Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

This is no reflection on the Minister's intentions or bona fides, but the figure I was given by the Parliamentary Budget Office and Department of public expenditure and reform was, from memory, €628 million. A figure was put on this. We have had a back-and-forth exchange before, but I feel obligated to mention it because the amount allocated in the budget for a half year was €10 million, which will be €20 million for a full year. At that rate, to get to a figure of €628 million would take 30 years. Clearly, the Minister does not intend that to take 30 years, and I respect that.

Based on what the Minister has said, however, it is possible that there would be no further increases for a number of years and then a massive increase at the end. The figure of €628 million still stands. We all know this is the Government responding to pressure from outside, but starting with a figure of €10 million when the ultimate bill will be €628 million seems to be something of a slow start. I understand there are things we cannot know, such as the number of people who may become eligible and will apply. However, someone in the Department of public expenditure put a figure on this.

Does the Minister see where I am going with this? It is difficult to see how the Minister's ambition will be accomplished within the lifetime of the Government, given the pace he has set and the cost I was given. If he has different figures that contradict that cost, I would be happy to hear them.