Simon Harris
Wicklow · Fine Gael · Ireland
“There are more than 10,000 routes and thousands of buses involved and the number of students using the services is not a million miles away from 200,000. The current terms of the scheme are going to continue to apply for the 2026-27 school year.”
“I thank Deputy McDonald for raising what is genuinely an important issue. I do take the point that when we talk about this in the abstract or from a process point of view in here, that for people watching this is their real lived experience.”
“There number of children who have been supported by means of the school transport scheme, as Deputy Fitzmaurice knows and has alluded to, has grown significantly in recent years. Since 2018, the number increased from 120,000 in 2018 to more than 181,000 now. Included in that figure are 24,000 pupils with special educational needs.”
“I knew the Deputy would have to mention the GAA, especially with Galway and Limerick playing at the weekend. I wish everybody involved the best of luck. We are very committed to the school transport scheme. If the Deputy wants to see our commitment, he should look to our budget.”
“An ageing population, increasing healthcare needs, the transition to net zero and the need for continued investment in housing, energy and infrastructure will place a significant demand on public resources.”
“There is also a legitimacy to the point the Deputy made about how it is a legitimate form of transport for some people. We see this working in other European countries. We see it in our nearest neighbours. I do not want to get the regime wrong, but I think they have registration at the point of purchase that allows people to track this.”
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“Of course, people have a right to access courts and, more broadly, the right of an individual or group to access courts alongside the common good and public good is always a balance for debate and discussion in society. I agree with the Deputy on the private wires Bill. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is eager to progress this as a matter of urgency. It is not all of the solution, as the Deputy rightly suggested, but it does provide some degree of assistance. Government stands ready to invest a hell of a lot more in our water quality through Uisce Éireann. We take very seriously the incredible importance of Dublin Bay as a huge natural resource. We want to see improvements there. I will not say anything which cuts across matters before the courts.”
“We also have to be honest that the overall findings are concerning because they are now saying 52% of surface waters in Ireland are currently meeting their water framework directive target, which is down from the previous period where it was 54%. That gives us some indication of the scale of the challenge as well and that is another reason we have invested very significantly in Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann ran a very effective public relations campaign telling everybody it needed more money and got it. It got a lot more money in the national development plan and now we need it, and I say this respectfully, to get on with it and to drive forward those projects. The Deputy may have gone into the individual judicial review but I will not. My comments on judicial reviews were broader.”
“The issue of water quality is really important, and I thank the Deputy for his work on that. That is why when we entered Government we decided to establish a Cabinet committee on water quality because there is this need to take a whole-of-government look and to bring relevant Departments together under a committee chaired by the Taoiseach and to be able to bring agencies in. Our water quality is a really important issue for a whole variety of reasons, particularly from a public health and well-being point of view. The water quality in Ireland report was published in the past couple of days by the EPA. That summarises water quality from 2019 to 2024. I am pleased to point to some areas where there were bad results previously but where there are now positive results.”
“That is a new one for me but I will take that away because we need new, novel and important ideas. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. My comments relating to Donaghmede stand in the sense that it is a deeply tragic, upsetting and a very serious incident. It merits full investigation in the first instance by the gardaí and that is under way and more broadly regarding safeguarding protocols. I join with the Deputy and everyone in thinking of the staff and the very difficult situation they endured and those words do not capture it, and also the gardaí who arrived on the scene. Without cutting across their investigation, I can only imagine they arrived at a very difficult scene but played a very important role in restoring a degree of safety to that situation.”
“We pay into the central pot for the benefit of having that safety net and the provision of services and the likes. Let me reflect on what the Deputy has said today and revert to him directly.”
“Like I said, these are debates worth having because the composition of families and households has changed significantly in our country in relatively recent times. Sometimes schemes and legislation can take time to catch up with that changing reality. These are always issues that we, as legislators and policymakers, should scrutinise. When that opt-out was ended quite a number of years ago, long before my time in government, the grounds were also expanded to include more categories through which more people could benefit but I am open to correction on that. There is a broader point that two citizens could pay into a whole variety of schemes, including PRSI and the likes, and then at the end of a lifetime when you tot it up, one person may have derived more benefit from it than the other. We are not a private company in that sense.”
“It is an issue that merits further consideration. Maybe at the relevant Oireachtas committee, we could ask that there be a presentation or a degree of scrutiny. That is a matter for the committee, but I would certainly be supportive of that. This changed quite a number of years ago. My understanding from general recollection is that it changed on the grounds of ensuring the scheme could be sustainable. The Deputy is asking how that compares with the equality obligations and that merits discussion.”
“We also need to look at another important word, which is "sustainability" of pension schemes, particularly when the demographics of our country and indeed world are changing, with an ageing population and more people relying on that. Not to take away from the Deputy's specific query, but I make the broad point that often in a republic, we pay into things that we may not necessarily directly benefit from but we do so because we believe there is societal good, perhaps for dependants or children left behind. There is a debate about what I get in return for what I am paying into and whether there is a case for an opt-out in certain schemes versus what we should all be expected to pay into to create that sort of republic that plans and prepares for the future and those left behind. The Deputy has certainly provoked a thought in me.”
“The Deputy raises an interesting point. He has raised somewhat similar points about inheritance tax and the likes in the past as well. It is about fairness and equality in how our tax systems, schemes and the likes treat people. It is a debate that is genuinely worth having and it is certainly thought-provoking. It is quite a technical and complex area. Obviously Deputies do not have to give notice of the issues coming up on Leader's Questions, so allow me to do my best on it. Should we have a conversation about it and scrutiny of it? Absolutely, we should. I balance those comments by saying that equality is absolutely vital and I am proud of the journey this country has been on regarding equality and many of the positive changes we and the people of Ireland have taken over recent years.”
“If we are to make the transitions that we need to make, it will require significant delivery of infrastructure, particularly around renewables. The point the Taoiseach made publicly when he met Stripe,is not an unfair one. If we constantly get bogged down in judicial reviews and planning objections when we try to pick up the pace of delivery, that will frustrate our collective aim.”
“I need to get the Deputy the exact figure, which I can do once I leave the Chamber, but yes, we will hit the target. It is an important target. I acknowledge the important role that the Deputy's part played in government, including the former Minister Eamon Ryan, as he was at that time. We are committed to it and on track to hit that target. I will get the Deputy the number for the specific allocation. We are at crucial moment in relation to climate action. There is a need to accelerate and pick up pace. There is a point about how we bring people with us. I do not think the Deputy disagrees on this. He is the leader of the Green Party. He is passionate about this and tries to bring people with him on that. How we bring people with us on the next phase will be important.”
“I know and acknowledge, as does the Government, that it is not at the pace required, and a 10% reduction in emissions in 2025 would be needed if we are to stay within the first carbon budget. There are real challenges and there is a real need to pick up the pace on climate action. I accept that point, as does the Government. The next phase is about acceleration, doing more and doing it faster. There is frustration across government and society that sometimes it takes so long to actually deliver projects. We need to address how we unblock those things and try to create that sense of society pulling together on the delivery of infrastructure rather than just heading to the courts or just objecting. The Taoiseach is right to try to create a public discussion and debate on that.”
“We provided €1.1 billion in funding for the Department of climate in the budget. We are absolutely committed to delivering on Ireland's responsibility to address the climate crisis. I see and know he also sees huge opportunities for jobs and our economy from that transition. The latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding emissions shows that Ireland's emissions continued to fall for a third year in a row and they are at their lowest level in three decades. Emissions decreased by 2% in 2024 compared with 2023, and they decreased by 10.6% between 2021 and 2024. That happened against a backdrop of our economy thankfully growing strongly during that period.”
“While people have a right to do that and I respect that, it is somewhat of an irony that when we are trying to deliver projects that would assist with the climate, people take judicial reviews or planning objections on climate or environmental grounds. The frustration the Taoiseach was voicing, which I am sure some Opposition Deputies must have experienced when they were in government, was this issue of the public good versus the culture of blocking essential infrastructure. We see it in relation to water. We often see it in relation to renewable energy and major transport projects, including public transport. That is the point that I thought the Taoiseach was making in his budget speech. He was also making the point, as we all do, that there is no rowing back or ability or wish to row back from the Government's climate commitments.”
“I have never heard the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, trashing anybody; it is generally not the way he operates. The issue is very important. The Deputy asked me to try to untangle it. In my mind it is quite clear. The Taoiseach, the Government, Members across this House and people across the country are very committed to the issue of climate action. I was sitting here beside the Taoiseach when he delivered his budget speech. I read at the time some of the coverage of his comments from his meeting at Stripe and so forth. What I very much took from what he was saying was the fact that when we are trying to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, often including key infrastructure to help us meet our climate targets, we are living in a society where we are constantly being hit with judicial reviews and planning delays.”
“I hope that once the Minister, Deputy Foley, publishes the road map and action plan, which I expect to be in the coming weeks, we can have good collaborative scrutiny and work on these matters here and at the appropriate Oireachtas committees. The Deputy referenced the previous Government. In fairness, I was in the previous Government. I led the previous Government for part of it. We did take a number of measures to reduce fees them year after year. I see Deputy O'Gorman in the Chamber. He was the Minister. I acknowledge his role too. We are committed to getting to the €200. The pay issue is important. That is why we have seen the order signed by the Ministers, Deputies Foley and Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon. We have also provided funding for further moves on pay in 2026.”
“I assure the Deputy that there is an urgency on our part in this regard. I agree with her - I do not want to say it is not just a social issue because social issues are important - but it is also an economic issue that there are people at home today or who are changing their working hours or working arrangements, not out of choice but out of a lack of access to childcare in a way that works for them, their working patterns and their lives and families. It is a social and economic issue that disproportionately impacts women. There needs to be a real urgency, and there is an urgency. There is also a degree of political consensus at least around the destination or the North Star.”
“We did also specifically target children most in need of additional supports, including expanding the back-to-school clothing and footwear payment to preschool children for the first time ever.”
“We need to show parents and providers the sequence in which we intend to move forward. We have outlined a record budget for childcare of almost €1.5 billion. The national childcare scheme, which has over 250,000 children currently enrolled, will be further funded for an additional 35,000 children next year, which is a 14% increase. In the coming months, the Minister will also set out plans for a new maximum fee cap set from next September, reducing costs for families paying the highest fees first across the country. The Ministers, Deputies Foley and Burke, and Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, have taken measures to sign off on a 10% increase in the minimum rate of pay for educators. That took place this Monday. There is money in the budget to do further on pay in 2026.”
“The next practical step now will be for the Minister, Deputy Foley, to publish the action plan on childcare to see how we move the 21 actions together in a way that gets us to the €200 per month per child, absolutely, but that also makes sure that some of the issues the Deputy is highlighting and some of the issues I see in my own constituency and home town around places, capacity and the need for public provision are also addressed. There are simply not enough childcare spaces. That lack of capacity is having a real impact for families. As the Deputy acknowledged, we did in the budget provide funding to expand capacity in the sector while continuing to freeze fees at the levels they were four years ago. The cost of childcare does need to come down. The Minister will publish that roadmap and action plan very shortly.”
“I will also acknowledge that the Labour Party was the first party to propose that, and there is now a political consensus across this House among pretty much all political parties that this is what we are going to deliver during the lifetime of this Government. I did say that I would like to see significant progress on it in the early part of the Government, and we can still make significant progress on it in the early part of the Government. We have only had the first of five budgets. However, we do need to see everything move in some form of sequential order that makes sense. There are 21 commitments in the programme for Government relating to childcare.”
“I obviously do not want to, nor has the Deputy, in any way interfere with the privacy of those involved or the ongoing Garda investigation other than to say that this is a very serious incident and needs to be treated as such. It is also an extraordinarily tragic and saddening incident. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of childcare. I will speak directly to the Minister, Deputy Foley, about the issue she has highlighted in relation to Pobal and the drawdown of grants and where that is at. I will ask the Minister to come back to her directly. We are absolutely committed to reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month during the lifetime of the Government.”
“I want to address the Deputy's first point on Donaghmede. I join with her in rightly acknowledging the very difficult, challenging, stressful and sometimes dangerous environment in which our care workers find themselves. None of us can fully comprehend the most horrific, tragic and saddening situation care workers endured yesterday. I want to join with the Deputy in paying tribute to them. I also agree with her that there will, obviously, need to be full answers and transparency in relation to all the procedures and protocols that were in place. As she rightly said, however, a Garda investigation is under way, and we need to allow that process to proceed.”
“I told her we brought in a tax on their profits that has yielded €271 million over the past two years. The Sinn Féin plan was to hand over taxpayers' money to the energy companies. There was a clear choice in the last election. The people gave their verdict and they voted for centrist politics instead of Sinn Féin policies that would have bankrupted the nation and spent €4 billion more in the budget.”
“That is just not true. I just told the Deputy what we are doing. She asked a very important question on a very important issue. The whole assertion of her question and the premise behind it was that we did nothing on energy. She stood up, and the record of the Dáil will show it, and said we did not reduce tax. I am telling her that we reduced value added tax on energy bills for the next five years in the budget. That is an error – one cannot use the L word in here, but it was the first mistruth the Deputy told. Second, the Deputy said we did not help working families. We extended the fuel allowance to people who get a working family payment. That is a second mistruth the Deputy told. The third thing she said is that the Taoiseach and I had not said what we will do in relation to energy companies.”
“Deputy Gould, maybe one day they will give you a go at Leaders' Questions but today it is Mairéad so please let her do it. To try to help people with the cost of energy, we have applied a zero rate of VAT on the installation of solar panels, something people look for. We have reduced the rate of VAT on low emission heat pump heating systems. We have increased the number of additional needs payments. Energy costs are real, absolutely, and that is why we took a number of practical measures to help people in the budget and we targeted those measures at those most in need.”
“We have increased the fuel allowance by €5. We have also extended it to more than 50,000 households, including people on the working family payment – the clue is in the name: the working family payment. Some 460,000 households will now benefit from the fuel allowance, more than a quarter of the households in the country. That is a practical measure that we took in the budget. On top of that, to answer the Deputy's question directly, we have taken a very specific measure against the energy companies and price gouging by having a tax on the profits of energy companies which has yielded €271 million over a two-year period. We taxed the energy companies on their profits, but the Deputy left that out as well. On top of that, we reduced the PSO levy-----”
“-----was to increase the fuel allowance to help people most at risk including, by the way, working people. I do not like the way the Deputy suggests helping people through social welfare is not helping working people. Many, many, many working families benefit from the fuel allowance situation.”
“Sinn Féin's plan was to give money from taxpayers to the big energy companies and our plan was to consider permanent and sustainable ways of reducing costs. Again, I hope the Deputy tells people that we have taken measures in the budget to help them with the cost of energy. I am sure she tells them that we took a measure around reducing tax on energy in the budget. We decided to reduce the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9% not just for one or two years or to the end of the year, but for five years. I hope the Deputy welcomes that. I am sure she does. We decided to reduce the VAT rate and make that permanent for five years. That is an important and practical tax reducing measure that we took in the budget.”
“The only other place that happened in the world was when Liz Truss was British Prime Minister. Sinn Féin's solution was to take hard earned taxpayers' money from young couples like those the Deputy met in Galway and give it to the energy companies, throw it away. That was never a good idea. I welcome the fact that the Deputy now acknowledges that it was not and is no longer pursuing that ridiculous, economically illiterate policy.”
“I hope she tells those people she meets across the country that only one party in Dáil Éireann proposed giving subsidies to the energy companies. It was not Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party, the Social Democrats, the Independents or anybody else here. The response of Sinn Féin in the last Dáil, its solution to the energy price situation, was to give taxpayers' money over to the energy companies.”
“I will start by acknowledging the deeply upsetting incident that took place in a Tusla facility in Donaghmede yesterday. This is a shocking event. My thoughts and those of people right across the House and country are with all of those impacted by it, in particular the bereaved family and those injured. The loss of life is unconscionable. The focus must now be on the welfare and safety of the young people and staff at the facility. Tusla is working to put additional supports in place to do that. I also want to acknowledge the staff and members of An Garda Síochána who arrived at the scene yesterday. There is obviously an ongoing Garda investigation, but this is a horrific and deeply saddening incident which I wanted to acknowledge here. I thank Deputy O'Farrell for the question.”
“It is to work to build a country in which every person, regardless of their starting point, has the support and opportunity to live with dignity. That must be our North Star. We are not satisfied that there are still many areas where we have significant deficiencies and major improvements to make. We must be restless to do more. We are committed to delivering and working in partnership and in good faith. That is the duty of Government and the duty that guides me each and every day. It will continue to do so as this Government fulfils the mandate given to us by the Irish people and as I continue to fulfil mine.”
“I have never claimed to be infallible but I do act in good faith. When I err and make mistakes, I acknowledge them. I do not always get everything right, but let us distinguish scrutiny from cynicism and accountability from opportunism. Let us reduce the toxicity in political debate. I respect every Member of this House because each one carries a mandate directly from the Irish people. We must not permit the framing of debate to be decided by those who view politics as a zero-sum game composed of confrontation rather than conviction. Political leadership matters. It matters whether we lean towards polarisation or towards solidarity. It matters whether we cultivate division or seek to build on what unites us. Our priority, my priority, remains the same.”
“We have provided record levels of assistance because neutrality can never mean indifference. Compassion must be matched by action. In defence, we have delivered record funding to our Defence Forces and are on the trajectory to reach level of ambition 2. This is not simply about equipment; it is about respect for the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann, who serve and respond in storms, at sea, in search and rescue operations and in peacekeeping missions. They are often unseen but never unnoticed. Throughout my time in public life, as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Minister for Health, Minister for further and higher education, Minister for Justice, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence, I have always tried to work hard in service of the people.”
“The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has established a national therapy service, putting therapists in special schools, with the roll-out in 45 schools this year and more to follow. It is a start, not a finish, and we will and must go further. I have long believed, and I know the Taoiseach has long believed, that children with additional needs should not have to fight the system for the services they need. The system must be changed to support them. We are working every day to make this a reality. In my own direct areas of responsibility of foreign affairs and defence, we have continued to stand shoulder to shoulder with those in crisis, with the people of Ukraine defending their sovereignty and with civilians in Gaza facing intolerable suffering. Ireland's voice on the world stage has remained rooted in human rights, peace and humanitarian law.”
“I know a republic is judged not just by what it builds but by how it cares, and in the area of disability we have so much work to do. We have sought to, and we must, move beyond aspiration to action. I am pleased the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, have overseen a record level of investment in disability services, with an increase of over €618 million in extra funding in last week's budget. What matters now is how we use it. We have been engaging directly with parents, carers, advocates and people such as Cara Darmody, listening to their voices and trying to act on what they tell us. We have doubled the fund dedicated to assisting parents accessing assessments of need. We are trying to listen and respond.”
“It is a plan built not on headlines but on homes, hospitals, schools, transport and the foundations of a fair economy. One in every three euro in that plan is dedicated to housing because we know that without a secure home, no other part of a person's life can truly take root. To make this funding deliver requires reform of planning, land use, construction, finance and local delivery - the key enablers. We have introduced rent pressure zones nationwide, providing certainty and stability. We have changed apartment standards and introduced a series of measures in last week's budget to stimulate supply and tackle vacancy and dereliction. Shortly, we will publish a new housing plan, which will reaffirm the Government's commitment to deliver the homes our country needs.”
“When the Government came into office in January of this year, we promised to put people before politics. It was and remains our commitment to service, to responsibility and to the belief that public office carries with it a duty to enter Government and use our time as elected representatives to deliver progress. On the day the Government was formed, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and our Independent colleagues made a conscious choice. We set aside differences, not because it was easy but because it was the right thing to do for our country. Over the course of the past nine months, we have set about honouring the democratic mandate given to us by the Irish people. Acting on this mandate, we have launched the largest capital plan in the history of the State, investing €102.4 billion over the next five years.”
“Members of all political parties and Independent colleagues attended a briefing in the audiovisual room yesterday, as did the Minister for Health, and heard the most distressing and convincing testimony supporting the need for an inquiry. All Members who attended and spoke at the briefing were united and constructive in their response. We have agreed to work in partnership on the structure of an inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis services, with a further meeting to take place shortly with Gillian and Stephen and representative groups. In this House, the Government will work with anyone who wants to work constructively to make progress on this matter. That is my priority in responding to these important matters and I know it is the priority of the entire Government.”
“In recent times, further significant concerns have been raised in relation to spinal services and I, the Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and the Government have responded by saying we must listen to and work with parents and advocacy groups who are highlighting hugely worrying and important issues. We must humbly listen and act. This has been the purpose of my engagement with Harvey's family and other parent advocates. It has been what the Taoiseach, the Minister and I have been working on over the last number of weeks. Like Members across the House, I have been overwhelmed by the passion and determination of these families, who have already been through so much but are acting out of a deep commitment to getting better care for others.”
“It is often when we do our best work. I can think of examples such as Sláintecare and referendum campaigns. More recently, I was glad to work with Members across the House to support Irish citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla. In every capacity in which I have served, I have always taken responsibility and accounted for my actions before this House and before the Seanad, in committees, in public and, crucially, at the ballot box. I have acknowledged time and again that we are not where we need to be in addressing ongoing deficits in the care of children in spinal services, despite the sincere efforts of successive Ministers, Governments and taoisigh. I am very conscious of the tragic loss of Harvey Morrison Sherratt and I have expressed directly my deep sorrow to his parents, Gillian and Stephen.”
“The Department of Health now has a budget of over €27 billion, and this record allocation is being accompanied by a significant programme of reform to enable faster and fairer care. The level of investment in disability services this year is truly a step change compared with all previous years, and it needs to be. The Government is deeply committed to overseeing delivery and making sure this huge financial investment actually makes a difference in the lives of people who so desperately need it. These are some of the major issues of concern to the Irish public and their expectation is that we will be relentless in making progress and working together on these matters. In my experience, most Members of this House seek to work constructively to do just that. I have always endeavoured to work on many issues on a cross-party basis.”
“The House gathers today less than a year since the last general election, as the Taoiseach reminds us, and just over 250 days since the Government was formed. The Thirty-fourth Dáil sits at a time of global uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence. It was in this context that the people made their choice at the last election and the resultant Dáil has very serious business to do on their behalf. We have just seen the first of five budgets which will seek to create the conditions for our country to maintain a strong economy, protect jobs, improve public services and build for our future. We are making a record investment in housing and infrastructure and we are pulling every policy lever at our disposal to dramatically address this major challenge.”
“Without commenting on any specific case, all whistleblowers are, under law, expected to have all of the protections that are right in the context of whistleblowing. Bringing information into the public domain is a very important part of our democracy.”
“The first thing I will do is read that EU report. Deputy Kelly was right to bring it to the attention of the House. We want to be leaders in terms of the structures we have here. We certainly do not want to be laggards. This matter sounds concerning from what he tells me, which I am not doubting. We have taken a number of measures in recent years in trying to establish the new structures for protected disclosures, greater clarity around what is meant to happen when disclosures come in and greater understanding across the system. This is a responsibility in the first instance for the Minister for public expenditure and reform. I will reflect on what the Deputy has said and ask that the relevant Minister reverts to him.”
“First is the establishment of a legacy unit within An Garda Síochána by the end of the year. Second, going back to Stormont House proposals, we have, from memory, committed to establishing that cross-Border information retrieval body to operate on a pilot basis for two years. I am interested in the Venn diagram as to where there may or may not be gaps, but I am very happy to have a conversation with the Deputy.”
“I am always open to engaging on a cross-party basis on this. I was with the First Minister for Northern Ireland in Hillsborough last night with representatives from western Balkan countries. We had a conversation about our peace process and the learnings from it for other parts of the world. It was a brief opportunity to talk to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to legacy matters. We have a framework. It needs to be implemented and translated faithfully into legislation in the House of Commons. We will then need to do our corresponding piece of work here. I am happy to have a further or longer conversation about this with the Deputy and his party. What I will say now, however, is that we are already proposing to do two things in this jurisdiction.”
“We want to build on that in the years ahead to deliver on the programme for Government commitment to abolish the means test. In the interim, I will ask the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to reflect on the point the Deputy made regarding the reviews.”
“I thank Deputy Dempsey for raising this case. In many ways, it reminds us of why we need to abolish the means test. We are all hearing too many stories of carers not qualifying because of the income of the people they are married to or in a relationship with. As the Deputy said, there are also cases where people finally get the allowance and then find that if their spouse or partner does a few hours of extra work or gets a promotion, which are good things that happen in family life, they lose out.. These are kinds of traps and anomalies. I do hope, without knowing the particulars of that person's situation, the budget might have helped. It is one of the reasons why we have significantly increased the income disregard for single people and couples in this budget.”