Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

Yes. I know she worked very hard night and day to ascertain how, even in the midst of cutbacks, she could bring about equity or fairness for people, particularly those with young children, and she has done so.

Interestingly, as I travelled somewhere last Sunday evening, by chance I heard on the car radio the vice-president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Professor John Monaghan, who appeared on a programme the name of which I cannot recall but which is broadcast at 6 p.m. on a Sunday evening. In his opening remarks, before getting into what one might call the tough stuff, he wished to acknowledge immediately the significant efforts of the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, towards ensuring that in the case of people with young children who lost child benefit initially, it would be made up by the increased qualified child allowance, as well as by family income supplement, FIS, for those who are eligible. The Acting Chairman is making faces at me.

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