George Lee (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I support this motion for common sense and decency, and I greatly regret that the Government has decided to cut these welfare payments for people who are so vulnerable, namely, the blind, the disabled and carers. Earlier today new figures were published by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, regarding the Quarterly National Household Survey, which tells us a great deal about the labour market. It gives us some background to the difficulties these people are experiencing and it tells us that employment fell by 185,000, or 8.8%, which is unprecedented. Unemployment went up by 120,000, so that means two thirds of those who lost their jobs became unemployed. The remaining one third left the labour market and emigrated, because they had somewhere to go.

The figures show that men lost their jobs almost 3.5 times faster than women in the past 12 months. Two thirds of the men who left the labour force were under the age of 25. They tell us, instructively, that 11,000 females left the labour force, but that 25,000 females under 25 left the labour force. Female workers were, therefore, able to find some new jobs in the labour force and came into it, but the young people are going. Some 60,000 people under the age of 25 left this country in the last 12 months, equivalent to a 94% drop in the labour force. I lament the fact that these people are going, but they are lucky because they have decided they are able to go. In the situation we find ourselves, where prosperity has been destroyed, hopes ruined and jobs are hard to come by, these people at least are able to seek new opportunities elsewhere. Not so for the blind - it is very difficult to go to new countries when one is blind or disabled. It is extremely difficult when one is a carer because the person for whom one is caring cannot come. These people are trapped in Ireland.

The social welfare system is supposed to do many things, including address poverty. It is relatively successful in addressing poverty in Ireland. Without social welfare payments, aside from pensions, 33% of people in this country would be at risk of poverty. With the social welfare transfers, the figure is 18%, so there is some success in that regard. However, 18% at risk of poverty is above the European average, which is 16%. Therefore, our social welfare system still has some way to go. We are now at a point where we are cutting it so we will not address poverty, but rather make it worse. That is very regrettable.

Consumer prices fell in the past year by 5.7%, but the Christmas bonus was cut for those on social welfare and they have to face these cuts in the budget as well. When these two things are added together, it means that the carer's benefit has been cut by 5.6%, much more than rate of inflation when the mortgage element of that is removed. It means the fall in real consumer prices has been far lower than 5.7% and in fact is only 2.2%. Therefore, carers have had their benefits cut by 5.6%, which is almost 3.5% more than inflation. Those on disability have had a cut of 6%, well above the rate of inflation. The CSO did a survey of disability in Ireland. Among the most commonly reported disabilities, 56% have mobility and dexterity problems and cannot move; some 47% live in pain; some 35% have problems remembering and concentrating; and 34% have psychological and mental health problems. They cannot work and it is very difficult for them at the moment to be trapped in a situation whereby they have nowhere to go and the Government does not take their concerns into consideration when making cuts. I know cuts are difficult, but choices can be made.

Studies have been done on consistent poverty, one of which was published by the CSO earlier this year. Consistent poverty has a number of indicators, including having no substantial meal at least one day a week over the past two weeks due to lack of money; having no heating at some stage over the past year due to lack of money; experiencing debt problems for ordinary living expenses; unable to afford two pairs of strong shoes; unable to afford a roast once a week; unable to afford a meal of chicken or fish at least every second day; and unable to afford a warm water-proof coat..

The CSO found that 16% of those with disabilities in Ireland are in consistent poverty, 3.5 times more than within the average population. These people are trapped and in taking this initiative the Government has made a very harsh choice about cutting their benefits and welfare. This is shameful. Obviously, the Government needed to find money, but there were many things it could have done in this regard which it did not do. Everybody in this House has a standard of decency and it would have been in keeping with this to find the money somewhere else rather than taking it from the most vulnerable.

I call on the Minister of State to remove those cuts and I support the motion before the House.

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