Government Members made much of the total budget dedicated to social welfare because it amounts to €10 billion, which is a great deal of money. The social welfare budget has increased substantially during the economic boom. However, it is not difficult to turn that argument on its head because it begs us to ask why it is necessary to make cuts amounting to only €58 million, if we take the Department's Estimate seriously. Despite the availability of a significant budget to the Department, it institutes small, petty but, nonetheless, painful cuts, which will save only €58 million, because it was instructed to do so by the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance sent a letter to the Department of Social and Family Affairs in June or July pointing out that cuts must be made totalling €100 million, for example, and a few months later the Department responded saying it had found €58 million in cutbacks and asked the Department of Finance if it would accept that. The Minister for Finance then begrudgingly said "Why not?"