Recommendations Nos. 11 and 12 relate to the concern about the required threshold of only 30 days of annual occupancy in order for a property to be considered exempt from the proposed vacant property tax. This threshold is extremely low with regard to international norms. Dr. Gerard Turley, an economist at the University of Galway, noted that in other countries and cities throughout the world that have introduced vacant property taxes, the usual cut-off period is six months. In Ireland's case, it is one month, whic…

I note the examples provided by the Minister of State would not fall under the 90- or 180-day thresholds. It is not about those who are commuting or are out of the house for two or three days per week because the standard to be set is that there would be electricity to the house and a person literally dwelling there. It does not state that a person must physically sit in the house all day long. It is a matter of saying that it needs to be an occupied property and not a vacant property. The Minister of State's examp…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “Report on returned carers’ PRSI credit 5. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to ensure that those who have returned from overseas who care for a family member are not excluded from qualification for Carer’s Allowance or PRSI credit due to the fact that they do not have PRSI contributions in their previous 2 years.”. I might not press this ame…

The habitual residency condition is eligible under the European laws but it is not necessarily required in the sense that we are able to have nuanced policies in this regard. The Minister listed the kind of criteria used to establish habitual residency, such as length of living somewhere else and length of living in Ireland. The criteria even include future intentions. Often, when people come home, they might think they are only coming home for six months, but it can become permanent. I hope the Minister will look …

I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “Report on care credits 5. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to introduce care credits which ensure that periods of time spent caring are recognised not only in terms of pensions, but also when assessing other social protection entitlements or voluntary access to INTREO, Back to Education and other relevant schemes.”. My amendment relates to …

My amendment does not relate to the carer's allowance or carer's benefit but to care credits. For example, that is caring for children or family so care as recognised within the pensions system. I understand what the Minister said but many people do not receive the carer's allowance or benefit but deliver care to children in their family. My amendment concerns the disconnect that happens between many women and the social protection system where they stop being individually visible within the system and move towards…

I urge the Minister to build on the scheme in terms of other social welfare provisions.

I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:: “Report on extension of eligibility for Fuel Allowance 11. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment, including an analysis of the impact of such a measure on poverty rates, particularly of lone parent households.”. My amendment seeks a report on …

I thank the Minister for her agreement to do such a report. It would be useful. We will come to lone parents on the one-parent family payment in a later amendment. I still have concerns about the cut-off age of 14 when lone-parent families who have children are no longer recognised as lone parents within the system and no longer qualify for the transitional jobseeker's payment or the one-parent family payment. Those cohorts are especially vulnerable because the research tells us that, in fact, it gets more expensiv…

I am speaking to section 13 because it relates to the question of new social insurance benefits and rates. I had proposed amendments to this section but they have been ruled out of order. I will speak to them with regard to the general point. I have a very significant concern about the manner in which they have been ruled out of order. That is not a concern for the Minister but I have raised it at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, and I will raise it again. We have been told that amendments which are …

I move amendment No. 5: In page 7, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: "Report on adequacy of State Pension 14. The Minister shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the income adequacy, as determined by the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) methodology, of the Contributory and Non-Contributory State Pensions for an urban older person living alone. This returns us to the question of the minimum essential standard of living, M…

I welcome the work done on MESL and how it is reflected. It enables us not only to look at the general increase but to have targeted measures. That is what I was looking to illustrate. With regard to individualisation, even though I recognise what has been done on rent, if people have no income getting rent allowance in itself is an issue. Many people will stay in a home but it makes a huge difference for them to have financial independence. The individualisation aspect is important. I will not dwell on it further …

I move amendment No. 10: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “ Report on individual means assessment for Carer’s Allowance 16 . The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for assessing applicants to Carer’s Allowance on individual means, rather than the means of their partner or other household members.”. This amendment addresses the same issue to which I previously referred, namely, the potential assessment of applic…

The Minister might respond to and clarify the following point. I welcome the fact that there will be a review of means testing but I am concerned that the Minister has said it will only apply to the thresholds involved. I imagine the terms of reference for that review are currently being drafted. I specifically request that the review includes consideration of the issue I have raised. There are times when a household assessment is appropriate. When is it appropriate to apply a means test on a household basis and wh…

I thank the Minister. As I said, there may be circumstances where a household approach is the best but there may well be particular circumstances where, for reasons of financial independence in long-term situations, an individualised approach is better. It will contribute significantly to the effectiveness of means testing.

I move amendment No. 11: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on individual means assessment for Disability Allowance 16. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for assessing applicants to Disability Allowance on individual means, rather than the means of their partner or other household members.”. I have spoken to this already. This is the same issue but it relates to the disability allowance in particular…

I thank the Minister and withdraw the amendment in that context.

I move amendment No. 12: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on individual means assessment for Non-Contributory State Pension 16. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for assessing applicants to the Non-Contributory State Pension on individual means, rather than the means of their partner or other household members.”.

I move amendment No. 13: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on child maintenance and social protection 16. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for ensuring that lone parents’ social protection payments should not be reduced based on the potential receipt of maintenance from a third party e.g. a former spouse or partner, and for ensuring that lone parents should not be required to pursue maintenance fro…

I thank the Minister for her response and indeed for her engagement in the area. We may need to return to the question of an agency again and if we do, we will be able to learn from and improve on any of the mistakes made in the UK. In the interim, I welcome the fact that the Minister has engaged with Senator Ruane. Getting Revenue involved is at least a starting point for ensuring this is happening and it would be a significant improvement to have it involved in the way suggested in Minister's legislation. I also …