Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

-----on low paid employees and on the type of people, as referred to by Deputy Kenny, who are impacted by the cut in social welfare payments. There is a requirement on Government - it is in the Cabinet handbook - that every measure before Government be poverty proofed. It is to be examined to see what impact it will have on those who are in poverty or at risk of going into poverty. When the Labour Party asked last week in this House where was the document in respect of poverty proofing of the budget and why it was not included in the budget documentation and laid before this House, none of the Ministers present at the time knew anything about it. They knew nothing about any type of examination to see what type of impact the measures in the budget would have on poor people. The Taoiseach's answer today confirms that the Government has not given a second thought to what will be the impact of its budgetary measures on the lives of people in receipt of social welfare payments or in respect of cuts to the earnings of low paid people. The Taoiseach cannot even tell this House today what will be the reduction in the family income of two people impacted by the cut in pay at the lowest level. The Government did not give a second thought to this issue. It does not give a curse for people who are poor or in receipt of low pay.

See this speech in context