'Work Best Way Out Of Poverty' - ESRI Report

'Work is the best way out of poverty', Fine Gael has said, a statement it claims has been confirmed by the latest ESRI report.

Making the comments Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne, said that the report highlights that more must be done to incentivise and support people into work.

"This Government is encouraging and supporting people to make the move from welfare to work in a range of ways and today’s ESRI report only reaffirms my belief that this is the right course of action," Deputy Byrne said.

"The ESRI finds that six out of ten people would actually double their income if they moved from the Jobseekers’ Allowance to a job. Eight out of ten could earn at least 40% more by finding employment."

It is understood that the report notes that those with children in receipt of welfare "have less of an incentive to work".

Deputy Byrne added: "The Government has already begun to address this with in-work benefits and I’m glad to see the ESRI report validates our approach in this regard with its comments about the Back to Work Family Dividend payment for example.

"The report says that the 'The Back to Work Family Dividend significantly improves the financial incentive to work for currently unemployed jobseekers with children.' This shows the value of these schemes designed to support people taking up work and I want to see the Government develop further the system of in-work benefits in the coming months in order to make work pay for vulnerable parents.

"Absolutely no good can come from families being trapped in welfare dependence down through the generations."

(MH/CD)