Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. Ireland needs to comply with international human rights standards in terms of looking after social welfare recipients. We must ensure people are treated with respect and dignity. Hammering the poor, the elderly or the disabled should never be part of any economic strategy. Those who advocate it should be challenged forcefully because some of them are the same people whose right-wing ideology has caused the economic mess. Let them be told straight that it was not the sick, the disabled, the poor or senior citizens who caused the crisis and that they must not be blamed in this debate. Social welfare is the survival net for many families and a Government that cuts such welfare allowances, particularly in the current economic climate of mass unemployment, will lose the respect and support of the citizens. This should be a red line issue for the Labour Party and there should be no dithering in this regard.

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