Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I apologise. I thought the Minister of State had said this facility had been disallowed in the case of 16 widows in total, which is a very small number to be disallowed. The point I was about to make is that all these widows must be in my constituency. The number of people who have come to me would almost add up to that number.

I think this is an issue that needs further discussion. In one of the cases I am dealing with, a widow who is in receipt of payments for her three children, so her payment is above €186 per week, has chosen to pay her property tax from the widow's pension. We should be glad when people are willing to pay their property tax. We should make it as convenient as possible for them and not put obstacles in their way to pay the property tax. It is three weeks into the new year and these social welfare customers cannot have their property tax deducted at source.

In the speech that was circulated, the Minister of State did not refer to any other payments. I brought this to the attention of the Minister for Social Protection because people have come to me to deal with the matter. There are people on other social welfare payments who are encountering the same problem, but there is no reference to them in this reply. I am not happy with the reply. I know the Minister of State said the Minister is considering it but she will not have it done in time for this year.

I called for a debate on the issue but was advised by the Leader to table an Adjournment matter. I am not quite happy with the reply and I reiterate my call for the Minister for Social Protection to come to this Chamber for a debate on the issue. I know this is not part of the portfolio of the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, but I thank him for coming to the House to take the Adjournment debate.