Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Brian Hayes raised the issue of interest on SSIAs and asked that it be treated as a disregard item in means testing. I congratulate the Senator on raising an issue that has since received coverage and in respect of which there is general agreement. I hope the Government will examine the matter. Often, I work on the basis of the telephone calls I receive, of which there were two relating to this issue this morning. In both cases, parents who had invested wisely in SSIAs were just over the amount allowable. They found the interest, small though it was, tipped them into "not granted" status. I do not view the number of people affected as a criterion and I intend to make representations on this matter at our parliamentary party meeting.

The Senator raised the issue of the register of electors, which our parliamentary party debated this week. In County Westmeath, enumerators are ordered to call to each house three times if no one is at home the first two times and, on the third visit, to leave the form. This is fair.