Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Any of us in responding to this issue accepts that for the system to work a realistic contribution has to be made. As we look to the future and to the sort of economy we want to develop, we find we are all committed to developing indigenous small and medium sized enterprises. We all accept that in order to do that successfully the safety net of a social welfare benefit system does two things, that is, secures a measure of social justice, to which the Tánaiste has alluded, but it also goes a little bit further in that it helps to reduce the level of risk that entrepreneurs are taking. We need people to take risks and we need to incentivise them to do so. Notwithstanding the advice the Tánaiste has received from the advisory group which she will take on board, if there are changes to be made I accept they would need to be made in a budgetary context. Does the Tánaiste envisage changes being made in the near future?

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