Dáil debates

Wednesday, 12 December 2007

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy is being disingenuous. The correct approach in this regard adopted by Fianna Fáil-led Governments since 1997 has been to look after all pensioners in a very substantive way, which has been of considerable benefit to people living alone. The increase has been far greater by addressing the overall pension position than simply concentrating on the living alone allowance. The benefit to the individual has been far higher than by maintaining the rate, as the Deputy has suggested, which would have seen the rate go up to approximately €17 when comparing the position in 1996 with today. Individual pensioners as well as couples have gained far more than they would have if we had simply inched along with the overall pension and inched along with the living alone allowance. That is the reality.

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