Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a huge opportunity now to have more co-working spaces for public servants across the country. I am developing a new regional development plan and, as far as I am concerned, this issue will be at its centre because it is the right thing to do. People are working from home and some people would gladly go into a co-working space in a local town or village rather than stay at home all day because they would have good connectivity, the right environment and the social interaction they need. Many people are working from home and doing tremendous work. A person who works from home has a start time but sometimes no finish time. Working from home encroaches on family life and it is not particularly healthy. Now is the time to do that and I will look at what we can do in the Department of Social Protection. Overall, in the Department of Rural and Community Development, now is the right time, so we need to grasp the opportunity and run with it. Remote working was a concept a year ago but now the need for it has become a reality, so we must consider ways to make it part of our everyday lives. We must accommodate people, so they can live in their own communities, and not have to commute or spend days away from their home or area. I am happy to work with the committee on these proposals.

The Department of Social Protection has many offices. I had intended to visit them but, unfortunately, with the Covid restrictions I have been unable to do so. I think the first office I was going to was in Roscommon because that is where all the records on births, deaths and marriages are kept.

I have a particular interest in that from my time in culture and the arts but we will get there. I will definitely be going to visit.

Deputy Carey raised the issue of parent's leave extension. As the Deputy knows, as part of budget 2021, parent's leave will be increased from two weeks to five weeks per parent in relation to children born since November 2019. As with many of the budgetary measures, there is a lead-in time for its implementation. It requires legislative changes but I assure parents that everything is being done to make this support available as soon as possible. I know Deputies are being contacted by parents who are currently on leave and who want to extend it. Bear with us, there is legislation to go through. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, will bring the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas. He is working extremely hard on it and hopes to have it as soon as possible. Until the legislation is enacted - and I look forward to Deputies' co-operation on that - there is no statutory obligation on employers to grant the extra leave. Once the legislation is enacted, parents will be able to take the leave at that stage.

On the payment, a number of changes are being put through on the social welfare IT systems. The Christmas bonus has to go through and there are a number of arrears and different things. This is very important also. We have been prioritising the work on the pandemic unemployment payment and getting the payments to workers impacted by level 5. It is expected that the system changes in respect of parent's benefit will be in place at the end of March 2021. We will make the payment for the leave that was taken. Once the legislation goes through, the parents can take the leave and they will get the payment as soon as we get it processed and the IT systems updated. It will be backdated so parents can take the leave in January. They may not get the money until a month or two later but they will definitely get the money and it will be backdated.

The period during which this leave can be taken will be extended from 12 to 24 months. That means parents with children who were born after November 2019 will have until November 2021 to take the leave.

Deputy Kerrane raised the issue of the exceptional needs payments. It is a demand-led scheme and the money will be provided as it is needed. It is there to help people who need it and I encourage people who find themselves in difficult situations to use that scheme. The important thing about this Department is that it is here to help people. Our number one purpose is to give people that helping hand when they need it.

On the question of 80% of people making debt repayments, I do not have the numbers but I will get them to the Deputy if that is okay. The high number of appeals is probably related to the fact that there has been such a massive number of payments. People have probably appealed the decisions and we are going through those and working with them all on a one-to-one basis. I take on board what the Deputy said about the fuel allowance but I will have to check that out.

I think I have covered everything. I thank Deputies for their co-operation. I will be back shortly with the social welfare Bill, when I will talk about budget 2021.