Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House, and I welcome this debate. There has been much debate and complaint about this issue in recent weeks and months, and it is good to have the Minister present to hear from him on the issue.

It is clear that this particular welfare reform has caused much disquiet and distress to families, and it is difficult not to be struck by some of the examples given by Senator Norris and Senator Moloney. It is the Government's intention through this legislation to make work pay, but I agree with Senator Moloney that to make work pay we should ensure that people are not affected so seriously. One hundred and fifty euro a week appears to be a huge deduction for somebody to withstand, especially if they have to feed a child or children.However, it is quite simply the case that we cannot allow our economy, with its nascent recovery, to allow a cycle of long-term unemployment in families to continue.