Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister. I say as an educator that she brought reforming zeal to the Department of Education and Science, some of which I agreed with. The Minister also brought great energy to that Department and like Senator Bradford, I looked forward to that when she became Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I do not say this in a patronising way but I thought she would reform social welfare. However, she has dismantled it.

I understand the Minister has limited money and that there are issues around her having to defend her budgetary position and Department in Cabinet. Her Department is supposed to be about assisting people. Senator Bradford just spoke about hope but people on social welfare have no hope whatsoever. They feel betrayed and let down.