Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her opening statement. On the PUP, I appreciate that she cannot make a decision at this time but the initial plan was from April to move those remaining on the PUP over to the jobseeker's payments. Is that still being considered or what is likely to happen?

Has an extension of the fuel allowance, as it was last year, been considered by the Department?

Some people were moved from the PUP to jobseeker's payments because of the qualified child provision and so on. On the short-time work support, for workers such as those in airlines who are working on reduced days and whose industries have not fully reopened, they may be running out of the 234 days they are allowed to remain on that scheme and running out of their PRSI stamps. What are the options for them? Would the Department examine extending the time that people can remain on the likes of the short-time work support or the jobseeker's benefit, given that their industries are not fully up and running?

The Minister referred to the rent supplement and how that was made available for people during Covid, which was welcome. It was made available, has been extended to the end of the year, for people in domestic violence situations Has the Department considered leaving that there permanently as a support for domestic violence victims or survivors? I think that would be important.

According to the Estimates, the blind pension accounts for a cost of roughly €12 million to €13 million every year - small money, I think the Minister would agree, relative to the size of the social protection budget. I recently met an artist who is in receipt of the blind pension, as I mentioned to the Minister the other day. She has to be careful about awards and bursaries because the blind pension is means tested. It reminded me of a case in my constituency office last year where the partner of a blind lady got a promotion and pay rise, which led to her losing her blind pension. The blind pension is unique in the list of means-tested social welfare payments in that if my partner's income increases, I am still blind. For an artist, it must be so difficult worrying about taking a gig or winning something in case he or she loses the blind pension. Should the blind pension not be treated differently? If a person is blind, he or she is blind for life. That should be examined and I would appreciate if the Minister would undertake to do that. It is small money for a small number of people.

I met staff members from the EmployAbility scheme yesterday. They are concerned about the tender and what is happening with the future of EmployAbility. I am sure the Minister will agree it is a unique service, aimed at persons with a disability or with mental health issues. Can she give any certainty on the issue? I acknowledge the Department is tendering out for job clubs in the local employment service, LES, but what are the plans for other schemes? What is the future for the likes of Tús and community employment? Will the Department tender out or contract out for all these services? The Minister might give an update.

I have previously raised with the Minister the issue of the widow's pension. The legislation is very outdated, given that it still requires the recipient to have been married in order to receive the widow's pension. I accept it is complicated and there are legal impacts and so on, but some of these people may have been with someone for 20 or 30 years. On the radio last week, there was a story about a person who had hoped to get married last March. The woman became very sick and the wedding had to be cancelled because of Covid. She later died, sadly, and the partner was left with nothing. Where there are kids or dependants or where someone has been in a relationship for long enough, there should be some way around this and these people should be supported.