Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

This is the most ridiculous, absurd and insulting reply from officials in the Department of Social Protection. Will the Taoiseach ensure the sub-committee meets more often, becomes more assertive in terms of proofing Government policy in so far as it has an impact on the lowest income earners in our society and those who need help and support? I mentioned two cases involving autistic children and domiciliary care allowance and, in terms of carers, the family income supplement, but there are many others. The DEIS issue should not have happened. It happened because the committee must have been asleep at the wheel in terms of watching these issues. The change in eligibility rules for women, for example, has hit women to the tune of €70 and €80 and the Taoiseach comes in here and makes the proud boast that social welfare payments were not hit. Many people were hit but he did it by stealth, and the devil was in the detail.

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