Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance is an important support. I am happy to have provided in the budget for additional funds for hot-meal services in schools which are very important. I admit to have taken funds from direct cash payments to provide for services to children in school. The underlying issue in the debate on social welfare is the correct balance between cash payments to people who rely on social welfare for their income and the provision of services by the State. During the boom years, we concentrated largely on increasing cash payments and in many ways failed to expand service provision which is often most important to families with children. I ask Senators to consider the budget in the round and to look at the expansion of programmes and the funding provided for after-school care services and special projects for children in disadvantaged areas as well as the additional funding provided for hot school breakfasts. I understand that the Senator is making a debating point, but this is a very serious Chamber and I ask him to consider the social welfare budget in its totality. While there is pressure on the social welfare budget at a time of unprecedented economic difficulty, we are trying to be innovative by putting more services in place where we can be sure children will benefit. The expansion of the programme of hot school meals represents such a service as do measures for children in very disadvantaged areas. We are also providing more than 6,000 additional after-school child care places and, as discussed yesterday, 10,000 additional places for services and community employment. The budget should be viewed in context as reformatory and as striking a balance between service provision and direct cash payments. Most parties in the House will agree that we got the balance wrong in the boom years with an excessive focus on direct cash as opposed to the delivery of services. That was not only the case in the case of social welfare but across a range of services provided by Government.