John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is my understanding of it.

There are many married couples who are younger than 26 years. They will not be affected by these measures once they are married. The Senator probably did not know that.

As regards education and training schemes, I worked with young people over the years as a community welfare officer. I remember people who came into my office to sign on at the age of 18, and maybe they spent too long on it. I spoke to those people three or four years after their term on social welfare and they told me their biggest regret was to have gone on social welfare at 18 instead of educating themselves. They subsequently continued to go back onto those schemes.

Senator Moloney spoke about the bereavement grant. Some 60% of that money ends up in the estates of deceased people and it is divided out among family members. As Senator Mooney said, it is the little things that trip one up. He may prefer if bigger things tripped us up, but if he has any other little measures he could recommend to the Minister as an alternative to some of the measures she has taken, we would be delighted to hear them. Senator Mooney spoke about the cost of funerals, home care packages and the bank veto, as if they were the Minister's fault. None of these things has anything to do with the social welfare budget, however.

Finally, and I know I am pushing it on time-----