Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I refer to protecting the pensioners. Almost a half a million people aged over 66 years are fully protected in this budget. This is something to which they are entitled and richly deserve. We will support them. We have also avoided any cuts in the State pension. Other supports will not be cut, such as the household benefit package, which included free TV licences, electricity and gas allowances and a telephone allowance. This is an area which should be examined and perhaps we should take the money from RTE that the Department of Social and Family Affairs pays and use that €50 million to support some of the cuts waived. That is something I will seek and for which I will campaign.

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