Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Only €30 million is going to be allocated for social housing. That is pathetic.

The telephone allowance is being abolished with the Government having taken more than €26 per month from people. That is real income for old age pensioners. For pensioners who are solely dependent on their old age pension or for those who may have also some small residual pensions, that is a big deal. Let us be honest about that and not say it is not a big deal when it is.

The abolition of the bereavement grant is also a big deal. What Senator Hayden, others and the Labour Party obviously want is for people having buried a loved one to go straight down to the community welfare officer and show them their receipts, what they paid for paid for the coffin, and point out what their income is. It is ridiculous that the grant is being abolished for a saving of €17 million. It makes no sense because there were alternatives.