Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have an aversion to the idea of someone being deemed to be a fraudster, to have defrauded the Department of Social Protection wilfully, which is one of the worst things one could do on the opinion of one official.

I will refer to this on Report Stage.

I would make one suggestion to the Minister of State, Deputy Humphreys. When it was introduced, the 15% rule was a maximum. The 15% of the principal personal amount is a maximum. In my experience, on too many occasions social welfare officers are taking this as standard and stating they are entitled to deduct 15%. Could somebody issue a directive to tell them that it is a maximum and they have flexibility to charge less in appropriate circumstances?