Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I speak on behalf of those who have been affected by this cut. I hope that the Minister of State is in the House this evening to say that he is going to reverse it. It is a punitive measure which affects those who do not themselves have a strong voice. I fail to understand the economic prerogative behind this cut. People in this sector are in what is called a rehabilitative phase, which is designed to assist progression. For the sake of €31.80 per person, it seems miserly and mean to make cuts affecting people in this category. I hope that the Minister of State will reverse this decision because none of us on this side of the House understands why it was made in the first instance.

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