Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What degree of support does the Minister want to give them when he is giving individuals a cheque for €20,000 who do not need it to buy a house? What does he want them to do with that money? Does he want to be able to go for a couple of foreign holidays? He is taking that money from other services. It is money that he could put into hospital trolleys, autism services or other areas which need it. In that context, where people do not require the funds to purchase their house, how does he think that it is appropriate to hand out cheques for €20,000 to more than 40% of the claimants?