INOU urges the Oireachtas to reject the Social Welfare Bill

11 Dec 2009

Today the National Executive Committee of the INOU met to discuss Budget 2010 and its implications for unemployed people. The NEC urges all TDs and Senators to reject the Social Welfare Bill that is currently being rammed through both Houses of the Oireachtas. It is undemocratic that so little time has been given to TD and Senators to debate this important piece of legislation that will give effect to the appalling cuts made to social welfare payments.

The INOU refutes the inflation arguments used by the Government just to justify the cuts they have made to Jobseekers and other social welfare payments. They have failed to acknowledge that changes they have made in the previous two Budgets to Rent Supplement and its impact on the cost of living for unemployed people and others - an increase of €15-20 per week. Budget 2010 will see further increases as the cost of medicines and heating one's home will rise. At the very least the fuel allowance should have been increased to offset the poverty impact of the new Carbon tax.

The Government has made much of the increase in the social welfare rate in Budget (October) 2009. However, they have failed to acknowledge the impact of the loss of the Christmas bonus on unemployed people and other welfare recipients expected income - a drop of 2% in 2009. With the changes announced yesterday unemployed people aged 25 and older will see a further drop in their income of 4.1% in 2010.

The changes made to people under 25 are even more dramatic. New claimants who are 20 and 21 years of age will only be entitled to a Jobseekers Allowance of €100 per week; while new claimants who are 22-24 year olds will only be entitled to a payment of €150 per week. The INOU is very concerned that the clear message being sent to young people is to emigrate.

The Government is claiming that it wants to encourage young people to stay on in education and training however the additional 26,000 'training and support places' announced yesterday are insufficient given that there are over 423,000 people on the Live Register. It is also extraordinary that Budget 2010 contains proposed cut backs to supports available to unemployed people accessing education through VTOS and the Back to Education Allowance. A clear jobs strategy is urgently required that identifies where job growth will take place and how unemployed people can access those jobs.

 

 

For further information contact:
Bríd O'Brien, Head of Policy and Media at 01 856 0088; 086 608 9641