Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

Senator Cox has made my point for me. I accept what the Minister is saying. His reasoning for not returning the qualifying period for the scheme to six months relates to the people who have spoilt it for those who really need it. We all accept that the reason for last year's change was to prevent those not financially in need of the allowance from qualifying. However, by trying to deal with such people, we have made it more difficult for everybody and those who deserve to benefit from the scheme are suffering.

In this day and age, we should be able to identify those in need of this allowance. We should be aware of situations where a person gives up his or her job and becomes unemployed for six months in order to avail of the allowance. Anybody who gives up his or her job on a voluntary basis should not be able to draw any benefit. This and other schemes are there for the benefit of those who deserve the associated allowance, including the unemployed, disabled and elderly. The schemes are not designed to accommodate those who decide to have an easy life and let the State fund their existence.

We should be doing exactly as Senator Cox suggested but we must not wait a year to do so. By not changing this provision, we are depriving people in genuine need of an opportunity to improve their lot. They are being punished by the actions of other greedy people who wish to jump on the bandwagon and claim a benefit to which they are not entitled. Will the Minister reconsider this issue? I welcome that he has already made a change and may consider a further change. He should look at ways of reducing the qualifying period to six months to enable those in genuine need to improve their situation. There must be ways to ensure those not entitled to the allowance do not qualify. As the Minister observed, they may qualify for other schemes, such as the rent supplement scheme.