Trevor Sargent
Ceist:12 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the average per capita income of Irish adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20955/98]
Ceisteanna—Questions. - Income Levels.
: I understand that the Deputy is looking for the average industrial wage. The latest available figures are provisional for December 1997, and are as follows: the average earnings per hour are £7.16 and the average earnings per week are £298.23. Figures are published on a quarterly basis. Earnings per hour for the previous four quarters are as follows: September 1997, £7.02; June 1997, £6.95; March 1997, £6.90 and December 1996, £6.94.
The figures for earnings per week for the previous four quarters are as follows: September 1997, £285.92; June 1997, £285.05; March 1997, £280.51 and December 1996, £287.94.
The Minister of State has read out some interesting figures. My question relates to the average per capita income of Irish adults and I was interested to know if his answer would contain the reality for many people, 57,000 of whom continue to be below the level recommended 12 years ago by the Commission on Social Welfare.
The Deputy is making a statement. He should ask a question.
Does the Minister of State have this information in his replies as it relates to the question I asked? Is he aware that 400,000 are excluded from the tax net? In other words, they are in dire poverty. Does this issue concern the Minister of State? Will he take note of the number of people in the upper echelons on over £500,000 per year? The Revenue Commissioners have no record of these people for the last three years or of those on over £250,000 per year.
This question does not relate to taxation. References to taxation are not in order.
This is not taxation, it is salary — over £250,000. Will the Minister of State acknowledge that speaking about the average per capita income does not show the widening gap between rich and poor? It highlights the need for a poverty strategy containing a radical measure such as the guaranteed basic income scheme being investigated by the Government.
The Government has a comprehensive social inclusion programme of which the Deputy is aware. The figures I quoted are for earnings per hour. These figures are collected by the CSO and relate, by and large, to unskilled workers. The figures for the clerical-managerial sector are higher and the average is about £342 per week. I do not have any taxation data with me.