Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

The area of domiciliary care payments is probably an administrative matter as well. It appears a review is carried out somewhat frequently, perhaps every few years, in the case of those who qualified under the Department of Social Protection rather than under the old system administered by the health boards. It is costing people a good deal to get the required evidence for the review. One individual informed me that it would cost approximately €1,000 to get an expert to give her a psychological report. It may be that €1,000 is on the high end in this case but the fact that the process costs people money raises questions. Is a review necessary in all cases given that it depends on whether a child has a profound, mild or moderate disability? Clearly the position will not change in certain situations. I raise the matter because it is causing much angst and concern.

I echo the point made by Deputy Wallace on the unequal society we are creating. The Nobel prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, has identified that this is the scenario that prevails prior to a large crash. If we are to reform our society and economy, at the least we should keep the imbalance and try not to make our society more unequal.

I agree with a point made by Deputy Bernard Durkan on housing. I realise the Minister has discussed this issue previously and I have raised this matter with her in respect of my area. I hope the Minister will be able to make a change in this area. There are almost 100,000 individuals or families on the housing waiting list nationally but there is an unequal distribution throughout the country. The six counties at the top of the list account for 43% of those on the housing waiting list while the bottom six counties account for 3%.

In most cases rent assistance is the only option. This is a terrible poverty trap and I realise the Minister intends to do something about it. However, it is a case of the quicker, the better because it is a Hobson's choice whether one keeps a roof over one's head or goes for a job. For those who are out of work for a long time, most jobs on offer are at the lower end. There is a serious poverty trap as a result. I realise the Minister is aware of this. I hope the Minister will be in a position to do something in the case of particular parts of the country. Kildare North is a particular location with a problem in this regard. All the Deputies from Kildare North have seen, daily and weekly, people being forced to move further down the county, having to take children out of school and so on. This is a serious concern and I hope the Minister will be able to address it in the short term.

I am aware the Minister has a difficulty and that hers is one of the big spending Departments. The only way to deal with this constructively and to reduce the social welfare budget in a significant way is by getting people back to work. The issues are inter-linked. The lack of an ability to invest in initiatives that will return something to the economy and at the same time take people out of the social welfare system is a problem. I believe we will grapple with the social welfare system year after year until we get to the heart of the problem, that is, the need for work. I know of almost no one who receives the jobseeker's benefit or allowance who has no wish to work. Most of these people were gainfully employed up to two or three years ago. This demonstrates the desire of these people to work if nothing else does.

There is a great deal in the Bill, much of which relates to pensions. There are some welcome measures to ensure a more secure pension environment. I am somewhat concerned about the transition arrangements especially in respect of pension funds that will not survive. What will happen to the people associated with those pension funds? This is a serious concern which may come to the fore in the coming year. I do not approve of some other measures in the Bill. I hope the Minister will withdraw section 4. Unless one has a certain imbalance, one cannot argue it represents a reforming measure.

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