I move:—
That in view of the great hardships which the high cost of living imposes on the unemployed, old age pensioners, the sick, and widows, Dáil Éireann is of opinion that all social welfare benefits should be increased.
In introducing this motion, I feel it should be discussed on its own merits without reference to previous controversies which were part of the last Budget debate. I feel that Party affiliations and loyalties should have no part in assessing its worth. I appeal to the House to realise that this motion cuts across, and indeed is even greater than, Party or Party policies. The part of the motion which states that the high cost of living imposes great hardship on the unemployed, old age pensioners, the sick and the widows cannot be denied and should be agreed by all sides of the House.
Since the last Budget was introduced, there has been a sharp increase in the cost of living the effect of which, to a certain extent, has been offset in the case of those who are organised and relatively strong to defend their interests through price and wage increases. This is not so in the case of the unemployed, the old age pensioners, the sick and widows, who have to depend on the goodwill of the Government for the maintenance of their standard of living. It surely will not be denied that the community as a whole are responsible for the welfare and care of our aged and unemployed. I claim with justification that this is a vital test of our Christianity. It is of little use to talk in pious terms of our spiritual empire and Christian State while tens of thousands of our people live on the border line of starvation and in abject poverty.
The high cost of living, I claim, is a direct result of Government financial policy. Nobody can deny the fact that these unfortunate people, through no fault of their own, suffer extreme hardship. Present conditions it can be said are the result of misgovernment, not alone of one Party, but of every Party since the foundation of this much-lauded, Christian and democratic State. I am convinced that no one present would like to live or support a family on the income allowed by the State to these unfortunate poor people. In fact, I challenge any Deputy here to try it just for one week.
Let us take a closer look at how, in practice, these allowances work out and see how an unemployed man, his wife and family really live. Here is a household bill taken from an account, given to me and verified by me, of a man, his wife and six children at present living in Ballyfermot. I want it on the records of the House, and, if needs be, to go forth to the world, as an indictment of the hypocrisy which has been a feature of all Irish Governments. This man's total income is £3 16s. 10½d. per week, which includes unemployment assistance and children's allowances. Out of that, he pays rent, light, fuel, insurance and bus fares. He is then left with £1 15s. 3½d. for food, clothing, school books and a dozen or so other little odds and ends to run a home. In this case, the man has a young child preparing for first Holy Communion and another preparing for Confirmation. There may be some in this House who do not know, but in the life of a working-class Christian family, this occasion should be one of joy for both parent and child. Can that be so in this case?
The weekly diet consists of bread, margarine and tea. If anybody doubts me, I can show him hundreds of similar cases only a stone's throw from this very building. He is left with £1 15s 3½d. for the week. He buys bread, two loaves per day, which cost him 16/4 per week, leaving him 8/11½ to buy tea, margarine and sugar for the week. Would anybody dare tell me that this is a good wholesome diet—two loaves a day, approximately ¼ lb. of tea, 1 lb. of sugar and ½ lb. of margarine among two adults and six young children for a week? This family, like thousands of other Irish families, do not taste Irish butter which is subsidised and exported daily. Neither do they taste foodstuffs like meat, fish, bacon and eggs. I do not think it can be disputed that this diet is completely and absolutely inadequate.
Here is a diet calculated to sustain working ability and health. It is issued by the Canadian Medical Association and subscribed to by Sir John Boyd Orr who up to recently was head of the World Food Organisation. The weekly diet for a man, his wife and only three children is as follows: milk, 38 pts.; cheese, 1½ lbs.; butter, 3½ lbs.; potatoes, 19 lbs.; fresh vegetables, 24 lbs.; dried vegetables, 1½ lbs.; fresh fruit, 8 lbs.; meat and fish, 8 lbs.; eggs, 1½ dozen; bread, 22½ lbs.; and flour cereals, 7 lbs. The contrast, needless to say, is striking. The hunger and hardship suffered by our unemployed and aged people in particular during the recent spell of cold weather can only be imagined by most in this House.
Let us take the case of a single man drawing unemployment assistance of 19/6d. per week. Can we say that is adequate to pay for rent, lodgings, food and clothing and, perhaps, a smoke, if he is entitled to a smoke? At column 957 of the Official Debates for November 21, 1957, the Minister for Defence stated that the Army diet from 26th October, 1957, to 1st November, 1957, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire average retail prices, cost £1 13s. 7¼d. While this may be a good wholesome diet, it is not by any means a luxurious diet. There are many here with Army experience who will tell you that many a young soldier could eat twice as much, if he got it.
The sole increase for a single man on unemployment assistance is 1/- in a period of five and a half years. This is expected to offset the cost of living which increased in that period by, roughly, 23 per cent., or 27 points. Is it any wonder that our young people are fleeing from the shores of this country? The young people who are left are faced with two things: either they must starve or steal.
Finally, let us look at the old age pensioners whose weekly income at the moment is 25/-. Our welfare workers report cases of real hardship amongst our aged people who helped to build this State but who are now left destitute. Their married sons and daughters cannot help these unfortunate people because of three factors. Their sons and daughters cannot help them through the high cost of living, because they have emigrated or because they are unemployed. The feeling of being forgotten or unwanted is not the least degradation which these poor unfortunate people suffer. They are unable to maintain themselves in a proper condition of health, due to the lack of essential foodstuffs. This in particular applies to the young children of the unemployed man. The health of these young children is being impaired at the very stage in their lives when they require the means of healthy development to enable them to take their place in the future affairs of this nation.
Can any Deputy say we cannot improve the lot of these unfortunate people? Many millions of pounds are spent on hospitals and sanatoria to combat diseases such as tuberculosis, which in many cases is the result of undernourishment. Would it not be far better policy for us to invest in the health of our youth? The Minister may say that we have no money, that we cannot afford to give these men any more. I have no doubt that the Irish people will consider that a downright lie. Many millions of pounds are invested in British joint stock companies by Irish nationals. I ask the Minister to tell the House why these patriotic investments are not taxed to the hilt.
Every year our playboys spend many thousands of pounds abroad on holidays. Surely here again must be a fruitful field for taxation. Why do we not tell these people that we have an economic crisis on our hands? Why must the weaker sections be called upon to pull us out of each crisis which is the result of Government financial policy? Why do we not tell those others that they have a duty to the community?
Many local government bodies have written to me supporting this motion. Members of the Fianna Fáil Party have passed similar resolutions. I hope to hear many members on the Fianna Fáil benches speaking to and supporting this measure. They were very considerate about the unemployed and aged people during the last general election. I hope they will support this motion now. I challenge the Government to allow a free vote of the House on this issue. I am quite confident that any Deputy would not face his constituents after voting against this motion.