Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Has the social policy unit produced any assessments of the proposals that have been floating around in respect of the social welfare measures that might be taken in the budget? Has it, for example, done an assessment on the proposal I understand the Government intends to proceed with, namely, to cut in some form or other the levels of child benefit? Did it carry out any assessment of the Government's decision to abolish the Christmas bonus for pensioners and others? What assessment has it done on the rapid rise in unemployment over the course of the past year?

While I am on that subject, I understand the live register figures are due to be published at 11 a.m. Could the Taoiseach please tell the House what the live register figures are, which will be published in the next few minutes and what assessment the social policy unit has given of that level of unemployment?

See this speech in context