Mr. Paul Ginnell:

If one looks at EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions, SILC, an annual survey conducted by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, it has income and poverty statistics. It shows that Ireland is among the most redistributive systems in the EU. Unfortunately, because income from the market leaves us among the more unequal, even after transfers we still only hit around or below the average. It does not move us. It would be the best system at the end of the day. It has to work harder in Ireland. The transfers have to work harder in Ireland to bring us to the EU average. In most social reports that Ireland sends to EU, the comments from the Commission is that we are one of the most redistributive, but from a very unequal base market-wise.