Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I move amendment No. 16:

In page 9, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:

14.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of relaxing the qualifying criteria for mortgage interest supplement and rent supplement so that these benefits can be claimed irrespective of the number of hours the partner of the claimant may be working (currently a couple can't qualify if one is on welfare but the other is working more than 30 hours per week, irrespective of means and outgoings).

This amendment again relates to qualifications for payment. My party believes these should be re-examined and we ask the Minister to do this and to bring the House a report on the implications of relaxing the qualifying criteria for the two payments, namely, mortgage interest supplement and rent supplement. If this were done a couple might qualify, irrespective of the hours that the partner of the client works. This instance comes up on a regular basis in our constituencies and clinics.

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