Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

The Presentation Brothers rather then the Jesuits educated me and I cannot understand the distinction. The Minister seems to be saying that an overpayment is something that an individual welfare recipient may fall foul of and for which he or she must make restorative arrangements, but that when the case relates to a collective group of recipients, it equates somehow to an advance payment by the Department. This is far too subtle a distinction.

On foot of his decision in this matter, the Minister must put in place some optional repayment facility in view of the circumstances in which people have found themselves. This should include the option of immediate payment or a repayment term of three or six months, depending on an individual's circumstances. I disagree with the Minister's contention that recipients could not have understood the extra money to be a special Christmas payment. His predecessor was well known for making special once-off payments that were not linked to the calendar year. Such special payments included those to centenarians and those in regard to child support in certain circumstances, for instance. Because of this, there may have been an expectation among welfare recipients. Many in this country would not put anything past this Government in terms of winning favour for electoral purposes and might have understood this extra payment as a favour for whatever purpose.

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