Fiona O'Malley (Progressive Democrats)

Planning and responsibility are other qualities a political party need to have. I do not believe any Member on either side of this House welcomes the idea that an entitlement of the over 70s is to be withdrawn. Naturally, it would be preferable, and certainly politically, much easier if we did not have to take tough decisions, but that is what politics and governance is about. That is why we have to examine the real economic situation currently and as forecast and, coupled with that, we have to examine the demographics and plan for the future, bearing in mind what the country can afford.

As was said earlier in this debate and in previous debates, the people we must look after first are those in greatest need who do not have the capacity to provide for themselves. How can it be deemed to be fair or just that when the economy was in a better state and we could have afforded this measure — admittedly when the measure was introduced it was expected to be at a lower cost in terms of the GPs and Dr. Reilly did the business very well for his colleagues in the medical profession to extract——