Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 13, after line 38, to insert the following:"Report on Jobseekers Allowance

17. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the impacts on young people under 24 and 26 years of age of the reduced levels of jobseekers allowance applicable to them and report further on reversing these reduced allowances.".

This amendment speaks for itself. It seeks a report on why this Dáil continues to discriminate against young people. This Dáil probably does not believe it discriminates against young people but, under the legislation that is about to be passed, there will be different rates of social welfare payment for young people than for others, depending on whether those young people are under 24 or under 26. Although the amendment is only seeking a report on the impact of discrimination against young people, because of the reduced level of jobseeker's allowance applied to them I am sure it will meet the same opposition as the amendment seeking a report into the effects of the implementation of the homemaker's scheme and the denial of the associated benefit to people, mainly women, who made their homes prior to 1994. In a similar vein, we are discriminating against young people, young people under 24 in one bracket and young people under the age of 26 in another. Neither category is entitled to equality.

The Taoiseach talks about a republic of opportunities. The affected young people are the very people to whom we should be giving opportunities but we start by being totally miserable with the payments they receive while they are dependent on social protection. That might seem like nothing to us in this House, as we earn very good money, and it may seem nothing to some who do not even know how much they earn because they are so wealthy. For young people who are entirely dependent on the jobseeker's allowance, it means an awful lot. An extra €10, €15 or €20 per week could make a huge difference in their lives.

I want to ask an obvious question: does anybody really believe young people get a cheaper bus fare, cheaper rent or cheaper food than those over 26 or that it is easier for them to buy a pair of runners or raincoat than it is for those over 26?

The entire measure is a nonsense. If one is unemployed and if one is available for work and is seeking work and cannot find it, then one should be treated the same as everybody else. That is an absolute necessity. The report is required because it would explain the thinking of the Cabinet and, in particular, the Ministers for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Finance who say that the measures are necessary in order to balance the budget. I would like to hear what they believe in terms of discrimination against elderly people, older people or pensioners - whatever is the politically correct term - on the one hand, and young people who are the future of this country, on the other.

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