Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill. The Bill is important as it provides for the social welfare measures announced in the budget for the coming year. Many of these measures, such as the increase in maternity and adoptive benefits, are more than welcome. However, the measures only come into effect at the end of March 2018. As I asked the Minister during my statement on the budget, why is there a delay in implementing these increases? Why do mothers, fathers, adoptive parents and one-parent families have to wait almost seven months for their increases? Why did these measures not come into effect immediately, like the introduction of the sugar tax and other taxation measures in the budget? This is simply not good enough.

Any increase in a social welfare payment, however small, is welcome. However, many people who are relying on social welfare are struggling. Old age pensioners are struggling for pennies after working all their lives. They feel they have been forgotten and rejected by this and previous Governments. That is very sad. During the debate on the budget I raised the important issue of pensions for women who left the workforce to raise their families and who are now being discriminated against for doing so. This anomaly should have been addressed in the Bill.

Schoolchildren over 18 years of age and their parents receive no assistance from the State. It is scandalous that children who are in education and costing parents huge amounts of money are not even entitled to child benefit. That is wrong. It is hurtful for many parents as it is a huge financial burden for many families. Second level education is very expensive and the back to school allowance does not extend far enough to cover the year-long costs that face older students, especially as many might need additional classes or grinds in the leaving certificate cycle.

It is good to see the amendment of the Maternity Protection Act addressed in this Bill. I commend my colleagues in the Green Party on introducing this vital measure which extends maternity leave for parents of premature babies.

Another matter that comes under the Minister's brief and which should be discussed is the death benefit. It is a huge issue for many families at a very difficult time. I and other Deputies get a huge number of calls when somebody has lost a loved one in the family asking whether there is some form of benefit to pay off the funeral bill. It was a savage and brutal cut for many families and it must be addressed.

We also must examine the schemes that are in place. Many are like vultures. As soon as somebody leaves work or a scheme, he or she gets a letter straight away from Turas Nua to call the person in. I do not know who is making money here. Is Turas Nua making some type of profit or is it on some type of percentage? It is definitely like a vulture. It is making innocent people thumb on the side of the road, getting soaked, to get to the nearest town. Some people do not have transport. The person could be going from Castletownbere to Bantry. This must be examined because it is totally unfair.

The treatment of people on social welfare in this country is becoming appalling. There is a belief here. Somebody rang me the other day after going to see a community welfare officer in west Cork. The person came out of the meeting crying. They are no longer community welfare officers but community "get rid of you" officers. The Minister must stand by the people. She must stand up to these people and accept that some people are in difficult circumstances and that in some rural areas there is not as much employment as there is in the bigger cities. There is an assumption that people must get off welfare, but that is not good enough. I ask the Minister to look into this. She is a Minister one can liaise with and speak to and, in fairness, she does her best. I grant her that and I am not criticising her personally. However, there is a perception that because there is employment in Dublin, there is employment throughout Ireland. In rural Ireland there is little or no employment. Companies such as Turas Nua, which are profiting from getting people back to work, are acting like vultures. They are forcing people into situations which the people do not feel they are able for. We must find out if such companies are on a percentage. If they are, it is obvious what they are doing.

With regard to community employment, Tús and rural social schemes, which are in the Minister's brief, I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss them at some stage. One shoe does not fit all. The CE scheme is great in many ways but some people are going back on welfare when they would appreciate spending another year on the scheme, and the community groups would appreciate having them for another year. The same applies to Tús and the rural social scheme. In fairness, the Minister secured extra people and that is commendable. Many issues must be addressed in the future and I look forward to working with the Minister on them.

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