Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 5, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:

“Report on operation of Scheme 2. (1) The Minister shall cause a report on the operation of the Scheme to be commenced on the day that is six months after the establishment day and to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable after its completion.

(2) A report under this section shall consider the following matters:

(a) whether and to what extent persons engaged in the management, administration or operation of relevant institutions should be permitted or required to contribute to the cost of making payments under this Act;

(b) whether the 180 days residence requirement provided for insection 13(1)and (4)should be amended or repealed;

(c) whether the Scheme should be extended so as to make provision for recognising persons who were boarded out as children as relevant persons;

(d) whether there is a need to provide for additional institutions in Schedule 1;

(e) whether the requirement imposed on applicants by section 27(3) should be removed;

(f) whether the duration of the Scheme should be extended;

(g) whether payment rates under the Scheme should be increased.”.

Those are all self-explanatory. I am not sure what the Minister's position is; we will hear from him shortly. We feel certain issues are not contained within the legislative proposal before us. I have been told that the amendment is in order. One of the limited tools we in opposition have is to seek reports on the issues that are pertinent to the many people who feel left out and feel that they should be included in the Bill. The amendment would at least allow for a report on those issues affecting those people who see themselves as being excluded by the Bill.