Derek McDowell (Labour)

However, there will be changes in eligibility which will primarily affect lone parents. The Minister has repeated serious commitments made by the Government to increase the old age pension to €200 per week and the lowest rate of social welfare to €180 per week in a few years. Her predecessor made no tangible progress last year in that regard.

It will be interesting to see whether some progress will be made in the forthcoming budget. We will keep a close watch for announcements by the Minister and her colleagues within the next few weeks. Increases in social welfare benefits and allowances which simply cover the rate of inflation do not go anywhere near meeting the targets which the Minister has so happily repeated in the House this evening.

I am pleased with the support our motion has received on this side of the House. Senators on the other side must, in their hearts, be asking, "why is our Government doing that when we do not need to do it?" The bottom line is that the so-called need for the present cuts has not been justified, either in this debate or elsewhere, because it cannot and will not.

Amendment put.