Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-27
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Mary Lou McDonald (SF), Dublin Central

These are important issues and it is important when the Head of Government addresses them that he is audible, clear and I can hear him. It is not a case of whether the Taoiseach agrees with me or not. He seems singularly unable to acknowledge the real experience of disabled people who are telling him, and have told him for quite some time, that they are struggling financially. At times, they have told stories of making choices between heating and eating. Even in scenarios that are not that extreme, they are under huge pressure. The Taoiseach is right. A one-off payment is not the be all and end all but they need that now. They also need a cost of disability scheme.
For all of the Taoiseach's palaver about what the Government has done and his clapping himself on his back, I have a letter here from one mother who is explaining what she is living through now because her child does not have the guarantee of a school place in September. She talks about watching time run out while everybody else's child moves forward and her frustration at having to repeatedly prove her child's need to the system.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-27/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-27