Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)

I thank Deputies McLellan and Ó Snodaigh for facilitating this opportunity to contribute to this debate. I believe in the Labour Party and I stand proudly and unapologetically in this Chamber on behalf of the people of Dublin West, who sent me here to represent their interests and to stand up for Labour values. These values have never been articulated better than in the impassioned speeches given last night by my colleagues, Deputies Eric Byrne and Dowds, on community employment schemes and elements of this Bill. Unfortunately, unless dramatic changes are made to this legislation, I will not be able to support the Bill because I believe it contravenes some of the core objectives this country must achieve to get people back to work and to achieve equality and social justice in our society. I acknowledge the Minister shares my commitment to this objective although we may disagree on how to vote on the Bill.

I wish to raise the issue of community employment schemes, which provide a vital resource to people who seek to get back into the labour market and to make a contribution to their communities. This morning, I visited the Blanchardstown Centre for the Unemployed, where many people are employed on community employment schemes and make an outstanding contribution to that community. The decision to cut the materials grants by €1,000 is wrong and will not work. This afternoon, I will be proud to march with those community employment scheme workers, not just from my own constituency but from across the city and beyond, who make a vital contribution and who deserve to have reinstated this grant.

In addition, I welcome the decision to review cuts to the disability allowance. However, the fact it is possible to review and reconsider that payment, which is positive, begs the question as to the reason it was ever included in the provisions. This demonstrates that as a country, we have choices. All of us, as public representatives but more importantly as citizens, can come together, meet our international obligations and deal with the deficit and the debts imposed on us by the disastrous policies of the banking sector, developers and Fianna Fáil but in a way that is fair, that asks those who have most to pay most and that asks that consideration be given to a wealth tax. I note that in response to a parliamentary question tabled in this House a few months ago, the Minister, Deputy Noonan, stated such a tax would generate €500 million. These issues must be put on the table.

In the time available to me, I also wish to raise the issue of mortgage interest supplements. The decision to increase the contribution for households for mortgage interest supplements makes it even more difficult for hard-pressed households already in arrears to meet such payments. It seems illogical to extend to 12 months the period from which one must be eligible for mortgage interest supplement because in the fields of health policy, education and social security, early intervention is the solution. Early intervention provides value for money for the taxpayer and I ask that this provision also be reviewed.

The Bill also contained a decision to review and provide new regulations for the exceptional needs payments next year. I worked for many years for a housing and homeless organisation and the exceptional needs payment comprises once-off payments that often are provided to people emerging, for example, from homeless services to acquire their appliances or the tools that Members would take for granted when moving into a new home. As for what these regulations should contain, I hope the review will ensure the expansion of these payments, the facilitation of people moving out of homelessness and that the process will not be made more difficult.

It emerged today that the decision to make the carer's allowance subject to income assessment for those in receipt of family income supplement will hit 300 families, all of which are saving the State thousands of euro by caring for a loved one, a friend or a partner. That decision must be reviewed.

There are elements of the Bill that will hit those who have least the hardest. We must ask ourselves whether we can stand over these measures, if there a better way to deal with our problems as a country and these measures will assist people back into education and training or make matters more difficult. They will make them more difficult. Some 20% of the population is at risk of poverty and these elements of the Bill will make life more difficult for them. However, the facts remains that the Government parties could make different choices. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Labour Party to build an alternative, but I will not support the Bill unless changes are made.

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