Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

The NESF report demonstrates how unequal society and how fragile the domestic labour market have become. The report was a significant rebuff to how the State spends moneys on welfare services for the long-term unemployed. Government policy continues to facilitate a growing gap between rich and poor. The welfare system does not encourage those out of work for long periods to return to the workforce. Low levels of lifelong learning and the failure to address illiteracy levels means many people, normally available to work, do not receive the training or education to be enabled to do so.

The NESF report identified that society, while wealthier, is more unequal. The richest 20% of the working age population earn 12 times as much as the poorest 20%, the highest level of market income inequality among OECD states. There is less equality of opportunity than in many other European states, despite the large expansion in education and the economy. Some 14% of households in poverty are headed by people with a job, a rise from 7% since 1994. This is a contradiction to the mantra we have all been singing; an indication that employment does not always provide a route out of poverty.

I compliment the Minister on appointing women to State boards; at least he practises what the Government preaches. Ireland is ranked 51 out 56 countries in economic opportunity for women. Ireland has the highest penalties in pay reduction associated with motherhood, with working mothers having lower earnings than women without children. Over 40% of the male working population aged between 15 and 64 are low skilled compared with 20% in Germany. What are we going to do about those factors which indicate that society was never more unequal than it is now and that the labour market was never more fragile? We cannot continue to ignore those sections of society that have not benefited from the prosperity or recent years. The report is a timely reminder of what needs to be done to make Ireland more equal and to ensure that everybody outside the golden circle — not just the select few who bear the insignia of investiture — can play a full part in creating a better society.

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