Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

The social welfare system has seen an improvement of services and reform of the system. The Department is taking a pro-active role on how to make its information widely available. It contacts people in receipt of benefits to ensure they are receiving the correct benefit or if it is possible to receive a different benefit or allowance that would suit them better. They are invited in to discuss these issues with the Department. I welcome that change.

The Minister was here a few weeks ago when she brought the Civil Registration Bill before the House. There is an improvement in the delivery of services in the social welfare system. There have been savings of €300 million regarding fraudulent claims in the social welfare system. That money is being put back into the system to improve matters.

On the issue of widows, I agree with Senator Cummins. One of the difficulties I have had for many years with the social welfare system is the rule whereby a person in receipt of one social welfare payment cannot be in receipt of a second social welfare payment. This is not new. Since I became a Member in 1997 I have been aware of the problem. In the past, if one was in receipt of one payment one could not get a second payment from the Department. There are certain situations where people are discriminated against by virtue of the fact that they are either a widow or widower. I say to the Minister, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance that this issue needs to be re-examined.