Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

If one considers the consistent poverty statistics, which is an important issue in any social welfare debate, one can see how dramatically the position has improved in Ireland in recent years in respect of the elderly, among whom there is very little consistent poverty, not alone because of the extremely high rates of payment by international standards on the basic State pension, which is acknowledged worldwide, but also because of the wide array of fringe and associated benefits and supports that are given.

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