Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

This represents a substantive change to the Bill. The reason the motion is being tabled is because the amendments introduced were not contemplated by the original Bill. They were outside the scope of the original Bill and that is not good enough in the context of a debate that is being guillotined on Second, Committee, Report and Final Stages. This is shoddy treatment of Members of the House by the Government on substantive issues. The motion on the Order Paper concerns "an instruction to the Committee on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012 that it has power to make provisions to amend and extend the law relating to the Social Insurance Fund, employed contributors and employment contributions, supplementary welfare allowance, offences, miscellaneous control provisions and proceedings, claims and payments, jobseeker's benefit, appointments and duties of social welfare inspectors, social welfare, miscellaneous provisions on budgeting, and occupational pension schemes". This is extensive and it calls for a fundamental reappraisal by the Government of how the Bill is being treated in the House. Greater opportunity should be provided to Members of the House to give adequate time and consideration to the issues that have come before it in the substantive amendments that were not contemplated by the original Bill. It is not good enough in terms of procedure and it flies in the face of the commitment to Dáil reform and full engagement with all Members on legislation and propositions from the Government concerning serious issues that go to the heart of people on benefits and payments and their entitlements.

We have had enough stealth attacks on people on social welfare, particularly single parents. The domiciliary care issue was raised earlier and we need adequate time in the House to tease out these issues so that people can get to the nitty-gritty and the implications of what is being proposed.

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