Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Feb 1993

Vol. 426 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Liz O'Donnell

Question:

81 Ms. O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated total number of social welfare recipients in 1993 on which the total allocation contained in the Estimates for Public Services (Abridged Version) 1993 is based; and if he will give a detailed breakdown of this estimated total number, category by category.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to weekly payments is set out in the following tables:

Number of Social Welfare Beneficiaries — 1993 Abridged Estimates.

Weekly Average Numbers in Payment.

Schemes	Nos. in Payment
Social Insurance
Invalidity Pension	37,300
Retirement Pension	56,600
Old Age Contributory Pension	72,500
Widows/Orphans Contributory Pension	86,700
Deserted Wives Benefit	12,800
Death Benefit	500
Disablement Pension	8,100
Disability Benefit	47,000
Injury Benefit	2,000
Maternity Allowance	4,000
Unemployment Benefit	85,500
Total Social Insurance	413,000
Social Assistance
Old Age Non-contributory Pension	112,500
Lone Parents Allowance	35,300
Widows/Orphans Non-contributory Pension	19,200
Deserted Wives Allowance	2,150
Prisoners Wives Allowance	10
Pre-Retirement Allowance	16,300
Carers Allowance	4,200
Family Income Supplement	8,000
Rent Allowance	950
Unemployment Assistance	202,200
Smallholders Assistance	11,800
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	15,000
Total Social Assistance	427,610
Total in Payment	840,610

Note: The total in payment include a small element of double-counting, as some persons could be in receipt of more than one payment, the second of which might be, for example, Disablement Benefit or Rent Allowance.

Richard Bruton

Question:

82 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether the normal social welfare percentage increases are applied to the part-time job incentive scheme and the various earning disregards in the means test for unemployment assistance such as for parents or for spouses of the applicant or for outside earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

Rates of payment under the part-time job incentive scheme and earnings disregards for unemployment assistance are reviewed from time to time in the light, inter alia, of changes in rates of social welfare payments. Any adjustments which arise as a result of such reviews are made in a budgetary context, in the light of available resources.