Results 1,461-1,480 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I was somewhat bemused to learn a couple of minutes ago that there was to be a change in the scheduling of speakers. The reason for the confusion was not really explained to me. The schedules of some Members on this side of the House have been put back all day because of the raucous behaviour of Opposition Members on the Order of Business this morning. Some of us are in some difficulty as a...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: All right. I would like to hear what the Deputy has to say because he is always entertaining, particularly on social welfare issues. I would like to share time with Deputies O'Donoghue, Conor Lenihan and Parlon.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I had a long speech from the Department on the budget, mainly dealing with the Department of Foreign Affairs covering passports, biometrics and all the money involved in the Estimates etc. It also dealt with decentralisation and overseas development aid. However, having listened to Deputy Broughan who was his party's spokesperson on social welfare when I was Minister in that area, I decided...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Since the previous Government came to office, we have trebled overseas development aid and the increase this year alone is more than the allocation under the Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left Government in the budget for 1997.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Between now and 2012 we will again treble overseas development aid. I wish to speak about social welfare and the improvements announced in the budget. It is like old times listening to Deputy Broughan. He will remember that when I was Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs on successive budgets the Government delivered record amounts. Some £870 million was given in two successive...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Yet again this year sees a record amount of €1.12 billion, which is on a similar level to the amounts given during my time.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Social welfare in 2006 will be more than quadruple the level set when Labour and Fine Gael were last in Government. We reformed the social welfare area and Deputy Broughan must acknowledge that instead of getting payments late in the year they are now given on 1 January, in effect five months earlier.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I listened to Deputy Broughan speak about the €17 increase we are giving. When in Government you gave them a measly €3.81.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We gave them €17 on top of all the other payments.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government dramatically increased family income supplement. We introduced the respite care grant. Do you remember that, Deputy Broughan? Today it is at a level of €1,200 thanks to the increase.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Maternity benefit has been dramatically increased. The back to school, and clothing and footware allowances have been dramatically increased. The fuel allowance, as you remember, Deputy Broughan, increased again this year and is given for a longer period than when the Labour Party and Fine Gael were in Government.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I come to old-age pensions.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government originally promised £100 per week, which is €127——

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: ——and we delivered.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We then made another promise to increase it to €200 in the lifetime of the Government and we are well on the way. We will do it next year, as the Deputy knows.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: What did Labour and Fine Gael give when they were in office? They gave £1.80.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: They should not lecture us about what we gave in the budget. We have given real increases of six times more than they gave.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The old-age contributory pension increased by only 10% over the lifetime of the rainbow Government. This year alone it has increased by 8%. Under Fianna Fáil-led Governments it has increased by more than 88% since 1997. Today it stands at €193.30, which represents——

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: ——the monumental increase of €99 which is exactly the amount of the payment when Fine Gael and Labour were in office.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The old-age non-contributory pension also increased by €16. I heard some lectures on child benefit. Dramatic increases in child benefit have been given by the Government in the past five or six years.