Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

We have seen programmes about rip-off Ireland, central to which is the kind of indirect tax rates and VAT rates and charges this Government has introduced year after year. Charges are higher again this year for accident and emergency visits. Over the life of the Government, there have been increases in charges for drugs, registration fees for college students and costs on a range of services that hit hard on the pockets of young families. There is little point in the Minister telling us how much he is doing for children while at the same time levying a range of stealth taxes on families. I am sure he knows how much bin charges have increased and what a cost and necessity they are for families with small children.

I welcome the Government's announcement of an increase in social welfare benefits. It is the least that could have been expected of the Government in light of the commitments made under the revised national anti-poverty strategy. They broadly meet the suggestions made by Fr. Seán Healy, particularly with regard to the €17 increase. However, it is disappointing that the Minister did not take the opportunity to reform the structure of social welfare. In particular, dependants — usually women — of pensioners or dependants where a family is unemployed still only account for 70% to 75% of the full adult rate. With all the money at his disposal, he could introduce reform. He individualised the tax system but there is no individualisation of social welfare.

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