Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I said yesterday that I welcomed this measure. I acknowledge that the Minister is trying to compensate, but children in this group are living in consistent poverty. The whole family are affected when cuts are made. This point has been proved by research, of which the Minister is aware. I ask her to comment on my serious concerns about this vulnerable group. The children in question are the most vulnerable and living in consistent poverty.

Figures from the CSO suggest 10,000 people avail of the farm assist scheme, a 30% increase on the figure for last year, but in the same period incomes plummeted by 30%. The people concerned lost the benefit of early installation aid, the early retirement scheme and the fallen animal scheme and are put to the pin of their collar because of the fall in milk and beef prices and because cereals were destroyed by bad weather, not to mention the godforsaken floods. This group is probably the most vulnerable. Last week Senator Cassidy said one could always judge the state of the nation by how farmers were doing. They are doing very badly. I am sure the Minister is aware from her rural constituency how badly they are doing. It is incumbent on me, therefore, to oppose this measure. I look forward to hearing the comments of the Minister.