I want to raise the urgent need for an emergency winter payment for people with disabilities. Many people are facing a choice between eating and heating. That is what we have heard at committee from people who have disabilities. All their testimony is backed up by evidence.

Over the weekend, the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, said that the Government will introduce a permanent measure to address the cost of disability, but not until budget 2027. When it comes to disability support, the Government always speaks in the future tense. It is always that it is going to bring in something or it will implement a measure and there will be a support payment. The Government suggests another citizens' assembly or task force. People cannot wait for that. They cannot decide not to pay for their food shopping or heating until budget 2027.

While vulnerable people are being told to wait, the Government has found no difficulty approving bumper pay rises for top executives. Ministers recently signed off on salary increases for senior semi-State CEOs. There is a €75,000 pay rise for the CEO of Iarnród Éireann, a €50,000 increase for the CEO of Bus Éireann and a €35,000 increase for the head of CIÉ. I would love for some of those CEOs and the Minister to imagine what it is like to live off €250 per week. Imagine sitting in your home, dreading every heating bill or putting off doing your shopping because you simply cannot afford it. How can the Government justify this when CEOs already earn six figure salaries and are now to receive thousands more at the expense of the taxpayer? If people want to know about the Government's priorities, they must look at where the money is going. If the State can afford to hand out massive pay increases to people already in the top bracket, it can afford to provide an emergency winter payment. I ask the Government to please listen to the voices of people with disabilities. I ask for statements on this issue.