Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the increase of €7 per week for contributory old age pensioners, bringing their pension benefit up to €230 and up to €219 for the non-contributory pension. I welcome the increase in the qualified adult allowance of €6.30 for those aged 66 and over and the increase of €4.60 per week for those under the age of 66.

Coming from rural Ireland, I welcome that the fuel allowance is being increased by two weeks, bringing it up to 32 weeks from the end of September to the end of April. I also welcome the €2 increase in the rate of payment bringing it up to €20 a week. It may not be enough but it is an increase. Some people maintain there were no increases announced in the budget.

I also welcome the increase of €6.50 per week in the carer's allowance. This was very much appreciated by many people. More would be welcome but in these times there will be an increase in benefit.

Extra funding of €20 million will be allocated for therapists and other associated areas. An extra €55 million will be allocated to implement the fair deal nursing home scheme, an issue which Members from all parties have raised. We must welcome those increases. They are facts in terms of what was announced yesterday.