David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, line 5, after "WELFARE" to insert ", PENSIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS".

We discussed the matter to which this amendment relates on Committee Stage. I listened to what the Minister and those on the Government benches had to say in respect of it. We must remind ourselves of the matters on which we are voting in the context of the contents of the Bill. The legislation provides for cuts to child benefit, which we will not have an opportunity to discuss because the amendments we have tabled in this regard have been ruled out of order. The Bill also makes provision for a cut in the respite care grant. We engaged in a fairly extensive debate on that matter on Committee Stage. The Bill makes further provision in respect of cutting the entitlement period for jobseeker's benefit by three months.

There are other provisions within this legislation which go beyond the scope of what one might define as social welfare. I refer, in this regard, to changes to pension entitlements. We discussed this issue on Committee Stage, at which point the Minister tried to misrepresent both my party's position in respect of it and also what I said. The Bill also contains provisions in respect of a number of anomalies that were created when the relevant legislation was rushed through last year. Furthermore, the Bill makes provision for changes to PRSI. These will have a disproportionate impact on low-income families. For all of these reasons, we want the name of the Bill to be changed. We are of the view that it should be styled the Social Welfare, Pensions and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2012.

I welcome the commitment the Minister made yesterday in respect of coming before the House early in the new year in order to discuss next year's social welfare Bill.