Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2018. This debate gives us an opportunity to reflect on the contents of the Bill and to examine the complexities of the entire social welfare system. I welcome the €5 increase in various weekly social welfare payments. People who depend on social welfare for their entire income are being pushed and put under enormous pressure, particularly with the cost of living going the way it is. At a time when the cost of everything is escalating, it is only right that we should look after those who are most vulnerable.

I would like to raise a number of issues. There has been a great deal of talk about the disproportionate effect of the cuts that were made in 2012 on the pensions of those who spent a number of years out of the workforce. One of the most difficult things I encounter in my constituency office and my clinics is when people - predominantly women, but men in some cases - tell me that their weekly pension payments have decreased considerably because they do not have enough self-employment contributions. The changes in the system that came into force in 2012 are extremely unfair. During the Order of Business this morning, the Minister outlined what she hopes to do. It is not before time. It is vital that we deal with this matter urgently and adequately. We must make sure everything possible is done to make sure people get fair and adequate pensions. These people have worked all their lives and have contributed significantly to society in all the roles they have played.

There are a number of ongoing issues in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

These include the very long delays in processing applications, particularly for those benefits with medical elements, namely, disability and illness benefit, invalidity pension, carer's allowance and carer's benefit.

To go back to the carer's allowance, many people must make a decision about taking time off work to care for an elderly relative or a relative who requires full-time care and assistance. These people can work for up to 15 hours but they must go to their employer and state they are either giving up work completely or reducing their hours. I will take the example of somebody applying for the carer's allowance today who will give up work completely. The application process will take 14 or 16 weeks and, in some instances where there are issues with the application, it could take anything up to five or six months. The Department will state that the payment will be backdated to when the application was made but it is not much good to tell an electricity supplier, a bank or anybody else that a decision will be made in four or five month's time. That is simply not acceptable. We meet many people who consider their family circumstances when making decisions. They go to their employer to state their intention to leave work. They must then be without income or work for a certain period. There are issues with how people will pay their bills during this period. Carer's benefit has been availed of by many people in order to care for children, parents or siblings. The position regarding carer's benefit, which was introduced in 1999, should be examined. It is to be availed for a period of two years and extending it needs to be examined because people need care for a long time.

There are massive delays with carer's allowance applications and these are unacceptable. I have come across instances where families make decisions and there are major delays. The State is always trying to protect its financial resources but, by and large, carer's allowance is granted and backdated to the application date so there is no financial gain high up or low down for the State.

Is there a shortage of medical assessors in the Department? Is there an issue with the constant backlog relating to applications? When we follow up on applications, we are told the Department is dealing with a particular week. What is the position with the backlog? Can additional resources be made available? These applications are made on very sound grounds. Claims are also made on medical grounds. People submit their applications, medical assessments are made and, where they occur, refusals are reviewed or appealed. The appeals officer will hear about the exact care being provided and he or she will grant the application. If a decision is made to refuse an application, there should be a simple way of dealing with it rather than going through an appeals system for a year or a year and a half. In some instances, we have had carer's allowance applications that were ongoing for almost two years. This is simply not acceptable. Action needs to be taken. People making applications for carer's allowance has the best interests of their loved ones at heart. They are also saving the State an awful lot of money. In today's edition of the Irish Independent, there is a story in respect of the famous "bed blockers", which is a terrible phrase but it is the language that is used. Carers free up services and beds to allow people to use them. The position in this regard should be considered.

I have examined the costs and other aspects of JobPath and it is completely beyond its sell-by date. It is time the Minister examined it. JobPath was introduced at a time of high unemployment, which we do not have at present. People on JobPath are not available for CE schemes or any other schemes through which they could enhance their lives, contribute to their communities and return to the workforce in a meaningful way. All of the people on CE schemes take huge pride in the work they do in their communities because they get recognition from local people. JobPath is a joke at this stage and should be seriously examined. We have had many debates about CE supervisors. The Department will state that they are section 39 workers but this is not the case. What has happened to the review? A Labour Court decision was made in 2008. Why has it not been followed through on? What can be done to ensure proper pensions for people on CE schemes? This is very important.

As we are discussing social welfare, I want to raise another issue. We have spoken about the absolute delay regarding illness benefit. It is very difficult to understand what advice or information the Department received. My understanding is that the new software is not able to deal with the application forms. Many people have been left without payments since June or July this year. No one can do without an income. Illness benefit should be examined.

The new carer's allowance form is 40 pages long. The disability allowance form is 36 pages long. The farm assist, invalidity pension and non-contributory pension forms are each 20 pages long. The form for the family income supplement, which is now the working family payment, is 16 pages long. For a carer's allowance application the details of the applicant, the details of their spouse or partner and the details of their children are required as are details of their financial resources and those of the person for whom they are caring and the medical report of the person for whom they are caring. In the name and honour of God, it takes 40 pages to do this.

Many people completing these forms go to public representatives seeking assistance. This morning, we had a discussion about public service reform to try to bring Government closer to the citizen and ensure every citizen of the State can get their benefits or access to the State when he or she requires it but we have introduced a new application form that is 40 pages long. Looking at the bureaucracy, and I will stick with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, every form has been made more complicated. Applying for something gets more and more complicated and the services of the State are thereby made less accessible to citizens, particularly people on the carer's allowance in their time of trouble or, for that matter, those on any other social welfare payments in their time of need.

The disability allowance form, which is a means tested payment, is 36 pages long. One could write a great deal in 36 pages. We need to simplify the bureaucracy. We need to get the information and simplify it. We need to make sure that if these applications are to be made online that it is simplified. For carer's allowance, so long as there is a detailed medical report and the income details of the applicant it should not be so complicated as to require the use of a form that is 40 pages long.

Many have applied to participate in farm assist in 2018. It has been a very difficult year, particularly in the spring. There was an escalation in farming costs this year. Farmers have been submitting accounts for 2017. The system needs to be able to assist farmers or fishermen, through farm assist or fish assist, when there is serious or immediate pressure in a particular year. Farm assist is to help farmers when they experience financial difficulty. They should be eligible when they are in financial difficulty, not the following year or the year after that.

There are anomalies associated with farm assist payments that we have addressed through appeals and a meeting of minds with social welfare officials. Farms now exist in many forms. Partnerships are featuring whereby two members of a family may be involved in farming. Farm assist should be able to take account of their circumstances. One partner might be very seriously ill or have dementia. In such cases, it becomes an awful struggle to get farm assist for that person.

There needs to be genuine flexibility. I acknowledge that the Department will want to protect itself and ensure the moneys in the Vote for any scheme or measure are spent in the best way possible. There is a simpler way of proceeding. The system could not be more complicated and difficult. People who depend completely on social welfare for their income feel isolated and challenged enough already. We hear about the growing economy but there are many who, through no fault of their own or through ill health, for example, need assistance. A huge Vote is put through for the Department every year. Public sector reform is fine but the service of the State should be brought closer to the citizen. The citizen should be empowered to get the desired information. If an individual encounters complications on websites, be it that of the Department or Citizens Information, he or she might not apply for assistance.

The working family payment has been great, particularly where there is but one member of the family working. It has been examined. Although the application form for the working family payment is 16 pages long, the new system is operating reasonably well. We cannot find fault with it. We should, however, encourage people to apply for the payment because, even if the amount of money received every year is small, it is beneficial.

Let me return to the issue of JobPath. There is a challenge associated with the rural social scheme because of the growing employment opportunities. We all welcome these. The rural social scheme has been very good around the country. There are also the Tús programme and CE schemes. For as long as I have been here, there has been an aversion to the schemes, particularly at certain times. They have always been challenged. I believe we need to simplify the system by having just one or two schemes. Tús, the community employment schemes and rural social scheme need to be simplified. There should not be JobPath or any other diversions. The Minister and Department should seriously examine JobPath and its development over time. They should determine the benefits to the individual participant. What have participants gained from it? Serious questions should be asked about it, particularly in regard to 2018. Going into 2019, I believe it is well past its sell-by date.

When will the new home-care credit system for calculating the contributory pension be in place? People currently applying for pensions may benefit under the new scheme but have to proceed under the current rules. When the rules change, what will be the position of somebody who has not made enough contributions to get a full pension? Are such individuals in limbo? Should they apply under the scheme? Will there be backdating? Will individuals be facilitated? There needs to be a very clear, simple leaflet to show exactly what people should be doing. When people are approaching 60 or 65 years, they look for the records. I thank the Department and the Minister for their actions in this regard. I refer to going online to get records. The Department did open up and allow us to get our records again. I thank the Department for this because many people looking for their records do not have broadband and would be the least likely to have computers or the Internet at their disposal.

I welcome the overall thrust of the Bill and some of the schemes referred to in it.

Every Deputy is inundated with questions on the contributory pension. The sooner we have factual documentation on it, the better. For God’s sake, will the Department get to grips with the delays in processing applications? They are causing considerable undue hardship, particularly in respect of the carer’s allowance, illness benefit and disability payment. People who are very vulnerable and their families are being put at a disadvantage because they are not getting the answers they require as early as possible. I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill.

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