Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1996 > Select Committtee on Social Affairs > Annual Report - Select Committee on Social Affairs, Volume II

Imeachtaí An Roghchoiste

Proceedings of the Select Committee

Déardaoin, 21 Márta, 1996

Thursday, 21st March, 1996

1. The Committee met at 10.35 a.m.

2. Members Present.

The following Members were present:-

Deputy Séamus Pattison (in the Chair), the Minister for Social Welfare, Deputies Bernard J. Durkan (Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare)**, Paul Bradford, Eric Byrne*, Paul Connaughton*, Joe Costello, Michael Creed*, Seán Doherty*, Frances Fitzgerald, Mary Flaherty, Chris Flood, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Philip Hogan, Jim Kemmy, Seán Kenny, Kathleen Lynch, Michéal Martin, P. J. Sheehan*, Dan Wallace*, Mary Wallace*, Joe Walsh and Michael J. Woods.

3. Social Welfare Bill, 1996

The Committee resumed consideration of the Bill.

(i) Sections 5 and 6 agreed to.

(ii) New section.

Amendment proposed (Deputy Joe Walsh):

“In page 8, before section 7, to insert the following new section:

‘7.—(1) The recommendation of the Commission on Social Welfare in relation to a common basic payment or minimally adequate payment shall be recognised as the official poverty line.

(2) The official poverty line rate shall be established at:

(a)for a single adult, £50.00 per week at 1985 prices,

(b)for a married couple, 1.6 times the weekly rate for a single person at 1985 prices,

(c)for each child under the age of 18 years, £10.00 per week at 1985 prices.

(3) The official poverty line rate shall be indexed annually in line with the Consumer Price Index.’.”

Question:-“That the new section be there inserted”-put, The Committee divided: For, 8; Against, 12.

For:-Deputies Seán Doherty, Chris Flood, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Michéal Martin, Dan Wallace, Mary Wallace, Joe Walsh and Michael J. Woods.

Against:-Deputies Paul Bradford, Eric Byrne, Joe Costello, Michael Creed, Proinsias De Rossa, Frances Fitzgerald, Mary Flaherty, Philip Hogan, Jim Kemmy, Seán Kenny, Séamus Pattison and P. J. Sheehan.

The Question was declared negatived accordingly.

Further consideration of the Bill adjourned.

4. Meeting Suspended.

Ordered: That the Meeting be now suspended until 11.35 a.m.

The Meeting was accordingly suspended at 11.20 a.m.

The Meeting was resumed at 11.40 a.m.

5. Consideration of Bill.

The Committee resumed consideration of the Bill.

(i) Sections 7 to 11, inclusive, agreed to.

Further consideration of the Bill adjourned.

6. Meeting Suspended.

Ordered: That the Meeting be now suspended until 2.30 p.m.

The Meeting was accordingly suspended at 1.15 p.m.

The Meeting was resumed at 2.35 p.m.

7. Consideration of Bill.

The Committee resumed consideration of the Bill.

(i) Section 12.

Amendment proposed (Deputy Bernard J. Durkan, Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare):

“In page 11, subsection (1)(a), to delete lines 27 to 30 and substitute the following:

‘ “12. Employment under the scheme administered by An Foras Áiseanna Saothair known as Community Employment or employment under a programme known as the Part Time Job Opportunities Pilot Programme administered by or on behalf of the Conference of Religious of Ireland, where the said employment commences on or after the 6th day of April, 1996.”,’.”

Amendment agreed to.

Section, as amended, agreed to.

(ii) Section 13.

Amendment proposed (Deputy Joe Walsh):

“In page 13, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:

‘(b)In all cases where a person’s application for a disability allowance has been rejected, they shall be entitled to receive within ten days a written statement, in such form as shall be specified by regulation, of the reasons for this rejection.’.”

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section agreed to.

(iii) Sections 14, 15 and 16 agreed to.

(iv) Section 17.

Question proposed:-“That the section stand part of the Bill”.

Debate ensued.

Further consideration of the Bill adjourned.

8. Adjournment.

The Committee adjourned at 5.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 26th March, 1996.

** Pursuant to paragraph (3) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee, Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare) substituted for the Minister for Social Welfare.

* Pursuant to paragraph (9) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee, Deputies Michael Creed, Seán Doherty, P. J. Sheehan, Dan Wallace and Mary Wallace substituted for Deputies Theresa Ahearn, Tom Moffat, Dinny McGinley, Matt Brennan and Séamus Hughes respectively and Deputies Eric Byrne and Paul Connaughton substituted for Deputies Kathleen Lynch and Philip Hogan respectively (for part of the meeting).