Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

We also protected children of vulnerable families from cuts to child benefit.

Senator Norris mentioned suitability with regard to education and is absolutely right. I saw a very good example in Limerick where people had been referred to the national employment action plan from the social welfare office. Some were sent to FÁS and others to the local employment service. The local employment service in Limerick took those young people with literacy and communication problems and devised a course for them in order that they would not end up on courses with reasonably well educated persons with much work experience. They structured it locally. We are trying to extend that model elsewhere.