David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge his point, that Members should applaud the Taoiseach, was made tongue in cheek but one should be careful not to upset in any way those who currently are living in poverty. Many people have suffered over the past seven austerity budgets and the past six years and the Taoiseach made the point that people have taken a lot of pain. However, it need not have been the way it was and one should consider the ESRI report published last week. The institute examined all the budgets introduced since 2008 by both the previous Government and the present Administration. It then broke down the various different income brackets and the aforementioned independent think-tank concluded that it was the low paid people in society who paid a disproportionate price and who bore the brunt of those budgets. This is the reality.

In addition, a report from the Mandate and UNITE trade unions called Hungry for Action: Mapping Food Poverty in Ireland, was published on 15 December. It again showed that far too many people are living in poverty in the State, be it fuel poverty, food poverty or, if the Government has its way, water poverty in the future as well. I called for a debate on poverty several times this year and was supported by a number of Senators from the Government side. However, Members did not have a stand-alone debate on poverty, which would be a useful and worthwhile debate. Perhaps a full-day sitting of the Seanad Public Petitions Committee could be held on that issue because it is of fundamental importance to all Members to do what they can to reduce poverty levels. However, in the context of a Government that will be clapping itself on the back for emerging from the bailout, which is of itself a milestone, all Members should be mindful of the huge levels of suffering that continue to persist, as well as the long road that must be taken to support all those families who are living in poverty. Consequently, I would welcome the opportunity early next year to have a debate on that important issue.