Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

10 o’clock

The way we truly measure a caring government or society is how it treats its young, the elderly, people with disabilities and those most discriminated against by the economic system within a state. If we apply this as a benchmark to past Governments and particularly the Government, I can assure the House that they have failed miserably. The Government's latest intention has been to take income from lone parents. It is taking money from their pockets that they would use to try to have a decent diet for their families, keep a roof over their heads and ensure they have some life. In doing this, it is condemning more and more people to poverty and putting those already in the poverty trap further into it. It is further punishing the most vulnerable in society. In doing this it shows its true mettle and what it really stands for. It does not stand for fairness or equality of treatment for citizens and the people, nor does it not cherish the children of the nation equally. In fact, what it is doing copperfastens an unequal society where children, if they happen to be part of a lone-parent family, are the victims of its failed economic policies and failure to look after those most in need. It is shameful.

I look across the floor of the House at those who consider themselves to be Labour Party Deputies. They say they carry the mantle of James Connolly, a person who took to the streets to defend the poor and the working class, a person who gave his life in pursuit of justice and equality and freedom for his people. They have defaced everything that man stood for. They have signed up with the right-wing regime of which they are now part and part and which is to again attack lone-parent families.

In effect, on 2 July the Government will put 11,000 people further into property and cut a figure of up to 30,000 in a few weeks time. These figures are an awful indictment of the Government. They are a particular indictment of those who consider themselves to be members of the Labour Party. If we look at the statistics already available, we can see that between 2008 and 2013 the number living in consistent poverty increased from 6% to 12%. Some 135,000 children, or one in eight, are experiencing material deprivation on a daily basis, while 63% of lone-parent families are living without basic necessities. The Government talks about getting people back to work. It would be nice if it first created jobs. Child care is unaffordable for most low-income families and deprivation rates for the population soared from 14% in 2008 to 31% in 2013.

The best way to escape from poverty is not just through paid work but through a living wage, by creating a living wage to ensure people will not be condemned to poverty indefinitely, which is what the Government has done. I listened to some of the commentary from Fine Gael Deputies, in particular, although Deputy Joe Costello was not much better. I heard the condescending way in which they said this was for the betterment of lone parents. We are effectively talking about taking money out of their pockets and putting them further into poverty. How can this be for the betterment of lone-parent families and their children? These are the questions Government Deputies need to ask. They need to examine their consciences in that respect.

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