asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will accredit a team of five or six community welfare officers to the Irish Embassy in London, in order to assist, under the supplementary welfare provisions, Irish citizens who have recently emigrated and who are in financial and social difficulties; if he has any plans to provide additional resources for Irish centres in Britain, in order to assist them in alleviating the flood of emigrants with which they have to cope; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assistance to Emigrants.
26.
Allowances under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme are payable, under existing legislation, only to persons within the State. The scheme is administered by the health boards within their own functional areas and, accordingly, emigrants cannot be assisted under the scheme.
I recently visited the Camden Irish Centre in London to hear at first hand of the problems experienced by Irish emigrants and to establish the implications of the changes implemented earlier this month in the British social welfare code. I am concerned at the implications for young Irish emigrants arising from these changes and I shall be keeping the matter under review in the coming months.
The provision of financial assistance to Irish centres in Britain is the responsibility of the Minister for Labour and this year the Government have made available £250,000 for this purpose.
Will the Minister agree that a great number of young Irish people who are forced to emigrate because of lack of employment here are at risk in London and elsewhere in the UK? Is he not aware of statements made by certain churchmen in recent times? In view of the facts and the high social risk involved because of lack of resources, will he not take exceptional measures by sending relieving officers to the embassy in London who are not geared to help to alleviate this problem at the moment?
Up to this time the services provided at the centres and the Camden centre in London particularly are very well co-ordinated with local welfare services in the DHSS. That has worked generally fairly well and they provide some supplementary income in exceptional cases. My main concern in that respect is that with the changes in the regulations there which were introduced recently, new difficulties could arise. In that connection we are monitoring the position and I will be reporting to the Government on my findings.
Has the Minister any information from the Irish centres or any other sources at his disposal as to how many young Irish people under the age of 21 are sleeping or living rough in London? If he has those figures has he any intention of taking any steps to alleviate the problem?
That is a separate question. No doubt the Deputy will be aware of the reports of the Irish centre in London which indicate the number of people they assist. The great difficulty there is that of accommodation. The provision of hostel accommodation is, therefore, a priority and is one of the matters which are being considered both by the associations representing the Irish there and by the Irish centre.
That disposes of questions for today.
Could I ask the Minister——
Please, Deputy Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, may I seek leave to raise this matter on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.