Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I do not know how anybody in this House would live on €36,000 a year. There seems to be a suggestion that elderly people can live at a cheaper rate. It is not on. I would like to mention another thing that has been done in a sneaky way. The budget proposal in respect of medical cards was based on one's net salary — one's salary after the costs associated with housing and various other things were deducted. The new proposal in based on one's gross income, however. Would Senators believe that this change has apparently been made — I ask my colleagues on the other side of the House to listen — because it has been decided that it is easier for people to know what their gross income is? Come on.