Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection met all the social groups in Dublin Castle over a period of five or six hours and engaged directly with each of them to hear at first hand their views of what might be able to be reflected in October's budget. There are now 70,000 more people working than previously. For 24 months we have had a continuous drop in the live register of unemployed people. The previous Government decided to reduce the minimum wage from €8.65 to €7.65. When elected to government and following the negotiations with the troika that was reversed. Some 330,000 people were taken out of the requirement to pay the universal social charge. There were socially advantageous decisions for vulnerable groups. Now, as the economy begins to improve, we need to do more of that and reflect it in the best way we can.

I have also pointed out that in the statement of economic strategy for the period ahead, the Government intends to set up a commission dealing with low pay so that there will be proper transparency and discussion about that. Attention will also be given to the very high rate of tax of 52% that is paid by middle and low-income workers in order to restructure that over a number of budgets. These will all be advantages to various people and will go some distance to bring about that necessary social repair.

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