Fianna Fáil support for Social Welfare Bill is shameful – Brady

Speaking this evening on the Social Welfare Bill, Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Social Protection John Brady TD has said that Fianna Fáil’s support for Fine Gael in this Bill is shameful.

Teachta Brady said:

“Fianna Fáil fell over themselves this evening to support the Social Welfare Bill.

“Fianna Fáil has shown tonight that their concern for young Jobseekers after the Budget were false. The outrage that Deputy O’Dea voiced in relation to the €2.70 increase for 18-24 year olds and his claim that Fianna Fáil would work to reverse it was clearly lies.

“Not content with running thousands of our young people out of the country when they purposely cut Jobseekers in the first place, Fianna Fáil have played a part in ensuring that the discrimination for our young people that they started in 2009 continues in this Bill.

“When it comes to lone parents this Bill fails to address poverty among lone parents and it fails to acknowledge the perverse effect that lone parent reforms have had. The recent Millar report concludes that the policy implemented by Fine Gael has left lone parents in paid employment being financially worse off.

“I welcome the €2 million to be provided for projects which provide pre-activation support for people with disabilities in 2017 – however, we need to know where this money is going and we need the detail on this.

“This Social Welfare Bill in its present form does not do everything it could have done. It is the result of a Budget that further marginalises our young people, lone parents and those living alone.

“As the main opposition party here, there is little room for Sinn Féin to bring forward amendments to this Bill given the fact that as an opposition party we cannot table amendments that constitute a charge on the Exchequer or on the public.

“Having said that, it is my full intention to frame amendments in such a way as to bypass the restrictions so that a proper debate can take place on the many issues that should have been in this Bill.”