Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera, is in the Chamber, I take this opportunity to wish her well on her retirement on 8 December. The Minister of State was always pleasant and nice in the House. She is not as arrogant as many of her colleagues on the Front Bench. I wish her well on her retirement. She never allowed having a ministerial Mercedes go to her head as so many of her colleagues did. They are now so arrogant and big-headed that it is time to rid Government of them.

I would like the Minister of State to do one job before she leaves the Department. Some of my constituents depend totally on social welfare. One who came to my clinic last Monday receives €12,000 or €13,000 a year in social welfare. His wife works outside the home and earns €5,000 a year. Their total annual income is approximately €18,000. If one's income exceeds €16,500 one does not receive the top-up grant. This couple have two children in third level education but do not qualify for the top-up grant from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

For someone who has two or three children in third level education the grant guidelines increase in proportion with the number of children for the top-up scheme. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has achieved some good in social welfare payments but he needs to examine this top-up grant immediately. There is something very wrong with the system when someone on social welfare whose annual income is €18,000 cannot receive the top-up grant for two children in third level education.

I urge the Minister of State to investigate that and to ask her colleague to change the guidelines to the effect that if someone has more than one child in third level education, the limit rises to €18,000, €20,000 or €25,000. Leaving it at €16,500 does not make sense. I want the Minister of State to investigate that before she leaves office.

In respect of the Estimates never has there been so much money in the country, and never so many unhappy people feeling let down by public services. The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government spoke about local authorities. In the Estimates the local authorities will receive a 2% increase. That will be eaten up by benchmarking and increases in inflation.

This is a political move by Fianna Fáil because most local authorities are controlled by Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil will not give the local authorities central government money so they will have to raise it through stealth charges. Shame on Fianna Fáil and shame on the Government because if we do not have good local government the people will not be well served. The Government is not giving the local authorities the money they need and deserve. I wish I had more time to speak.

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