The Minister stated 64,000 people secured employment but she did not add that they did not sustain that employment for anywhere close to a year. In fact, the number who sustained it for a year is much lower. With regard to the cost per client, the Minister cited a figure of €873. `Will she confirm that the referral fee of €311 is paid every time a person is referred, regardless of whether it is for the second or third time? We are aware that people have been referred for a second and third time. If the fee is paid …

I welcome the fact that the Minister is to revert to me on the referral fee. If that fee is paid every time the same person is referred, which can be up to three times, and if there are more than 1,000 people in this category, as in this case, it means €10 million alone is given to the companies. If that is the case, as I believe, it does not represent value for money. I welcome what the Minister said about the local employment service. It is excellent and community based, and it includes the wrap-around supports, …

This question asks the Minister whether she is aware of the long delays that people are experiencing when applying for personal public service, PPS, numbers. Can she give us the number of applications that are pending decision at the moment? Will she consider putting in additional resources in order to clear the backlog, or is this something she has already done?

I thank the Minister. I, too, pay tribute to the staff, not only those who were reassigned to deal with the pandemic unemployment payment but also those who were left behind in smaller numbers than usual to deal with the likes of applications for PPS numbers. I have been inundated by contacts from people for the past number of months. We know that real issues are caused when people are left waiting for PPS numbers. I am currently dealing with someone who is trying to buy a house but has no PPS number and their soli…

I welcome that 200 additional people have been moved into that service to reduce the backlog. As the Minister has acknowledged, there are huge difficulties. While I appreciate that getting money into people's pockets was the priority during Covid, the Minister also acknowledged that there are huge difficulties for people trying to get PPS numbers for various purposes, such as taking up a job or buying a house. I welcome the action the Minister has taken and I hope it will see the average waiting time for people red…

I again raise the issue of student accommodation refunds. I am dealing with a parent who has paid €5,000 to a private provider in Galway and whose son's course has since gone fully online. I met a representative of the students' union at the National University of Ireland, Galway, NUIG, last week, which is dealing with about 30 families seeking refunds from the same accommodation provider. The reason given by the provider for not paying the refund is that the Government does not have restrictions in place on the us…

The Minister will know well that there is not a country in the world that moves retiring workers onto a jobseeker's payment and which treats them as someone who is unemployed. Since 2014, more than 35,000 65-year-olds have been forced onto a jobseeker's payment at retirement. Not only did Fine Gael and the Labour Party abolish the State pension transition payment provided to 65-year-olds at retirement, but they also announced increases to the pension age. These increases go further and faster than equivalent increa…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the establishment of a commission to make recommendations and report annually on the adequacy of social welfare rates in the State; and to provide for related matters. From a social protection perspective in recent months, Covid has done two things. It has put a spotlight on the adequacy and effectiveness of our social welfare rates and it has shown how quickly one Department can make big changes. As soon as Covid hit, one thing became…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time"

As many businesses hope to reopen in December, a number of workers who are concerned about whether they will be able to access the pandemic unemployment payment should they lose work again next year have been in touch with me. An extension was granted to keep the pandemic unemployment payment open to new applicants until the end of the year. Will the Government extend that further to ensure that workers will have certainty should they lose work in the new year if restrictions are reintroduced? Nobody wants workers …

From a social protection perspective, Covid-19 has done two things in recent months. It has put a spotlight on the adequacy and effectiveness of our social welfare rates. It has shown how, very quickly, one Department can make major changes. As soon as Covid hit, two things became clear. People who had lost their jobs could not live on €203 per week. We could not expect a person out sick from work to wait for six days before accessing social welfare supports. In fact, the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, when in…

I welcome the opportunity to speak during these statements. The primary objective of those of us who grew up and live in rural areas is to see those communities thrive. We must protect and sustain the rural life that so many people enjoy so they can live, work and raise their families there. We must ensure that future generations can live and work in our rural towns and villages. The schoolgoing children of today should not be forced to emigrate after school or college, as many of my generation were. Workers should…

It will be seven weeks tomorrow until 1 January 2021 when, according to current legislation, the pension age is due to increase to 67 years. Promised legislation to defer the measure is nowhere to be seen. The membership of the pensions commission was established last week and as the Tánaiste is aware, issues have been raised by a number of organisations, particularly those which represent older people and women. When will legislation be introduced to defer the increase in the pension age to 67 years?

Will the Minister detail the number of jobs created under the previous action plan for rural development in 2017 for counties Roscommon and Galway?

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire. The creation of more than 222,000 jobs between 2015 and 2019 is welcome, as is any job. However, stating that those jobs are outside the Dublin region does not narrow it down. I appreciate that the Minister has given a figure of 41,000 jobs for Roscommon, Galway and Mayo but we need to see more of a breakdown of those numbers for job creation, particularly in regions such as the west. The west is already in trouble because its EU status is now that of a region in transition and no longe…

Will the developmental plan for rural areas include more specific targets for job creation? I presume the plan was supposed to run from 2020 to 2025 but given that we are now at the end of 2020, will it roll over into 2021? It sounds as if it might. It is important when we look at job losses in counties such as Roscommon and Galway to note that many rural towns have lost major industries. Aptar is closing its facility in Ballinasloe. A cigar factory and Dawn Meats factory closed in Ballaghaderreen in years gone by.…

This question is to ask the Minister if she has looked to establishing co-working spaces in rural areas to facilitate people working remotely and keeping them in their communities.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I welcome that the interdepartmental group has been established. Can the Minister give me some more information as to when she expects this group to come back to her as to how we roll out the remote working hubs? I welcome the €5 million that was announced in the budget which will really make a difference. It will allow people to remain and work in their communities and to spend in the local economy. It will also significantly reduce the commuting of people out of their areas to bigge…

I would greatly appreciate if the Minister could give me figures as to how many remote working hubs could be established with this €5 million and if the group could look at the use of the already established premises that are perhaps vacant, or even the use of community centres as these hubs could act as a source of income for them. We know that many of them are struggling right now, especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a commitment to broadband in the programme for Government that does not ne…

I want to ask about the three weeks' additional parental benefit announced in budget 2021. The Tánaiste will know Sinn Féin brought forward a motion to increase maternity leave by 12 weeks in recognition of the impact of Covid-19 on parents, particularly those with newborns. The Government's solution was this increased leave. Any leave is welcome but there is little detail about when parents can actually take it. I understand that legislation is required. Can it be brought forward this year, given the difficulties …