The Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, said last year that his second budget provided significant increases in social welfare payments. It is true, we acknowledge that. It went some way towards bridging the gap. The Minister has broken his commitments and the expectations of old age pensioners, social welfare recipients and lone parents. All had raised expectations that they would be protected against inflation. One would imagine from the figures presented in the budget that we were protecting inflation. We have not protected it. Any increases given have been felled in one swoop with the increase in the television licence fee which affects every family. Most social welfare recipients will be worse off in 2003 than in previous years as a result of that increase and the 1% increase in VAT. If that is progress, then it is time we looked at new ways to protect those who need it most. Senator Cox referred to this point in her contribution.