John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good to have the Ceann Comhairle back. I wish him well.

I, too, wish to refer to community welfare officers and the work they did in the past. When a person applies for supplementary welfare now, he or she has to wait a considerable time before getting approval. It is normally the case that when a person applies for supplementary welfare allowance, it is a matter of great urgency.

An issue linked to that relates to volunteers at the Citizens Information Services. In Kilkenny, there are two and a half members of staff. The centre had nearly 60 volunteers but, for some reason, it now has to limit the number of volunteers. What does that have to do with the Bill? A considerable number of constituents who may not turn up at the office of a Deputy will turn up at a Citizens Information Service and be helped by professionally trained people to complete their applications. The Citizens Information Service in Kilkenny now has to close at certain times and stop the one-to-one interaction with the individuals who turn up. I find that disturbing because many people like to turn up privately to discuss their business and get an issue resolved. Someone in the Government needs to look at allowing the volunteers to do their work and be accommodated in terms of the services the Citizen Information Service delivers. Two and a half staff members cannot deliver the range of services that was previously delivered by the permanent staff and nearly 60 volunteers. It is an urgent matter that should be addressed.

I welcome the changes that will be made to the fuel allowance in January 2023, but I wish to ask the Minister, as I did in a parliamentary question recently, about retired public servants who, at pension age, cannot qualify for the fuel allowance. If they have a change of family circumstances, however, and a partner dies, the person can then, because he or she is drawing a welfare payment, qualify for the fuel allowance. That is an anomaly in the system that needs to be addressed urgently. Changes are coming in January 2023 but they should happen sooner because people are suffering fuel poverty and finding it very difficult to make ends meet. They have commitments in their households. Those who are affected by this anomaly are deeply concerned and they should be included at a much earlier date in order to benefit from budget 2023, as was the case with the many people who received the increased fuel allowance and double payments and so on. I ask the Minister to please address that issue.

Another matter I wish to raise relates to foster carers. A case in this regard has been already made to the Minister by a particular group. This cohort fall short in their contributions towards a full State pension. I ask the Minister to examine that with a view to changing the system that is currently in place and ensuring that cohort of people, who give an invaluable service to the person who is ill, but also substitute in terms of the institutionalised care that might be needed if things were otherwise, are entitled, as they ought to be, to the contributions being allocated to them, and thereby entitled to a full pension.

These are examples of small anomalies in the social welfare system that can be best worked out in a debate in the House, through which Members can bring their experiences and information to the attention of the Minister and make life easier for those affected by the issues we are raising.

I agree with Deputy O'Dea regarding the time allotted. It is the business of the Government Chief Whip, but it is a pity the valuable interaction with the Minister on Second Stage is not recognised with more speaking time.

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