Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The community welfare officers advised the Minister how to spend scarce money. She was not too worried about scarce money while on this side of the House when she could find money for everything under sun. It is a mean cut and it should be reversed.

Why did the Minister wait until the eve of First Holy Communion and Confirmation, with the result that people did not have the chance to plan ahead? She spoke about expenditure coming to an average payment of €300 in the east and nothing in the north west. The fact remains that since last year the cap was €110. Will the Minister agree with me that no one can be particularly lavish with €110? She has made a statement that people can shop around and buy clothes at a reasonable price. They might be reasonably priced for the likes of the Minister, but they are not for the people whom the Labour Party was supposed to and elected to represent. These prices are out of their range and the Minister is out of touch.

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