Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

That is the point. Now the Opposition Members are trying to blame it on the computer system. However, that indirect innuendo is a dig at the recipients of the pre-1953 pensions. Every time a Deputy criticises the pre-1953 pension scheme in this House for whatever reason, he or she shows insufficient respect to the people who receive the pension and who are entitled to it. I ask Members to be more careful when they criticise such pensions in future and to think of the recipients. It is easy to have a cheap shot at the Government, which is fair enough. However, there are also other consequences.

I want to see better integration dealt with by future consolidation legislation and in social welfare Bills. The House is dealing with consolidation today, but to me, integration is much more important. For example, if a person receives the old age pension and his or her spouse has a small pension, they lose the qualified adult allowance if the couple's income goes above a certain figure. This can have severe consequences. I encountered a case last week where a couple's income was over the threshold figure by €1.52 per week because of income from a private pension scheme and consequently they lost €16 from their qualified adult pension.

Another area which requires integration is the handling of the farm retirement scheme by the Departments of Social and Family Affairs and Agriculture and Food. I have had detailed correspondence with both Departments in an attempt to knock some heads together on this issue. However both Departments ultimately stated that each was responsible for administering its own schemes. As Members are aware, when a person is in receipt of the farm retirement scheme, when they reach the eligible age for receipt of the old age pension, their farm retirement scheme payment is automatically cut by the amount of the increase in the social welfare payment. As such individuals receive a payment from the State through two different Departments, they do not receive an increase in their net weekly income. While their old age pensions are increased, it is automatically deducted from the farm retirement scheme.

I am trying to persuade the Ministers to bring the two sets of payments together. These people's pensions have been frozen for a number of years and it is not good enough for Departments to claim they are responsible for their own operations and that someone else should examine the issue. There should be joined-up thinking at Government level.

Another example is when someone goes on family income supplement. By definition, they have a low income. What happens next? Their council rent rises. There is a lack of co-ordination and integration with the Department of Social and Family Affairs in respect of some of these issues.

These are some of the points which I want to see highlighted during this debate. While we discuss consolidating the legislation, I want greater clarity in respect of information within the Department of Social and Family Affairs so that decision making is consistent at all stages. Moreover, while joined-up Government between the Minister's Department and other Departments is difficult to achieve, it is important that it is done. This consolidation Bill will help us to concentrate on these topics. I hope the passage of the legislation will lead on to some of the points I have made.

I wish to respond to some comments made by Deputy Connolly a few minutes ago when he outlined the difficulties caused by running between the health board and the county council for essential repairs grants or disabled persons grants. One is sent from Billy to Jack and vice versa. The Deputy should ensure his local county council puts sufficient money in its estimates for the essential repairs grant. For example, County Laois is probably similar to County Monaghan in terms of size. Laois County Council pays out approximately €2 million in essential repairs grants and disabled persons grants each year. Two thirds of the funds come from the Department, but the council must put up one third to draw down the rest. If a council does not do so, it will not receive money from the Department. Consequently, Deputies from these counties come to the House and whinge at a national level when the problem lies in their local council chambers and within the control of local politicians.

This is not the Government's fault. I hear this complaint from representatives of other counties all the time. When one asks how much is provided at local level to draw down the central funds, one finds the local allocation to be miserable. The Government is expected to provide everything while they contribute little from their own estimates. If they did so, they would be taking better care of people at a local level and this House would not hear the hue and cry from Members in such counties. Some counties get allocations each year under this heading but do not draw them down because they do not put up their own matching funds. I wanted to put that on the record because I repeatedly hear that it is all the Government's fault. Much of the problem occurs at local level.

I thank the Minister for introducing the Social Welfare Consolidation Bill and look forward to it passing through Committee, Report and Final Stages in the coming weeks.

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