Dáil debates

Wednesday, 31 January 2018

12:10 pm

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

It is important not to forget that we lost a decade in this country because of the economic and financial crisis. During that period, unemployment and poverty worsened and inequality widened. The people on this side of the House are not to blame for that financial and economic crisis but we worked very hard for a decade to put things right and get the country moving in the right direction again. During that decade, we were opposed on every occasion by Sinn Féin. Every time we sought to do something to get the economy back on track we were opposed by the Deputy's party.

The country has now turned the corner and we are back on the right track. According to the survey on income and living conditions, which the Deputy mentioned, in 2015 and 2016 poverty decreased, deprivation decreased and inequality narrowed. Using the gino coefficient Ireland is now in the middle zone in terms of income equality and it is one of the most equal in terms of income distribution among English speaking countries. We are very much moving in the right direction. While the figures for 2017 are not yet available I anticipate we will see them also moving in the right direction. The best anti-poverty policy is employment. It is our ambition to ensure we have full employment in this country and as well as that, a good job for everyone, one that pays the bills and has security and pension rights. According to the data published yesterday, unemployment has fallen from 15% to 6.1% and the percentage of long-term unemployed people - people out of work for more than nine months - is down to 3%, which is indicative of the enormous progress that has been made in a very short time. This has occurred because of Government policies. We are trying to get as many people into work as is possible because that is the best way to reduce poverty.

In terms of other things we are doing, we are increasing social welfare again. The Deputy will be aware that under a previous Government €16.50 per week was taken from the poor, the blind, the elderly and widows. We have restored €10 of that €16.50 per week and we intend to restore the full amount as soon as we possibly can. We have made changes to the family income supplement, raising the thresholds to support low income working families and to ensure that they are always better off working. The Deputy will know that anyone in receipt of family income supplement is given enough to bring them out of poverty. When it comes to lone parents, in particular, we have made changes to the lone parent payments. We have introduced subsidised child care because the cost of child care is a major barrier to lone parents getting into education and employment. The number of lone parents working is increasing every month and it is good to see that. We have restored educational supports, for example, the back to education grant for people who are lone parents with children and also couples with children. On disabilities, we are implementing the making work pay report which was launched by the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and me not too long ago. This means that a person who is disabled and takes up a job retains his or her free travel pass for five years, which is a real positive, and that person can also now take up a trial of work. Many people with disabilities are afraid that if they try work and it does not work out for them they will not be able to get back on their benefits. We have changed the system such that people can automatically get back on their benefits. We have also abolished the provision that requires people to do some type of rehabilitative work. They can now do any work they like. We do not mind what type of work they do because all work is good.

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