Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to hear the Minister will achieve the target of €540 million which the Department inherited this year. I would like her to kill a myth which has evolved in recent weeks. Last week I heard the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, state that of the €700 million reportedly targeted for savings in the Department, €600 million would be achieved by virtue of anti-fraud measures. Will the Minister clarify for him and others in the Government who may be portraying this view that, first and foremost, the Department has achieved the target of €540 million it inherited this year and that next year a target has been set for the Department of €625 million, which indicates the savings that can be made by the Department in this area against the target figure of €700 million amount to only €85 million? When I say "only," I do not mean to be flippant, as it is a great deal of money when we are speaking about people in great need who depend on all payment rates, let alone primary rates. I do not understand what is meant by "primary" or "secondary" when those dependent on income from the Department of Social Protection value every euro and cent they receive, irrespective of what somebody calls it. Will the Minister clarify that the net saving in respect of the target of €625 million set for next year will be €85 million and that this is the only figure that can be measured against the Department's target figure of €700 million?

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