Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy Leader for setting out the proposed Order of Business for today. One of the issues I want to raise relates to persons over 65 years of age. Members will have received numerous emails this week to the effect that people of 65 years of age are obliged to apply for jobseeker's allowance until they are 66 years of age and qualify for the State pension. Senators will recall that during the elections and the political promises, there was a promise on an interim payment that seems to be forgotten, and that this would issue for the period between a person turning 65 and 66. We know that jobseeker's allowance is means tested and this is presenting a problem for many people who have small savings, but this is after a life of work. When one has small savings, one is means-tested. Therefore, retiring at 65 years of age with a retirement lump sum or some small savings means that one's jobseeker's allowance payment will be reduced below €203 per week, to take account of one's savings. That is a problem. There is a solution, however, and that is that the jobseeker's allowance should be paid for the year between someone turning 65 and 66 but it should not be means-tested. There is an end to it and it is only a period of one year. For people who have worked hard in this State, many of whom had no option but to go at 65 for health, contractual or other reasons or commitments, we should show some gesture of goodwill and support. We should have the allowance but it should not be means-tested for that period of one year. I ask if we could organise some sort of debate on that or tag it on to a debate on social protection, whenever the relevant Minister is in the House.

I appeal to Senators who are available to come to the House for the Report Stage debate on the Planning and Development Bill 2020, which is taking place today.It addresses a key issue, on which we are not poles apart. It is the issue of the mandatory requirement on local authorities to hold a public meeting to consult and engage with the citizens they represent. We had a robust, good and healthy debate on this and there was a difference of opinion but I hope all Senators can agree to support the view that the citizen should have a right to such public meetings enshrined in the legislation. I do not want an unelected executive to decide on public consultation. For that matter, I do not want to interfere with the role of councillors in that process either. A mandatory requirement to have public consultation on city and county development plans should be enshrined in the Planning and Development Bill 2020, which we are finalising today.