Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Several Deputies spoke of reform. With a social security system the size of this, which accounts for one third of all Government spending and which has risen from €6 billion to €12 billion in four or five years at a time when unemployment is approximately 4%, and economic growth of 3%, 4% or 5% per annum is predicted, one must continue reform. That means simplifying, modernising and targeting funds where necessary, and doing so in an atmosphere in which it is clear that we are dealing with people's entitlements rather than hand-outs, charity or generosity. They are people's legitimate entitlements and we will conduct our reform in that context. The absence of reform would be wrong and would trap people in institutionalised poverty and difficult family circumstances. One must continue changing, reforming and amending so that we support a better quality of life and more choice for people rather than locking them into traps from which they are afraid to budge, almost as if dazzled by headlights, lest they lose some allowance or other. That is what I mean by reform, but I start that reform on the basis of not reducing people's incomes. That is not reform. Focusing income to bring about a better quality of life is our intention.

Deputy Ring asked me about the child dependant allowance. I have raised the three rates several times. I will make two points on that. First, the number of different rates has been reduced from 36 to the current three. The Deputy said that I should complete the process and remove the last three.

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