David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 15, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:"(4) Retained firefighters who have previously applied for a jobseeker's payment before the enactment of this Bill and have not had their claim approved shall be assessed on their current application."

I understand that the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance amendment has been ruled out of order as has the cost-of-education amendment. I will not, therefore, discuss them. However, I ask that in the context of the budget this year the Minister looks at those payments again. This is the time to raise the issues as, undoubtedly, they will feature over the next weeks and months. We will all raise them on the Order of Business and the Leader will say that the Minister was here on Committee Stage of this Bill, which was the opportunity to raise them. I am taking this opportunity. It is important that the payments are reconsidered, in particular the back-to-education clothing and footwear allowance, which is a very important payment. It was cut last year, which I disagreed with. It was unfortunate but that is what the Government went with. In the context of the budget this year, I ask the Minister to look at those.

I will hear what the Minister has to say on amendment No. 6 and reserve the right to comment further.