John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we find out how much we are owed and what we are going to do about collecting it. As long as we do not do so, and as we continue to withdraw disability, domiciliary care and mobility allowances, we are making life difficult for people who want to get their disability allowance or invalidity pension. The way forward is to collect everything we are owed.

The point I really wished to raise relates to charities, a subject we have discussed in this House in the past. The sale of multi-charity scratchcards that goes on throughout the country is an up and running business. A person drops another person to a post office in Roscommon town, others to Castlerea, Ballaghaderreen and Boyle. I have known for a long time that not much of that money ever reaches the charity in question. This morning a friend of mine went to a post office in Roscommon town and was approached by one of these individuals to buy a scratchcard for €1, as were all the elderly people coming out after receiving their pensions. My friend asked how much of the €1 did the individual get for selling the card, and was told he got 60%.