Sir, - I wish to take issue with Kevin Myers in his Irishman's Diary of September 19th, in which he criticised me for calling for a sense of balance in our reaction to the recent figures on social welfare fraud. Mr Myers was typically selective in his comments, neglecting to point out that, in my statement, I did recognise there was much room for reform in many areas of the system, as the Minister himself has admitted.
However, what I did say was that in introducing reforms we must be careful not to damage a welfare fabric that has been painstakingly put in place over many years. People who have paid their contributions, or are genuinely out of work, are justly entitled to their payments without having to go through endless red tape procedures.
The basic rate of unemployment assistance is £64.50, hardly the basis on which fortunes are made. What is needed is to make the system more work friendly and to create incentives to work, while not putting at risk the basic family income.
In my role as an MEP for Dublin, I try to be a voice for the unemployed and the less well off. Had Mr Myers bothered to check, he would have seen that I have also a special interest in the Third. World and have frequently highlighted their needs on the floor of the European Parliament.
And we do need a sense of balance in our judgment. There appears to have been little media comment on the huge settlements made with the Revenue Commissioners which were published this month. The list of names included some pillars of society. I am also sure that if the CSO was to carry out a similar investigation into other areas of Irish life, say, for example, the millions of pounds that farmers are paid in grants each year via a cheque in the post, there would be major disclosures with many red faces!
So, Mr Myers, let's keep a sense of proportion, and set about introducing reforms in a constructive and thoughtful way. And yes, this Government does have the political will to do something about it. Yours, etc.,
European Parliament Office. 43 Molesworth Street,
Dublin 2.