Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)

People I represent are handing back groceries at the till when they get there because they do not have the money to pay for them all. Where is the dignity in that? They are afraid to put on the radio in case they are told about another expected hike next month in their electricity or gas bills. It is frankly hard to accept the claim that the Government is all about targeting when the social protection package - the thing we use to target the most vulnerable - is so wide of the mark.

Here are some of the one-hit wonders the Government recorded last year that got it safely over the line in November: not one but two double payments of child benefit; a €400 lump sum for carers; €200 on the living alone allowance; and so much cash to toss around that the Government even had a €280 grant to wet new babies' heads. The Government was literally running out of gimmick giveaways. At the time, the Opposition could not even keep up. There was the country's biggest ever social welfare package with €2.6 billion in total. I knew the social welfare talks were not going well when the Sunday newspapers were being briefed that there would be a Christmas bonus this year.

Well done. Wow, congratulations, that is incredible. What an achievement. Is this what you have been reduced to this year? Trumpeting the fact that there is going to be a Christmas bonus that is actually paid out of this year's spending in the Department of Social Protection, the savings in the Department literally found down the back of the couch. It is absolutely pathetic.

It is a pity there are no Fianna Fáil Ministers here, quite an insult to the Opposition, in fact.

See this speech in context