Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One thing I do is listen very carefully. My question related to family income supplement and other welfare supports. It is an absolute scandal that members of our Army have to resort to family income supplement and other welfare supports, at a time when there is no shortage of money to commit to the militarisation of Europe. I do not think people stood outside the Dáil last week, in the coldest of weather, just for the fun of it. They did so to tell us how difficult it was to survive on the money they are getting. Can the Minister stand over the fact that they are on minimum pay?

The Minister's answer referred to "117 customers" but it is unacceptable to refer to them as customers. They are households, families and people who are on family income supplement, not customers.

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