Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I am doing that. This Bill is about helping those who cannot help themselves. The Minister has a budget of €12 billion to distribute. He has given €14 per week special increases for the lower payments, including widow's and widower's pensions, invalidity pensions, death benefits, disablement pensions, unemployment benefit, disability benefit and lone parent's allowance. He has given €12 per week increases for old-age pensions, retirement pensions, invalidity pensions, deserted wife benefit and carer's allowance. The people have welcomed these increases, which give a real safety net to those who are marginalised and cannot help themselves.

I reiterate a point made by Senator Daly. It is not possible for the Minister to work alone. He needs to work in a co-ordinated way with the Department of Education and Science and with local authorities on housing to determine how best to help those in need in terms of grants and loans. Somehow the elderly seem to fall through the net because they do not know whom to contact when looking for grants for extensions etc. I ask the Minister to consider this point. In my time as a local authority councillor I never knew which Department to approach when pursuing grants. I ask the Minister to streamline these processes to make it easier to help people get some quality of life. I also welcome the changes in the carer's allowance. There is no better way to bring some quality of life into communities again.

While the Celtic tiger was roaring, somehow, as the Minister admitted, it was not the tide that lifted all the boats and did nothing for those who could not help themselves. It did not give them the chance for a standard of living and a quality of life. However, in this budget the Minister has started to address the issue and further progress will be made in the next budget. People have reflected this in their conversations with me as a public representative.

Today representatives from the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland made a presentation to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs. They complimented the Minister for making considerable progress on the matter. During the local election campaign, this was the one area that reflected badly on the Government. However, at long last we have tackled it. While the economy is growing and employment is high, a small percentage of people have somehow slipped through the net.

I welcome what the Minister has done. I have great confidence in his ability to make it work. The public are happy with what he has done. I wish him well over the next six months in continuing what he has started. This is a success story. The Minister is bringing everybody to the quality of life they want. Education is one area on which we need to focus. If they have the standard of living then they will want to go back to education because they will have the money to give them the start. I again compliment the Minister and wish him well in the forthcoming months.