Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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I will come back in on two issues. I am not clear whether it is a political or technical decision to delay the increase in the carer’s allowance for ten months. Is it technically difficult to do, such as the IT systems not being in place to be able to do it, or is it a political decision to kick it further down the road?

The other issue relates to the temporary cost-of-living measures. The Minister spoke about the percentage of people being lifted out of poverty. That is absolutely perfect. I am glad to hear that. I am delighted to hear of anyone being lifted out of poverty. The Minister, however, is making the point that these temporary payments are lifting people out of poverty. The danger is that they are temporary payments. If those temporary payments were removed, those people would very quickly go straight back into poverty because their basic social welfare payments are the ones which have led them into poverty. Approximately 3.8% of people are in consistent poverty as we stand. I find it incredible that, in such a wealthy country, we are saying there is anyone in consistent poverty. That 3.8% translates to tens of thousands of families and children. We should be heading towards 0%. That is something we need to do. The danger with the underlying issue in respect of consistent poverty, which Deputy Ó Cuív alluded to as well, is that because these are temporary, year-on payments, if we had some sort of economic crash and the temporary payments were removed, we could quickly end back up at that 10%, 12%, 13%, or whatever it was of people in consistent poverty.