Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

These two amendments, relating to jobseeker's benefit and mortgage interest supplement, deal with two groups of people who have been hammered by the current recession - low-paid workers and people with mortgage difficulties. I am concerned that amendments are introduced at the last minute and we have not had enough time to consider the possible ramifications. We do not have sufficient time to table amendments and debate the matters properly. These provisions could have an adverse effect on two sections of society that have already been hammered and do not need to be hammered further.

The change to jobseeker's benefit just looks like a cut to the low paid. What is the rationale for introducing such an amendment at such a late stage? Can the Minister give us a guarantee that people, who will now lose entitlement to mortgage interest supplement as a result of this amendment, will not find themselves in greater difficulty if the banks are unwilling to facilitate them with some sort of moratorium on their interest payments?

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