Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

The Government has again missed an opportunity to tackle disadvantage and poverty, the root and branch problems in our communities and society. While I welcome many of the increases referred to by other Deputies, when one analyses in depth the problems and poverty in our communities, these increases are superficial.

There is no strategy for dealing with structural inequalities in this budget. What we have seen are increases in social welfare but these have been offset by the absence of an integrated approach to giving people a pathway out of their situation. I refer particularly to those on the non-contributory old age pension who live in local authority housing. The increase they received in the budget has been welcomed by all but, inevitably, in the coming weeks and months their rents will be increased by local authorities due to their increased means and everything they gained in this budget will be taken back before next June. In addition, the issues of reskilling for those living in the poverty trap in working class communities and the provision of the child care necessary to allow people to avail of work have not been tackled. Despite the modest increases in third level allowances, this does not offset the problems that exist in this regard.

The budget is a typical pre-election budget. It is big on presentation and very well crafted but lacking in substance. The Government has craftily attempted to create a perception that it has spread the resources available to those most in need. However, they are spread very thinly. If one spreads butter thinly on bread, a pound will go a long way. Those in the poverty trap will remain there as the budget has not dealt with the root causes of the problem.

With regard to housing, the focus is now almost exclusively on affordable housing and shared ownership schemes. These schemes, while welcome even if under-resourced, do nothing to address the housing needs of those not working or on low pay. There is no provision for the type of building programme required to address this issue through adequate provision of social housing. The continued use of rent allowance as a substitute for social housing is a national disgrace. The only people who benefit from this are private landlords and those who have accumulated a number of houses and have their mortgages paid by the State. The onus should be on providing housing for people in need. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul recently called for the supply of a minimum of 12,000 social housing units a year, a call the Government should have listened to and tried to deal with.

The budget has been a major disappointment for people with disabilities. For years the disability sector has called for a new disability payment which recognises the additional costs and burdens borne by people with disabilities. The rate of unemployment among disabled people is disgracefully high. Many of these people are fully capable and willing to work but are kept out of employment, not by the disability itself but because they may lose State benefits when they work. This may put them in a much less well-off financial condition.

A cost of disability payment is therefore essential. I deplore that the Government has failed to address this issue and deliver on it. Will the Minister look at this as a mechanism and a means to helping people labelled as disabled, who are wonderful people and whom I view as having extraordinary abilities. They are able to continue, work and do the best they can in their communities and fight for their rights. Recognition should come from the Government in this regard.

A significant increase was required in the carer's allowance along with the abolition of the means test. Other Deputies referred to this and I fully concur and support everybody who made such a statement. There is no recognition in the budget of the large savings for the State because of people caring for their relatives at home. Throughout the country, people provide a significant service in their homes and, in doing so, reduce a burden on the taxpayer and the State. The State has not reciprocated this or responded to these people who provide a fantastic service.

An integrated strategic approach is required. If we are to combat poverty we must link this to the educational programme. I welcome the €1.2 billion investment in third level education. However, is this not putting the cart before the horse? A recent survey in this city by the vocational education committee revealed a large disparity in those progressing to third level education directly related to social and economic backgrounds. This may suggest that this money could be used more productively in the pre-third level sector.

In every constituency with working class areas, many young people drop out of the educational programme at 14, 15 and 16 years of age. There is high unemployment in these areas as well as a high incidence of single parents. One would assume that if a strategic approach is to come about, this problem in the communities should be dealt with. Young people should be kept in school and parents who wish to resume their education should be provided for and aided to develop their abilities.

The failure to provide adequate funding for a drugs task force is another area where there is a lack of real interest. The failure to make up the shortfall in the emerging needs funds makes up only a small part of the picture. Even more significant is the failure to make funding available to the 14 task forces to implement new plans. The last plans were drawn up five years ago, and in the time since patterns of drug abuse and associated issues have changed dramatically.

There has been much comment on the commitment shown to child care in this budget. The sum of €29 per week for the average family is simply too little, too late, and this is not to mention that childhood apparently now ends at the age of six. A national payscale for early childhood care and education workers is required. We also need to establish a single accredited body to inspect, evaluate and register all early childhood care and education providers and to ensure that the highest standards are achieved and maintained. As it stands, the most common child care providers are still dependent on community employment workers, and there has been a failure to provide appropriate training. None of these issues has been addressed.

I welcome several aspects of the budget where there has been an attempt to provide extra funding to people in need. Unfortunately this is spread so thinly that there will be no discernible effect on the major problem in our communities, the poverty trap. I cannot see people finding their way out of this with this budget.

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