Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his engagement with the committee. It was slightly unfair of Deputy Cathal Crowe to expect him to comment on what happened in 2009. None us of in this room was in national politics at that time. I was a councillor back then. It is not fair to put that question to the Minister. It should be directed to the Tánaiste, who is the only person currently in the Cabinet who was also a Cabinet member at that time. I recall there being 30,000 people on the streets in Ennis protesting over the reconfiguration.

I have had correspondence from the Irish Wheelchair Association regarding the €1,000 pandemic payment. Will the Minister intervene in this matter? It is 14 or 15 months since people were told they would get the payment. While there are various reasons for the delay, it is now an undue delay. It is reasonable for the Minister to accept it is an undue delay, given we are almost into May and the Cabinet agreed to the payment in January last year.