The Taoiseach has rejected a claim by the Fianna Fáil leader that the Budget contained “a brutal attack on young people with disabilities’’.

Micheál Martin said it represented a social welfare cut and “direct smash and grab’’ from the most vulnerable in our society.

He said in the Dáil this afternoon there had been a €111 reduction for those between 16 and 17 years; an €88 reduction for those between 18 and 21 years and a €44 reduction for those between 22 and 24 years.

“Targeting income supports for young people with disabilities, from 16 to 24 years of age, is calculatingly callous and cold,’’ he added.

Enda Kenny said that the current budgetary provision did not affect anybody between16 and 24 years currently drawing a disability allowance.

“This measure only affects new claimants,’’ he added.

Mr Kenny said the measure was introduced in the 2009 budget, but was subsequently withdrawn on the basis that the issue would be revisited in the review of the disability allowance scheme which was then underway.

“That review confirmed the view that payment of a full rate at age 16 years was inappropriate and measures should be introduced to change that,’’ he added.

The Government, said Mr Kenny, now had two years to put in place a structure which would recognise the fact that people with disability should not be “sidelined in some laneway in terms of our society as they could not make a contribution’’.