I too would like to extend a fáilte romhat to our dignitaries from France and wish them a happy Bastille Day.

I want to raise an issue regarding social welfare payments.

People on jobseeker's allowance or on farm assist may sometimes have to come off those payments if they receive some work. They may be working on a part-time basis, so they notify the Department of Social Protection and the payment is ceased. Sometimes the work, especially if it is seasonal, finishes up and when the person reapplies for the payment, the delay can be excessive.

One person who recently contacted me has a small farm and was in receipt of farm assist. They had been doing seasonal work for a number of months and when that ceased, they contacted the Department and reapplied. That was in early April. It was not sanctioned until early July. It took three months for the payment to be made and their circumstances had not changed. I can understand the Department had to do a quick check and make sure things had not changed, but given that they had submitted everything and had previously applied for and been granted this payment, it should have been seamless to allow them to do the seasonal work for a number of weeks or months and then resume the payment. In the meantime they had no money, so they were borrowing off family members. It was taking so long and the Department was looking for extra information and arranging visits but not turning up for them. This person asked me to contact the Department, which I did and then the payment was granted. I am not saying it was not going to be granted anyway - maybe it was - but three months is far too long.

I have heard the same situation for people who are on disability allowance, where they might undertake a community employment, CE, scheme. They might come off the disability payment, do a CE scheme and really enjoy it as a chance to work, meet people and get out of the house. However, there are many now who do not want to take up the offer of a CE scheme because it takes so long once the CE scheme ends to get their disability payment back. I brought this up with the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, who said it should be seamless. I agree that it absolutely should be seamless but it is not. It still seems to be causing a problem. It is a pity to see people on these payments not taking up the opportunity to do a CE scheme or part-time work because of the fear that their payment will not be resumed in an expedient way.

I ask that this issue be raised with the Minister, Deputy Calleary. It needs to be addressed as fast as possible.