Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this Social Welfare Bill. It strikes me, having listened to the contributions of members of the Opposition over the past few days, including Deputy Fleming's contribution just now, that almost five years on Deputy Fleming and Fianna Fáil are still in denial. They still have not come to appreciate the decision of the Irish people four and a half years ago, when they returned only 19 Fianna Fáil Members to this House.

Let us be clear, the housing crisis being experienced in Ireland, an issue with which Members on all sides of the House, including I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, are dealing every day in our constituency offices, rests firmly on the shoulders of Fianna Fáil. Deputy Fleming is correct that it is a legacy issue, one that this Government continues to grapple with and improve. I include in that regard the Government's efforts to address the homeless crisis. Fianna Fáil may be in denial but the Irish people, I am sure, are clear in their minds in that regard.

As stated earlier, I welcome this Bill. As a proud member of a Government party I would love to be able to say today that this Social Welfare Bill reinstates all that the Irish people have lost but, of course, that is not the case. Those who are realistic know that it is not and cannot be the case. This legislation is a positive step. It attempts, in a fair way, to reinstate some of the assistance that Irish people have lost over the past couple of years. I heard the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, outline many of those measures yesterday, which I welcome.

The Minister referred yesterday to reinstatement of 75% of the Christmas bonus as a significant measure. The response to this from many Members opposite was that Christmas comes only once a year. Like me, every Member of this House knows that the people who receive the Christmas bonus appreciate and need it. This is a genuine and significant attempt to reinstate the full bonus, a process which commenced last year. This Bill also provides for increases for pensioners, carer's, adult dependants under 66 years of age and over 66 years of age and persons with disabilities. There is no magic wand that can fix what this Government inherited. This legislation is a positive step in the right direction and cannot be alluded to without reference to the unemployment levels over the past couple of years. Earlier this week we were told the unemployment rate has decreased to 9.3% from 15.1% only a couple of years ago. Again, Deputy Fleming may be in denial as to who, more than anybody else, was responsible for our high level of unemployment but the Irish people, in terms of the decision they made on 25 February 2011, know who bears responsibility for it.

There is no better way of empowering people or of giving them a quality life than by providing them with a job. There are other aspects that feed into that but giving people an opportunity to work, earn and contribute to their economy is the best way of empowering them. We have seen down through the years how generations of families have benefitted from a return to employment. This Government is helping people to do that.

I listened to the contribution yesterday from Deputy O'Dea, who was a Minister in the previous Government, during which he quoted a lot of poetry but said very little.

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