Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I would make the point that this Government, when resources were available, provided well in excess of cost of living increases for social welfare recipients and finds itself in a position where tomorrow we have to ensure the protection of social welfare recipients' income vis-À-vis the 2008 position by taking into account the fact that there has been a reduction in the cost of living this year of the order of 6.5% to 7%.

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