Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I was disappointed by the Minister's reply, the majority of which was culled from his budget speech and which we have heard several times.

Is the Minister aware there are 290,000 people living in consistent poverty, many of whom are children? Is he aware that 770,000 people, many of whom are children, are at risk of poverty? These figures come from a State organisation, the Combat Poverty Agency. Is he ashamed that there was no fuel allowance increase in the budget? Fuel is one of the first luxuries, for want of a better term, to be cut when budgetary issues take effect in family homes. What is the Minister doing about these figures in respect of low-income families?

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