Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What ultimately is behind all these figures? We must ask why are these moneys are being made available. We are here to debate moneys for the protection of the most vulnerable in society and those at risk of poverty. In essence, when looking at past policies and figures, these moneys are about aiding those where needed. The Government needs to connect to circumstances on the ground, and to the needs of those in receipt of social protection.

We must remember there is a direct link between unemployment and poverty. We, as public representatives, should be about eliminating this link as much as possible but it is in the hands of the Government to pursue this end. The Minister outlined a high-level aim to attain better outcomes in tackling poverty. The most recent figures from the CSO state that 140,000 children were in consistent poverty. That is the reality. We must also be conscious of the reality on the ground for pensioners, lone parents and those on jobseeker's benefit, to name but a few, and we must be conscious, most importantly, of the realities on the ground behind these titles and the figures presented by Government.

What does the cut to lone parents mean in reality? According to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, lone parents comprise the largest group that requests its services, and this group has the highest poverty rates of any household type. That is the reality. I understand that at the time, the so-called logic for the Government introducing the cuts was to get more people back to work, but the reality was, with the lack of child care and the lack of limited after school opportunities, it was harder for parents to enter the workforce, given the pressure arising from the cuts to their income. The cut to lone parents must also be seen in the context of previous cuts, such as the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowances, which Barnardos previously recommended should be increased.

Looking past the figures, what does the €3 rise in the pension mean in reality? When reaching a certain stage in life one wants to feel comfortable and to have enough means to live. Seriously, what will €3 a week provide?

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