There are many fine words in the programme for Government about people with disabilities, as well as very noble aspirations. We have a situation where service providers for people with disabilities - this point has been raised by me, my party leader and many on this side of the House in the last while - have been left suffering as a result of the inadequacy of the block grant for section 39 organisations. It is now the case that organisations have to ask for a voluntary contribution of €30 per week per family. They have contacted each family in the past few days to look for such a voluntary contribution on behalf of the most vulnerable people in society. Whatever else the Taoiseach is going to do next week, people with disabilities and their service providers will have to receive adequate funding. There is a massive crisis within the service. It is the last straw if they are looking for a voluntary contribution of €30 per week per family.

I support my colleague on the same issue. He referred to St. Joseph's Foundation in Charleville which provides an invaluable service throughout north Cork, including in my back yard of Mitchelstown and Fermoy. It has sent a message to all guardians of family members who avail of services to start collecting €30 a week. It is a downright disgrace that it has to do this. It is one of the foundations that was also affected by the section 39 employment regulations. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene and make more funding available.

As the Deputies will appreciate, section 39 organisations are all very different. They range from what are, effectively, very large corporate service providers to very small charitable organisations and their financial position differs from one another. There are discussions taking place at the Workplace Relations Commission about the provision of additional funding. The Deputies may be interested to know that in respect of the section 39 organisations that have responded to the request to submit their financial information and data, the average increase in funding from the Government in the past three years was 28%, more than enough to cover the cost of any pay restoration.