In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, the very least - and I mean the rock-bottom, bare minimum - that anyone could expect from a government of any decency is that it would not make things worse. A total of 21% of households that have one or more members with a disability are materially deprived. Some 20% of those are in poverty. Some 16% of people over 65 are in poverty. The extra €20, €30, €40 or €50 per month is therefore not nothing; it is massively significant to people who have already been pushed into poverty by the decisions of this Government. As my colleagues have outlined, these blister packs are an essential organisational tool for people who are trying to manage their medication but who have difficulty doing so. Basic patient safety means that they must have access to blister packs or else they must have access to somebody who will help them to take their medication, but the latter robs them of their independence. As they get older, people with disabilities will say that their world becomes very small as they become more and more dependent and as society disables them. This will further increase their loss of independence. I welcome that the Minister is not opposing this motion but, to be very clear, the decent thing to do is to support it and to work with the Opposition to find a solution.

Sentiment score: -0.21