Taoiseach plays Scrooge for asylum seekers

Posted on December 19, 2007 at 12:01 PM

Since 1999 the Incidental Payment made to asylum seekers in Direct Provision has remained static and today during Leaders' Questions Eamon Gilmore TD asked the Taoiseach to look at increasing into line to what it would have been eight years ago.

Deputy Gilmore said: "These are people who have no political clout, they do not have a vote and cannot exert political influence. They are in a situation where they cannot work and just have to wait as they are processed. "It is not a great bounty and you won't go wild on it. I needn't remind the Taoiseach the number of times himself and the rest of us have had our salaries increased since 1999.

"Could I ask the Taoiseach at this time of year if he would consider at least bringing the €19.10 up into line with whatever the movement in incomes has been over the period of time since 1999. I do think it is regrettable that small allowance, and it is a small allowance, has not been increased in that period of time.

After the Taoiseach's response, Deputy Gilmore said he was surprised at the Taoiseach's 'Scrooge-like response'.

"This is a small amount of money €19 a week, to cover people's busfares, if they want to buy their children a gift for Christmas. To be honest I am disappointed at the Scrooge-like respsonse we have got from the Taoiseach to this, I did not honestly expect there to be resistance to this. This is an area that I frankly thought was overlooked, it has been stuck at this level since 1999.

"Many of them have come here from very trying situations in their own countries, in some cases fleeing latter-day Herods. They are not allowed to work and they simply have to sit there as they are processed. I am asking the Taoiseach to look at this generously, it is not a huge amount of money, it is to bring the €19 up to what it would have been in 1999."

You can read the full debate on the Oireachtas website.

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