Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

With due deference to the Ministers of State, Deputy John Moloney and Deputy Barry Andrews, who are present and for whom I have the height of respect, I can guarantee that this Bill was certainly not considered on the day of the Budget Statement. The Ministers did not have the slightest intention of having anything to do with a Bill such as this. I recall the Minister for Finance stating that his budget would be fair and balanced. It was unfair and unbalanced in about ten different areas, which I do not have time to discuss. It was only when the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach saw the 40,000 pensioners coming to Kildare Street that they began to understand. The Minister of State will recall the event in the church.

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