Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I would like to have full information on this, although I know the area being spoken about by the Deputy and some of my own colleagues have pointed out these facts to me. We must look at how we can achieve results on the issue. At this stage I cannot pre-empt what the Minister for Finance might decide to do with the budget. We will have our own discussions — as do all Departments — in regard to all of these areas in advance of the budget. We will ensure that we progress and build on the very clear and enormous benefits the Department of Social and Family Affairs delivers across the country.

It is quite extraordinary that the amounts in question have come from approximately €3.7 billion to more than €15.3 billion today, when unemployment has plummeted to where we almost have full employment. This demonstrates that we have correctly shifted our emphasis to the services area, particularly services and resources people must have to fully participate in society. We want to build on this.

In the past two years there was much catching up from a social welfare perspective. Many big jumps were required to bring us to some reasonable norms acceptable to people throughout the country. We must incrementally protect those and build on them as we go forward vis-À-vis inflation or other issues so that the good base and incomes available to people are protected from budget to budget and from year to year.

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