Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

Senator Martin Conway and others referred to the ESRI report on the cost of working in Ireland. This is a welcome and useful item of research which broadens our understanding of the additional costs facing individuals when they avail of employment opportunities. I agree with the observations made by Senators Conway, Aideen Hayden and others in regard to persons in receipt of unemployment benefit. The role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide jobseekers with income support in the form of jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit. The conditionality associated with both of these schemes is that the individual must genuinely be in search of employment. The great majority of people on the live register have a significant financial incentive to work, with some 289,000 of them, or 68%, having a total social welfare income of only €188 per week. While I acknowledge that individuals who have two or more children and are also in receipt of rent allowance or mortgage interest supplement may require a greater financial incentive than a person with no dependants in terms of availing of employment, it should be noted that this cohort represents only 3% of those on the live register. The comments should, therefore, be considered in that context. Perhaps we can arrange a date to have a discussion on that ESRI report in the near future.

Senator Conway also raised the question of inviting Aung San Suu Kyi to the House when she comes back to Ireland. We can certainly follow up that request.

I am glad Senator Leyden welcomed the provision of the air ambulance emergency service last week which has already assisted several people. I suggest to him that it is very dangerous to presume how people might vote in four or five years' time.