Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Senator should just stop and listen for a moment. The matters to which I refer are ones over which I will stand. It must be stated, however, that people outside the House and I are concerned about what the Minister is doing now.

There is one positive I will take from what the Minister said, namely, that she is going to bring forward the expert report relating to how we can manage child benefit into the future. I welcome her announcement in respect of this matter and I will certainly take part in the discussion on it. This is an important issue about which I have been critical in the past and in respect of which I will continue to be critical. A brutal, across-the-board cut in respect of all families is simply not the way forward.

I wish to indicate that we will be opposing each section of the Bill on Committee Stage and Report Stage. We have also tabled amendments to the Bill. We will have the opportunity to discuss the specifics in that context. I will, however, take the opportunity to refer now to a couple of changes that are proposed. The Minister correctly referred to the increase in the rate of unemployment. What astonishes me is her almost xenophobic view on how previous Governments acted in the context of touring Europe and the rest of the world in order to encourage people to come here to work. Was there a problem with what they did in that regard?