Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

People state they returned the Christmas bonus and that others took it away or took a euro from old age pensioners. I am concerned that often we introduce policy measures to counteract slogans rather than deal with issues.

I totally disagree with the €100 supplement for water allowance for people on home care packages and the free fuel allowance not because I believe they should pay the full whack, but because the entire mechanism of Irish Water should have been based on an educational programme, grants for harvesting rainwater and a breakdown of potable water and grey water used. An allowance of potable water should have been provided to meet the requirements of an individual. The emphasis should have been on the allowance rather than a grant or tax reduction. An argument may be made this would give rise to on balance sheet payments or a subsidy to Irish water, but everyone should have free water for their drinking and living needs and where potable water is used for greywater needs there should be a charge. A mechanism or grant scheme should have been in place to assist people harvest greywater.

I believe it is more important to teach someone how to fish than to give him or her a fish. I also believe that those who are vulnerable should be looked after, but we must remember someone must create the wealth to provide the budget of €19.4 billion. In recent days I heard someone state the Government made a choice to develop Newlands Cross rather than build social housing. How will we create wealth if we do not invest in infrastructural projects? How will we get the money to pay for education and social protection unless we invest? It is not a case of one or the other; one must try to do both and get a balance between them.

I am a great believer in workfare instead of welfare. In recent years the Government has moved towards this and put a toe in the water, but now it has become concerned because this may not be populist. What I mean by workfare is that an unemployed architect would work in the local authority where he or she might be needed. It is about giving people self-esteem. It is not about getting people out to sweep the roads or wash signs. It can be about people assisting in hospitals or teachers working as classroom assistants. I am sure the majority of people would rather do this for their basic payment. We can speak about JobsPlus and JobBridge as a move in this direction, but we need to be more definite. Those who are vulnerable and need to go on long-term benefit, sickness allowance or invalidity pensions should receive them, but after a certain period of time on unemployment assistance or benefit one should move to workfare instead of welfare.

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