John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is what the country has taken from what he said. If he has other news on it, he should tell us.

This is not the first recession this country has experienced, although people will argue that it is the most severe. There have been booms and recessions many times in this country's history and child benefit has survived all of them. The Minister said that child benefit was introduced as an avoidance of poverty measure. If the Minister interferes with it in next week in the budget, she will reintroduce poverty to thousands of families.

Every Member of the House recognises that the people of this country are angry and afraid. The Minister said tonight that she wishes to be fair in how she deals with this issue. People are angry because there has been no fairness. If the Minister implements what she proposes in the budget next week, it will be a continuation of that.

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