Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Government knows that to date this year, there has been a reduction in the cost of living. The position may arise at the end of this year that when one takes together the 3% increase provided for this year and a 5% drop in the cost of living, that there will have been a real increase in welfare provision of 8%. That is what is envisaged this year.

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