 15 minutes when you had mountains of other people's money to throw out without any responsibility.

The Taoiseach had even more-----

Order, please. I call Deputy Clare Daly and I ask Members to have respect for the speaker.