Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

The 16 cutbacks in the social welfare budget have been already mentioned, particularly the cutbacks in widows' and widowers' benefits. However, with regard to the back to education scheme, at the invitation of the Leader of the House, the Minister spoke on it recently and gave undertakings for its future. Yet nothing has been seen since. I hope in her summing up the Minister will indicate her intentions for the scheme and will show her commitment to inclusiveness.

In the last two years in the Western Health Board area more people have lost their medical card entitlements than ever before. This is not due to anything the Government intended to do, but rather what it did not do in order to bring the limits within reasonable standards. It is serious when people on €160 a week are excluded from medical care. I ask the Minister to reply to the issues raised in an open manner and not to add further confusion.