Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

The last budget began these reforms. We brought in special allowances for carers to recognise their work. We made substantial improvements in child benefit which started the reform process on child poverty. We moved income disregards for pensioners so that they could have much more income before they kicked into a pension. I refute the suggestion that the social agenda I have been laying out has not been pursued. It began in last year's budget and continued in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 and in my preparations for next week's budget. I have been guided by these social reform measures.

The NESC provided me with a report on the two tier payment and I am having discussions with colleagues on the progress we can make in up-coming legislation and in up-coming budgets. I have brought a paper on the cohabitation rule to the Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion and I have got broad agreement to make the amendment. I will go back to the Cabinet soon on that issue. I am very keen to replace it with a family friendly allowance. I have been too long in politics to give the Deputy deadlines by which I will have reformed Ireland's social problems. They will be around long after I leave office. What I can do is to lay out clearly my priorities. These include child poverty, pensions, the liberation of lone parents and elderly people on pensions who want to do other things, as well as recognising our carers. In our budgets and Social Welfare Bills, I want to make sure that we give effect to those policy objectives. That is an on-going process and will not be completed in the lifetime of this Dáil.

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