There are quite a lot of children who would qualify for university grants and are afraid to take them because their parents cannot possibly supply any pocket money and some incidentals. Therefore I would like that their case for a supplementary allowance will be looked on very favourably.
Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowances) Bill, 1975: Committee and Final Stages.
Section 1 agreed to.
SECTION 2.
Question proposed: "That section 2 stand part of the Bill."
As I explained in introducing the Bill, students who would otherwise be the responsibility of their parents would not be eligible to benefit from the supplementary allowance under the provision of this Bill. There are exceptions however to that general rule. A student could possibly be the head of a household; he could be the main support, if he was unmarried, of his mother or some other dependant. There are those exceptions. I do not think that in the circumstances described by the Senator they would be eligible under the terms of this Bill for supplementary allowance. However, I take the Senator's point that in many cases people cannot pursue their education to the fullest because of the economic circumstances of the family which forces them to take gainful employment. It is something I will look into.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 3 to 28, inclusive, agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.
The Seanad adjourned at 2.30 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 17th December, 1975.