Dáil debates
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage
11:00 am
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
The Minister has tabled amendments and I have said I am not opposed to some of them. We will deal with them when, hopefully, we get to them. My point, which is not a major one, is that we should include the words "miscellaneous provisions" in the Title because I tabled amendments which go slightly beyond the social welfare code and deal with child care and the proposal that this Bill be tied to the delivery of after school child care facilities. That falls slightly outside the Minister's remit and she said that on Second Stage.
I refer to another amendment which is not on the list because we were still working to try to ensure this Bill captured some of those amendments to the social welfare system and the use of the PPS number. I resubmitted an amendment I tabled previously on PPS numbers being used for the electoral register. The Minister said at the time that the next social welfare Bill would address that. I accept there is a timeframe and that it is a struggle to capture everything in one Bill and I made that point yesterday. That is the reason the Title should include the words "miscellaneous provisions".
The Bill covers a long list of issues. If one uses the words "miscellaneous provisions", people understand it does not just cover one issue or two issues. The pensions issue is captured but major changes to the social welfare code are being introduced, some of which are welcome. As I said last night, some of them clarify current practice and ensure current practice continues or reflect changes which have happened and which need to be clarified. Technical changes happen on an ongoing basis. However, there are other changes in the Bill which are substantial and that is the reason I suggest it is a social welfare and pensions (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. I will not press the amendment because we have limited time. I thought it was a reasonable suggestion.
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