Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

That is very rich coming from Deputy Ó Cuív, since his party proposed €300 million extra in cuts and €190 million extra in cuts in the social welfare budget than were actually implemented by this Government. We are in very difficult times and everybody understands that. This Government succeeded in bringing in a budget that does not increase tax on working people and does not, contrary to what Deputy Ó Cuív implies, cut basic social welfare rates or protect the rich at the expense of the poor.

No measures are targeted at women. Any of the reforms proposed in the budget, such as those pertaining to pensions, apply to men and women. There are no specific measures in respect of pensions which apply to women. In respect of the changes which are proposed with regard to eligibility for pensions, namely the number of qualifying contributions which are required, they can be made up by looking at the contributions of either partner where a couple is married.

The budget and measures contained in it are balanced. The Government has made clear that where some measures have had unforeseen consequences it has been prepared to look at them on their merits and make adjustments where necessary.

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