Simon Harris denies ‘punching down’ after promising penalties for long-term unemployed

Tánaiste Simon Harris has denied he is “punching down” after promising penalties for those who treat the dole as a “way of life”. The Fine Gael leader told his party’s ardfheis in Cork at the weekend that the dole is a “safety net, not a way of life”.“At a time of full employment, it is simply not acceptable for any person to remain on the live register year after year after year.”Speaking on RTÉ on Sunday, Harris said denied he was punching down on a vulnerable group of long-term unemployed people with his comments, saying that increasing the financial penalty for those who do not engage with employment services is “what taxpayers across this country expect us to do”. READ MOREHis ardfheis comments drew a sharp response from the Opposition.Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady said Harris was “punching down”, and claimed that Fine Gael “has always looked after the privileged, the well-off in society”.People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused Harris and the Government of “performative cruelty” and of enriching the powerful while blaming the powerless. Among those critical of Harris was Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, who said it was “shocking” and “looking for a scapegoat”. Harris countered that the former Labour Party leader and minister for social protection Joan Burton had cut benefits for jobless people who refused work or training offers. In this year’s budget, penalties for those who don’t engage with employment services were increased by €10 to €100. Some 11,000 people had penalties imposed on them last year. Also on Sunday, Harris said he had an “open mind” about tasking the Revenue Commissioners with collecting the TV licence fee amid projections that income from the payment will again decline next year. The Oireachtas media committee was told on Thursday that it believed fee income would decline by another €11 million in 2027. In his ardfheis speech, Harris also touched on other themes likely to be popular with those who want his party to adopt a more clearly Christian Democrat/centre-right identity. He said he wanted to ensure “a much more demanding approach to how public money is spent”, to “maintain a tougher response to illegal immigration”, to see more gardaí and more prison spaces and to build greater defence capability.Speaking to about 1,200 delegates at UCC’s Mardyke Arena in his live televised address, Harris said the budget – the second of the Government’s term but the first for which he was responsible as Minister for Finance – had “set us on a path”.Expanding on this, he said: “A path back to where we need to be. Where people can believe the unwritten contract between the State and its citizens is being honoured again. Where rights are respected. And both sides live up to their responsibilities.“Let’s be honest,” Harris said, “the debate has got a bit out of whack in this country where we only hear one side. Rights must always be balanced with responsibilities.”“Social welfare must always be there for people when they need support. That is the mark of any decent society. But support comes with responsibility, too – everyone who can work should be expected to make a contribution.”He said that Fine Gael wanted to see “a new Pathways to Work plan”.“We need a renewed focus on intensive engagement with the long-term unemployed – tackling barriers, creating opportunities and getting people into work. And let me be clear, for those who refuse to engage, there will be penalties.”