Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Hession for that very clear and succinct statement, and in particular for being so practical in addressing each of the recommendations relevant in turn. I am very grateful to Mr. Hession for that because we have taken the view that our role as a committee is to ensure the implementation of the 45 recommendations of the citizens' assembly. We are looking at how to implement them, rather than looking at the substantive policy issues behind them.

Before I invite members to contribute, I must alert the witnesses to an issue that we discussed in private session, which is that last night in the Seanad, a social protection amendment Bill was introduced, which is a Private Member's Bill, namely, the Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021. In response to it, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, referred to this committee as having a role in considering the issues under consideration. The officials may not be aware. My colleagues might like to ask the officials about clarifying what the Minister meant by referring a Bill to this committee. Clearly, we cannot consider a Bill. We do not have that role and we have a time-limited function in considering just the recommendations of the citizens' assembly. The substance of the Bill, which seeks to provide protection for cohabitees where sadly, one cohabiting partner dies, does come within some of the social protection recommendations. I do not know whether the officials would like to comment on that or if they are aware that of the Minister's comments in that regard.