Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I support the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill. In doing so, I acknowledge the difficulty of this decision for the Government and all of us in terms of supporting it. There is no question but that, as a number of Opposition spokespersons have said, cutting social welfare for the first time in the State is a very difficult decision. It is one that one would rather not have to make. It is one that is only made in the context of the overall budgetary situation. Irrespective of who was in government at the present time, it is a decision that would have to be taken.

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