Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I want to raise a matter that has come to my attention in County Donegal, especially over the weekend. It concerns individuals from the North travelling across the Border once per week or month to collect social welfare payments. This is happening in Border counties, certainly in Donegal. Residents in areas such as Castlefin and Lifford in my constituency have pointed out that, in these stringent and difficult times, they have been monitoring the phenomenon locally and have noticed people travelling across the bridge in Lifford to obtain social welfare payments from taxpayers in the Republic. This must be investigated.

The matter may have been raised in the other House but it is important that we raise it in this House. I call the Leader to arrange an urgent debate on this issue because it is happening at a time when individuals seeking to have carer's allowance payments processed must wait more than a year because of delays greater than 12 months in the appeals office. I know individuals in Donegal who have been waiting more than 12 months to have an application processed.

If we are subventing people from outside the jurisdiction, it is costing the Irish taxpayer money. While I acknowledge that those from another jurisdiction who are claiming social welfare in the Republic may be under financial strain, it is not our responsibility to pay for them. This must be addressed and I call for a debate on it in this House. It is my responsibility, as a citizen of this nation and also as a public representative, to bring the matter to the attention of this House which, in turn, should bring it to the attention of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanafin.