Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A couple of issues there are not under our Department. I understand the report on social housing limits is with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, at the moment and he hopes to bring forward those changes very soon. He took questions on the matter here last week. That would be a positive step. We all recognise that they have not changed since 2011. The social housing barrier and the housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme, were changed a number of years ago to make it easier for people to return to work. The previous system under the rent allowance, as the Deputy will know, would have penalised people going back to work. That does not happen now with the HAP. People do not lose their payment as they would have done under the old ways.

I agree with the Deputy on the social welfare code and the matter of days versus hours. Some people could possibly take up work for a number of hours per day over five days as opposed to three days. The old system, the Xs and Os as we called it, did not allow for that. A number of reports have been laid before the Houses over the years and we should try to get change on that. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is willing to look at the matter and has been working with her Department to see if we can change it.

On trying to fill the skills gap, there is a shortage of people in many sectors, not all of them in critical skills. We have to look at every mechanism. That involves working with the sector. We engage with the hospitality sector and will prioritise it in respect of chefs and so on. These next couple of months are key for them. We also have to work with sectors such as retail, hospitality and agriculture around solutions and training. I highlight the Pathways to Work programme. There is a lot of assistance there for employers and helping people get off the live register. Schemes like the job placement scheme are very effective but are not being fully utilised. Everybody has to play their part if we are to solve the labour shortage issue.

See this speech in context