I move:
That Seanad Éireann, recognising
– the advances carried out by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the Department over the past five years,
– the improvements in social welfare payments, and
– the improvements in services and information from her Department to its clients,
in the light of the upcoming budget Estimates and the talks on social partnership calls on the Minister to maintain a strong role in the progressing of services and facilities for the disadvantaged and in social inclusion.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Minister to the House. If we look at the significant changes which have taken place in this area in recent years, we can see the reason the motion, which I hope the House will support, is important. It is necessary to maintain this strong role and continue to progress the services and facilities for the disadvantaged and to include those who were on the margins but are now becoming involved and included in society. I intend to focus on a number of the key initiatives and major improvements that have taken place in the area of social and family affairs.
Without a doubt, the first area on which the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats Government acted in the last five years – hopefully in the next five – was child benefit. The universal payment made directly to families, in most cases to mothers, is the single most effective payment in recognising the contribution women make to the home and parenthood. It also represents a major move towards achieving the goal of ending child poverty. There is nothing worse than seeing our children go hungry or cold, or without money to engage in school or social activities.
Child benefit will never be enough. No Government could ever give enough money to enable mothers to do all that they might want for their children, but the increases in 2002 bring the investment in child benefit to €1.44 billion, three times the 1997 figure. We saw an increase in the two child benefit rate of over €79 and €98 respectively in recent years. Such a level of increase is record breaking and I appeal to the Minister, whom I hope we all support in her negotiations with the Department of Finance, to ensure the final third increase, as initiated by her predecessor, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is paid in the forthcoming budget. I also plead with her to stand her ground and ensure there is no taxation of this payment which goes to the heart of the family and has benefited both women and their families for years. Any derogation in its effectiveness is not something over which we could stand. I strongly believe we could not contemplate either a reduction in the expected increases or taxation of these payments.
I realise that we do not have much time, but I must mention one area where there were difficulties with the old Department, that is, communication and customer care. There have been significant improvements in how members of the public are dealt with. We have seen automated leaflet and application requests on line which recognises that 60% of the over 4 million telephone calls received by the Department are requests for leaflets or application forms. There are also lo-call telephone numbers for the maternity benefits section and the publication by Comhairle of the Department's document on the recent entitlements for the over 60s. I compliment the Minister on this wonderful publication which is clear and makes it easy to find what is available as well as outlining the means tests and payments.
I preface all my remarks by recognising that while many things have been done, not everything that could be done is done, in particular in relation to carers. The Government, like its predecessor, has long been committed to continuing to develop the services which recognise the caring ethos in this country and the practical assistance for those who devote their time to improving the quality of life of others, that is, carers of older people, those with a disability and in any circumstance where someone gives up time to provide care. This is also an area where women tend to predominate. It is often an older woman looking after a middle aged child with a disability at home, which relieves the burden on the residential care sector. We have made a significant impact in this area.
The annual respite grant of €635 with a double payment where the carer looks after more than one person is to be welcomed. The carers of children who receive domiciliary care allowance are now eligible to apply for carer's allowance. This makes a significant difference to those women at home looking after children with a disability as it means that they have additional money because often domiciliary care allowance goes directly to support the child to improve his or her quality of life. All carers who receive carer's allowance are now entitled to the free schemes, such as travel, which is a huge benefit. The income disregards have also been significantly increased, both for individuals and couples.
Members of the Opposition will say we should get rid of the means test, but the figures on the cost of abolishing it show that it is better to keep it while increasing the income disregards instead of giving carer's allowance to everyone whether they need it. The numbers receiving carer's allowance and benefit have more than doubled from 9,700 to over 19,000 in recent years while expenditure increased by 180%.
There has been an almost 50% increase in old age pensions in five years and a commitment to see the basic pension increase to at least €200 by 2007. It was raised to €127 by 2002. All old age pensioners recognise that this represents an increase of 24% above the rate of inflation, in addition to the increases and additional services that the over 70s receive, regardless of means tests, such as the medical card and other free schemes.
We can see some improvement in regard to communications to widows who, under the stress of having lost a loved one who was perhaps the breadwinner, often do not have the confidence to approach the Department for information. It is important to provide a leaflet designed for widows or those who have been bereaved. The needs of younger widows and widowers have not been forgotten by the Department. A special widowed parent grant has been enhanced to €2,500 to help bereaved families at this difficult time. This is a recognition of the work that has been done in this area.
I have a final request to make to the Minister in regard to free travel. A person of 65 years of age who has free travel can get a companion pass for a spouse. A person with a free pass because of disability is also entitled to a companion pass. However, a widow or widower cannot get a companion pass because he or she has not got a spouse. I ask the Minister to look at the extension of free travel so that widows or widowers can apply for a companion pass so that they will have the opportunity to take someone with them when travelling. As they get older they need a companion to give them the confidence to get out and avail of the free travel. This is something that would not cost a huge amount and should be kept in mind for the budget.