Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

An ever increasing number of people are becoming unemployed, some for the first time, and facing difficulties that they had not anticipated. This includes some who have been self-employed. Such people have concerns regarding qualification for a social welfare payment. Is it possible to introduce the relevant legislation to the House in order to debate the areas relevant to means testing? A Bill is proposed, but it is not possible to indicate when it will be published at this stage. Given the present climate, it is important to introduce the Bill to the House at the earliest date with a view to easing the burden on those people. I refer to the social welfare lone parent and other low income families reform Bill.

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