Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I understand that. That is what I am referring to in the context of absolute poverty and relative poverty.

On Committee Stage in the other House and since becoming Minister for Social and Family Affairs, the Minister has made a virtue of protecting the most vulnerable. In this section, she is putting pressure on parents and children and is forcing people into making difficult choices in regard to emigration.

The Minister spoke about deflation on Second Stage. The carbon tax will increase the cost of fuel to people on social welfare and other income earners. The Minister needs to revisit this matter.

The Government replaced the Combat Poverty Agency, so we have no independent measure of poverty, unless one talks to CORI, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul or Age Action Ireland in regard issues around the elderly. The calls to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have gone through the roof. Where lies the national anti-poverty strategy? Is it in tatters? Is there no commitment to it?

The Minister did not speak about incentives. There is no vision or hope in this Bill for anybody on social welfare. We are cutting social welfare payments. Last year the over 65s and over 70s rightly pummelled the Government. This year the Government was afraid to act because it saw what happened last year, even though it can have all the spin doctors in the world. It was right to protect the elderly because one must always respect one's elders even though it failed in that duty last year.

If we pass this Bill, the Minister and her Department will have to deal with a new form of poverty and a new group of people. Will the legacy of this Government be a new generation immersed in poverty with no hope and no future?