Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is it possible to measure the human impact? I attended a briefing given by the Irish Hospice Foundation yesterday at which it explained the need for the reintroduction of bereavement grants here in the South. We lost that scheme in 2014. What we are hearing from our constituents and those impacted is that they are ending up in considerable debt just to be able to afford funerals for family members. We need that scheme back in place in the South.

That brings me to the community welfare system we have and the supports that can be offered to constituents facing hardship, particularly in the form of the exceptional needs payment. Is there any equivalent in the North? I am not sure. What do people in those situations do when they experience difficulties? We are talking about the eradication of the subvention and the possibility of something like that being a reality in the future. What can the Government do to bridge the gap or bring us to a place in the future where talking about the eradication of the subvention would not be such a big deal? What are the stepping stones to bring about the reform that might be needed? The witnesses are talking about the social welfare system in the North being much different from that in the South. How can we bring them closer together? What would be the cost of doing so? Is there are need for further research in this regard?