Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

When I came into the Chamber, apart from the Acting Chairman, the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, was the only Member in Chamber. He was waxing lyrical about his views on the spring economic statement. It also reflected the interest in the debate. There is clearly not much interest from the Government benches. While there were a handful of people in the Gallery, I wonder what interest there is in this so-called spring economic statement. What is happening in the Chamber is probably reflective of what is happening in society. Yesterday's and today's statements from Government will deliver little comfort to those who have been excluded or left behind. There is no change in direction and no real ideas coming from Government on how to address the difficulties facing many people.

It is also clear that the Government has been unfair in its austerity measures and it plans to be unfair in its so-called two-tier recovery. I listened attentively yesterday, but there was no substantial change announced by the Government and certainly nothing to jump up and down about unless I am misreading it. The kindest thing I could say is that it was like the predictions of a warm Irish summer - all sorts of possibilities that cannot be relied on. That is reflected in the Government's statements.

The Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, has left the Chamber. He spoke about young people returning, but who are we codding? He said the quality of life had improved and so on. He should talk to people lying on trolleys and ask them if the quality of life has improved. The Government narrative is that it is supposed to be about opening up the budget process to democratic scrutiny and input. It is supposed to be about debate, but at the same time the Government refuses point blank to listen to any alternatives. We have proposed an alternative budget and so on, but the Government refuses to take any of that on with the basic message that it is pie in the sky.

However, this is supposed to be about debate. There was no surprise in the Government's statements about tackling huge social and economic crises affecting so many people. While we want to see a successful economy, we need to ask for whom we are building that successful economy. Is it for an inclusive society or an exclusive society? That is the message that needs to be debated in this Chamber.

Homelessness is out of control and yet there was no mention of it yesterday or today. There is no talk about investment in that area. Someone who is homeless now will be homeless at the end of the week regardless of what we say in this House. Housing lists are overwhelmed and 1,000 children were homeless and living in emergency accommodation in Dublin during one week last month. However, the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, has suggested that if people want to come back to Ireland, while their wages might be somewhat lower there is plenty of accommodation if they go to the right place.

Hundreds of ill patients are stuck on hospital trollies. The Government mentions it will support front-line services and the most surprised people at this are the staff and patients at the front line of our health services. Yet the Government has stopped all Dáil business so it can congratulate itself for a week. That is what most journalists and others listening to this debate are saying.

Since 2009 the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has found that in every budget the percentage losses were immense for families on lower and middle-income levels. It found that those hardest hit in budget 2015 were the 10% of households with the lowest incomes. It also found that smaller losses will be experienced by most middle-income households, with small percentage gains for higher-income households. Who is benefiting from the supposed growth? It is those who are wealthier and in many cases those who caused the problem.

Instead of trying to rectify this mismatch and targeting the poorest and most vulnerable, the Government is slapping itself on the back and telling us, for the whole week, how great it is.

This was meant to be a statement on the Government's vision for 2020 but there is no recognition of Ireland's huge pay inequality.

Ireland has a serious low pay problem, with almost 12% of workers at risk of poverty. TASC has found that Ireland has the second highest wage inequality levels in the OECD, after the US. The Government is not acting on this issue. I was disappointed that the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Nash, did not address the issue in more detail. The Dunnes Stores dispute brought to the forefront the inadequacy of existing legislation and its inability to protect the wages and conditions of vulnerable workers. I welcome that a low pay commission has been established but it is extremely narrow in its focus and is limited to reviewing aspects of the minimum wage. It lacks teeth or vision, and as a result it will create even more uncertainty for vulnerable workers while continuing to disadvantage many legitimate employers. The low pay commission should be established as the primary watchdog on low pay and its responsibilities should be widened to tackle the real extent of low pay rather than being confined to the issue of the minimum wage. There would not be a huge cost factor in setting out such a vision. The Government also needs to set a date for the introduction of collective bargaining legislation. Ireland is one of only two EU member states which does not have collective bargaining legislation in place. The Government's spring statement did not mention this issue.

The Government is supposedly focusing on jobs. However, parts of my constituency of Dublin South-West have some of the highest rates of long-term unemployment in the State. The Government is doing little or nothing to offer hope to those who are affected by unemployment. The traditional employers in my constituency have closed over the years and nothing has replaced them. This story is repeated in many constituencies across the country. People say that Dublin and the east coast is doing well but parts of Dublin did not prosper during the Celtic tiger and they are still not doing well.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform stated yesterday that 1,000 new nurses have been added to the nursing register. The Opposition is accused of being unable to count but we are numerate enough to recognise that the numbers on the nursing register decreased from 66,409 in 2013 to 64,790 in 2014. We have lost 2,000 nurses, mainly to emigration. We have not gained 1,000. The system is deteriorating not only for those who are receiving health care but also for the staff who provide it.

The Minister for Finance made the bold claim that our young emigrants are returning but the facts tell a different story. I do not know about other Members of the House but I have not encountered many returning emigrants. The number of new graduates emigrating is higher than at any time in the previous six years. Only a fortnight ago, over 7,000 young Irish citizens aged between 18 and 35 years snapped up Canadian work visas in a matter of minutes. There is nothing in these Government statements to bring them back home. Emigrants have identified the following four key barriers to their return: poor infrastructure; precarious working conditions and low pay; a lack of career opportunities and progression; and a lack of affordable housing.

I spoke for longer than I intended. I have other points to make but I do not think people really care what we are saying in here. That is the sad part of this debate.

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