Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Obviously, as Senator Quinn said, we have had tough times. It was not easy over those years to stand up in this Chamber to defend cuts to the social welfare budget. I welcome the €3 per week increase for old age pensioners. Senator Mooney is right that it is not much but it is a start and a move in the right direction. It will take a long time to restore it as his Government cut benefits by €18 a week.