Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this debate in the absence of the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, who is in Belfast to engage in very important talks in which I wish her well.

For the first time since I was elected to Seanad Éireann I see a social welfare Bill that gives something back to people, rather than merely adjusting qualifying criteria. This is a welcome development and an indication that Ireland's economic and social recovery is showing positive signs. It also shows that the Department's drive and policies to get people back to work are having positive effects. The Department is investing over €1 billion a year in employment supports and this must be welcomed, as the more people we get back into permanent, sustainable employment the better it will be for the economy. The knock-on effect is that fewer people will need social welfare payments.

Budget 2015 has a number of positive social welfare elements, some of which will be introduced through new legislation and some through amendments to existing legislation. I very much welcome the increase in child benefit; it is a modest increase, but if it had been a cut of €5, it would have been portrayed as a huge amount. Any increase is welcome. The Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, committed in the Seanad to not cutting child benefit any further until safe and affordable child care provisions were in place. In fairness to her, she has honoured this commitment and gone further by increasing child benefit.

It concerns me that there has been a very poor uptake of the after-school child care programme. In the budget for 2014 the Tánaiste allocated €14 million to provide 6,000 after-school child care programme places. Will the Minister of State update us on how this programme is proceeding? It is hard to believe the uptake has been poor when parents are crying out for after-school child care services.

I have a proposal for the Minister of State and hope he will pass it on to the Tánaiste in order that she can put it to the Cabinet. This morning on the Order of Business my colleague, Senator Jillian van Turnhout, raised the issue of Childline and said its night service was to cease owing to a lack of funding. I ask the Minister of State to ask the Tánaiste to use the money not spent on the 6,000 after-school child care places on a once-off payment to ensure Childline's night service continues. What better way to spend this money than on a service for children? Please discuss this proposal with the Tánaiste and, if she agrees, she might take it to the Cabinet for approval.

I particularly welcome the amendment relating to the one parent family payment and the halting of the proposed reduction in the disregard of income. I know of many parents who are on their own, working part time to facilitate school hours and have a mortgage to provide accommodation for their families. They are balancing mortgage repayments based on the one parent family payment, income from employment and family income supplement. They work hard to earn an income and provide a stable home for their children. The halting of the reduction is a positive move and I am glad that the Government finances made it possible. I am also glad that there has been a commitment to stop a further planned reduction next year.

It is great to see the restoration of 25% of the Christmas bonus, as it gives a little back to those dependent on social welfare payments. Many used to look forward to the Christmas bonus to buy a little extra at Christmas time.

There has been an increase in the living alone allowance for the first time since 1996. This is the first increase in 19 years, despite the fact that many of those years were good ones, with plenty of money in the country. I am delighted that the Government has seen fit to increase the allowance because those living alone have the same expenses as anyone else - they must heat their house and pay bills as one would if one shared a house with two or three others. The increase is small, but it is a move in the right direction.

In conjunction with labour activation measures, the retention of the qualified child payment, the back-to-work dividend, is a very positive move. It is beneficial to parents who felt they would be only marginally better off in going back to work. I am delighted that the Tánaiste has confirmed to me that this will not be taken into account when assessing eligibility for family income supplement. The back-to-work dividend will apply at rates of 100% for the first year and 50% for the second year. A person should never be better off unemployed than in employment.

This will be a great help to families and in assisting people to get back to work. I was concerned when the Minister of State said legislation would not be introduced until April to give effect to this provision, but he counteracted this by saying the legislation would be backdated to 1 January 2015. I hope we will have the legislation enacted as quickly as possible in the new year.

I know that labour activation measures are the responsibility of the Minister of State who has clearly outlined in detail all of the schemes available to help to get people back to work or education. Since his appointment, he has hit the ground running, visiting numerous counties, meeting staff in different offices with responsibility for labour activation schemes such as Intreo offices, local employment service offices, the Employ Ability centres, the partnerships and Tús. I know that he is taking a hands-on approach because I accompanied him on some of his visits and know exactly how he is working and what he is doing.

There are many incentives available to help people to get back to work, but I would like to highlight a service that is under the radar. Many are not aware of the support provided by the nationwide EmployAbility Service. Just because a person has a disability or an illness does not mean that he or she cannot work. It is important that people realise this. The nationwide Employ Ability service provides an employment support service for people with a health condition, an injury, an illness or a disability, as well as a recruitment advice service for the business community. The local Employ Ability service will provide an employer with employment assistance and access to a pool of potential employees with varying levels of skills, abilities and training; will provide ongoing support for both employer and employee throughout the period of employment; will provide a professional job matching service to help to ensure successful recruitment; and will provide advice and information on additional employment supports. Many people are not aware of this service which is one that goes under the radar. It is important to highlight it in order that people with a disability know that they can work and have a life.

Senator Paschal Mooney has raised the issue of child benefit being paid to parents whose children do not live in Ireland. I have raised this issue with the Minister several times. I have also raised it at the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection. I cannot understand why the child benefit payment made to parents whose children live abroad cannot be made at the benefit rate applicable in the country in which the children reside. If a parent works in Ireland and he or she sends the money to his or her country of origin, surely the payment should be made at the rate that applies where the family lives, not the rate in Ireland.

I am constantly raising the issue of a homemaker's credit, as Senator Katherine Zappone has just done. I am speaking for people who were affected by the marriage bar and had to resign their jobs. The homemaker's credit scheme was introduced in 1994 for women who stayed at home. What is the difference between women who were homemakers before 1994 and those who took on this role after that year? Now that we have a little funding, these women, some of whom were forced to give up work to look after children and raise a family, are no different from those who are doing this today and in receipt of the homemaker's credit. I ask the Minister of State to took at this issue again, as most of the women in question are coming up to pension age and will only be eligible for a reduced pension.

The Acting Chairman is indicating that I should finish.