Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reject Deputy Adams's assertion that this Government is not interested in people who work on lower wages. I point out to Deputy Adams that the live register figures for today, 1 April, show that the standardised unemployment rate has now decreased to 10%. Deputy Adams will recall that when he was first elected to the House, he was one of those who spouted constantly about the numbers of unemployed going above 500,000. It is still too high and we have a job to do ahead of us, which we intend to do to manage this competently in the interests of the people. That is why the first thing the Government did with the troika - it arrived in this country not by my invitation, but it was here - was to reverse the decision made by the previous Government in terms of the minimum wage. That is why we have taken 420,000 people out of the requirement to pay the universal social charge. That is why it is the intention of Government to bring that to 500,000 when the Minister for Finance presents his budget in October. That is why, having listened carefully to the people, the level of charge for water is €1.15 per week for a single person and €3 per week for two or more adults.

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