Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We will agree to disagree on the there-is-no-money argument and agree to use a different language when it comes to profit and entrepreneurship. I accept people want to get back to work and it is largely through no fault of their own that they do not have jobs. If the Minister of State wants to blame Fianna Fáil for that, then that is fine by me too.

When someone loses their job, are we telling them they have to wait 12 months for us to give them a hand getting back to work? I believe we should not. I am proposing that there should be no time gap through this amendment. While I accept this would need to be aligned with the Department of Social Protection, we can start it here with the Finance (No. 2) Bill. I accept there are issues with those who end up long-term unemployed but this should be addressed separately. We need to give those with energy and enthusiasm, those who are used to earning a living, the opportunity to get back into work instead of telling them they have to wait six or eight months to be eligible for this relief.

A clenching point in accepting my amendment is that it would not cost the Government anything. In fact, it costs the Government to keep people on social welfare. If someone wants to get back to work, then the tax break under this scheme will not cost the Government anything in the end.

The amendment is the correct approach and the Minister of State should concede as he has no arguments for not accepting it.

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