Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. For those who are forced to rely on social welfare, there has been no break or relief in this budget. The Government, in particular the Labour Party, seems determined to stick to the line that it has not cut basic rates of social welfare. How it can continue to trot out that line with a straight face is beyond me. The idea that the Government has not cut basic rates is a fiction more creative than "Love/Hate". There can be no social welfare payment more basic than jobseeker's allowance. When someone is unfortunate enough to lose a job and his or her income dries up, it is the jobseeker's allowance on which that person relies for food, clothing and a roof over his or her head and to take care of his or her family. It is the most basic and fundamental role of a welfare state that we support those who are out of work until they have the opportunity to work again and that, in the meantime, we give them enough to live on with some degree of dignity.

The Government has made all sorts of weak and cynical arguments to justify this cut. It has tried to peddle the line that young people of this age are often at home with their parents, do not have dependants and do not have the same costs. However, every Deputy knows many young people of that age who are living in their own places. Many of them are married or in long-term relationships. The Government believes that such people will be able to run households on between €100 and €144 per week. It is absurd and insulting. In the long run, the young people affected will not be able to manage. The Minister knows this.

In an ugly attack, the Government has also tried to justify this by claiming that young people who are unemployed are lazy and idle and that this is an initiative to rectify a poverty trap. The Taoiseach stated: "Our young people should have the opportunity to be in education and training, not languishing on dole queues." All that this cut does is punish young people. In any case, there are nowhere near enough quality training and education places available to young people at this time.

Labour Deputies have referred to young people who are lazy, staring at flat screens all day. The Minister for Social Protection stated: "What we are getting at the moment is people who come into the system straight after school as a lifestyle choice. This is not acceptable, everyone should be expected to contribute and work." That is unacceptable and untrue.

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