Social Welfare Controversy
Within the government budget was announced a Social Welfare Bill worth €515 million. When the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin introduced it to Dáil Éireann she was accused of "kicking the unemployed when they are down". An Opposition attempt to defeat the Bill due to "savage cuts" was again defeated, this time by 68-60. Labour Party spokesperson Róisín Shortall objected saying "it provides for savage cuts on the most vulnerable people in our society, and it deliberately targets the poor, the unemployed, children and people with disabilities". Fine Gael spokesperson Olwyn Enright objected because of the Minister's intention "to bring in amendments on Committee Stage two days after the Bill's publication", to abolish the Combat Poverty Agency. Shortall also criticised a proposal to remove child benefit from 18-year-olds, saying it would affect poorer children.
Read more about this topic: Fallout Of The 2009 Irish Government Budget
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