Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of extending the social welfare free schemes to widows and widowers who do not currently qualify in that regard.".

This amendment is self-explanatory. How many widows and widowers do not currently qualify for the free schemes or, alternatively, how many of these people are on such schemes?

What is proposed in the amendment would be a progressive step because many people are just outside the threshold. When decisions are made, two weeks later it is discovered that someone has been caught out. Those affected ran an organised campaign against the savage 16 cuts and a small group of widows did a great deal of lobbying. It was done to a much greater extent than normal because there is no one in the State who is not connected to someone who has been widowed or was affected by this. The amendment takes a common sense approach to this issue.