The social welfare benchmarking and indexation working group report on social welfare income will be carefully considered in the context of the forthcoming Budget, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, assured the Dβil.
It would also have an input into the development of "future welfare policy, generally", said Mr Ahern.
He was replying to questions from Brian Hayes (Fine Gael, Dublin South-West) and Mr Tommy Broughan (Labour, Dublin North-East) on the recent report from the group.
The report was "effectively blown out of the water" by the Departments of Finance and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, both of which were vehemently opposed to its findings, said Mr Broughan. He asked why those Departments had "got involved in the benchmarking group" if they opposed benchmarking for social welfare payments.
The Opposition motion calling for the dismissal of the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke, was defeated by 78 votes to 74.