Arriving at the convention centre in Dublin, Enda Kenny again ignored questions from reporters about when the election would be.

Inside he told the Dublin Chambers dinner that we had a passive welfare culture - welfare he said "must not be your life", but a "lifeline when you need it."

The Taoiseach says Fine Gael plans to introduce a working family payment as part of what he said would be radical welfare reforms after the election.

Speaking of "jobless households", the Taoiseach said: 

"They are deprived of the culture of work. They are denied the opportunities work brings. With each passing year work drifts further from the jobless household. Eventually, welfare dependency becomes a way of life."

Joblessness was the greatest source of inequality in Irish society, the Taoiseach said, and he said that in the upcoming Budget and general election he will prioritise "measures to boost jobs and to break the cycle of joblessness and poverty."

"No more of the passive welfare culture," he said. "Welfare must be your lifeline when you need it. It is not, and must not be your life."

Elaborating on these plans for the upcoming election, he said: "I expect the theme of radical welfare reform, along with lowering the tax burden on low and middle income workers, will be a key election issue."

Fine Gael will roll out a 'Working Family Payment' if they are returned to Government he said, a plan which will "promote work over welfare".

“Targeted at low income families, it will supplement on a graduated basis the income of a household, while at the same time provide incentive for more hours and for full time work,” he said.

The scheme "will be the helping hand up onto the career ladder for many unemployed parents," he said.

But despite an invitation from the President of the Dublin Chambers to tell an "interested audience" when the election would be, Enda Kenny did not do so.