Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Those opposite appear to be deriving entertainment from it. The increased benefits such as those for the old age pension and child benefit are very welcome. The tragedy is that up to now, huge gaps were left in our system of social protection and the Government made the gaps wider this year. It did not abandon certain people which it had looked after over the past six years, but various groups were targeted which were all vulnerable, small and largely inarticulate. The situation is now rebounding on the Government, which does not like it.