Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 5, to delete lines 7 and 8.

This amendment involves two clear issues, one of which is the removal of the omnibus section which provides for the making of regulations. As I have explained the reasons previously, I will not elaborate ad nauseam on my objection to such provisions which tend to be used extensively to create further regulations.

The other issue involved is the elimination of the registration fee. The Minister has told us that it will be a once-off fee of €50 forever more. He is putting in place this legal mechanism and, according to him, all that will ever be collected is €50 on a once-off basis. Multiplying 475,000 by €50 works out at a figure of at less than €30 million which the Department of Social Protection would spend in less than three hours on one day. If the one-off charge of €50 is to remain forever, why is the Minister setting up a legal mechanism for a charge that, in the reality of State finances, is a drop in the ocean? Why go to the bother of collecting this fee that will yield less than €30 million? As the Minister has rowed back repeatedly on the fee but is leaving it there, my legitimate suspicion is that he has been advised to leave some figure in the legislation because it can be raised and changed in the future by a simply amendment.

My second objection, and the second reason for the amendment, is that it is extraordinary that the only people who have to register and pay for registering are the third of the country who have done everything for themselves until now. The two thirds of the population who live in the towns, villages and cities, who have always had basic provisions and upgrades done for free-----

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