Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader arrange a debate for next week on the concept of universality? When Charles J. Haughey was the Minister for Finance and Jack Lynch was Taoiseach we introduced the concept. Fianna Fáil Governments introduced free fuel, electricity, television licences, gas and travel. At the time, Dr. T. K. Whitaker begged the Minister for Finance not to introduce the concept because we could not afford it. I checked with both people involved and it is fact. We were able to afford the measure introduced in 2001 and in my opinion we can afford it in 2008 but that is another day's work.