Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

When that cut was made, Deputy O'Dea was very hurt by it.

Deputies on all sides put forward strong views on the budget. It is difficult to take any income away from people, particularly those who are completely reliant on social welfare payments. Naturally, I am very sympathetic to all of those who are struggling in very difficult circumstances. However, the fact remains that cuts must be made. We are trying to do this in the fairest way possible.

I engaged in a careful consideration of the plans put forward by Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin prior to the budget. I noticed that Fianna Fáil found €200 million in unspecified fraud savings. In the current year, as a result of a very strong effort on its part, my Department made €625 million in savings in the context of reducing future expenditure on social welfare arising from fraud and misuse of the system. As a former Minister, Deputy O'Dea will know that none of this money counts as an expenditure cut. It is very important in preventing future rises in expenditure but, unfortunately, it does not count for the purposes of the budget.

I wish to refer to a proposal which I know to be very close to the hearts of those in Sinn Féin and which is continually put forward by them. I refer to the proposal for a social welfare amnesty. Deputy Ó Snodaigh has tabled detailed amendments in respect of this matter for Committee Stage. In all sincerity, I say this to him and fellow Sinn Féin Deputies that a social welfare amnesty could be something of a charter for people who have scammed they system to get away with what they did in the past.

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