Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I agree with much of what the Minister said and look forward to the next phase when second-tier payments are made. I hope we will see progress in that regard, perhaps in the coming budget. Obviously, we must wait and see who will be in charge then, but whoever is should continue this trend in the next budget. As the Minister said, no child should go hungry or be without appropriate clothing, although we know that happens. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, for instance, could say how many families on low incomes are struggling to put food on the table. Sometimes it is not just about money but about training people how to manage their budgets. Far be it from me to try to tell anyone how to do so when they are dealing with a very small amount to start with. If they have children, it can cost a lot more nowadays, especially given the price of food. The quality of food children eat is also an important issue. More work needs to be done in this area and I look forward to progress being made in the next budget.