Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Will the Deputy Leader not agree that IBEC has today hit a new low with its proposal to attack social welfare, conveniently forgetting, as ever, that it was its members and main funders, the big banks, that led us into most of the trouble we face? Having used every subterfuge, trick and manoeuvre to deprive workers of pay over the last number of months, wherever they could afford to do it, they are now going for the final trick of saying, in effect, we should hit social welfare. Will the Deputy Leader tell the Government to make the rest of us share the pain, make the sacrifices and do whatever is required but leave social welfare alone? The Government would get a resounding "thank you" and support from the electorate for taking that view. It has been articulated by the Taoiseach on a number of occasions that it is not his intention to target social welfare. While he rightly made the case that everybody must play their part, let those with most pay most.