Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Foot and Mouth Disease.

Mr. Hayes

I wish to share my time with Deputy Crawford. I understand fully why the Minister cannot be in the House this evening. His office contacted me earlier today to explain that he was in Belfast earlier and in the affected area.

The news from County Louth this morning has rightly put this country in a state of national alert. The consequences of a full-scale outbreak of foot and mouth disease throughout the island of Ireland would have a devastating effect on the economy and the new found wealth which has been produced in recent years. Since the outbreak of foot and mouth in the UK just four weeks ago, the effects of this disease in terms of employment have already seen significant numbers of people temporarily out of work. The precautionary measures that were taken over the last few weeks and the curtailments in trade have resulted in many people losing work in some exposed sectors of the economy. We have already seen a significant downturn in tourism, transport, food processing and the catering and leisure industries.

In this context, the role of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs will be absolutely crucial in providing people with financial support in what are very difficult times. The prospect of widespread unemployment as a consequence of the foot and mouth disease must be taken seriously by the Government. Many people who have seen a period of uninterrupted employment may well face into an uncertain future in the weeks ahead. We have a huge responsibility to help everyone who has lost their job as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs must be proactive in reaching out to people who are temporarily out of work. Despite the actions of the Department during the past three weeks, a totally new response is now required to meet the challenge head on. I hope the Minister will review the role played by his Department to date in assisting people who have lost their jobs.

First, the Minister should join with other ministerial colleagues in co-ordinating on a daily basis the response of his Department to this crisis. I understand that on 12 March the Minister informed local social welfare offices throughout the country to identify the total number of customers laid off as a result of the foot and mouth disease. It would be useful to know the total number of people in this category to date. It would also be useful to provide additional staff in the Department's local offices in parts of the country where there is a high dependence on industries that could be affected by the foot and mouth outbreak.

Second, the Minister should introduce an aggressive public information campaign, highlighting the exact range of entitlements to which people are entitled if temporarily out of work. The Department should immediately put in place a free phone service to directly inform people who have queries about their entitlements.

Third, in order for people to obtain unemployment assistance, there is a requirement that they must be "genuinely looking for work". There will be a certain group who can find work during this period but for the vast majority of people who are laid off, their local social welfare office would be the first port of call. I expect the Minister to issue instructions to local officers in his Department advising officers to handle such cases with sensitivity and understanding.

Fourth, the fallout from the foot and mouth crisis will have a devastating effect on low income families where a significant portion of their income derives from part-time earnings or casual work. This group in particular needs to be supported and the current range of entitlements do not allow them to obtain financial support from the Department.

Tonight thousands of workers are concerned that their jobs might be on the line as a result of this outbreak. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has a responsibility to provide them with assistance and support. The suggestions I have presented to the House are intended to help the Minister and his colleagues in coming to grips with the crisis. We all have a role to play to be constructive at this time.

Mr. Crawford

I thank my colleague for sharing his time with me.

My reason for speaking on this issue is the extremely serious position of the whole agricultural sector. Hauliers and those involved in tourism and the meat industry are suffering seriously. I ask the Minister to be sensitive in regard to the farm assist scheme. I understand he has agreed to issue blanket cover to those living in the exclusion area. There are many families outside this zone who have been tied up for a number of weeks as a result of the regulations imposed. These people cannot sell calves, weanlings or breeding stock such as suckling cows or milk cows. The means test which is normally carried out on these farms is based on the number of milk cows, suckler cows and other cattle on which these people depend. This is no longer relevant because these products cannot be sold. The only product these farmers might be able to sell is milk but that alone will not be sufficient to provide them with a livelihood.

The Minister should reconsider the whole means testing system for farm assist while this crisis is taking place. He should ensure that farm families, including those depending on farms, will at least have something on which to live. Perhaps these people could be helped to provide fodder or other products for their animals. This extremely serious situation should be taken into account and officers should be notified accordingly.

Ms Hanafin

I thank Deputies Hayes and Crawford for raising this vital issue and for their understanding regarding the absence of the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs who is unable to be here because of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in County Louth.

I would like to make it clear that employees who are laid off as a result of the foot and mouth precautions may qualify for unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit, subject to satisfying the usual conditions for receipt of those payments. These conditions include being available for and genuinely seeking work.

Deciding officers of the Department were advised on 12 March to have regard to the temporary nature of lay-offs arising from the foot and mouth precautions when considering whether the conditions for entitlement to unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit are fulfilled. In this regard, they were advised to take into account the fact that the people concerned may not yet have had a chance to consider other employment opportunities that may be available to them. In addition, they were advised that each case should be examined on its own merits. In the circumstances, it is expected that people signing on as a result of the foot and mouth scare would qualify for an unemployment payment subject to satisfying the contribution conditions for unem ployment benefit or the means test for unemployment assistance.

People whose self-employment has ceased due to the foot and mouth alert may also qualify for unemployment assistance for the duration of the lay-off. As this payment is subject to a means test, income from all sources is taken into account in the assessment.

On the question of numbers, a mechanism for identifying claims resulting from the foot and mouth alert has been put in place in the Department since 12 March. Since that date, some 262 such claims have been recorded, of which 236 are currently in payment. In the event that a person does not qualify for an unemployment payment, he or she can apply for supplementary welfare allowance at their local health centre and the community welfare officer will assess them on the basis of their present circumstances and immediate needs.

It is also open to any farmer adversely affected by the foot and mouth scare to avail of the supports provided under the farm assist scheme or to seek a review of his or her current entitlements under farm assist if applicable. Advertisements highlighting the supports available under the farm assist scheme for farmers affected by the current foot and mouth precautions will appear in today's edition of the Irish Farmers' Journal and again in next week's edition due on 29 March. The Department has also been in contact with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development with a view to setting up arrangements to fast-track the investigation process of farm assist claims for farmers affected by the foot and mouth restrictions.

Representatives of the Irish Farmers Association and Teagasc met officials of my Department and the North Eastern Health Board recently about the difficulties faced by farmers within the restricted zone. Following the meeting, the North Eastern Health Board issued a mailshot to farmers within the zone highlighting the availability of farm assist and the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.

A number of precautionary measures have been put in place by the Department to ensure that the foot and mouth disease is not unwittingly spread within Ireland. These include the suspension of visits by officers to farms and the processing of claims by members of the farming community by non-personal contact methods.

The Department is liaising with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development on the ongoing developments and is continuing to monitor the situation with a view to putting in place whatever further appropriate measures are needed.