Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In the Fine Gael alternative proposals, it would have been possible to exclude all categories. Regarding the point of going forward, as the Taoiseach said, and it causes people trouble, budgets are always about choices. My contention is the Taoiseach has made a very bad choice. For example, had the Government chosen to accept more of the McCarthy report's recommendations on the elimination of quangos, it would have saved €175 million. By doing so, the Government could have left the carer's allowance for Tom, looking after his wheelchair bound wife in Arklow, untouched. By doing so, it would not have had to take €8.30 off the 1,500 recipients of the blind person's allowance, all of whom are means tested anyway.

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