Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I do not want to delay our discussion but I would have thought that if the Minister is taking onto himself a power to reduce by fiat the income of certain categories, he needs clear authority in regard to the categories to which he will apply that power. His is a broad definition which has not offered certainty as to which categories would be subject to the power. Does he not need, in order to ensure that the legislation is robust and immune from challenge in the courts, to inform the Oireachtas of his precise intentions so that the authority which he derives from this House is fully explained to us when we grant it to him? Perhaps I am being obtuse but he has not explained to my satisfaction which categories of charges, fees and services can be subjected to this reduction by fiat. My interpretation of what the Minister has said is that even the group to which I adverted, home help services, could be embraced by section 10 because he has not stated that the section excludes the Minister for Health and Children.

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