asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will abolish the three-day waiting period in respect of social welfare benefits; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
7.
Legislation to abolish the waiting period for social welfare benefits is not at present contemplated.
Why?
There are other priorities.
Such as what?
There are many of them.
Could the Minister give us one or two?
Increasing the rates of benefit is a more urgent priority than eliminating the waiting days.
How much would this cost?
Sin ceist eile.
Is the Minister aware that employers have agreed to pay the first three days and they do not apparently consider the same regulation, which the Minister believes should operate, is necessary?
We should take advantage of that.
The only trouble about that is that it only applies to a limited number. Would the Minister not give those unfortunate people this money?
The number is expanding.
Unfortunately, there are many really poor people who are not covered, but the Minister does not mind about them. They are only poor workers.
I do not think this is the highest priority. It would be much more desirable to increase the rates of disability benefit rather than to eat up a large amount of money on a multitude of short-term claims.
Of course, the Minister was never in a position of being the breadwinner of a family ill for three days who got nothing from social welfare. If he was he would understand this.
I was.
Not in your wildest dreams.
I would say poorer.
This is inverted snobbery.
I did not raise it— Deputy Corish did. I certainly had more hardship than Deputy Corish— considerably more.
Will Deputies allow questions to proceed?