Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Friday, 9 November 2012

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion with Civic Society Representatives

12:45 pm

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a number of questions for the witnesses. I commend them and the organisations they represent on their advocacy on behalf of particular groups. The witnesses will be more aware than I of the need for advocacy at this point in the midst of the recession when fiscal austerity is all the greater. I commend them on their work in the past and on presenting alternatives to this committee, which it is hoped will be taken on board by the Minister and Department of Finance when we discuss this issue with them.

It is important, looking at the submissions, that we realise there are alternatives. One of the big problems in Irish society is our fixation on reducing the deficit. There is a belief, even among Ministers, that there is no alternative to the course of options being implemented. During the past couple of days this committee has heard from a wide range of groups that there are choices.

I would like to discuss some of the suggestions made. Like the previous speaker, I broadly welcome the proposals outlined. I have broken down by sector the topics on which I would like to focus. The first topic relates to the welfare to work proposal outlined in Ms O'Brien's submission. This issue has been ongoing for many years and is a major problem. I raised this issue in committee last year and have raised it again this year. The State is losing a lot of money. This matter is causing major problems for employers who want to employ people on a short-time basis. It is also causing significant problems for employees to take up that employment and do not want to work in the black market.

In reality, however, many people work in the black market and that puts pressure on both employers and employees.

Deputy Lawlor and Deputy Boyd Barrett mentioned an issue that keeps going round and round. It should be easier to get someone off social welfare into a job where there is casual employment for a week or two and back into social welfare. The trap is laid by the Government and as a result people cannot avail of short-term work. I know this as an employer. I have employed staff in my constituency office out of my own personal income and if someone is off sick there must be replacement. If I ask someone to come in for four weeks, it will take that person a further six weeks to get back on the dole. How is he or she supposed to survive in the meantime? Are there any proposals to move that onwards? It should not be very complex. The was reference to hours of work instead of days of work; could we hear more about that?

I have a list of questions about the proposals. Will we go through them one by one?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.