Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Is there a conflict between increasing social welfare and the lower income workers who feel they would be better off not working because student grants and such like would be easier to get? Is the budget doing enough with regard to the take-home pay of people who are working to ensure it is of benefit to them? Is there a fine line? How do the Departments monitor or do analysis on that? I have seen figures that show parents in an average family with two children going to college may be better off not working, unless they are earning more than €50,000 or €60,000. Do the Departments do analysis on whether they are doing a disservice to the workforce by not looking at that and seeing how taxation can help? That is a big question. It might take considerable time to answer but I ask for the representatives' thoughts on it. Do the Departments analyse or monitor whether work is paying?