Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is a question of choice for the Taoiseach and I contend he made the wrong choice. The way one should attack the welfare issue first is to stimulate employment so that many of the 427,000 people on the live register will be taken off it and return to work. Thus, we will be able to trade our way out of difficulty. The Taoiseach did not adopt this approach in his budget.

I have chosen three areas in the welfare budget as we approach the end of this year. These areas concern carers, the blind and disabled. I am not suggesting one should maintain a social welfare budget of €22 billion because one can reduce that if one provides work. Arising from the recommendations of the McCarthy group, which the Taoiseach established to make such recommendations to him and his colleagues, he made certain choices. With regard to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, including FÁS, in respect of which Department the group recommended administrative cuts of €88 million, the Taoiseach decided to make no administrative cut. Despite all the scandals about overpayments, golden handshakes, superior pensions and worldwide travel, the cut in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment was nil.

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