Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I support the requests from Deputies Penrose and Seán Ryan that the Minister consider this anomaly. It is unusual that the small group of people still receiving deserted wife's benefit, which is fading out, is exposed to several anomalies.

Last week, in response to a parliamentary question, I was informed that the anomaly prohibiting people in receipt of deserted wife's benefit being excluded from community employment schemes no longer existed. Will the Minister explain why these anomalies persist for this small group of people, which, according to the reply to my parliamentary question, is no more than 200, although Deputy Seán Ryan indicated that the figure is 300? What can the Minister do to ensure that the anomalies are put aside once and for all? As the Opposition has only limited room to manoeuvre in a Consolidation Bill and given that the original amendment has been ruled out of order, I appeal directly to the Minister to address this anomaly.

I wish to make a further appeal regarding the consolidation process, which will apply to other areas of the Government's programme but, based on past trends, will probably not apply to social welfare legislation for another 11 or 12 years. We should consider how the consolidation process might fully involve Members. The changes that can be made in the process are limited and the committee appointed by the Dáil, to which the Minister can add a specific number, consists only of Members of the two largest parties. In this instance, the Minister added one Member from the Government side and two Opposition spokespersons. That, however, excluded those of us in smaller parties, for example, Sinn Féin, the Green Party, Independent Members and the Progressive Democrats, should they choose to participate in social welfare legislation.

The consolidation process should be re-examined because being prohibited from participating in a Consolidation Bill on Committee Stage, and not being able to raise relevant issues at that point, limits one in terms of tabling amendments on Report Stage. It is an unsatisfactory situation and while the changes are technical, as were those discussed on Committee Stage, in order for the Members to be properly involved in the process it needs to be examined at Government level.

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