Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

A great shame in recent years has been that the number of people living in jobless households increased rapidly since the start of the recession. We must realise, however, that before this recession began, 15% of the Irish population lived in jobless households. That is an extraordinarily high figure. We have the highest percentage of people in Europe living in jobless households, but we also had one of the highest percentages of people living in jobless households back in 2007 before this crash happened. We have these Punch and Judy debates in this House where people shout slogans of shame and disgrace, but if there is a shame or a disgrace, it is that the figure of people living in jobless households was not tackled when this State had so many resources to invest in tackling the problem. Instead, the State chose to throw money at these people, as it were. No effort was made to incentivise work, to provide training or to provide schemes whereby people could get a job. Instead, money was thrown at them and they were ignored and, in effect, ghettoised. This Government and the Minister for Social Protection have sought to tackle that problem in the teeth of a huge loss of employment in the economy.

We are reminded every day of the calamitous fall in employment which was occurring in the run-up to the previous general election and immediately after, but that has been arrested. We have seen an increase in the labour force for the second consecutive quarter, which is the first time that has happened since this recession began. We have also seen an arrest in the rate of decline of those aged under 26 in the workforce for the first time since 2007.

We must realise the scale of the problem which preceded this recession before we can fully understand the backdrop to this budget. In that context, I greatly welcome the initiatives which were introduced in the budget and which are being introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013. I acknowledge the pain it is causing, which people in society are bearing for economic problems which were inflicted by a previous government. It is not correct to suggest, however, that any specific sector of society is being targeted. There is great concern at the loss of medical cards and the change in the threshold, yet a couple who earn just under €900 per week will continue to qualify for a medical card. That is a relatively high income for a couple who will not have to pay school fees or a mortgage and so on, because we are talking about people who are retired. The threshold is still €500 per week for a full medical card for single people. Those who lose a medical card will get a GP-visit card, which entitles them to get free treatment from a GP. If they need further care and they are referred to a local accident and emergency department or a medical assessment unit, they will also receive free medical there. There is a great deal of scaremongering and people are being intentionally frightened about initiatives which do not affect them in any way.

There are initiatives specifically targeted at young people to enable them to join the labour force. Rather than throwing money at them and consigning them to the ghetto of unemployment, labour activation measures are being adopted. For example, the Youthreach programme provides integrated education, training and work experience for early school leavers aged between 15 and 20 who do not have any qualifications or vocational training. The number of places on that programme is being increased. The vocational training opportunities scheme provides a range of courses. The back to education allowance, Momentum and the apprenticeship scheme provide 10,200 places specifically reserved for young people. Young people also have access to a further 69,400 places, and I greatly welcome that.

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