Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the position is likewise in Senator Cullinane's constituency in Waterford. If Senator Norris wants to spend the weekend with me in the constituency of Cork North-Central, he is very welcome to do so. I do not want anyone to obtain the impression that Senators are disconnected from the public in any way. Some 80% of the people who visit my constituency office wish to raise issues relating to social welfare. In the context of social welfare, the Government is not disconnected from the people. In the two years since it entered office, it has issued an additional 251,000 medical cards. A total of 165,000 of these were issued in the past 12 months alone. The Government is not disconnected from what is happening.