Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Our biggest sources of revenue are income tax and corporation tax. If jobs and industry are affected, we will lose ground in those two areas. If we increase employer PRSI, we could very well lose the same amount gained or even more, ending up worse off by making such moves. We must be very considerate in any suggestion we make. Any suggestion of an increased tax on business can have the effect of discouraging people in investing in our country. We must be very careful about any suggestions that might damage our reputation internationally. I accept Mr. Ginnell's point about exploring the possibilities and this is one of many options. Revenue must be raised and services must be provided and we must consider how to do that without crippling people with taxes.

There is a table on the poverty line for 2014 outlining the different groups. It is quite shocking to see the gap in respect of people between the ages of 18 and 24. I am very much against the idea that those under 26 receive less social welfare than others because someone in that age bracket who is working full-time pays the same tax as everybody else. People should, therefore, be entitled to the same social protection as everybody else and there should not be a distinction. I understand the thinking behind this because it was designed to encourage people to get back to work. People in that age group will argue that they cannot obtain work or that they find it extremely difficult to do so. It is not for the lack of them wanting jobs. Is the suggestion simply to increase the social welfare rate? Is there anything else we can do to assist the people in the age bracket to which I refer who are in their early 20s. It is very difficult for them now, particularly in the context of owning a car or a home while having a decent standard of living. As a result of attending college, university, an institute of technology or even learning a trade, these individuals may have massive debts.

What are their prospects of being financially secure? I am sure there are many people of that age group who are thinking they will never have that feeling of being financially secure. Aside from the inequality we need to address in the social welfare system, is there anything else we could do for people in that age group?