Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Since becoming a public representative, I have been contacted time and again by victims and survivors of domestic abuse, as I am sure the Minister and everyone else in the Chamber have. I am sorry to report I have also been confronted time and again with the inadequacies of the State's response.

As the only female Cork Deputy, I feel obliged to raise this issue again. The cold, hard truth is that the restrictions of the Covid-19 emergency leave women, children and men at increased risk of domestic abuse. It is imperative that the Government should provide proper assistance in these instances. Organisations such as West Cork Women Against Violence and SAFE Ireland do phenomenal work in supporting and advocating on behalf of victims and survivors. The Government should listen to these organisations that respond to victims and survivors every day. They are the experts and we need to listen to them. They have asked for an emergency rent supplement to help victims access secure, safe housing during this crisis, a focused solution. I implore the Minister to reconsider the decision not to facilitate their request and to re-evaluate the decision to deny access to emergency rent supplements for people fleeing domestic violence.

Of course, as the only female Deputy in Cork, I also feel obliged to raise the issue of women returning from maternity leave and not being able to access payments, but in the interest of reducing repetition in the Chamber, I join other Deputies in calling for immediate action on this absolutely outrageous and discriminatory discrepancy.

People with disabilities and their families have been especially impacted by the Covid-19 emergency. Intersectional analysis shows that social and health issues are felt disproportionately by minority groups, including those with disabilities. Support services, day care centres and respite opportunities have been impacted.

Many people have found the disruption to routine and the lack of access to friends very distressing. Health issues accompanying some disabilities make it harder to recognise coronavirus symptoms, which creates extra worry.

People with disabilities can earn up to €120 a week without affecting their allowance. Unfortunately, due to the devastating effects of the Covid-19 emergency on the hospitality sector in particular, many people with disabilities are unable to return to work. I have been contacted by constituents who say that the loss of this income is compounded by the lack of access to a crucial social outlet and the loss of structure to their day. On their behalf, I am seeking a reassurance from the Minister that those on disability allowance who cannot return to work due to Covid-19 will be eligible for a supplementary non-means-tested payment, to a maximum of €120 per week.

I had another question on clawback, but in light of the previous debate in the Chamber today I will just say that I am glad to hear that those in receipt of disability allowance or one-parent family payments who availed of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment will not be subject to any so-called "clawbacks" in the future.

Last week I asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Heather Humphreys, about workers' rights in meat processing plants. I highlighted the vulnerability of these and other workers during the Covid-19 emergency. Too often, migration, which is a reality of life for millions of people, is described in negative terms. In reality, however, Irish society is richer because of migration and it has become an economic necessity. Migrants fill vital gaps in our labour markets. If we are happy for these people to produce our food, work in our hospitals and care for our elderly, then we are obliged to ensure they are treated justly. We cannot ignore the hypocrisy of successive Irish Governments championing the cause of the undocumented Irish in the United States of America while at the same time seeming to ignore the plight of undocumented workers in Ireland. That said, I commend the Government on introducing a firewall during the Covid-19 emergency that ensured the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection would not share any information with the Department of Justice and Equality. As a result, all people who need it, whether documented or undocumented, could apply for the hardship payment. This practice is common in many jurisdictions to ensure that migrants, a vulnerable population, can safely access healthcare, police and State services without fear of deportation. In that spirit, will the Minister and other relevant Ministers ensure the continuation of the firewall for information sharing with the Department of Justice and Equality on social welfare payments for migrant workers?

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