Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The disability issue did not affect existing claimants either, yet a pause was put on it. It is time we found the eject button, rather than the pause button. Apart from that, the Minister mentioned that some people were earning "considerably more than €400". Why did she not put in the words "a considerable amount more than €400" rather than €400? Can we amend the €400 to €800? Would that be considerably more than the €400, to disbar anybody earning that sort of money from this entitlement? I acknowledge that existing claimants will retain what they had budgeted for and continue to budget for on the basis of what they receive. However, it is wrong to set a figure of €400 and then to tell us that what she means is "considerably more than €400". Fifty cent is more than €400.

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