First of all, I dispute the Deputy's presentation of the facts, or the facts as he puts them and the position he is adopting here. The Government is very committed to protecting people against the cost-of-living increases. Last year we provided €12 billion to cushion the impact of rising prices on households, businesses and farmers. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, which I note the Deputy did not quote, found that once-off measures announced as part of budget 2023, combined with the core increases,…

Most Irish small- to medium-sized companies want to engage in free trade, but the Deputy is against it. His policies would undermine the enterprise economy-----

-----that has resulted in very high employment in the country, and career progression.

We addressed the cost-of-living issues last year in an unprecedented way and in a way no other government in Europe did, with respect to the scale of the intervention. There were a whole range of measures, double social protection payments and all of that. We spent €12 billion last year alone and we are going to take similar action this year in the form of interventions to protect people, and it is our view that living standards will improve in 2024. The Deputy needs to acknowledge, notwithstanding his different po…

-----the lowest in the European Union and our population rose by nearly 100,000 people over the year to the end of April 2023.

That is an alternative-----

-----and there is much more I could say but we are committed in the budget to protecting people, especially those on the lowest incomes, from the very significant and acknowledged pressures of cost-of-living increases.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for raising a more general issue, through an individual case that has come to his constituency office, that highlights wider issues in terms of pension entitlements, pension contributions and the jobseeker's allowance. I think the Deputy said that the person is 61 years of age.

He has worked for 40 years, to be fair. The Department of Social Protection is available to help him in sourcing alternative employment, if that is-----

It is there-----

It is there and it should be there. I will certainly take the details from the Deputy but it is there and the office exists to try to help people to secure alternative employment. I do not know the background of the means test and the issues that were assessed or not assessed. Normally the assessment involves the household's income, savings, shares, investments or property, apart from a person's home. The Deputy has made it clear that the person has no savings.

I will revert to the Minister for Social Protection and I ask the Deputy to send me on the details so the case can be examined more closely. I cannot discuss individual cases on the floor of the House. I do not know the full background to it but, obviously, the Government is anxious to incentivise people to work, in the first instance, but also to ensure that there would be basic amounts available to enable people to survive. The Deputy's basic point is that the private pension is militating against the person gett…

Did he get jobseeker's benefit?

I presume he would have received jobseeker's benefit for nine months.

He would have gotten nine months of jobseeker's benefit when he became unemployed, which would have been a higher payment, based on his contributions, than the jobseeker's allowance. I presume the nine-month period has elapsed and now he is on jobseeker's allowance. Exceptional needs payments are available if any particular issues arise but again, I do not have the background to the case. The Minister has been looking at options in terms of broader pension reforms and PRSI treatment but that would potentially invol…

-----and, therefore, they need a cushion to get them through difficult periods. Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

I thought the Deputy might acknowledge that this Government has done more on all-island and cross-Border projects than most, whether that be the Ulster Canal, the Narrow Water Bridge, the €40 million-----

-----for research involving third level collaboration, the geopark in Cuilcagh, where we purchased thousands of hectares for the first cross-Border geopark-----

I am delighted about the UEFA bid. What is important is that, first of all, we get host nation participation in the finals. That should be sorted. Stadia have to be developed and the UK Government has significant obligations in this regard as well. The Irish Government will work with the UK Government to make sure that our stadia are fit for purpose, available and developed with a view to making sure that we can host these games. It is great for the fans and all supporters of football.

I look forward to publication of Labour's budget proposals. I saw no sign of change in Sinn Féin's budget at all, despite all the rhetoric. The Social Democrats have gone for a €17 billion expenditure. It is really challenging for Labour to come with a budget package-----