Simon Harris says penalties on the way for those who treat dole as ‘a way of life’

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said on Saturday night that he wants to see “penalties” for people on social welfare who refuse to seek employment in a speech that set out a clear centre-right outlook for his party.“The dole is a safety net, not a way of life,” Harris told delegates at the Fine Gael Ardfheis in Cork, adding: “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.”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”. READ MOREExpanding 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.”On migration, he said Ireland used to be a country defined by emigration.“Now we have people from other countries choosing Ireland as a place to live, work, study, invest and raise families. I am talking about people who come here and make enormous contributions across every sector of our economy and society, and particularly our public services. Tonight I want to thank you for your positive contribution to Ireland.”However, he added: “We also have a responsibility to continue a firmly managed approach to those who migrate to our country through routes other than work permits. And we need to maintain a tougher response to illegal immigration.”Referring to his first period as Taoiseach, Harris said: “When there were tents on the streets of Dublin becoming a serious health and safety risk, I showed how we can act swiftly and decisively.”Harris drew loud applause when he said that Fine Gael “is and always will be the party of law and order”.“That is why we have more gardaí now than at any point in the history of the State. But we simply cannot tolerate what we are seeing too much of in this country at this moment. Rampant disregard for authority. Flagrant anti-social behaviour. A lack of respect for public safety. For human life.“This has to stop. There must be real consequences. There must be more gardaí recruited and trained. There must be more prison capacity.”Harris promised to strengthen defence while maintaining Ireland’s neutrality, and strongly criticised Sinn Féin, to the delight of delegates.“Let no one fall for the Sinn Féin posturing on this issue or their plámás about the Irish Defence Forces,” he said. “We know there is only one Óglaigh na hÉireann. “The party that hijacked that proud title for their own paramilitary wing – for the provos – has no authority, no authority whatsoever. The party that scaremongered its way through every European referendum has zero credibility. And they haven’t changed. They’re at it again.”