Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not involved personally in the negotiations in Brussels but it is Government policy that we want to introduce paid parental leave allowing parents to share the leave among themselves. Currently, maternity benefit and paternity benefit are separate. We would like to have a parental leave with parental benefit attached to it, which would allow parents to share it, and we will be guided by the European law in that regard. If the Deputy wants evidence of that, this Government of Fine Gael, the Independent Alliance and Independents have increased maternity benefit and paternity benefit twice. We have extended maternity benefit to cover children who were born prematurely to give their mothers more time with them. We have also introduced paid paternity leave and gave an increase. It is our plan to move towards a new system of parental leave with parental benefit attached to it, which parents can share, although realistically we are talking about legislation next year and its introduction the year after that.

The Deputy will know that the ESRI does its analysis in a particular way. He was a major critic of it when he was around the Cabinet table and he will know that when the ESRI does its analysis, it does not take into account the benefit of any service improvements so if we improve the health service, education or bring in subsidised child care, that does not count for anything using the ESRI simulating welfare and income tax changes, SWITCH, analysis. It also uses a particular system where it adjusts for average increases in wage earnings.

What people will do throughout January is look at their payslips and throughout January, February and March they will look at the amount of money coming into their pockets. The people who are working will see a reduction in their universal social charge. People on middle incomes will see that the standard rate cut-off point will go up and they will pay less of their income at the higher rate. People who need medicines will find that their prescription charges go down in January not just for people with medical cards, but also those who do not have medical cards. People with children will find that they are getting a full second year of free preschool. People who are on low pay, such as those on the minimum wage, will see the minimum wage go up in January. Public servants will see pay restoration and pay increases happening in two tranches next year, in January and October. People whose children are in receipt of child care, particularly those with children between six months and three years, will see the subsidies for child care continuing throughout the year, with targeted benefits for those on low incomes. As mentioned earlier, people in receipt of carer's allowance will see a right to a GP visit card being extended to them. Low income families, those in receipt of family income supplement, will gain as much as €10 extra a week from March when those changes come into effect and lone parents who are working will have significant gains as well. The Deputy can try to denigrate the Government achievements all he likes. What we are starting to see now, which is something I am committed to making happen as Taoiseach and as Head of this Government, is all individuals and all families in all parts of the country seeing their living standards improve as the economy improves.

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