Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his candid comments. It occurred to me during the debate, although I am not sure it has occurred to the Minister of State or Members on the Government side, that all sides outside the Government and all shades of opinion in this House have opposed the Government's proposal. All of them support the Fianna Fáil motion. That is a powerful statement. I am not saying that all non-Government Members will support it but all shades of opinion have expressed opposition to this proposal in one form or another. Indeed, I have the height of respect for the Labour Party spokesperson and I am sometimes in awe of her breadth of knowledge of social welfare, which would sometimes redden the face of a Minister, although not the Minister of State present.