Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We will take that into consideration. I understand the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, last year published a cost of disability report that might help to back up some of the Deputy's argument. I believe the Deputy is looking at a wider and important budget issue. Over the years, Social Justice Ireland has made a case similar to that the Deputy is making, that is, we could look at the use of refundable tax credits or other mechanisms to recognise we individualised the tax system but did not the social welfare system. That is a broad issue that goes back some 20 years. There is a real case for such a further evolution, because if we do everything on the assumption that it is all about people in work and leave behind and do not recognise the work of people who are outside the paid workforce, that would be a real injustice. This is not a small change and is not easy to make. It might have to be done on a step-by-step process.

I agree with the broad premise. It is about valuing, perhaps in a universal way, everyone's contribution and giving people freedom and flexibility to make their choice as to what is best for their life, be that caring or other roles.

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