Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak, but I do not welcome the issue on which I speak. No one wants to see the Christmas bonus being cut. In the first of many budgets introduced in the past year, the Government hit the over 70s medical cards. It saw the reaction. While thousands might not be out on the streets as a result of this cut, I do not doubt that reality will hit home next Christmas when people find themselves without money to buy what they want for their children, grandchildren and so on and necessities such as diesel oil and gas.

The Government has wasted money in recent years, including €52 million on e-voting machines, millions of euro on their storage and €180 million for the health service computer system, but no heads have rolled. These two items alone would have more than covered the Christmas bonus. There were ways for the Government to avoid this situation, but it has taken the easier way out and taken money from the elderly, those with disabilities and those on long-term social welfare benefits. I ask the Ministers for Social and Family Affairs and Finance to re-examine this matter to determine whether it would be possible to reinstate the bonus. It may only be an overall cut of 2% in social welfare, but the time of year and those from whom it will be taken are the issue.

There has been much waste in the HSE. For example, an ordinary meeting of a health forum is usually only attended by 16 of its 28 members. It is only a talking shop, yet 15 HSE executives attend for a number of hours. The committee cannot make a decision or give guidance. It is only an informational structure. This type of body is allowed to stay in place at a significant cost to the State. While there is no effort to streamline them or to save money, the first item to be cut is a Christmas bonus from those who are least well off. I ask the Government to reconsider and to do the right thing.

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