Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. Deputy Lisa Chambers raised an issue respect of accommodation which also arose in the context of the University of Limerick's survey. That issue must be addressed. People are entitled to basic standards of accommodation and I sincerely hope that matter will be addressed without delay.

The RDF's representative association made a very good presentation to this committee 12 to 18 months ago. One of the issues raised was the fact that persons in receipt of a social welfare payment who must attend training for a few weeks must sign off with the Department of Social Protection but there is a considerable time lag before they receive any payment from the Department of Defence. We ask that this unacceptable maladministration be addressed. I ask the Minister of State to write formally to this committee informing us of the time lag now for persons serving their number of weeks and getting their payment. It is not fair on people whose primary income is a social welfare payment that they are without any payment for a number of weeks. I sincerely hope that issue is addressed.