Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on the annual Social Welfare Bill, which gives effect to proposals announced in budget 2021. The Bill allows self-employed people in receipt of the PUP to earn up to €480 over a four-week period while retaining the payment. We in Sinn Féin would like to see an increase in the amount that can be earned to €960 over a rolling eight-week period. This amendment is supported by the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland and would allow greater flexibility for entertainers to earn during busy periods while carrying them through quiet times.

We need to listen to the people who are affected by our decisions. I welcome the Government's U-turn on increasing the pension age to 67 years from January, but 66 is still too high. It is wrong that our older people, who have given so much, are being forced onto the dole when they should be looking forward to a well-earned rest. The Government can dress the payment up however it feels it should, but these people still view it as going to the social welfare office to collect the dole.

I welcome the increase in the carer's support grant to €1,850 and its annual payment in June. We in Sinn Féin would like to see it being paid in two halves in recognition of the difficulties that carers face, with half paid in January and the other half, as usual, paid in June. This amendment is supported by Family Carers Ireland and other care advocacy groups. We need to listen to those who are affected by our decisions.

Many people have contacted my office about the growing cost of heating their homes. For many in rural Ireland, particularly older people, there is no just transition. We have all seen the effects of climate change, especially the once-in-a-century events that seem to have occurred frequently in recent years. There needs to be a report on the effectiveness, adequacy and coverage of, and eligibility for, the fuel allowance in households experiencing energy poverty. We in Sinn Féin called for a similar report previously. This call is supported by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We need to change the rule whereby someone must have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for 15 months before qualifying for the fuel allowance.

There needs to be a report on the effectiveness of the JobPath scheme. The cost to the taxpayer is €247.9 million. We need to invest more in local job clubs. In the midlands, job clubs are delivering a better and fairer service for a fraction of the cost of JobPath.

Remaining on the issue of investing locally, the issue of CE supervisors' pensions must be sorted. It has been going on for too long.

See this speech in context