The CSO published a survey on income and living conditions in Ireland and, by any stretch of the imagination it makes very disturbing reading, particularly as regards child poverty. Over the last weeks we have seen many announcements by Ministers and Ministers of State on commitments to be entered into over the next 18 months. In other words, these are election promises, including promise on child care and funding for GP cards. Could we not have a genuine debate in the Chamber on the direction we are beginning to take? We are now leaving cohorts of our community behind as the Government convinces itself and tries to convince the public that everything is rosy in everybody's garden. I assure the Tánaiste that there is a great deal of poverty and deprivation and the idea that the Government can spin the living standards survey upwards is not possible. It must be done by meaningful targeted policies.

The CSO's survey on income and living conditions is an indication - as has been highlighted by the ESRI previously - that the Government is targeting its scarce resources in the wrong areas. It is time to have a debate on this and the direction we are taking with regard to where we are providing funding and scarce State resources to those who most need them. The income report highlights that in stark terms.

On the Taoiseach being in Davos, where I presume there are far more millionaires than in the Dáil, he is spending his time meeting senior executives in companies such as Facebook and Google with a view to bringing jobs to Ireland.

I was just stating a fact; millionaires and billionaires.

I wish the Taoiseach well in bringing more employment to Ireland.

The country is in safe hands.

The SILC report is a very important one. If Deputies want to take the matter up with the Whips, I would be happy to make provision for a debate on the report in the House at any stage. The report relates to the second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013, which was just as Ireland began to emerge from the crisis. It shows that the incomes of those in the lowest income groups increased in absolute terms and relative to the highest earners. As a result, the numbers at risk of poverty fell for the first time in three years by a small amount of 1.3%.

It is statistically insignificant according to the CSO.

This is based on 2012 and 2013. It shows that the 300,000 plus jobs that Fianna Fáil lost the country after the disastrous bank guarantee were still working their way through.

Hear, hear.

There was less poverty in 2008.

If Deputies care to recall, the jobs recovery was beginning very slowly at the very end of 2012 and it began to gain momentum in 2013. More importantly, I agree to a debate and I want to respond to some of Deputy Kelleher's points. The most important thing in the SILC report is that the median household disposable income went up. That is the one that is regarded internationally as being the most important sign of improvement for ordinary people. The median income increased by a small amount. Given where the country was coming from at that point, it was a significant achievement.

Hear, hear. I am sorry about that but Deputy Kelleher made a bad choice.

Deputy Durkan has spoken. It is time to go.

I appeal to Deputies for brevity. A lot of people are offering and I have five Members from yesterday. We only have 20 minutes in total.