Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. At the outset, I echo the Minister's last comments in relation to the work of the Department of Social Protection. It has been a challenging two-and-half-to-three years for staff within the Department. We will all raise issues and we will all be frustrated with various elements of the operation of some of these schemes but, all-in-all, across all of the Departments that we deal with, it is the one Department where officials are always proactive, helpful and willing to provide advice and solutions. I acknowledge that.

I now invite questions from the members to the Minister and Minister of State in relation to the Supplementary Estimate. The first member who indicated is Deputy Carey.