Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In terms of where the country is now, yesterday the CSO published independent data on the live register which has fallen to 11%, a level which is still too high. We have just had a budget which provides for the cuts and reductions in USC to which the Deputy referred. USC has been of major concern to most people and the budget is the beginning of the reform. It has also provided for expansion of the tax bands and a reduction in the top rate of income tax to concentrate the reliefs on people earning between €30,000 and €70,000.

In addition, as Minister for Social Protection, I am pleased to say the budget has provided for a modest expansion of social welfare payments such as the Christmas bonus, an increase of €5 in child benefit from January and an increase of €9 in the living alone allowance and for people with a disability. In a recovery the people of Ireland deserve to have these modest steps taken.

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