Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)

I acknowledge the presence of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton. I wish her well in her role and compliment her on introducing the legislation.

I spoke to the Minister about one aspect of the Bill which was alluded to in recent days in the House, including by the previous Minister. If the area of social welfare fraud was adequately tackled it would be possible to leave social welfare rates as they are. I noted a uniformity in the debate. Tackling social welfare fraud must be a priority for this Government and I wish the Minister well in that process. However, simple measures can be taken from the outset in this regard. Use of PPS numbers is one such measure that should be examined in more detail. I reiterate a case in point. At present if one changes one's car there is no requirement to produce a PPS number when registering the car with the motor tax office. Data protection rules prevent the motor tax office feeding information to social protection offices which, in turn, are prevented from doing the same with local authorities. It goes around in a circle. In the interests of trying to save money we no longer have and protecting the rates for those who are in need, we must iron out such elements.

I strenuously impress on the Minister to consider the whole area of the black economy, particularly in regard to the self-employed. At present in every town, village and city in the country there are self-employed people who are doing their best to ensure they do everything in accordance with the social welfare and tax codes but they are competing against people who are being subsidised through the social welfare system. This is going on and is known about in every town, village and townland throughout the country. The current reality is that resources may not be available within the Department to adequately inspect those who are known to be involved in such practice. I urge the Minister to look at the redeployment of resources within the Department she controls and to ask her Cabinet colleagues to examine whether there are spare resources that might be assigned to this task. Ultimately, the priority must be the protection of the rate for those who need it and to achieve this savings must be made. All of us are acutely aware that this country is a financial basket case, as inherited by this Government. We need to do a great deal more with a great deal less.

The Minister's colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, was in the Chamber some time ago. I welcome the section of the Bill that deals with community welfare officers but believe it could be taken further and involve local authorities, particularly from the point of view of housing. We have a multiplicity of agencies at present that deal with people who are in dire need and dire straits. A single one-stop shop that would include the local authority housing agencies must be brought into the equation. There is a temptation to overlook this proposal and although it may not be for inclusion in this legislation I ask the Minister to pass the suggestion to her colleagues.

In fairness to some Deputies on the opposite side, there has been a welcome for the internship programme enunciated by the Government. As one who qualified in a profession where it was very difficult to get a first job, and, as a result, to find any job, not having experience, I recognise this initiative on the part of a Government faced with the largest number of unemployed people for a generation. It needs to be seen for what it is, namely, a start, part of an overall package within this legislation. It will not be a silver bullet; there is no great panacea involved nor is it a magic wand that will be waved over the country to banish all the economic ills of the past 14 years. That will not happen overnight. Any Member of the House who believes it will is in some kind of fairyland.

This will be a long-term project. I wish the Minister and the Government well. I welcome some of the comments made, particularly those made by Deputies Mick Wallace and Shane Ross. That is constructive opposition, which one does not often hear around this place. I welcome their contributions in particular.

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