Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Before Ms Faughnan responds, I have some questions. I would advise caution in regards to the means test. I submitted a parliamentary question recently on income levels and the response from the Revenue Commissioners was that 51% of incomes are at €30,000 or less. Therefore, I disagree that €70,000 is a middle income. Perhaps it is an average income in a double income household, because the average industrial wage is approximately €34,000. However, it is important to remember that the majority of people and households are not on incomes of €70,000. We need to take that reality into account.

I would not agree there should be no means test because the scheme is based on exceptional needs and hardship. If we drop the test in terms of flooding, where would we draw the line in other cases of hardship in terms of a means test?