Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Between the exceptional needs payment that already exists and the hardship humanitarian fund, now established, the initial and immediate needs of families can be met. Longer-term issues will arise in due course, but it is less a question of the number of funds that are needed than the need to ensure that there is a flexible and adequate response to individual circumstances, which will vary from neighbour to neighbour.

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