The continued commitment of the Government and the Minister to the less well off is very clear in the Bill. The fact that we have had eight new Acts — and that there are 64 sections in this Bill — is a very clear recognition of the Government's continued concern for the less well off in the community.
I have already referred to the major increases over the past three years. The special increases for people on unemployment and disability benefit mean that all long term social welfare payments reach — or exceed — the priority rate of the Commission on Social Welfare at 1991 levels. I again want to emphasise that there has been an increase of 45 per cent in the level of unemployment payments since Fianna Fáil returned to Government in 1987. The real value of that increase can be appreciated by realising that this huge percentage increase was achieved at a time when inflation was reduced to a low single figure for each of those years, indeed, it was reduced to less than 3 per cent last year and remains at that figure this year. The personal rate has increased from £38 to £55, which is real progress against an extremely difficult economic background. The Fine Gael-Labour Coalition of the mid-eighties did not take on the task of improving the position of people on social welfare. Their approach was to set the problem aside for a few years by establishing a commission to examine the needs of the people. However, Fianna Fáil had already identified the requirements of the people in relation to social welfare and we had started a process, when Deputy Woods was Minister for Social Welfare, in the early eighties which continued, as I said, over the past three years.
While the Government can do much to provide welfare services, there is always a need for voluntary bodies and organisations. I want to pay tribute to the Minister for setting aside £1 million this year to assist voluntary organisations; £500,000 has been made available to women's groups. At the beginning of last year the Minister recognised the need for support and assistance for the many voluntary groups which represented women's organisations through out the country. My constituency of Cork North-Central — and areas such as Farranree, Knocknaheeny, Mayfield and many others — have benefited in a very substantial way from these grants. Many organised women's groups now participate at local level; the husbands of many of these women are unemployed, the women are caring for young children and, until they joined these groups, they had no outlets or hope for the future. They are now coming together and the Minister's assistance is very welcome. The support groups in Knocknaheeny and Mayfield have benefited from those grants, it has given men who have been unemployed for many years an opportunity to come together and to support one another in projects in their local areas. I should particularly like to refer to the once-off capital grants which have been allocated to areas all over the country. I can say without hesitation that the sum of £1 million was value for money; £300,000 has been allocated for capital works and community associations and facilities for the elderly have benefited in a very substantial way.
I agree with the remarks of Deputy Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) last Thursday in regard to medical referees because it is an area which has caused concern. The vast majority of people in receipt of social welfare are entitled to it. Unfortunately, many people attending hospitals, consultants and specialists are called before medical referees and told that they are capable of work. I have personally met people whose GP refused to sign medical certificates classing them as fit to resume work. Some of them are attending specialists; it is a catch-22 situation and very unsatisfactory. When people have been certified as unfit for work by a consultant or specialist there should be another system of referral instead of calling them before a medical referee. They should be referred to a hospital consultant; anything would be better than the present method of deciding. I heard of two cases in the past couple of months where people were waiting to get into hospital and yet the medical referee told them they were fit for work. They duly went into hospital and were in receipt of social welfare but when they left hospital benefit was cut off until they went before a medical referee. This is very unsatisfactory; I know that the new appeals system is working well but there is still a problem in this category.
I should also like to acknowledge the allowances given to widowers with dependants and the allowance should continue when the dependants get married or leave home. It is a fine scheme. This is the first time it has been recognised that widowers have the same problems and difficulties as widows. Until the present Minister took on board the decision to give allowances to widowers, they had no assistance from the State other than unemployment benefit or whatever other allowances they were entitled to. Widowers with no dependants feel they are being hard done by in this legislation, and maybe in future the Minister will consider this category.
A major breakthrough has been made in the provision for pro rata pensions. In Cork a group of blue collar CIE workers who became white collar workers found they were losing out because they had not sufficient contributions for full benefit. The Minister's provision in this regard is very welcome and those workers appreciate it. For years a lobby were pressing for this, uncertain that they would succeed. Now these workers will be brought into the contribution scheme and this will be taken into consideration when deciding their pensions. The Minister has taken a major step forward in ensuring part-time workers will be protected. Now 21,000 of them who are being brought into the social welfare system will be eligible for these benefits.
The decision to allow a minimum of £5 to all people on unemployment assistance who have means assessed against them because of other income into their home is welcome. No matter what criticism comes from across the floor, the fact is major changes are taking place here for the first time. This Minister has taken certain matters on board and we see the evidence of that now. However, no individual should have to depend on the income of his father or brother. While I welcome the £5 allowance I realise there can be major problems in a family because fathers are unwilling to maintain their sons and daughters. Young people are leaving home and going into flats to get the rent allowance from the health boards. We will have to go a long way to accommodate these people. The correct measures in this area should benefit society in the long term and they also should benefit the finances of the State.
The increase in the FIS is very welcome. The Minister showed great foresight when he introduced it. I know families where the bread-winner would not be working today but for the FIS and these people would get more on social welfare if they were not working. There are self-employed people all over the country now, for instance, taxi drivers or part-timers who get a certain amount of unemployment assistance. The Minister might consider extending the FIS to cover these people, thereby taking them off the register.
I welcome the provision in section 52 linking the periods in unemployment assistance claims. I am sure we have all met people who claim they have worked for a few weeks or months in the year and then find they are no longer classed as long term unemployed — although they have not worked full-time for five or six years — and lose their fuel allowance and the double week at Christmas.
Unemployment is a major problem today and there is no prospect of reducing it to tolerable levels in the immediate future. The Government must approach this problem in a co-ordinated way. Many parts of the country, including Knocknaheeny, Gurranebraher, the Glen, Mayfield and Farranree where I live are suffering from very high levels of unemployment. Many of these people are in despair, devoid of hope for themselves and their children.
The Government have a responsibility to tackle this problem resolutely. It is sufficiently serious to warrant a Minister with special responsibility for employment. We need a special co-ordinated effort at Government level to restore confidence and hope to the vast numbers who are out of work. A Minister with special responsibility for this area would be able to co-ordinate the activities to the various Government Departments, semi-State bodies and voluntary agencies who provide services for the unemployed. While we have achieved a great deal and there is a commitment to job creation, there is clear evidence of the need for co-ordination by the Government in this regard. I ask the Minister and his colleagues to consider what I am saying. Job creation in Ireland is lower than in any other EC country, yet our population is the only one of the Twelve that is set to increase over the coming years. In the areas of labour, education, social welfare and health tremendous work is being done, but a co-ordinated approach is very necessary.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Minister, Deputy Woods. He has taken on board the serious problems of the underprivileged. In the early eighties when he was Minister for Health and Social Welfare he was to the fore in ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society were always thought of, and the record is there to prove that. This legislation, with 64 sections, is clear evidence of his commitment and the support he is getting at Government level to tackle a very serious problem. I have no doubt that with his continued concern the less well off will continue to receive the benefits to which they are entitled. Even with all the economic constraints, the fact that we are spending over £3 billion on social welfare gives an indication of the magnitude of his commitment.
We are a caring society, a caring Government and the evidence is very clear in this Bill. I am not suggesting that we do not have problems; we have, and, I am aware of this more than any other Deputy because I come from the area in Cork which is identified as a black spot.
I am glad to have had the opportunity to contribute to this debate and I compliment the Minister.