Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)

The Minister wisely concentrated on the issue of fraud in her discussion of the changes she proposes to make. Nobody would argue with those changes but I wish to draw attention to the number of personnel that will be required in this area. Disabled and unemployed people are at home today waiting for a response to their applications to her Department. I ask for an assurance that these people's applications will be processed swiftly. That is not the case at present. I understand the Department is swamped with applications but ultimately there are people with young families who are dealing with social welfare officers and calling to their local offices because they need money to put food on the table, send the children to school and buy clothes and shoes. These people want the Department to act swiftly.

If the Minister is redirecting staff to work on cost saving measures, such as stamping out fraud, we welcome that because people should not get payments to which they are not entitled. However, we want people to receive the payments to which they are entitled in a timely manner. I urge her to balance the allocation of resources to reduce waiting times. She will be aware from her constituency work of the difficulties people face while awaiting payments. We are lobbied on a daily basis by people with genuine difficulties in putting food on the table or paying electricity bills. They are facing serious hardships.

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