Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. The Minister has provided us with a detailed Bill, but do I take it that its objective is, quite simply, to retain the status quo? I refer to the system of arrangements we have had in the context of the European Union now continuing in respect of our relationship with the UK, both Northern Ireland and the island of Britain. I ask the Minister to outline to us how many countries we have bilateral social welfare arrangements with outside of the European Union. Many people do not understand that there are many countries around the world where they can build up contributions and then use them here for their pension entitlements. Will the Minister also explain the difference between Regulation EC 883/2004 and these bilateral arrangements? Is there a big difference between our arrangements with the European Union and our arrangements with the rest of the world, including, for example, America and Australia?

My time is short, so I will make one final comment. In the context of Brexit, we were told that planes would not fly and many other things. Now, however, when we are coming to the edge of the cliff, we have found that life will go on with or without an agreement on Brexit. We all hope that there will be agreement, but life will go on regardless and we will have to make arrangements in that context. I am glad that this aspect is going to be absolutely seamless for those in receipt of social welfare. I state that because every one of us, particularly in the west of Ireland, is used to a mix of contributions, with America and the UK being the two major countries involved.

The only complaint I have concerns the bad service which the Minister's Department seems to experience in getting the details of people's contribution records when those are sought from the United Kingdom to supplement records here. That has nothing to do with the Minister's Department, but during the negotiations with her British counterpart I hope that the Minister will raise this issue. In this day of computers, it should be possible to be able to transfer a record within 24 hours. It often takes months to get those records now and that not is not fair to people who are entitled to benefits.