SOCIAL welfare should he changed from maintaining a basic income for the unemployed to guaranteeing their social participation, according to two UCG economists.
Drs Brendan Kennelly and Eamonn O'Shea told the Conference of Religious in Ireland that the current system "encourages people to wait for what are, in many cases, non-existent jobs. Policy should be directed towards facilitating people's desire for work
They pointed out that employment trends were changing. In the period 1990-94, the number of full-time jobs increased by 18 per cent, while part-time jobs increased by 45 per cent.
"The emphasis should be on participation backed up by appropriate public support. In return for this support unemployed people also have responsibilities. Primary among these responsibilities is the requirement that they participate when given the opportunity.
The key to this, they said, was developing the potential for participation of everyone, by guaranteeing continuing education and training, nurturing new opportunities for work and broadening the definition of work.
Prof Frank Convery told the conference that jobs could be increased and the environment improved by charging for the use of "environmental endowments", like air and water, which have been regarded as free, and by taxing polluting emissions. The revenues saved could be directed towards reducing the tax on Iabour, like PRSI.
Such an economic strategy was successful in Sweden, he said, and, closer to home, the "tag-a-bag" system for dealing with refuse raised revenue for collection and promoted recycling. It did not lead to more illegal dumping. "When people are paying themselves they are more likely to tell on their neighbours", he said.