Seanad debates

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Report on Dying, Death and Bereavement: Statements

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it must be done quickly in order that we can get to the focus of knowing what we need, which is a service that is of a high quality and is well paid in the community in order that parents and vulnerable citizens can stay in their own homes and enjoy the beauty of those around them, namely, their grandchildren, children, friends, and birds in the back garden such as the robins who come up and eat the bread. We all know what it is like to have a good quality experience in our older years and we must be aspirational in terms of providing people who are in their dying months to have that time at home where they want to be.

I wish to refer to one or two minor issues that were raised where a response was sought. Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell spoke about making sure people who are entitled to payments are getting them and that they are not being misused by others. There are arrangements in place currently and there are audits. We could probably step that up but I will have a look at the issue and come back to the Senator.

First, I must correct the record on the bereavement grant. I think I said we spent €250 million on it before we got rid of it but we did not. I got that wrong. It was €25 million. It is something everyone would like to see come back, but when we come to making such decisions, we will only have a very small amount of money and we do not want to exclude anyone. Reference was made to the hidden fiscal space but I have not managed to find any of it yet. It is not the case that one set of people is more vulnerable than the next set of people because we all know that all the citizens for whom we provide require help. My Department is a payments Department so therefore everyone is relying on the money they get every week. What is important is to make sure we reach the most vulnerable people. People who are in the dying days of their lives, along with their families who are left behind, are very vulnerable, and the last thing we want is any pensioner worrying about the money he or she has in the post office to pay for his or her funeral.

I assure Members that community welfare officers do not refuse anyone. That is one of the first things I asked when I became Minister. We are delivering an average of €1,700 for every claim that is made. We genuinely do not refuse people. If anyone has any knowledge of that, they should please bring it to me and I will certainly follow it up. That is not to say the reinstatement of the bereavement grant has been ruled out in the budget deliberations this year. It is just that there are a lot of competing issues.

Various topics have been handed to me with regard to the various payments my Department makes.That is what it is there to do. It is for people who are either vulnerable, living alone or parenting alone. There are 140 different types of payments. They are not competing, although they are competing. My role and aspiration is to make sure that we look after our ageing population.

We must make sure that we look after them financially and consider the compulsory retirement age. We must recognise that 60 years is probably the new 40. I look forward to my retirement and having time to do stuff that we do not have time to do today. We need to recognise the gap between when people lose their jobs and, realistically, from about 58 to 59 years probably will not secure full-time employment. We must have something for people that is socially inclusive as opposed to putting them on something like a jobseeker's payment and leaving them sit there until retirement age. That is one project that we will consider. More importantly, we should encourage people to stay in work. We must remove that bar, whether it is just anecdotal by practice in the private sector or legislatively in the public sector. We must let people know that they do not have to remain working if they do not want to do so, but we must allow people to defer their pensions if they so choose. We must allow people to continue to work and remain active if they feel they want to do so. An actuarial review is under way. I expect it will give us all food for thought and I ask Senators to come on that journey with me.

Since my promotion, people have told me that pensions and social insurance are complex issues. I believe that things are only as complex as we make them.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.