Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 9, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “Report on rates based on Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)

16.The Minister shall carry out a review on introducing social welfare rates which are benchmarked to the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) to study the effect that adequacy of social welfare rates could have on addressing poverty levels and that the report shall be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection ahead of Budget 2023.”.

This amendment relates to an issue I have raised repeatedly. Every year in July, in the pre-budget forum meeting with the numerous stakeholders and organisations working on the ground, adequacy is always cited as one of the key priorities. The use of the minimum essential standard of living, MESL, is consistently raised by organisations working at the coalface. The Minister is well aware of this. In 2021, the basic aim of any social protection system should be to protect those who rely on it from poverty. Our system does not do that.

This year, the minimum essential standard of living has been calculated at €252 per week. Basic payments will increase from €203 by €5 to €208 in January. While this is welcome, it is far from achieving the minimum essential standard of living. I acknowledge that we cannot introduce the MESL overnight. If the Government had at least indicated it was moving towards the MESL and would do so with €5 increases or whatever the figure may be, at least we would be moving in the right direction. However, that commitment has not been made. The organisations are repeatedly calling for the MESL. It would be useful if the Department were to undertake to review the introduction of these rates benchmarked to the minimum essential standard of living. That would protect from poverty those who rely on these payments. It would be an important measure and would benchmark our social protection payments, protecting people from poverty and allowing them a decent standard of living while they rely on social protection. It would be a worthwhile exercise for the Department if the Minister would consider it. I have raised this issue repeatedly.

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