Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

— recognises that the social welfare budget trebled from 2000 – 2010 and forms a vital safety net for vulnerable members of the community and those adversely affected by the economic crisis that has hit Europe;

— in addition recognises the reductions in benefits borne already by social welfare recipients due to the crisis and the need to achieve the fiscal targets laid out under the EU/IMF programme;

— agrees that these savings can be achieved through tackling social welfare fraud and increased employment, rather than further reductions to present social welfare rates;

— acknowledges the economic need and moral duty to protect the most vulnerable in our society and provide adequate supports to the large numbers of people unemployed due to the economic crisis;

— recognises the need for more labour activation measures and interaction between the taxation and welfare system to ensure that work is worthwhile;

— notes that the creation of every thousand jobs reduces the Social Protection budget on average by €25 million between increased social welfare contributions and fewer on the live register;

— affirms that money distributed on social welfare is primarily spent on necessities by the recipients, generating economic activity;

— calls on the Government to fulfil its promises under the Programme for Government and maintain headline social welfare rates and to introduce means by which self-employed people can be insured against unemployment and sickness support; and

— further calls on the Government not to reduce social welfare expenditure by stealth and to maintain other social welfare payments such as the Widow's Pension, disability benefits and illness benefits.

I wish to share time with Deputies Ó Cuív and Browne.

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