Recovery? Same number on family support, says TD

THE LEVEL of Wicklow families in receipt of Family Income Support (FIS) is approximately the same this year as it was last year despite the national unemployment rate dropping for the past three years.

TD Pat Casey, Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on housing and urban renewal, said that ‘simply being in employment does not mean that people and families will have a decent quality of life.’

At present 1,478 Wicklow families are in receipt of the payment.

He questioned claims from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation that the jobs market is booming and that a ‘deep recovery’ is taking hold and described it as a ‘simplistic and ignorant narrative’.

‘Minister Mitchell O’Connor can claim that she is leading a jobs bonanza for the Irish economy all she likes, but the fact is: more and more people are working in low income jobs that require the State to top up their family incomes through the Family Income Support scheme. Is this the type of economy that Minister Mitchell O’Connor and Fine Gael are happy to preside over; people working full time jobs but still relying on support from the State to keep a roof over their heads or put food on their tables? Why has the number of families in receipt of a FIS payment not decreased if there is a booming jobs market?’ Deputy Casey said.

He outlined that ‘decent, well-paid jobs’ are required so that families do not have to rely on FIS or other supports. ‘The first step must be to publish the heads of bill of the proposed piece of legislation to deal with precarious work and ending Zero Hours Contracts in order to meet the commitment contained in the Confidence and Supply Agreement with Fianna Fáil,’ he said.