Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will not speak in detail because I do not doubt we will debate the Social Welfare Bill in depth when it comes before us. I disagree with Senator Darragh O'Brien's suggestion that the Labour Party has no presence in Government. A Labour Party Minister managed to reduced the cuts in the social welfare budget from €440 million to €290 million, of which €220 million will affect recipients. A Labour Party Minister found other ways of making cuts to social welfare. A Labour Party Minister came up with the provision whereby an insurance company will deduct the amount it pays to a claimant if social welfare has already been paid out. Is the Minister for Social Protection not right to go after the insurance companies to ensure they compensate her Department for the money it paid to a claimant who has paid his or her insurance? Why have we waited so many years to come up with this measure? It should have been introduced years ago. The Labour Party has had an impact in Government and we will continue to do so. One cannot remove €220 million from the social welfare budget without pain and unsavoury decisions. I hope, however, we will get this country back on track so that we can revisit these areas in due course.