Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us be careful and remind ourselves of why we are here to today. First, however, I welcome the Minister to the House and wish her and her team a good and happy Christmas.I thank the Minister for her ongoing engagement with me and with every Member of this House, which, I know, we value.

We are discussing the Social Welfare Bill 2021, the purpose of which is to amend and extend the Social Welfare Acts, amend the Credit Guarantee Act 2012 and provide for related matters. That is what we are here to deal with today. I am conscious of time. I will take up the point raised by Senator Buttimer - I thank him for making it - on sitting county councillors and their contributions. This relates to section 3. I am not asking the Minister for a response today, but she might take it away in her bag and consider it in the new year. There are a substantial number of councillors in her party, but the same applies to councillors of all parties. I know the Minister treats everyone the same. She is aware of the controversy between the K class and the S class contributions. I know the other side of it where people from all parties and none lost their seats and when they went to the Department of Social Protection in very hard circumstances, they felt short-changed. I will not go into the detail of it, but we need to support them. They are public servants and they pay the contribution. It is a tricky area. Some say they are not employed and others say they are servants of the local authorities. It is all a bit tricky, but, at the end of the day, they are people and they have families. Many find themselves either single, left on their own or in whatever other circumstances, and they have worked so hard for their local communities and the State and when the turn to the State for some support it is not there. I have experience of that, as people from all parties have spoken to me about it. I thank Senator Buttimer for raising this important and valid issue. It is appropriate that he raised it in connection with this section. I urge the Minister to ask her officials to reflect on that and perhaps in the new year we might have an opportunity to discuss it. I could raise the matter with her in a Commencement debate. I know the Minister is supportive, but she must work within the parameters of the legislation. Perhaps we need to do something. I wish the Minister well and thank her staff. She has my support for the Bill.