Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many people who receive various types of social protection payments still find themselves living in poverty. In many cases, pensioners who only receive the State pension are still living in poverty. I come across more and more pensioners who do not even get the State pension because of the many deductions and anomalies that apply. I asked previously that the Minister come to the House to specifically speak about pensions because there is so much to discuss in that regard and a significant number of people who are living in poverty. Different circumstances such as health, geographical location and carer's duties mean that the standard amount simply does not suffice for pensioners. I previously gave the example of a pensioner who has to travel from Belmullet to Galway for a hospital appointment. That is a six-hour round trip and it costs more than €200 in a taxi. There is no public transport. That is the equivalent of a pension, and more than that amount, wiped out for one week.

I am very pleased to hear that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, will consider the Sinn Féin Bill to establish a social welfare commission. The Bill was introduced by the Sinn Féin spokesperson for employment affairs and social protection, Deputy John Brady. The commission would examine the minimum essential income standard for the various household types and recommend the necessary rate increases in pensions to the Minister ahead of the budget each year. I hope we hear back from the Minister soon given that the budgetary process is well under way and that pensioner poverty is tackled once and for all.

The Sinn Féin motion for Dáil Private Members' business, which calls for a binding Oireachtas vote on the Mercosur deal, will be debated in the Dáil tonight and the vote is likely to take place on Thursday afternoon. I remind parties that this may be the only chance we have to register opposition to the deal and its detrimental impact on farming and farm families. I remind Members who have referred to Commissioner Hogan and his new job, that he said two years ago that beef would not be on the menu for the Mercosur deal. Beef is very firmly on the menu - 99,000 tonnes of it. That will have a devastating impact on farming and rural communities. The Commissioner has broken his promise to us on the issue, as has the Government.