Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Much of what is contained in the social welfare and tax codes and what is happening now in bad times is an attempt to weed out some of the schemes that were introduced deliberately to win elections. I refer the Deputies to the record. They were introduced to buy elections. Measures introduced in an effort to buy elections do not remain permanent parts of the code at a time such as now when people are suffering. We have to make adjustments and dificult choices have to be made. That we can continue as we are and that everything will be all right is not the case. There is no targeting of the over-70s. We have been careful to ensure the elderly are affected less by the budgetary adjustments than other sectors in society. The reverse is probably true.