Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

They asked him what he would have done and where he would have got the money. He replied he did not know where he would have got the money, and asked how would he know that. All he knew was it should not have been as it was. It all shows an extraordinary lack of responsibility or forethought before Fine Gael rushes in to make decisions as to what it says.

This Bill is dealing with an increase of 20% in the social welfare budget. I would like to know where the Opposition believes cuts should have been introduced. Last year, there were generous increases of 3% in social welfare payments which many believed would not happen. It behoves us all, however, as the Minister said, to ensure value for the moneys spent. Various precautionary measures have been put in place to unearth social welfare fraud and ensure that those who need it most get most. That is the essence of social welfare. It is about giving to those who do not have. Significant numbers of people in this economy can be described as "have nots". For a public representative to demand all sorts and yet never explain where they expect it to come from, is, in my mind, reprehensible. It is not suitable to us public representatives as public servants.

The Minister spent much time working on the details of her Estimates and where best she could use the moneys she had been given. These are generous moneys, given by the taxpayers. They know in their hearts they are giving it to those who most need it and the most vulnerable in society. In so doing they are fulfilling their social justice thrust.

None of us knows how long more it will take. I do not know how long more we will be able to mind our own ship of state. If we do not have control over what we are doing in our bailiwicks, we will not be here debating another social welfare Bill of the magnitude of the Bill before us.

I am happy to record the Government has given an increase of 20% in the social welfare budget in less than a year. Long may this continue.

See this speech in context