Unemployed

Paul and Jane are both in their 40s and unemployed. They have a son aged 15 and a daughter aged 12.They were happy to hear Mr McCreevy increasing the amount to be spent on social inclusion measures. Both have been hoping to gain from the Back To Work initiative, and noted the number of places on the scheme is to be increased next year by 5,000.But while they will gain from the increased child benefit, the Social Welfare allowance for dependant children once again did not increase again this year.Paul is planning to buy a cheap second hand car in the North in the hope of picking up more odd jobs, and he was underwhelmed by the announcement by Mr McCreevy of a tiny decrease in the Vehicle Registration Tax, which is balanced by increases in super-unleaded and leaded petrol.In fact, despite the Minister's heavy stress on social inclusion and the fight against unemployment in his speech to the Dail, it turns out the family will gain less than £300 over last year.