John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and support this amendment. The changes that were made to social welfare rates amount to age discrimination against young unemployed people. I have pushed previous Ministers on this and the impact it is having. In the context of housing and homelessness, the reduced payment is having a serious impact and I know that several agencies have made direct reference to that. In the view of those working in the area, there is a direct link between the reduction in this payment and the prolonging of homelessness for some young people. It is discrimination and we must call it for what it is. I know the Minister will say that anyone who agrees to go onto any scheme will get an increase in his or her payment and that is fine. However, the Minister's predecessor came out with some ludicrous comments at a committee meeting some time ago. He said that he could not understand how young foreigners can get off a plane in Ireland and get a job at the drop of a hat and that this raises questions as to what our young unemployed people are doing. I did not say that. It was the previous Minister, now Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who said it, or words to that effect.

The reality is that the youth unemployment rate is double the unemployment rate. Some areas, including Arklow in County Wicklow in my own constituency, are youth unemployment black spots, with levels well above the national average. Not only are we forcing people to continue living at home with their parents, we are also forcing them to live on buttons. How someone has not taken a legal challenge to this is beyond me. I believe it should be challenged and that such a challenge would be successful.

I will certainly be supporting this amendment.