Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will understand that as people on the live register go back to work, the actual level of claims on some of the Department's payment schemes has been falling. I am happy to say that unless the Deputy has personal experience as a representative of individual constituents who have had issues, we have not received any complaints. On the contrary, I am personally aware of important and considered support given by our community welfare services around the country to families who have suffered a bereavement. It must be remembered that this payment is going to the directly bereaved family, which is very important, as opposed to it going to inheritors who may be distant relations. If people need the support with funeral costs, as Minister I am saying they will get it. This is something the Department has done since the development of a modern social welfare system in the early 1950s. If the Deputy has a problem, please let me know because I know the community welfare service is extremely considerate in regard to bereaved families.