Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

The Minister of State is right about the consumer price index. It has fallen by 6.5%, but when we are talking about those on the lowest incomes, many of the items on which they spend most of their money have increased. Fuel, transport and education have increased by up to 11%. The CPI talks about mortgages and new cars but very few old age pensioners or people depending on €204 are buying houses or new cars.

In preparing for this Adjournment matter, I looked at the press statements released by Ministers when announcing the Christmas bonus in previous years. Each press release had two main points, that the payment would be made to about 1.3 million recipients, and that Christmas is a difficult time where people should avoid falling into debt and avail of services such as MABS. Does the Minister of State acknowledge that by cancelling the Christmas bonus, they have made that situation worse, something that has been acknowledged by different Ministers down the years? They are driving old and vulnerable people and those on low incomes into the arms of ruthless, unscrupulous moneylenders, thus burdening them with more debt. Does the Minister of State agree that many of these people will turn to moneylenders to avoid the cancellation of Christmas?