Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)

I share many of the concerns expressed by Deputies Shortall and Enright. The reality is that 452,000 people are now out of work. We need a new approach and new thinking. While the Minister can hope that there will be appropriate training places, there are not appropriate training places. It is one thing to say it but they are not there and the Minister has not created them. I cannot see what consultation has taken place, with one parent families in particular, yet the Minister is jumping forward and introducing these changes in this draconian Bill which will change the social welfare system here.

We have not debated it properly. It has been railroaded through in a very forceful way by the Government, something to which I object very strongly. The Minister is living in his own world. The training places to which he referred and which promised would be in place are not, yet he proposes to impose these measures on some of the most vulnerable people in our society. To that I say, "Shame on you, Minister". I look forward to opposing this Bill.

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