Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A considerable amount has already been said, particularly by my colleagues. Strangely enough, I am in agreement with them. We have laid it out in the sense that we will be bringing a number of amendments forward. I think even the Minister would accept from time to time that anomalies are created. In fairness, she dealt with the issue of the disability support grant not being paid to National Learning Centre students. That is to be welcomed. I like to think consideration would be given to the other amendments we are offering.

In the long term, I like to think there would be agreement across the board that on some level, we need to take rate changes and scenarios like a tenner here, a fiver there and €12 there out of here and make sure we set what is a minimum essential standard for people. It would be difficult to argue against that. We need to look at the likes of a social welfare adequacy commission that would make these determinations on the basis of the inflation rate index linking with all the necessary pieces. We all know that whatever rules we had with regard to the economy have been thrown to the side in the past number of months. It is about ensuring people have those necessary protections.

I previously raised the issue of additional needs payments with the Minister. She spoke about the additional resources she was putting in with regard to that but there are still difficulties. A considerable number of people would not have considered additional needs payments previously but are under severe pressure. We all know about the energy crisis and the multiple crises with which people are dealing such as housing. That is something that needs to be looked at. I know it is a particular issue in Dundalk. It is having an impact with regard to people who have been offered social housing that has not been kitted out where someone does not necessarily have the funds to do that.

On some level, even from my point of view, and that of the people in my office and some of our councillors, this is not freeing up the house these people were previously renting. We have limited resources in housing, and this is an issue we are not dealing with.

As I said, I ask the Minister to look in a constructive manner at the amendments being put forward by Sinn Féin. Beyond this, we must all address the issue of the social welfare system in respect of it being fit for purpose, including catching people where necessary. We must also consider dealing with the idea of poverty. I refer to those removed from education, and all the rest of it, who need these added supports to allow us to bridge the gap and bring more people into the education system and the workforce.

See this speech in context