Results 15,361-15,380 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

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.

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

Dermot Ahern: In its last year the rainbow coalition Government gave £1 per month per child and they criticise us for giving €8.40. A few years ago we increased it by €32. They gave £1 and we gave €32.

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

Dermot Ahern: During their time it was £38.

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

Dermot Ahern: They gave £38 per month and we give €150 per month for the first two children.

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

Dermot Ahern: They gave £49 for subsequent children and we are giving €185. Need I say anything more about child care strategy? In recent years we have built the supply and demand. We have increased places dramatically and under the new five-year programme we will increase them by another 50,000 places in order to bring down the prices. Our record on taxation speaks for itself as we have taken so many...