Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree we can always refine the measures. The measure that struck me most dramatically from my recent reading of the poverty report was the dramatic reduction of poverty for people who go back to work. The risk of poverty is seven times higher if one is out of work than if one is in work. The progress that the strategy has delivered, through Pathways to Work and Action Plan for Jobs, to get people back into employment has made an impact. Some 141,000 people left the live register last year to enter employment and they saw their opportunities improve.

It is not the case that these are all part-time jobs. Some 91% of those additional 105,000 jobs are full-time. Most of them are in strong well-paying sectors, such as ICT, manufacturing, construction and financial services. They are right across the spectrum. There are some in retail and in hospitality where pay levels would not be as high, but we are now in a position to establish a Low Pay Commission to look at the pay levels of those who are on low pay and to gradually, over time and based on evidence, increase those payments. There is a dividend coming through as we get our economy back on track.

I agree with Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan that we need a wider range of measures. I know from colleagues that people are straining at the leash to be able to invest more in services but we can only that as we deliver the dividend that is coming from our successful economic approach.

See this speech in context