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

I thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I thank the Minister for her opening statement and for the information provided by her Department. I have a number of questions on to the Supplementary Estimate that is before us.

I was surprised to see a substantial reduction in the exceptional and urgent needs payments due to lower numbers of people accessing them. I have raised this issue with the Minister previously. We should have better data on these payments. There has been an obvious issue with access to community welfare officers, CWOs. That cannot be helped in some cases because of Covid and so on, but we do not have data on the number of people applying for these payments and being refused. All we get are data on the number who receive the payments. We need better data on whether a payment is given is at the discretion of the CWO. We need to know what the true demand is. I am concerned, especially given that these are the payments being pointed to when it comes to people struggling with energy costs. I would be surprised if €19.8 million was saved due to a lower number of one-off payments. Perhaps the Minister might comment on this.

I have raised the issue of community employment with the Minister several times. I welcome her remarks about the proposals she will introduce. Some of what she is suggesting needs to be considered in terms of the rural social scheme as well, given that there might not be someone available to replace another in rural areas. The six-year rule causes difficulty. I welcome the Minister's comments on examining referrals monthly. As I raised with the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, last week, there are more than 2,500 vacancies being advertised online at the moment. That is a large number of vacancies and points to a serious issue. I am glad that it will be addressed and I welcome the Minister's remarks about allowing people to stay on beyond 60 years of age, reduced from 62, until they reach retirement age. Where efforts have been made to replace a person on a scheme but no replacement can be found, he or she can now remain on the scheme if willing. I welcome the Minister's proposals in this regard.

There is a figure for the amount of funding provided to the child maintenance review group. Does the Minister expect the report by the end of the year, as was the plan? It is important work and I hope that we see the report being published once the Minister receives it.

I wish to mention the blind pension. At our meeting this time last year, I raised this matter with the Minister. That the blind pension is means tested creates an issue where the partner, husband, wife or whatever of a blind person has a change in circumstances. I have met people whose partners' circumstances have changed and who have as a result either got a reduced blind pension or lost it altogether even though they remain blind. We need to examine this matter. I am not sure what the figure is for the number of people receiving this payment, but where a person is blind for life, he or she should be entitled to it, full stop. I ask the Minister to examine this matter.

Regarding a State pension for family carers and lifelong carers, the Minister mentioned after the budget that she was considering this possibility and was hoping to make progress. Will she update us? I presume she will engage with stakeholders like Family Carers Ireland.

I understand that, on budget day, a figure of approximately €1.9 million was announced for the increase from €100 to €120 in the income threshold for the fuel allowance from January. From a reply to a recent parliamentary question, though, the figure appears to be just under €4.2 million. Was there a change in the number of people who would receive the payment? Last week, the Minister stated that she hoped to bring the change in ahead of January. Will she comment on this?

An issue was raised with me a couple of weeks ago about a person in her 40s on a widow's pension, working full time and paying PRSI. She got unwell with Covid, received the Covid illness payment, ended up with long Covid and had to leave work again. She was not entitled to the illness benefit because she was in receipt of the widow's pension. I did not realise it but it appears that widows, lone parents and deserted wives are not entitled to illness benefit where they receive the widow's pension. Obviously, this affects women primarily. I did not realise this was in the legislation. I appreciate that a person on a pension typically cannot get a second social welfare payment but if widows, perhaps even young ones in their 40s who are working full time and paying PRSI, are unable to access the illness benefit should they get sick, especially where they have families, it puts a great deal of pressure on them. Will the Minister undertake to consider this issue?