Phil Prendergast (Labour)

I welcome the Minister. There are some excellent initiatives in this Bill. We are largely supportive of these measures, although I hope the transfer of functions from FÁS to the Department of Social Protection will not delay the improvement of jobs and training initiatives. We have made the point many times that there has been a slowness in this regard but we look forward as best we can. A very large number of people are unemployed and our economy is not in a good place. Therefore, greater priority should have been given to progressing this type of initiative.

We all condemn the shenanigans at FÁS, in particular as the real victims of the self-interested management of the agency are the unemployed. Good work is being done on the ground by FÁS and the transfer of functions from the agency to the Department of Social Protection is welcome. What steps are being taken to ensure training courses are properly targeted to meet the labour market need? The demand for construction skills will be down for many years but there is likely to be increased demand for skills in the fitting and maintenance of green energy machinery and devices, such as solar panels, wind turbines etc.

An electronic monitoring system for social welfare recipients is to be welcomed. I have heard stories in my clinics and much of what one hears must be taken with a grain of salt, depending on who is telling the story. It is not appropriate to comment on these stories. I have heard blanket statements about people not normally resident in the country who are working in many places. I do not comment on those reports which are spurious chatter but it would be important to have a means of properly identifying people to avoid fraudulent social welfare claims, such as claims being made in more than one place.

The home care scandal highlighted this week should focus all relevant minds on the need for providing the unemployed with the skills to enter into these and other community-based services. It is not acceptable that people with no skills are working in home care. There must be a recognition of the limitation of the skills of such individuals for providing services to people in need of a carer or a home help. In many cases it can be sufficient to measure out medication into separate containers per daily dosage but often it is necessary to take medication either before, during or after meals as this determines the way in which the body absorbs the medication. Carers would need to be trained in the administration of medication. I suggest that care assistants in hospitals are sufficiently trained to allow them to provide a reasonable level of good nursing care short of being a qualified nurse. I ask the Minister to comment in his concluding remarks.

I ask the Minister to outline the steps being taken to ensure that people are assisted back to work now that FÁS is being brought under the remit of the Department of Social Protection. My colleague, Deputy Róisín Shortall, referred to the tokenism that existed with just 67 job facilitators to deal with 400,000 unemployed people. The Croke Park agreement could have a role in addressing this in any number of ways but the Minister has been vague in the general details of the overhaul and reform. I ask him for some specific details in that regard.

I recognise and welcome the long lead-in period with regard to rent supplement. The Bill puts an obligation on landlords which could have negative consequences for tenants. I have in mind a particular cohort of tenants. Senator Boyle said he would prefer the tenants to be given the money rather than direct payment to landlords and I hold the opposite view but not in all situations.