Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Funnily enough, even during the downturn every Minister responsible could find the money. We paid more than the minimum wage because we retained the wages of the people employed under the programme at the level they had been. That was fine until the current Taoiseach became Minister for Social Protection. Then, hey presto, in 2015 - suddenly and for the first time since the scheme started - the grant did not cover the minimum wage. The Minister says €3 million is a great deal of money. It is a great deal of money to the Department.

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