Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We have increased the social welfare budget by 20% year on year this year over last year. That, of course, reflects the increased unemployment in society. It is also an indication of a preparedness to do everything possible to assist people in this situation and to recognise, as the Deputy fails to, that many improvements have taken place in respect of the obtaining of data by the Department and that it is cross-referencing all the time.

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