John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Deputy Haughey.

I welcome the legislation and I wish the Minister well in the Department. I am glad he declared his socialist credentials at an early stage and provided for the redirection of social welfare provision in the 2005 budget. Previous speakers stated the redirection followed the results of the 2004 elections but many Government backbenchers questioned the direction the Government was taking and requested a change. I am glad the policy outlined in the budget reflects our contribution. I encourage the Minister to do more in this regard.

The significant budget of €12 billion at his disposal will fulfil many wishes and deliver many increases in benefits but the demands of social partnership and the commitments entered into will lead to expenditure of further billions. These commitments should be front-loaded and they should be met later his year through further social welfare increases. I agree fully with the Minister's statement that one size welfare does not fit all and I encourage him, given that he has been a reforming Minister in other Departments, to act on that statement and review the various benefits provided, which have been in place for many years and are in urgent need of an overhaul. There is no time for complacency in this regard.

The lecture by Dr. Walsh and the article written by Kevin Myers provide a starting point in the lone parents debate. I welcome the Minister's recent views on the issue. I condemn both Dr. Walsh and Kevin Myers for their comments. The Myers article, in particular, was highly insulting and his apology fell well short of the mark. Lone parents should be given the opportunity to play an extended role in the workforce and to improve their education while bearing their responsibilities in mind.

Far too often in our clinics we must listen to people trying to tailor their lives to the criteria set down by the Department rather than the Department trying to tailor its benefits and payments towards the development of the human being. It is essential the Department does this because this has a bearing not only on the recipient, but on the child or children in the equation. I urge the Minister to take up this point from this debate and lead the way in the context of the supports needed in terms of payments received by lone parents or with regard to the break they need to get on with their lives and improve their lot.

The same can be said with regard to fathers. More often than not we direct our attention towards lone mothers rather than considering the rights of fathers also. This is an issue that has been addressed in comments from the Department, but I would like to see the Minister lead a deeper debate on the rights and benefits of lone fathers.

I am glad the Minister addressed the issue of last year's cutback in widow's payments. That was a despicable act. As backbenchers we had to go along with it, the unfortunate part of democracy and how it works in Dáil Éireann. I am delighted that cut has been reversed. Widows are a section in the social welfare benefit area and we must address the issues of what they receive, how they live etc.

I came across the case of a lady who started nursing in 1950 but who had to retire in 1960 because of the marriage ban, a ban later found unconstitutional in 1972. That woman now has to rely solely on her husband's pension because she is not entitled to one, even though she had to retire because of the ban. She had made her contributions, but they were given back. This woman is now almost a non-person. She is in limbo and not recognised by the Department. She feels discriminated against. This issue was addressed previously by a former Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern. The current Minister should take up the issue and explore how many people were affected and why. He must examine whether we can restore some status to these people in the context of the social welfare code.

The non-contributory widow's pension must also be addressed, particularly in the context of the amount of the pension and the responsibilities of the widow. Some widows are left with families to rear and with children at college. They must be both mother and father in the house and must deal with the difficulties of life on a low income. I urge the Minister to do something to improve the situation for both of these categories.

The Government of 1997-2002 made it clear that it would raise pensions to €200 per week. When that statement was made, €200 was a reasonable amount of money. Now those headline statements on benefits need to be revisited. We should set out for those on benefit our vision of what they should receive over the next few years. We should set goals for ourselves in the Department and within Government, and clearly and boldly state those goals. Notwithstanding any economic downturn that may happen here because of world economics, or any other excuse, we should stick to these goals and deliver to those receiving benefits a reasonable payment every week. Only by stating our goals will we tie ourselves economically to what needs to be done.

On the issue of old age pensions and long-term benefits of that kind, we should strike some deal with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the issue of differential rents. This issue has been bandied about in my time in local authorities over the past 25 years. No sooner do we give an increase in benefit, particularly to old age pensioners, than a differential rent form drops through their letter box to be filled. As a result of that, most of the increase is reclaimed for the State through the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I urge the Minister, in conjunction with that Department, to set a bottom line rent for those people and to disregard increases above that received by pensioners. This is a small amount of money in today's terms or in the context of the spend of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. However, this simple measure would be a huge boost to the people directly affected.

With regard to the disability allowance which will be paid to people in institutions, I would like to see the Minister make some arrangement with the Department of Health and Children to ensure that those entitled to the allowance receive it. In some cases, as we found out in the Committee of Public Accounts, the money goes into their account but is later used by hospitals and institutions to purchase furniture or other improvements they may need for their stay in the institution. That is grossly unfair. This does not happen in isolated cases, but throughout the country and in all the old health board areas. The practice should be stopped and institutions should have to account for the money and show it is paid directly to recipients.

These are just a few of the measures I ask the Minister to consider. The changes would affect people's lives in a direct, positive and tangible way.

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