The changes in the social welfare system in the past ten years have benefited everybody, particularly recipients, and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has been included in the modern business-like response system of politics in that in some places those who call to political clinics can now produce their smart card which has their PRSI number and details electronically stored. This has moved a system of payment from the State to recipients of social welfare in various categories from being a bureaucratic nightmare to something that has become streamlined.
I listened to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform speak on the "Morning Ireland" radio programme about the drink and licensing laws. He said that it would not be possible to issue identity cards to everybody in the State. However, many thousands of people in receipt of social welfare benefits have received identity cards in the form of smart cards which identify who they are, their date of birth and social welfare entitlements. The Minister might indicate what is the future of this system. Will it be to move from a system where the smart cards now held by social welfare recipients will be used for the retention of other electronic data relevant to them? In other words, will it become a more complete form of identification?
Our education system leaves much to be desired. I had a visit some weeks ago from a reformed alcoholic, a separated mother of four children who has been through a rough time in the past six to eight years. She has completed a VTOS course in various educational facilities which has provided a new challenge in her life, the possibility of a career and betterment for herself. I raise the matter because there appears to be a difference between the treatment of those who receive disability allowance from a health board and those who receive unemployment assistance from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the impact of which relates to the charges levied against them if they take up a course in a GMIT, an institute of technology or on VTOS. This anomaly should be rectified. It is the policy of the Government to allow as many people as possible access to whatever part of the education system they wish. The criteria for charging for this should be changed and made more flexible and fair. Perhaps the Minister will look at this aspect of the treatment of different categories of recipients who wish to avail of similar courses of education.
The age-old assessment methods of the inspectors of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs have been ameliorated to some extent. When I first came into the House, assessments for old age pension purposes went into minute detail in terms of the means and assets, income and potential income of applicants. That has been changed and streamlined and, having attended at appeals with old age pension applicants, I am aware that the social welfare inspectorate is open to looking at whatever case is made on behalf of the applicant. I cannot say that they are not prepared to listen to an argument made in particular cases for old age pension applicants. One aspect, however, needs to be looked at by the Minister. That is where old age pensioners receive double payments in the form of a pension from Great Britain and a supplementary pension from Ireland.
We are all aware of the impact of emigration during the years and of the many hundreds of thousands of navvies who left this country and built the motorways, bridges and canal system of Great Britain and other countries. As we have bilateral agreements with a number of these countries, particularly Great Britain, thousands of pensioners here receive both a British pension and a supplementary Irish pension. Where the means of these pensioners are due for review, particularly in relation to the Irish element of the pension, they are likely to suffer serious reductions in the amounts they receive because of the conversion from sterling and the increases allowed in the British budget. The stress and the generally bad feeling which is created by this situation could be alleviated by way of a simple change. The Minister could announce that any person over 75 or 80 years who is in receipt of a British pension and of a part Irish pension will not have this difficulty placed in his way. The numbers involved are relatively small as is the amount of money but the impact on the lives of the pensioners would be huge.
These pensioners have always felt that they were forced out of this country by bad economic times. They went to work in England to keep families at home alive with the Friday parcel or the monthly cheque. At the end of their days, they should not have this bureaucratic nightmare imposed on their humble living standards. A review carried out on a pensioner of 75 or 80 years means they would be liable to suffer serious reductions because of the exchange rate even though the payment in sterling in the first instance means so much to them. A change such as I suggest would be most welcome and beneficial for the pensioners involved. I hope the Minister will take it on board. The matter was brought to my attention by a number of pension applicants from the west of Ireland, an area that traditionally had a heavy emigration rate to Britain.
Databases are now available so we are aware of the many thousands of people living in Great Britain whose sense of pride has been dented, who have not been home for many years and who are now living in doss houses and hostels. They receive little care and attention, particularly medical care, except for that provided by organisations such as DÍON and other voluntary organisations operating from Ireland. Many of them are out of touch with their homes, families and communities.
Given the economic boom, dealing with this issue is not a problem of money but of imagination and effect. The Department should look seriously at a radical approach to bringing these people home. When one talks to them in their alcoholic state, in their misery or in their loneliness, one realises how anxious they are to come home. Many of them were champions of physical work for a generation. They are now unable to work and are seriously drifting down the social scale. The statistics and information available to the Department through the Department of Foreign Affairs is such that their numbers are known. We should be able to find out where they are. They should be contacted and assessed, both physically and mentally if necessary, and given the attention, support and encouragement they need. Where possible, we should at least offer them the opportunity to return to Ireland.
There are a number of community efforts in this area, such as that in Mulrany, County Mayo, where St. Brendan's and Dr. Cowley have brought people back from England. The happiness of these people to be back in their home place in their last years is sublime. While the home place might have changed physically in terms of buildings and planning, we should never lose sight of the importance of the sense of community, even if the roar of the Celtic tiger can be heard from here to the boundaries of Athens.
The four points I outlined are relevant. If the Minister were to take these suggestions on board and implement them, it would enhance the status and compassion of his Department. It would also enhance the community in general and, in particular, would have great relevance to the lives of those most directly affected.