Sean Barrett (Independent)

I welcome the Minister to the House and agree with the sentiments Senators have expressed about the operation of her Department. I rarely hear phone-in programmes that are critical of the Department of Social Protection. They are often critical of many other agencies. The Department distributes large amounts of money efficiently to a large number of people.

I heard Senator Leyden's briefing last evening. The Bill represents a good idea and I hope the Minister will consider it. It would, at least, get over one step in the search for lost wills. There might have been a subsequent will, as the Minister said, but one would at least know where to start. There must be huge transaction costs for people who do not know where to start and I am mindful of all those advertisements in the Law Society Gazette trying to find lost wills. Having the State involved might encourage more people to make wills and lead to fewer disputes about inheritance. Like the Minister, I think there are good ideas here.

We license television sets and dogs, for example. Might it be a good idea for wills to come higher up the licensing scale at some future time, perhaps when the finances improve? This might improve people's welfare throughout the country and lead to fewer disputes about lost wills.