Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that the Minister worked in a collaborative spirit in the Lower House to achieve this timeline and I look forward to working in a similar vein as it passes through the Seanad.

The main purpose of the Bill is to make the necessary legislative changes to allow the provisions contained in budget 2020 to be commenced, including the social welfare payment increases from January 2020.

Social welfare increases are only welcomed by recipients and stakeholders because the payments are inadequate in the first place. They welcome the changes but could do with far more to live on. The increase of certain payments by €2, €3 and €5 is not making social welfare payments adequate. Moreover, the increases are not based on evidence. When we bring forward legislation it should be done through the lens of an evidence base. We should be working towards making all social welfare supports adequate for those who rely on them and we should be moving to an evidence-based approach.

Sinn Féin has put forward a fully costed and workable solution. We envisage a social welfare commission that would use evidence, including the minimum essential standard of living as set out annually by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice to make recommendations to Government on social welfare rates annually ahead of the annual budget. I know the Minister is looking at this type of work. We will be pushing this further in the new year. It could transform the way social welfare is provided in the country.

I wish to raise my concern regarding young jobseekers. The Bill stipulates that those aged between 18 and 24 years will see their payment rate increased to the full rate if they live independently and in receipt of State housing support. We all know the housing crisis affecting our young people. People are waiting over 13 years in some areas for permanent housing while the rest are reliant on the housing assistance payment. We know of the extreme difficulty people on HAP are having in renting private accommodation. Many need a top-up payment. These young adults are living at home with their parents on the decreased rate. I cannot imagine a scenario where a young person will be able to live independently with social housing support while unemployed. I guess this is a chicken-and-egg scenario, further trapping our young people in poverty. How can a young person live independently to get the social welfare rate needed to live independently?

I commend my colleague, Deputy John Brady. He successfully tabled a motion in the Dáil to address this. The Minister alluded to this in her statement. The amendment requires the Minister to present a report on the poverty impact of reduced rates of jobseeker payment for young jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 years to the joint committee within three months of enactment. I look forward to reading the report and I hope the Minister pays attention to the findings. I truly believe the discrimination against our young job seekers is causing them harm. Without pre-empting the results of the report, if I am correct in my beliefs the Minister and her Department will have a serious obligation to right these wrongs.

Sinn Féin also amended section 25 in the Dáil, calling on the Minister to undertake an impact statement on the current and projected future increases in carbon tax on low-income families and to report within six months. As a member of the Joint Committee on Climate Action I have been arguing against the carbon tax consistently. I believe it is regressive. Following decades of failure it will serve only to increase the cost burden on households without offering any feasible alternative, particularly for those on lower incomes who can least afford it. We need to be more dynamic, positive and creative in dealing with climate change. The carbon tax is none of these things. I recommend that once the report is published it should be presented to the Joint Committee on Climate Action for consideration.

I wish to raise a serious omission from the Bill. This is the issue of a lacuna in statute that excludes married same-sex male adopters from accessing 24 weeks of adoptive leave. Since 2016, the Government has consistently stated that it would address this loophole. This group is the only family type that cannot receive this leave. Given its recent omission from the Parent's Leave and Benefits Act 2019, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton, stated he would address it in this Bill. Yet, it seems to be on the missing list. In the Dáil on Second Stage, the Minister said it would be inserted via amendments on either Committee Stage or Report Stage, but that has yet to happen. I am aware the amendments are taking more time than expected but the Government committed to Senator Norris in 2016 that it would address this loophole. Had the Government started the work on those amendments, it would have been well enacted by now.

I was discussing this issue with Senator Warfield. He said he has lost count of the times the Government has committed to addressing LGBT parent's rights. This arises usually via a press release, for which the Government gets great praise. However, it then fails consistently as other legislative priorities take precedence or take over. The Government needs to stop making commitments to LGBT parents if it ultimately chooses not to keep those commitments. I urge the Minister to take the steps necessary with the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, whether it be hiring an external drafter or having a stand-alone Bill. It is beyond disappointing for same-sex parents to be told yet again that they must wait.

Finally, I wish to raise the issue of our unsung heroes - our carers. We know 200,000 of them are unpaid in this State. Some concerns have been raised by them and their advocacy groups. The Bill allows for an increase in the hours carers can work but not an increase in the amount of income disregarded. Did I miss something? This seems illogical. If we increase work, we increase pay. Carers should not be punished for this. I would appreciate if the Minister could address this. If not, I will consider tabling amendments to address the matter on Committee Stage.

Overall, I have no wish to delay the Bill passing. I know there are many people who need it passed by the end of the year to realise their small social welfare changes. I believe the Bill is a missed opportunity to see real change in our social welfare system. Sinn Féin has worked hard in the Dáil to strengthen this Bill by reaching out to the Minister. We will do the same as the Bill passes through this House.

I will finish with an aside in the Christmas spirit on the Christmas bonus.I was thinking of Santa's little helper but then one often has to be on the often complicated good list to qualify.