Martin Brady (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion on a European Council regulation relating to social security. Across the EU there has been a drift away from assisting those in need on the fringes of society. Regardless of Ireland's massive wealth, there are still pockets of serious social and educational disadvantage. When one considers the existing social security system, one realises it is appropriate that we are engaging in this debate.

The fact that many people are doing well in a vibrant economy does not mean that everyone's fortunes are improving. Every Member of the Oireachtas has a responsibility to ensure that those in the bottom 20% of society are given assistance in that regard. One of the most important strategies for achieving this is the use of social security policy. The regulations in this area co-ordinate social security systems within the EU and are designed to remove obstacles to freedom of movement which would otherwise arise from loss or reduction of social security cover or entitlements when a person moves from one country to another.

Since the adoption of Regulation 859/2003, third country nationals who have worked in two or more member states and their family members and survivors can rely on Regulation 1408/71 on the same basis as EU nationals, provided they are legally resident in the territory of an EU member state. A third country national who, for example, becomes unemployed having worked legally in the UK and Ireland can, therefore, rely on an aggregation of social insurance paid in both states to qualify for jobseeker's benefit. We must support those who are unemployed, not just Irish citizens but everyone who has contributed to the economy. Those countries in the west with strong economies have an international responsibility to distribute their wealth to poorer states.

This current Commission proposal aims to extend to third country nationals the provisions of Regulation 883/2004 and pursues the same objective as Regulation 859/2003. The scope of Regulation 883/2004 is wider than Regulation 1408/71 in that it also covers persons who are not active — not just workers but all legally-resident third country nationals. The legal basis for this regulation allows the Council to adopt a measure to uphold the rights and conditions of nationals of third countries who are legally resident in a member state to reside in other member states.

I welcome the motion, particularly because Members receive quite a number of queries from Irish people abroad who are affected by the matters to which it relates, and I commend it to the House. I thank the Minister for coming before the House to deal with it.