John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but they still are significant. It still is a fair point that needed to be made and I made it to them.

I agree with another concern they raised and have referred to it previously. While the Minister has tackled this issue to some degree, it is something that is easily achievable. I believe Senator van Turnhout also mentioned it. It pertains to people who are in part-time employment, who were in receipt of social welfare payments and who then go back to claiming social welfare. I refer to the difficulties that often are highlighted in respect of such people reclaiming social welfare. It would be very simple to have a payment for them in the post office in the very week they return to claiming unemployment assistance or jobseeker's allowance is now known. All that needs to happen is for the person to go into the employment exchange, state he or she has part-time work for 13 weeks and ask that his or her payment be suspended for that period.

This is done to ensure that the person's claim is not closed with the result that the person must go through the rigmarole of reapplying. At the touch of a button that suspension can be lifted. I should know. Within three days the money can be in the post office. I ask the Minister to bring that issue to the attention of her officials to ensure it is implemented to alleviate the fears that have been expressed.

Senator Averil Power referred to the cost of accessing them courses. I attended a meeting of the community development project on Monday in my own area. It runs many courses but the problem is that people do not have the transport to access them. I made a submission to the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Alan Kelly, and I will make a submission to the Minister requesting that something be done on a pilot basis. For a small amount of money the community development projects are in a position to provide cars, with the aid of funding from either Department or both, to ensure these people can attend courses. This is an issue I will follow up with the Minister. It is a rural issue which involves access to courses and access to transport.