I am delighted to co-sponsor this Bill with my colleagues here this evening. I acknowledge former Deputy Gerry Adams and Deputy Brian Stanley who introduced a similar Bill back in 2016. At that time, the then Taoiseach warned that the establishment of a single authority was not possible and I welcome that Fine Gael has moved away from that position. Indeed, 20 years ago it was Fine Gael arguing for a single authority and promising to deliver on it when next in government. Fine Gael has gone from promising a single …

I wrote to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine this morning about this issue and asked that some limited numbers of people be allowed around the rings at our marts. There is a major issue with broadband infrastructure. I spoke to one mart manager yesterday whose Internet connection is poor. Farmers and buyers at home simply do not have the necessary broadband. I appreciate that we cannot have concessions for everything in the context of these new restrictions but we are talking about farmers' liveliho…

Earlier today, I re-read more than 300 comments left by almost 500 people who participated in my online survey on household debt last month. One of those who left a comment was a mother who has been crying herself to sleep so her husband and son do not see her. Another was a person who is living alone and in constant pain but cannot afford to go to the dentist for the major dental work she needs. There was also a father who has contemplated suicide and picked a spot in the house to do it but who has been kept going…

I, too, want to voice my opposition and that of my party to this regulation. Last week, I raised the growing issue of energy poverty. We all know that energy prices and bills have increased. We have seen an increase in the public service obligation levy. Electric Ireland customers saw an increase earlier this month and now we have a further increase of €7.50 in carbon tax. A fuel allowance today of €3.50 pales in comparison when we look at the mounting utility bills and, indeed, debt that many workers and families …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. It is a very timely one, given that the level 3 nationwide restrictions came into effect at midnight. The way we support workers through income supports is particularly important at this time. We know how quickly the number of PUP recipients increased when Dublin and Donegal went into level 3 and so we know that many workers across the State will now reapply for the PUP. This week, over 205,000 people received the PUP. Of those, more than 121,000 received the rate …

I am delighted to present this Bill to the Dáil and to speak on it on First Stage. Many people live along the River Shannon and everyone is sick and tired of the floods hitting and the politicians coming out on their boats to have photographs taken and to say how awful it is. The politicians go away, the floods recede and that is the end of it. Then the floods come again and again. Families, businesses and farmers are affected and we really need to shout "Stop" because it keeps happening. The River Shannon needs to…

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

I too welcome this motion and commend the Social Democrats on bringing it forward. Before we ever heard of Covid-19 the Government was telling us about low unemployment, plenty of jobs and Ireland being the fastest growing economy in the EU but what good is any of that when we have children going hungry, are cold in their own homes and some who are without any home living in bed and breakfast accommodation and homeless accommodation across the State? It is a rich economy but a very poor society. That is the reality…

I commend my colleague, Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, on bringing forward this motion on behalf of the many fishing families across the State, who I am sure will be watching this evening and listening to all contributions. I visited Arranmore Island recently as part of my role as party spokesperson for the islands. It was the first of a number of island trips I hope to make in the coming months to learn more about island life and, as a person from Roscommon which is very much inland, to understand adequately the li…

I was contacted yesterday by a parent whose daughter was about to start college at UCD. Her timetable indicates that she will attend on campus for three days between now and January, yet the university is seeking full payment for her on-campus accommodation. The student and her parent have been told that they must pay up by this evening or her place will be cancelled. I acknowledge that the Minister stated there would be intervention on this matter, but I ask that the intervention by the Minister with responsibilit…

I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of this Bill. Its timely passing by the House would take immense stress and strain off many working families, in particular working parents who are raising children on their own. For workers and families, the past six months have been difficult. The difficulties did not suddenly arise when schools returned. When the first State-wide restrictions were introduced, I was contacted by a number of parents, mothers in particular, who had children with lifelong illnesses. They…

I want to raise an ongoing issue of which the Taoiseach will be well aware. It relates to Aer Lingus employees who are consistently being blocked from receiving their social welfare entitlements. It is a very serious situation where workers in this State who pay PRSI to ensure they can access social welfare entitlements when they need them are being blocked from doing so at the very time they need them. At first Aer Lingus was not signing UP80 forms. It is now issuing letters instead of signing UP80 forms. Will the…

I want to ask the Minister the status of plans to legislate for the deferral of the State pension increase to 67 years of age.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Even at this stage I have received correspondence from people approaching 66 years of age next year. We know that in normal circumstances, people approaching pension age have to apply for the payment three months before turning 66 years of age. I recently spoke to a gentleman who is turning 66 next April and who has been told he cannot apply for the State pension because the legislation has not been sorted out yet. There seem to be difficulties for a number of people and they are unsu…

Following on from that, as the membership has not yet been agreed and the Minister has to bring a memo to Cabinet, which I appreciate, given the timeframe in the programme for Government is she confident that the commission will be able to report by June next year? When does she envisage the first meeting of the commission's membership will take place? It is very important that she has a representative for employees on the commission, be it a trade union or similar representative. It is important that the voices of…

Will the Minister consider moving towards linking social welfare rates with adequacy? Will she begin that process in the upcoming budget?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. The Minister will probably know that this is an issue that we have been raising in the House for many years. In 2018, we published the Social Welfare Commission Bill, which was to establish a commission to consider the work the VPSJ does on the MESL to ensure very vulnerable households that rely on social welfare supports can meet a certain amount of their outgoings. All this is a very basic minimum standard of living to be met by these vulnerable households. The commission would also…

I certainly would not be asking the Minister to do it in one year but I ask if she could begin the process in the next budget. The Minister also referred to the roadmap on social inclusion. We have been asking about this roadmap for a long time because, as the Minister will know, it was published two years late, having been due in 2017. The Minister will notice from the response of the organisations on the front line, for example, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Social Justice Ireland and the European Anti-Pove…

I want to ask the Minister about energy poverty and the difficulties faced by vulnerable households owing to increased energy costs. These households have spent longer at home in recent months and will have higher energy bills.

It is always the case at this time of the year that lights in households are turned on earlier and more heating is required. Uniquely this year, more people have spent more time at home than usual and they face increased energy costs. I appreciate that the fuel allowance season was extended, that procedures were put in place and that disconnections were banned, all of which measures were of help to the families but they now face higher bills, which are mounting. The Minister will probably know that, last December, …