I hope the Taoiseach is not suggesting that the dietary allowance is a means of abuse. The gentleman I mentioned, who is 67 or 68 years old, explained to me that it is not just bread and the essentials of life he has to order from his chemist, but even cornflakes. He tells me the cost per week will be three and a half times what it was.

Taking another example, a person must rent for six months before getting the rent allowance. How does the Taoiseach propose that people who are destitute, who cannot get public housing, can rent from one of his Fianna Fáil-supporting landlords in 2003, and find a deposit? How will they do that? If, when such people go to the community welfare officer, their parents have paid their rent for the first six months, and not many are in those circumstances, the officer will say that if the person had means for the first six months, then under the rules and guidelines that person has means for the next six months.

So it goes on, right through the 16 cuts. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs was taken advantage of by a Minister who himself became famous for the dirty dozen cuts, the same Minister who makes an annual grant to the horse racing industry that is now worth €40 for every visit by a punter to a race meeting in Ireland.

Deputy Rabbitte—

The Ceann Comhairle did not interrupt the Taoiseach and let him run for a long time.

The Chair pointed out to the Taoiseach that his time was up.

Yes, the Chair did so. If the GAA were to get €40 for the four million people who attend its games annually, it would be getting a grant of €160 million per annum. It is the richest tax exiles who play with the prize money that is put through the hypothecated 2% betting tax. That comes to €67 million, and the Taoiseach forced the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to cut €58 million from the most vulnerable in our society, people who have no voice, who in the main do not vote, without whose votes the Taoiseach has decided he can get re-elected. It is a disgrace and a shame and it will long run in this House until he re-thinks it.

I said that the diet supplement is being phased out over a number of years. I did not say it was abolished. I said that the small top-ups are as low as 42 cent. I also stated that if a person has a case, it is still at the discretion of the community welfare officer to decide. In relation to the rent supplement measures, I stated that there were five measures to ensure that rent supplements are paid in appropriate circumstances in accordance with established policy and taking account of the objectives of the SWA scheme, which will focus on meeting immediate short-term rather than long-term housing needs. The health boards will retain the discretion they currently have to make exceptions in individual cases if the circumstances warrant it.

I also stated that 970,000 people are expected to claim social welfare payments under the headings of child benefit, old age contributory pension, widowed person's pension, disability allowance and supplementary welfare allowance. Significant increases have been made in those areas. The Minister has provided €10.5 billion and has put forward proposals to ensure more focused methods. She has allowed a means where those with a genuine case can appeal a decision in a fair manner—

The Taoiseach set up the Minister.

—rather than abuse of the system which is happening in some areas.