Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

-----and the Minister might want to explain why it has been ruled out of order and on what basis she has cut the household benefits package every year without bringing it before this House. She did it in 2011 when she was only a wet week in the job. In 2012, we lost six weeks from the fuel allowance. The electricity allowance was cut last year and the telephone allowance has been cut this year. These are very important payments; they are actually core payments for elderly people but the Minister has cut them over the past number of years. On what basis has she done that and why has she done so without bringing it before the House?

I refer to illness benefit. This is a huge imposition on very low paid workers. It is a doubling of the disregard from three to six days. In most cases, the reduction will fall on the employee. Some employers will pick it up by way of sick pay schemes but the vast majority of low paid employees do not have sick pay schemes and they will have to bear the brunt of this reduction. They will obviously need savings which are very scarce among low paid people who spend almost all, if not all, their money in order to live day-to-day. The Minister should withdraw that provision in regard illness benefit.

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