Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

The Minister listened to the views of everyone who spoke with her with regard to these centres. I congratulate the family resource centres on their well-run campaign which was free from insult and aggression. It was run to the highest standards and I am delighted the resource centres are to be retained.

Everyone is aware that the family income supplement provides a tremendous boost to those on low wages. It also acts as a buffer in the context of preventing them from falling into poverty. The increase in the thresholds relating to the family income supplement is welcome and will be of assistance to those on low incomes to whom child benefit is vital.

The new measures to tackle fraud are welcome. The introduction of a new public service card, one on which people's photographs will be printed, is a good development. This will hopefully ensure that the State will not lose as much money and that fraudulent activity relating to social welfare will be eradicated as quickly as possible. The Minister has set a target in respect of the amount of savings she hopes to achieve in this regard.

To help those who are unemployed and struggling, the Government is investing a very significant level of resources in the areas of training, job creation and job retention. I did some arithmetic before coming before the House and I worked out that the Government is providing almost 333,000 places - through the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Social and Family Affairs, Education and Science and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs - on employment and training schemes. Such schemes provide people with a way out of the poverty trap. If they can access training and then obtain jobs, when the green shoots appear they will have upskilled and hopefully will be able to avail of the new opportunities that will arise.

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