Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The Government is borrowing €400 million per week to run the country. It receives €34 billion in taxes and more than €21 billion of that is spent on social welfare. The Government must look to the country. It is not easy at any time to reduce payments to anyone but in the long-term the country must get its public finances correct. That applies to long-term recipients of social welfare.