Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The late Ernest Blythe took a shilling from old age pensioners and the repercussions, in political terms, against Cumann na Gael and Fine Gael Party lasted for 60 years.

This is a shameful act by the Government. Does the Taoiseach agree that there is a surplus of €1.4 billion in the social insurance fund? Does he agree with the Minister's written reply last week that this measure was introduced in response to pressure on Government spending? Does he not find it completely and utterly hypocritical that on the day the Committee of Public Accounts publishes its report on Punchestown, the Accounting Officer of a Department is being held up on the basis that this scheme which cost €15 million, three times the cost of this cutback, was never examined? The consequence of this is that the 2,000 widows affected by a scheme into which they paid contributions are now paying for the Punchestown deal as outlined by the Committee of Public Accounts report published a few minutes ago. Is that not hypocritical? Will the Taoiseach now state his intention to reverse this decision forthwith? This shameful cutback of €5.8 million should not be borne by the vulnerable in our society. Every Member from the Government parties knows this is morally wrong.

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