Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have to be careful that I do not say something different from what I said ten minutes ago. There is a review going on within our Department. The Deputy will be aware from conversations we have had here previously that I was not happy with some of the aspects that I discovered when I came to this portfolio, particularly in respect of people who are under threat of domestic violence. We have made those changes. That allowed me to stick my nose into this section and say, "Hang on a second, what are we doing here?" We have conducted a review over the past couple of months but, before finalising what we should do, manners would dictate that we should sit down with the people in the Department of Justice and Equality who have responsibility for this. I need to question whether we should have a liable relatives division in our Department. That does not mean it needs to go. It either needs to be beefed up to do what everybody wants it to do or it needs to become the responsibility of some other Department. I will not countenance people being disenfranchised because of a condition of application to schemes regarding what they are currently entitled to for the sustainable minimum living standards of themselves and their children.

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