Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

The characteristic of the Labour Party amendment we have circulated emphasises the importance of employment, job protection and creation.

This is the choice facing people on the right and the left in politics. Does the Government state to somebody who is providing care that he or she is drawing a social welfare payment to which he or she is not entitled or does it state he or she is a worker in the caring economy? We must protect and create jobs in the green economy and regard all those engaged in caring activities as working in the social caring economy. That is the way to come out of the recession, not by attacking the most vulnerable and the weakest, while at the same time the celebrity culture of speculation rattles on.

See this speech in context