SEANAD ÉIREANN
AN BILLE LEASA SHÓISIALAIGH 2007 SOCIAL WELFARE BILL 2007
LEASUITHE COISTE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
[No. 51 of 2007] [19 December, 2007] [Printers Reference] SEANAD ÉIREANN
AN BILLE LEASA SHÓISIALAIGH 2007 —AN CHOISTE
SOCIAL WELFARE BILL 2007 —COMMITTEE STAGE
Leasuithe Amendments
SECTION 2 1. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Promised PRSI and 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and Pension increases. lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the average rate increase in income tax it would take if tax-payers were to fund the promises on PRSI and pensions in the Programme for Government.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
2. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Consolidated 2.—The Minister shall maintain an informal consolidation of the Social Welfare legislation. Acts on the Department’s website on an ongoing basis.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
3. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Regulations. 2.—Any regulation made under the Social Welfare Acts shall be published on the website of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and shall be transmitted forthwith to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
4. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Social welfare 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and records of foreign lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the current arrangements to workers. deal with difficulties experienced by foreign workers in obtaining social welfare records from their home countries.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
5. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Qualified Child 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and Allowances. lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the rationale for keeping Qualified Child Allowances at a low level over the past decade.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly. [No. 51 of 2007] [19 December, 2007] [ SECTION 2 ]
6. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Initial period of 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and claim. lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on any arrangements whereby claimants under the Social Welfare Acts are not provided with payments for the first 3 days of any claim and the continued justification for any such practice.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
7. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Means test for 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and Back to School lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of excluding Clothing and Carer’s Allowance from the means test for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Footwear Allowance.”. Allowance. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
8. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Carer’s Allowance 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and —multiple persons lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of providing cared for. Carers with a full rate of Carer’s Allowance for every person they care for.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
9. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Qualification for 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and Carer’s Allowance lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of extending —“full time care qualification for Carer’s Allowance to any person who provides care to such an and attention” rule. extent that the care recipient would require nursing home care or significant professional assistance if they were not receiving assistance from the person.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
10. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Data security. 2.—The Minister shall make an annual report to both Houses of the Oireachtas on data security within the Department of Social and Family Affairs, including information on the number of breaches, complaints upheld by the Data Protection Commissioner, internal and external investigations underway, internal and external investigations concluded, civil proceedings underway, civil proceedings concluded, the cost to the State of civil proceedings, etc.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly.
2 [ SECTION 2 ]
11. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Carer’s Allowance 2.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and —credits. lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of facilitating carers who take up Carer’s Allowance move from a position where they were neither paying or receiving credits to one where they receive credits from the date they are awarded the Carer’s Allowance so that they improve their pension qualification upon retirement and the implications of having this provision back- dated.”. —Senators Phil Prendergast, Alex White, Michael McCarthy, Brendan Ryan, Dominic Hannigan, Peter Kelly. 12. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Support for Lone 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Parents. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of tax credits refundable for lone parents.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden. 13. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“National Carer 2.—The Minister shall, within 1 month of the commencement of this Act, lay Strategy. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the progress of the National Carers Strategy.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden. 14. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on support 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay available to young before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the levels of support available to carers. young carers.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
15. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Living Alone 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Allowance. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on increasing the Living Alone Allowance.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
16. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Reform of Rent 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Supplement before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on administrative options to reform Scheme. the Rent Supplement Scheme.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
17. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Reform of Habitual 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Residence before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the removal of the Habitual Condition from Residence Condition from the Child Benefit payment.”. Child Benefit. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
3 [ SECTION 2 ]
18. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Eligibility for Early 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Childcare before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on eligibility for the Early Childcare Supplement. Supplement.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
19. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on child 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay income support before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of a second–tier, payment. employment neutral, child income support payment to target child poverty levels.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
20. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Disability Payment. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of a cost of disability payment for people with disabilities.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
21. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay introduction of before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the implications of the introduction Paternity Benefit. of a scheme to provide paternity benefit, including details of—
(a) qualification criteria, and
(b) payment methods,
for the scheme, which shall be run on a similar basis to entitlement to maternity benefit.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
22. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on Free 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Travel Scheme. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the implications of extending the free travel scheme to include other services providers and improving free travel benefits for people in rural areas.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
23. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on Payment 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay of Fuel Allowance. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the payment of the fuel allowance as a once-off bulk payment.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
4 [ SECTION 2 ]
24. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on National 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Waste Waiver before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of a national waste System. waiver system for all low-income households administered through the social welfare system.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
25. In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:
“Report on 2.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Women’s before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on improving women’s entitlement to Entitlement to the full State Contributory Pension.”. Contributory —Senator Nicky McFadden. Pension.
SECTION 4 26. In page 4, before section 4, to insert the following new section:
“Family Income 4.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Supplement. before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the level of use and take up of the Family Income Supplement.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
27. In page 4, before section 4, to insert the following new section:
“Back-to-School 4.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay Clothing and before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and Footwear proportion thereof availing of the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. Allowance, among low income families.”. —Senator Nicky McFadden.
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