Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Over the past four years, I have highlighted the effect the Government's social protection cuts have been having on workers in rural areas, but this has always fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I, like many on this side of the House, have been highlighting the problem from the wrong perspective. We have been concerned about the effects cuts have had on workers and their families as their incomes have been reduced. However, in order to get the Government's attention should we be looking at the corporate welfare issue? The recent Apple tax debacle has shown that corporate welfare is something the Government really cares about.

The only option for many people in rural areas of Donegal is seasonal and short-time work. It means they depend on social welfare to help them to keep their families above the poverty line when no work is available. Crucially - no doubt the Government will understand this - the cuts it has implemented also have a direct impact on ability of employers to have an available workforce when they need them. In the fishing, textile and tourism industries, employers depend on social welfare to keep workers available when there is no work for them.

The Government's cuts have targeted not just workers but also employers. Since 2012 it has cut the length of time during which under-employed workers can get jobseeker's benefit to six and nine months. It has stopped workers getting jobseeker's benefit when they are in short-time work. It has slashed the income disregards and farm assist, and has refused part-time farmers, who earn less than €90 a week from farming, jobseeker's benefit when they are laid off from work. That this has drastically reduced the income of workers who cannot get alternative employment does not seem to concern the Government but perhaps the fact that it affects employers is of concern to it.

In the north west last week IBEC highlighted that employers cannot rely on the availability of workers when they need them because of these cuts. Will this make the Government look again at the cuts it has implemented? Reversing the cuts to the duration of job seeker's benefit, farm assist disregards and increasing the income limit from subsidiary employment would cost around €65 million nationally. This measure would assist employers by helping workers to be able to survive periods when there is no work thus making them available for work when the next fishing or tourism season comes around. The Government has refused to help workers. Perhaps it will help employers in rural areas in the coming budget by reversing these cuts.

See this speech in context