Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

We will be the friends of the people. That is what the people want; they want political accountability, reform of social welfare and a Minister who will come to the House and deliver on the programme for Government and the promises made in it. That will happen with this Bill. To be fair to her, in her remarks yesterday and as part of her policy platform the Minister has been strong, assertive and courageous in what she has done. We are not simply about garnering votes. This is about delivering to the people who have put us in here and it is about the implementation of plans and activation measures which will get our people back to work.

It is also important to consider the issue of personal public service cards and the way in which the Bill will allow for the cancellation of such cards. We must examine the composition or role of investigators of social welfare fraud and the extension of powers of social welfare inspectors is important as well. The sharing and fraudulent use of PPS numbers is a loophole in the system which, I understand, is proposed to be tackled in the Bill. This is long overdue. We must examine the fraud of PPS numbers and determine how we can eliminate the scourge. I commend the Minister on the work she has done and for the Bill she has brought before the House. It is important that the Bill is supported and that our people are given hope. There must be an elimination of dependency on welfare and the creation of jobs and employment opportunities. This is what our people want us to do.

See this speech in context