Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak to this Private Members' motion, which is very important. We need to take into consideration the ramifications Covid-19 will create for low-income families over the next number of months and into next year. Anybody studying the statistics which show the number of young people who are in, or are in danger of being in, poverty at present will know that this is indeed a very frightening time.

Social welfare payments will be extremely important over the next number of months. It is very important that, now more than ever before, our community welfare officers, who do excellent work, play an important role. They have knowledge of their local communities. I remind the House that there were plans by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to do away with social welfare inspectors and community officers. Thankfully, the Department has realised how important those eyes and ears are and how important it is to have people on the ground who know local families who are what I would call vulnerable and are in need and who can ensure those needs can be addressed. It is terribly important to retain that connectivity.

Welfare inspectors cannot have the type of face-to-face meetings they used to have, but when they see applications for supplementary welfare allowances for whatever a need may be they can deal with them using their local knowledge which is terribly important. The next number of months will be vital and it is important that we protect children from poverty by protecting their parents from it.

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