Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

Do we now want to go back to borrowing all the money so that we can give it away? That is not the type of country we want and the people did not elect this party to Government to do that. Social welfare expenditure in 2003 is almost double the level it was when the Labour Party and Fine Gael were last in Government. This unprecedented level of payment is all the more outstanding when we consider that the level of unemployment has been cut by more than half since Fianna Fáil took office. The figures announced in the Estimates this year, as in every other year, do not include social welfare rate increases that are announced on budget day. However, when it is considered that €10.6 billion is being set aside for social welfare after a reduction in unemployment rates from 10.3% in 1997 to 4.4% currently, we can see that there has been a real increase in the provision of social welfare. What should we do? Should we just keep spending? I have heard the cries about value for money or that the Government has wasted all the money that was gained in a growing economy with which, allegedly, it had nothing to do. This should be said to pensioners who got an increase. The average increase for pensioners since Fianna Fáil came into Government has been over €9 per annum.