Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

The most alarming aspect of this social welfare Bill is its almost total disregard for those people it was meant to protect. Everybody is hit such as the old, people with disabilities and young children. It has no regard for the fear and vulnerability of those groups. Where disadvantage is rife, the impact of this Bill will be felt more than anywhere else.

Elderly people are, to some extent, just recovering from the shock of having their medical cards removed in another part of this budget, but I do not think the U-turn has reassured them and they are still living in fear of what might be coming down the wires at them. They are also coming to terms with the fact that inflation is running at around 4.3% and any of the increases in this Bill are approximately in the region of 3% for most people. While they might not make that direct connection between inflation and the increase they are being given, they certainly make the connection between the increase they are being given and the cost of food and fuel. It is not too long ago that people were being told to shop around in order to get best value for food. Even when replete with a bus pass, it is impossible for elderly people to hawk around from one supermarket to another. Most of them will shop in their local convenience store where food is even more expensive. There is a genuine element of fear among many of those people about the cost of food. They have also been traumatised by the cost of fuel and fuel poverty has made a significant impact on them. Just last week, three different people came to me and told me about the conditions in which they live. They are literally afraid to turn on the heat for the winter because they are not able to meet the increased cost of fuel. With regard to unemployment, the Minister of State should take the time to drive or perhaps be driven through my constituency, particularly Thomas Street, where he will see a very extended dole queue which is longer than has been seen in many a day. That is just the immediate and striking effect this is having in my constituency.

In the past, we have had education opportunities, which were welcome. However, while the area I represent is one where education is highly prized, it is also one where it has been less than accessible to many people. The drop-out rate for second level is high and access to third level is a luxury for very many parts of that constituency. This comes at a time when doors were just beginning to open, schools were putting in a huge effort and different opportunities were being made available. The cuts in education have had a huge impact.

I link this to the fact child benefit is being removed for those over 18. The impact of this is that people who had an aspiration to stay on at school or even to go to college will not be able to do so. The cuts for those over 18 will amount to almost €1,000 in 2009 and approximately €2,000 in 2010, and this will apply into the future. A parent told me last week that his daughter had hoped to be able to go to college. He is literally saving and managing every cent but because of the impact of this cut on him and his family, there is no way they will be able to send that child to college — he directly attributes it to this cut.

The living alone allowance is an area that causes serious concern for older people. The point is always made, and is absolutely true, that the value of the living alone allowance is not anything like what is needed because, as the cost for one person is significantly greater than half of what it costs a couple to live, the benefit is significantly reduced. The allowance has not increased in line with inflation, or in line with anything, since 1996. I have already referred to heating as a huge issue for people living alone because, in terms of spreading the budget, it is effectively twice what it would have been if they were living with somebody else.

The Bill has nothing on back to education initiatives, no improvement in the status of lone parents and no strategy for carers. The Labour Party will oppose the Bill for two reasons — because of what is in it, and what is omitted from it.

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