Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

No. 9 is a payment to the social insurance fund under section 9(9)(a) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. This matter was agreed at committee. The note from the Government Whip states that this is for a sum not exceeding €1.551 billion, to come from the Social and Family Affairs Vote to the social insurance fund, for people who are paying into contributory pensions, unemployment benefit and so on. The provision was made in the 2010 Estimates for the payment of an Exchequer subvention. Was the figure of €1.551 billion calculated as the amount by the Government when it presented the budget? In other words, was it understood that in the Social and Family Affairs Vote a subvention would have to be made to the social insurance fund to meet payments for contributory pensions and so forth? Was the figure calculated higher or lower than €1.551 billion? The fact that this payment must be made from the Social and Family Affairs Vote is testament to the scale and magnanimity of the Government's incompetence in getting the country back to work.

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