Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I will restrain myself because I would hate to be the cause of Senator Leyden having to leave the House on his day of triumph. I am calling for a debate on child poverty in this State because it appears the Taoiseach knows differently from everyone else. The Combat Poverty Agency tells us there are 300,000 children living in relative poverty but the Taoiseach said that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, that most admirable organisation, was wrong in quoting that figure. This is where the matter should be debated. The Taoiseach should come into this House and explain why he thinks the Combat Poverty Agency and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are wrong when they quote the figure of 300,000 children living in poverty. Most politicians know it is true but the Taoiseach yet again does not know what is going on in the State.