Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

-----but I will do my best. He made some sense. Many of these issues, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be aware, are raised on a regular basis at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, formerly the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, where, as far as possible, we take an all-party approach. I believe strongly that we all can echo what he said, that the Government must continue to protect the vulnerable.

Over the next 55 days we all will be lobbied by all sorts of groups. Even today, if one looked around the corridors, there were several groups in lobbying. The USI students were across the road, and the Carer's Association and a number of other groups were here in Leinster House. Everybody has a point of view to express to all the Government Deputies and to all the Opposition spokespersons and Deputies as to what should be done on 7 December and, indeed, beyond, and it is important that we would take that into account. Certainly, I have no hesitation in saying that I have always believed - it is where I have come from politically - that the Government, irrespective of who is in power, must continue to protect the most vulnerable.

I made the point at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection meeting this morning that we are dealing not only with people who were traditionally in that situation, but with people who now constitute a new poor who find themselves having to seek assistance in a way they never did previously, and it is important that we would support them in every way.

The committee I mentioned has taken on board a number of issues in recent times. We demanded and sought assurance from the energy suppliers on disconnections, and I noted that other Deputies mentioned this. We must be careful to note the distinction between those families who cannot pay and those who will not pay, but there are families that are struggling and are challenged. This t is the same in every constituency, not only in the Dublin region, and not only where I live, work and represent. People are finding it difficult.

Some of the companies' policies on disconnections and associated issues need to be questioned. They have claimed to the committee that they are looking at this in a caring way, but there is evidence available to all of us that sometimes they act in a way they should not, and I believe there is a responsibility on us to speak out in that regard. The Government should protect those people and as far as possible ensure that disconnection is a last resort.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, for example, which we all know in every one of our communities, also made the point at the committee that a level of acceptance will have to be reached by the companies and they will have to, as I stated, try to work with those families who are in difficulties.

The key message we must put out is that customers should contact their suppliers in every case to make arrangements before it gets to the point where they are forced to disconnect, and I would hope that they would do so.

I also take this opportunity to wish my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, well in his brief. I will not rise to all of this stuff about bashing the Greens. As far as I am concerned, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has done good work. I have heard Members from the Opposition benches say that. I would like to wish him well also. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his forbearance.

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