Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. The first visit I made after coming to Leinster House as a Senator was to the Department of Social Protection, which confirmed my view that this is a very benevolent country. That benevolence is clear in our treatment of people who are poor and needy, people who lack education and have not had the same opportunities as others, and people who are not able to look after themselves and need the State to do so. It has always been my opinion that when drink, drugs and mental health issues take over, benevolence takes on another lead. We have huge problems in this area, as the level of related lawlessness will attest.

The provision to expand the role of the local post office is very welcome. I spend a great deal of time travelling around the country and it is clear that the post office, rural transport, mobile libraries, meals on wheels, district nursing services and so on provide socialisation opportunities for people who do not live in cities or large towns. Anything that helps to retain the community post office as a hub of activity in whatever form is a very good thing.

Regarding social welfare overpayments, will the Minister indicate the level of such overpayment and whether it is less than or greater than what she originally estimated or envisaged? What has been the recovery rate in this regard in each of the past four years? What is the most common type of fraud - I use that word loosely - that has been noted?

Has there been any initial report or set of recommendations arising out of the experience of the Ballymun pilot activation of the Youth Guarantee scheme, which has been in operation for a year or so? What are the major lessons to be learned from that pilot and will the Minister do anything differently in its wake when it comes to rolling out the scheme? This is a major initiative and it needs to be progressed without undue delay in a manner that affords sufficient flexibility to ensure it can be adapted where necessary as we go along.

I conclude by referencing the provision in section 18 regarding positive age-based discrimination. Perhaps the Minister should send that section on to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White.