Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I support the points made by the previous speakers on the Ryan report. My party and I are of the view that the religious institutions are not paying their fair share and, despite any legal reasons for not doing so, certainly morally they should pay their fair share. I am conscious that we will have a debate in the House on the matter tomorrow so we will hold on that for the moment.

I wish to share the contents of an e-mail I received from a constituent in recent days. It will be self-evident where the e-mail leads. It states:

I would like to know if there's anything you can do for me.

I have been recently let go out of my job,

I have gone to social welfare to sign on for job seekers allowance,

I have worked full time for the last 26 years and to my amazement I was told it could take up to 6 8 12 16 weeks for my claim to be assessed as there is a back log since January

I am appalled that it could take so long I was told I could go to the community welfare office in swords and that they might be able to help me till my claim was processed

I sat in the office for two hours waiting and when I went in I was told with amazement that I was entitled to absolutely nothing because my husband is in full time employment

I am so annoyed. My husband wages is a very low income and it just barely covers our mortgage and bills,

I am so annoyed when I think of all the years that I worked full time and paid tax and prsi,

I have recently became a mam for the first time and I don't know where my next packet of nappies and baby food is going to come from and that is no joke, but the lady in welfare office didn't seem to care. I was embarrassed that I went down and I was so upset when I came home. I am very annoyed with the whole system.

I have the flu and a chest infection at the moment and I don't have the money to go to the doctor and I was told I won't qualify for a medical card because of my husband working. If my baby got sick tomorrow what am I supposed to do? I don't have the money to bring him.

I need help. I don't know what to do. I can't sleep worrying. I hope you can do something for me because I don't know what to and I really don't.

This is the reality for people who are losing their jobs and it is nothing short of scandalous. The lady in question is entitled to her benefit and cannot afford to wait. We were told last year that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs was dealing with the problem of delays. To date, however, no evidence has emerged to indicate she has done so, certainly not in north County Dublin where the problem, if anything, is worsening. The delays in processing social welfare applications are unacceptable.

Will the Leader ask the Minister to come before the House to advise on what she is doing to address the problem, the reason it has not been resolved and what the lady in question is supposed to do? She is not asking for a hand-out but seeking her entitlements based on the contributions she has made.