Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an issue that was raised with me by a constituent this week. His wife is on a community employment scheme but has recently gone on maternity leave. Because of this, they have lost their entitlement to the fuel allowance and the lump sums. These were payments they were waiting and depending on. I ask the Minister to consider this anomaly because I know there are a number of anomalies and to include women on maternity leave in those payments.

I think we can all agree on the Trojan work of my colleague and Sinn Féin spokesperson Deputy Kerrane in the area of social protection. When this Government was formed, our party president Deputy McDonald said Sinn Féin would be the most effective Opposition this State has ever seen. From the pandemic unemployment payment to the disability lump sum, Deputy Kerrane has put the Government under significant pressure to make changes to its policy. As a result, the Government has moved further in protecting vulnerable people. This shows what happens when you have constructive Opposition that holds the Government to account. Sinn Féin is not like Fianna Fáil under the confidence and supply agreement. Sinn Féin is showing real opposition and real leadership with real solutions.

Deputy Kerrane has submitted a number of amendments to this Bill and I ask the Minister to consider them seriously because they are constructive. The key issue we are trying to get across is that nobody should be forced to live in food, fuel or energy poverty. Nobody should go to bed hungry or cold. This must be the basic condition this Government must strive for.

It is going to be a tough winter. As I came into Leinster House this evening, you could feel the cold. It is all very well for us to be in a nice and warm Chamber with food at a reasonable price but many people will really feel the cold tonight and for the rest of the winter. This is why the Social Welfare Bill is so important. The Government needs to ensure a minimum standard of living.

We saw yesterday how the Government refused to admit that we are in a housing emergency. Today I hope the Minister does not shy away from the need to ensure that social welfare payments effectively take into account the cost of living. In 2020, we spent the lowest amount on social protection relative to GDP of any European state. It is not enough to recognise this. The system must be overhauled and we must put people first.

Backbench Deputies, particularly those from Fine Gael, came in here today and cried about the loss of social welfare officers in the community. It was their Government that did this. We have crocodile tears from backbenchers Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Deputies. They should stand up and be counted and put social protection officers back in the communities where they belong.

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