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

I move amendment No. 31:

In page 9, after line 22, to insert the following:“11. The Minister shall, within 4 weeks of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas, reviewing all expenditure reductions or the ceasing of payments in relation to the household benefits package, including the gas allowance, electricity allowance, telephone allowance since 2011, and setting out the options for restoring those payments to their previous levels.”.

I wish to withdraw amendment No. 31 and do not propose to move amendments Nos. 32 and 33, inclusive, as I wish to reconsider them. I will resubmit them for Report Stage.

May I make a point on amendment No. 30?

I realise I am not entitled to discuss it because it represents a charge on the Exchequer. However, it has been strongly represented to me that the regulation in this case is somewhat outdated. Perhaps the Minister of State would review that. We can discuss it privately sometime.