Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I tabled this question because older people were particularly badly affected during the recession by the cuts to all parts of their income. They had to deal with the household charge, property tax and the universal social charge, which has now been eased to some degree. They experienced increased motor tax rates and driver licence fees. Medical card entitlements, home-care packages and the fuel allowance were reduced, while the telephone allowance was abolished. These changes were introduced during the recession and it is now time for a reversal. People were hit in their pockets and we should look at reversing all of the cuts to which I refer, starting with the restoration of the telephone allowance and the introduction of Fianna Fáil's €25 pension increase.

See this speech in context