I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on this important piece of legislation which contains a number of important provisions. These include the full transfer of the employment services and community services programmes of FĂS to the Department of Social Protection. There will be a change to the current provisions by means of the public services card which is due to be rolled out in 2011. Electronic certification for jobseekerâs allowance and jobseekerâs benefit are to be provided as are provisions requiring that a landlordâs tax reference number be supplied before a rent supplement can be awarded to new claimants.
One of the most important elements of the Bill is probably the full transfer of the employment services and community services programmes of FĂS to the Department. In addition, FĂS staff will be integrated into the Department of Social Protection. As other speakers noted, the vast majority of front line staff in FĂS had no hand, act or part in the difficulties in which the organisation found itself in recent times. A very small minority of people in very powerful positions abused their positions and tainted the brilliant name FĂS had. Fom my constituency I know that without the FĂS centres and programmes and the CE schemes a great number of people would have found themselves in great difficulty and without any alternative. I know that front line staff such as centre managers and those who deal with people looking for employment had no part in the way FĂS went. The organisation still has an enormous role to play in the future of this country. Its integration into the Department of Social Protection is logical and makes great sense. The vast majority of front line staff are hugely committed to what they do.
The integration of FĂS will provide a more streamlined response to the needs of unemployed people by integrating income support through the social welfare system, with supports for activation and preparation for returning to work. As the Minister is aware, groups have recently been in touch with us to voice their concerns about the future of some of the schemes, including the CE schemes. However, the employment and community services programmes play an integral part in sustaining communities and in these difficult times are probably even more important in ensuring that people have an alternative to staying at home with nothing to do. Even when jobs are harder to come by training and further education provide opportunities for people and their families. I see this on a daily and weekly basis in my constituency. People are looking for alternatives and opportunities and they seek support. This Department and the various organs attached to it play a significant role in that.
I very much welcome the changes in the rent supplement scheme. For too long some landlords have abused the system although the vast majority are conscientious, fair, business people. In my constituency I have had first-hand experience of the dire conditions some tenants are forced to endure. It is not only the tenant who suffers in this situation; so does the surrounding community. There is a large knock-on effect when an unscrupulous landlord neglects to look after his business. We are paying more than âŹ500 million in rent supplement. For that investment we need to ensure, first, that there is no abuse of the system and second, that we get value for money and that the 95,000 people in the rent supplement system are treated fairly. The changes being made in this regard will ensure landlords are registered. For some time there has been difficulty in this regard. My area has large tracts of flat-land where older dilapidated buildings are used on a regular basis to accommodate people. It is not fair, to either the tenant or the system. The State is investing vast sums of money in these premises. I reiterate the vast majority of landlords are compliant and provide a great service for their tenants. However, the changes envisaged in this legislation will ensure there are improvements.
Provision is also provided in the Bill for the introduction of electronic certification for jobseekerâs allowance and jobseekerâs benefit which will allow certain people who receive jobseekerâs allowance and benefit to complete their signing on process by electronic means. I welcome the cost savings that should derive from this as the efforts and attention of staff are refocused. Staff resources will be freed up to concentrate on the client, the claim, the payment and control issues. As other speakers noted, the Department is examining the possibility of using mobile telephones for jobseeker certification. That plan is at a very early stage and much work needs to be done on it. If anybody had said five, seven or ten years ago that we would have electronic banking that would enable a person to sit at home and do all his or her banking business over the Internet, or shop via the Internet, placing an order to be delivered to the house, people would have said this could never happen. I happen to have experience of the Department of Social Welfare in the 1980s. At that time it was one of the most progressive Departments in terms of the use of technology. It was one of the first Departments to have all its records in electronic form and it made a huge difference even though it is very costly at the time. It made it easier for the staff to administer the different payments and also made it easier for the client.
Electronic signing is a step forward and the use of a digital signature pad will prove very popular, in particular in areas where the nearest local office might be some distance from a personâs home. The savings from these advances will help to maintain payments to those who need them most. However, reasonable control has to be kept on electronic signing on and it is essential that the system is not open to abuse or fraud. The fact that huge savings have been made so far through control measures means it is the way to go. One only gets so much out of it and it can be costly to follow up on every individual case but it is a lot of opportunity.
While most of the stories are anecdotal, the Department follows up on each case and ensures that money is not being wasted very seriously. In a very difficult time, such as we have at the moment, where the Minister is required to cut its budget by hundreds of millions of euro, any opportunity should be taken to tackle those problems and ensure that the people who have to avail of social protection payments and are the most vulnerable people are those who benefit most from a reducing pot of resources. As we said earlier, one of the biggest problems facing the people in this country is the lack of work opportunities and the money difficulties for households which come from that.
This Bill is a welcome step forward in reforming and improving the range of services across Government which assist and support people when they lose their jobs. They need income support and support to get back into employment. There are opportunities for people to retrain, change the direction they have been in for a very long time, reskill, look at a different area and take advantage of whatever changes are coming along. The workforce is very fluid and changing pool of people and people have to adapt to that.
It makes good practical sense to locate all the services for unemployed people in one office. People can access all the services which may be available to them, have all their entitlements are accessible in the one centre and are not travelling from office to office, as has been the case for many years, filling out form after form in order to claim their entitlements. They would also not have to chase around trying to do the best they can to look for whatever opportunities may be available to them. If we can centralise that and make it more efficient and streamlined it will be cost effective which is hugely important in the current climate. It would also encourage people to take advantage of whatever is available to them.
In a particularly difficult economic climate we must make sure that any changes which are made, whether through legislation or whatever other measure, ensure that the resources we have as a country are spent properly, efficiently and targeted at people who need support most. Any changes that are made to encourage and support that are to be welcomed. I look forward to the speedy passage of this Bill through the House.
]]>The mayor will have a regional role. The greater Dublin region covered by the four existing Dublin local authorities has a vast and varied number of acquired services and needs. What is needed is an individual strong enough to pull the various strands of local government together. That will require a strong co-ordination of personnel, equipment, facilities and assets.
While never having the privilege of being a local authority member, I spent 20 years working closely with staff at all levels in Dublin City Council. The expertise, the experience and commitment the majority of these people bring to their jobs must be admired. Since the break-up of the old Dublin Corporation structure into four local authorities, my experience with Dublin City Council has been positive. The change from a one-size-fits-all corporation structure which covered a vast area and population brought local government down on to the streets of Dublin. I recall the then Dublin City Manager, Mr. John Fitzgerald, opened local council offices around the city, the best move a council ever made. It meant Dublinâs citizens no longer had to go over to Civic Offices with its massive bureaucracy and from which it was difficult to get answers to questions. Despite the representations of some very able councillors at the time, it was always a matter of the corporation being over on City Quay and the council being over on the North side and never the two shall meet. The regionalisation of Dublinâs local authority structure, the opening of local offices and the appointment of senior management with responsibility for each area, working in each area with the officials available to the residents in those areas was a great step forward for local government which has proved effective.
In my area of Dublin Central, for instance, Dublin City Council has no less than six or seven different regular community forums, at least once a month. At those meetings, representatives of residentsâ associations and communities have direct contact with council officials, whereas previously they had found it difficult to have such meetings. There is a responsibility on the officials to deliver because they face the people every day. In my district, the area office for Dublin City Council is probably one of the busiest buildings in the city, with people coming in and out all the time. The officials work extremely hard in difficult circumstances to provide a very good service.
This legislation will put somebody strong in place with responsibility for the whole region, which will be one of the keys to its success. Some of the powers that will be conferred by this legislation will be robust. They include responsibility for establishing and overseeing the future physical development of Dublin city and region by setting out regional planning guidelines, which the Dublin local authorities must abide by. The powers also include responsibility for ensuring the delivery of an environmentally sustainable approach to waste management, as well as responsibility for maximising conservation and the efficient use of water resources. In addition, the legislation envisages conferring responsibility for leading and promoting a dynamic city region at home and abroad, as well as championing Dublin abroad. One of the best results of having a lord mayor in Dublin is that the office will represent the city abroad on a regular basis. I have first-hand experience of how effective that is. When councillors travel abroad, it is a huge bonus to be accompanied by the cityâs lord mayor.
The elected lord mayor will also have responsibility for promoting quality housing and sustainable communities, as well as protecting and enhancing Dublinâs environment. That is a major issue, particularly in Dublin city.
When one examines the details of the Bill there are obviously a number of concerns. Given my experience with Dublin City Council, one of my concerns is how the powers of the new mayor will impact on the role of directly-elected councillors. Councillors have played a major part in the life of the city and as the previous speaker said, we have had several strong city councillors over the years. Before the dual mandate was abolished the role of a local representative in Dublin Central was hugely effective. Many individuals played an important role in the development of the city as it is today. Councillors bring a local community emphasis to bear on how Dublin City Council does its business.
My fear is that this local emphasis may be lost if an individual, who may have an affinity for one area over another, was to take up the position of mayor. In such circumstances, that understanding of local issues could be lost. The Minister should examine that matter in the context of this legislation.
Another concern is about resources. Previous speakers referred to the unprecedented economic position we are in at the moment. The Minister has indicated that the office of mayor will not be an additional cost to the taxpayer and that the costs will be met entirely from within existing local government resources. However, local authorities are now cutting back on services, and drastically in some cases. I would not like to think that much needed funds to sustain basic services were being redirected to other areas. This issues arises in the context of what is being proposed in the legislation.
The Bill marks a significant shift in power within local government, so it must be handled extremely carefully. It is envisaged that the mayor will strengthen local government leadership and accountability in Dublin. It will also provide Dublinâs local government with greater scope to innovate and develop regionally and locally, and to respond to local challenges. As a result of the Bill, there should also be greater coherence between the four Dublin local authorities and the regional authority concerning future policies, strategies and actions.
I welcome the opportunity to have this debate on a mayor for Dublin. Foreign cities have demonstrated how important it is to have somebody as a figurehead for a city. In that regard, I welcome the publication of the Bill.
]]>When we consider in detail the measures that have been put in place, it is obvious that they are not just about creating new jobs. There is an equal emphasis on protecting the approximately 1.8 million people who are in employment, which is a major responsibility for the Government. Previous speakers have mentioned, and I know from speaking to people in my own area, that many business people are struggling. Some of them have managed to adjust the way they do their business, but unfortunately, others are just not in a position to do that and are suffering. They need more support and they also need co-operation from the banks. The measures that have been established, including forcing AIB and Bank of Ireland to provide âŹ3 billion this year and next year specifically for SMEs, must go some way towards ensuring that those companies that find themselves struggling and need extra support are able to get it.
We have also seen the introduction of the Credit Review Office. My fear is that SMEs that seek credit who are refused and continue to fight the case would be targeted for special treatment further down the line. I hope this is not happening. I know that businesses are finding it difficult to get overdrafts and credit. In the majority of cases, there are probably good reasons for that, but the measures that have been put in place should ensure those businesses which need the support get it.
The cost of doing business is continuing to come down. For many years we have listened to how over-regulation has affected businesses. We have gone a long way towards improving that. As a member of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, I know that every effort is being made to listen to the concerns of as many small and medium enterprises as possible and to talk to the statutory agencies that are dealing with them on a daily basis. We will continue to do that.
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