Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I refer to sections 1 to 4, inclusive, in particular section 3 relating to household benefits. As the Minister will be aware, huge investment has been made by voluntary organisations, community alert, Muintir na Tíre and neighbourhood watch, in security for the elderly. People must have a landline to use the pendent alarm. I would say there is anything up to 1 million of them in use. Has any examination been carried out on the cutbacks last year and on the removal of the telephone allowance?

People will disconnect their landlines. In many cases, they will have family with mobile telephones but many of them will not have the use of mobile telephones. However, this equipment will not work with mobile telephones. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Justice and Equality are giving money towards these schemes but the Department of Social Protection is literally rending them useless. People are isolated, in particular in rural areas but also in towns and villages, and this was a lifeline for them. There was two-way communication for them with the monitoring station and friendships were formed. Since last year many people have been disconnected because they could not pay the telephone rental. I am involved in this and I got them reconnected. This is a case of giving with the left hand and taking away with the right hand and it is silly.

The provision in regard to PRSI is a devastating blow. I am a small employer and people genuinely go out sick. In most small companies, there is a good relationship with employees and one tries to pay the first three days but now it will be six days. The employee and the employer will face hardship and relationships will be strained because, as we all know, times are tough for everybody, including employees and employers.

I would welcome some form of PRSI for the self-employed so that they would be entitled to something. When the recession came, thousands of self-employed people were left on the scrap heap. Thankfully, employees got some assistance but employers got nothing after all their hard work, sleepless nights and creating jobs. We must be mindful of these measures. They might be devised by officials who think they are not relevant but they are very relevant to the lives of ordinary people.

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