Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the setting of the date for the children's rights referendum and the fact that it is being held on a Saturday, something for which I have been calling in the case of numerous elections. I hope this will set the trend for the future. It is being held on Saturday, 10 November, the birthday of Pádraig Pearse who, in reading out the Proclamation in 1916, urged us to cherish all the children of the nation equally. Let us hope that is what will happen on his birthday.

During the break it emerged that the Department of Social Protection had overpaid people one week's fuel allowance to the value of €20. I have said it in the House before and reiterate it today that while Members and former Members of the Oireachtas still owe money to the State which cannot be taken off them, I do not see why people on social welfare should be pursued for a miserly €20. It is grossly unfair that the Department is going to deduct it.