Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief, although there is much information. We will not get to some of the issues, including appropriations in aid, where some of the payments are substantially different. We are talking about millions of euro and we should have been better able to estimate them. It is not the fault of the Minister but every year the Estimates are given but the figure for this Supplementary Estimate is €655 million. Has there been any work to ensure that next year we will not return here to discuss a Supplementary Estimate of such a substantial amount? I accept there will always be movement in an Estimate.

I welcome the integrated offices, which is progress, and there will be more savings in administration when forms are standardised, etc. This year's saving is small but the more the process is rolled out, the more additional savings will accrue. There are savings in fuel allowance and rent supplement and we have argued about those elements. If the Minister had been aware of the amount of money saved on the fuel allowance, perhaps it could have been extended by a week in the case of those surviving on social welfare instead of being cut by six weeks. The savings amount to €8.5 million for fuel allowance and €12 million for rent allowance. The Estimate was based on reducing rent supplement and the amount of fuel allowance that people would get.