I raise again the cuts in the respite care grant and move an amendment to the Order of Business requesting that the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, come to the Seanad this evening to apologise. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, is a man of principle who had the guts to apologise for cuts in funding to DEIS schools. I will not forget what he did when he saw people protesting about those cuts. I am rarely personal in my contributions but I find it hard to take that the Labour Party leader in the House, Senator Ivana Bacik, can support cuts in the respite care grant.

Hear, hear.

These were introduced for the sake of saving €26 million. Does the Government not have any imagination? It may be that too many Ministers are former teachers and trade union officials and do not have a clue about how to be innovative and make savings of €26 million elsewhere in their budgets. Yesterday, I attended a protest by carers for the second time. Senators should go outside to another protest by carers which will be held at 1 p.m. tomorrow. I will stick with the protest until the cut in respite care grants is withdrawn. The mantra of carers and those for whom they care is that the cut must be reversed. Why do people enter politics if not to stand up for the weak and vulnerable? People who are ill and receiving care are being forced to humiliate themselves and come out to protest in their wheelchairs.

The Senator supported large investors when her party was in power.

The truth is hard to take. I do not know how Labour Party Senators can sit here. They should join the Fine Gael Party once and for all because there is no longer any difference between the two parties.

Is the Senator proposing an amendment to discuss the reversal of the cut in the respite care grant?

Yes, I am calling for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the cut. Incidentally, I thank the Cathaoirleach for his support yesterday.

I have great sympathy with Senator White's argument. I have asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the figures with a view to reversing the cut in the respite care grant and will do so again next week. However, I remind Fianna Fáil Senators that we are in this unbelievably tough position because of its-----

That is a tired argument.

Senator Healy Eames, without interruption.

One must go back to first principles to solve a problem. One goes back to the cause of the problem.

That is not a principle.

We are in this position because of Fianna Fáil.

Senator Healy Eames, without interruption.