Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

People on the minimum wage or low incomes do not qualify for the back-to-school clothing and footwear scheme but they have to compete with those in receipt of child benefit, rent allowance and other State payments. What is the Minister and his Department doing to encourage people to take up work rather than rely on State benefits? People want to work but they are caught by the social welfare trap. If they take poorly paid jobs, they will lose the medical card, rent allowance and other State benefits. The media claim people are better off on social welfare than in low paying jobs. I ask the Minister what he is doing about that issue.

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