Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With regard to this budget, while the primary objective has been to reduce the deficit and return stability to the public finances, it has been vital to the Government to spread the burden of adjustments in as fair and as equitable a manner as possible while also seeking to minimise any negative impact on economic growth and job maintenance. Furthermore, it is the Government's responsibility to ensure all available resources are spent carefully and that critical public services continue to be delivered.

In this context, the Government recognises that expenditure on social supports has an important impact on stabilising our domestic economy through supporting the overall demand for goods and services. Over recent years, we have maintained primary weekly rates of social welfare. This year we will spend €20.2 billion on social welfare. This means that all pensioners and all those under the age of 66, such as people with disabilities or jobseekers, will have their weekly primary payments maintained, and that has been the case since this Government took office.

Similarly, in the area of education, the Government has protected DEIS resources. In budget 2013, for example, we ensured there was no overall change to DEIS related staffing levels or DEIS funding. As part of the DEIS programme, over the course of this year some €93 million is being provided to 850 schools supporting 167,000 pupils. This funding is provided, in addition to the normal funds allocated to tackle educational disadvantage, by prioritising the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from preschool right through second level education.

All Ministers are responsible for assessing policy proposals in their areas and considerations of equality form an important component of budgetary discussions by Government. When making Government decisions on budget matters, the Government is very much aware of issues such as gender equality, persons experiencing risk of poverty or social exclusion, and people with disabilities. These proposals are under careful consideration by Government in advance of finalising next year's Estimates and, on budget day, the Government will publish illustrative cases showing the effect of major changes in revenue and certain social welfare payments.

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