David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

When I met community welfare officers they expressed their concern on this matter. No discussion has taken place and they have not been consulted. I worry when I hear the Minister say there is nothing to fear. Need I say more. I urge the Minister not to go forward with this Schedule to the Bill. He should continue meeting those involved in an atmosphere of goodwill and not have this issue hanging over them like the sword of Damocles. He should discuss the matter and agree a compromise with them. The matter can be dealt with in the next social welfare Bill. That would be the sensible approach to take. Let us have goodwill all around.

When I met the CWOs I told them I have an open mind on the matter. I have yet to be convinced one way or the other. We did not have a chance to debate or discuss the matter either. It will make no difference because, according to what the Minister said, it will probably be time for the next social welfare Bill before this will happen anyway. It is unlikely it will happen before that. It would be neat and tidy if everything was agreed and organised and was ready to be brought forward in the next Bill.

We all have experience of constituents who have difficulty with landlords who will not accept rent supplement and we all say this is terrible, but why is it the case? It is because someone is on social welfare and therefore not of the proper class. The Minister is doing something of the same kind with rent supplement, stating that if someone is on it, he or she is not of the proper class to live in a regeneration area and will not be allowed to do so. That is fundamentally wrong, and if it has been going on for so long, why is it necessary to bring primary legislation forward now to underpin it? Was it illegal to do so hitherto? When I see primary legislation introduced to underpin something, I worry about it.

Those are the two issues that I wished to raise. I suggest to the Minister that he relax a little regarding community welfare and get the matter sorted before introducing legislation in a Bill next year, if he is once again in power. Why the hurry to do so now? I also have questions regarding the other business.

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