Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

There were 25 participant organisations in the platform, including the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, the Simon Community of Ireland, the Migrants Rights Centre and the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice. I am available at all times to meet those groups and hear what they have to say.

It is probably not the occasion to make a wider statement on the poverty issues raised except to say again that in the past four years the total welfare spend has increased from €7 billion to €12 billion. The lowest rate of social welfare increases has risen by 40% at a time when inflation was 13%. The recent budget was three times the rate of inflation. Child benefit has increased from €38 to €177 against a backdrop of the lowest unemployment rate in Europe of 4%. A great deal is happening out there that requires constant daily investment and attention, which the Government is attempting to give it.

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