Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim nach mó ná £23,672,000 chun slánaithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an mhuirir a thiocaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31 ú lá de Mhárta, 1966, le haghaidh Tuarastail agus Costais Oifig an Aire Leasa Shóisialaigh, le haghaidh Seirbhísí áirithe atá faoi riaradh na hOifige sin, le haghaidh íocaíchtaí leis an gCiste Árachais Shóisialaigh, agus le haghaidh Ildeontas.
'Sé an méid glan atá ag teastáil don bhliain 1965-66 le h-aghaidh na seirbhísí as a bhfuilim-se freagrach ná £35,508,000. Is méadú é seo de £1,608,000 ar an mbun-soláthar a rinneadh do'n bhliain 1964-65. 'Séard is príomh-chúis leis an méadú ná an costas breise a bhéas iníoctha i rith na bliana seo chugainn de thoradh forálacha an Achta Leasa Shóisialaigh a ritheadh anuraidh. Mar is eol do Theachtaí méadaíoch rátaí cúnaimh shóisialaigh le h-éifeacht ó thosach mí Lúnasa seo chaite, agus bhí orm meastachán forlíontach a thabhairt os comhair na Dála le déanaí chun costas na bhforalácha sin a íoc i mbliana.
Do réir an meastachán 'sé £37,289,000 an t-ollmhéid a bhéas ag teastáil in aghaidh na bliana seo chugainn. Ní h-é sin, áfach, méid iomlán an chaiteachais ar na seirbhísí atá faoi chúram mo Roinn-se. I gcás Fo-Mhírcheann E ní taispeántar ach an deontas a íocfar as an Státchiste. Má bhreathnaimíd ar an Aguisín feicfimíd go gcosnóidh na seirbhísí árachais £24,024,000. Nuair a chuirtear an tsuim sin le costas na seirbhísí cúnaimh, sé sin £25,194,000, is soiléir go gcosnóidh na seirbhísí árachais agus cúnaimh le chéile £49,218,000 sa bhliain 1965-66 gan costas riaracháin a chur san áireamh.
Nuair a chuirimíd meastachán na bliana 1965-66 i gcomparáid le bunmheastachán na bliana 1964-65, feicimíd go bhfuil ollmhéadú de £1,873,500 sa tsuim atáthar á lorg. Baineann £450,000 de'n mhéadú le costas riaracháin agus is toradh é seo ar na hárdaithe pá a deonadh i rith na bliana 1964-65 agus an méadú a tháinig ar chostaisí poist, telegraf agus telefóin. I gcás Árachais Shóisialaigh meastar go mbeidh méadú de £1,267,000 san gcaiteachas ach táthar ag súil le breis fáltaisí de £833,000. Mar sin 'sé £434,000 an tsuim bhreise a thiocfaidh as an Státchiste. Ar shochar míchumais, pinsin seanaoise ranníocacha agus riarachán is mó a éireoidh an caiteachas breise. Táthar ag súil le teacht isteach breise de £800,000 ó ranníocaíochtaí de réir claonadh an ioncaim sin sa bhliain 1964-65.
I gcás Cúnaimh Shóisialaigh tá méadú de £989,500 agus sé is mó is cúis leis seo ná na méadaithe i rátaí pinsin seanaoise, i rátaí pinsin baintreach agus i rátaí cúnaimh difhostaíochta a luaidh mé cheana. Meastar go gcosnóidh forálacha an Achta Leasa Shóisialaigh, 1964, £1,238,000 sa bhliain 1965-66. Tá laghdú, áfach, ó bhliain go bliain i líon na bpinsinéiri faoin na scéimeanna cúnaimh de bhrí go bhfuil níos mó daoine i dteideal pinsean faoi na scéimeanna árachais, agus mar sin ní gá ach £989,500 sa bhreis a sholáthar.
The total net provision being sought for Social Welfare for the financial year 1965-66 is £35,508,000. This represents a net increase of £1,608,000 on the provision made for the current year. The increase is attributable mainly to the increased rates of payment and the other improvements effected by the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1964. As Deputies are aware, the principal increases operated from the beginning of August last, and their cost in the current year will have to be met by a Supplementary Estimate which has recently been before the House.
The estimated gross total requirement for 1965-66 is shown on the Estimate as £37,289,000. This does not, however, represent the total expenditure on the services administered by my Department as the amount shown against Subhead E—Payment to the Social Insurance Fund—is not the total cost of the insurance services but merely the portion of such cost which has to be met by the Exchequer. Particulars of the estimated income and expenditure of the Social Insurance Fund in 1965-66 are shown separately for the first time by way of an appendix to the Estimate. As set out in the appendix the total cost of insurance benefits is estimated at £24,024,000. When this figure is added to the sum of £25,194,000 included in the Estimate under Social Assistance it will be seen that the total estimated gross outlay on insurance and assistance benefits in 1965-66 amounts to £49,218,000 excluding administration expenses.
The Social Welfare Estimate comprises three main divisions namely, Administration costs shown at Subheads A to D, Social Insurance— Subheads E and F, and Social Assistance—Subheads G to K. The Administration Subheads show an increase of £450,000 as compared with the original estimate for 1964-65 mainly due to ninth round and other salary revisions and to increased postal, telegraph and telephone charges. The increase of £434,000 in respect of social insurance represents the Exchequer proportion of the total estimated increase of £1,267,000 on expenditure from the Social Insurance Fund, the balance of £833,000 being the anticipated increase in income from contributions etc. On the assistance side, the increase of £989,500 is mainly attributable to the increased rates of old age and widows' non-contributory pensions and unemployment assistance to which I have already referred. The estimated cost of the increased rates and the other improvements in the assistance services in the coming year is £1,238,000. There is, however, a downward trend in the number of old age and widow non-contributory pensioners as a consequence of more persons in these groups becoming eligible for the corresponding contributory pensions. The result is that the increased cost is offset to the extent of about £248,000, and the additional provision required is reduced to £989,500.
Expenditure from the Social Insurance Fund is expected to increase by £1,267,000. The main heads under which increases are anticipated are disability benefit £300,000, old age (contributory) pension £300,000, unemployment benefit £128,000, widows' and orphans' (contributory) pension £112,000 and administration £328,000. On the income side an increase of £800,000 is expected in the income from employment contributions as compared with the original estimate for the current year. Income in the current year is likely to be appreciably higher than the original estimate, and this upward trend is expected to be maintained in 1965-66.
It may be helpful to Deputies if I give a brief review of the main developments in social welfare matters over the past twelve months. The Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1964, effected a number of improvements apart from the increases in rates to which I have already referred. Provision was made for the first time for payment in respect of dependent children of old age pensioners, both contributory and non-contributory, and for the disregarding of £39 in respect of each qualified child in assessing a pensioner's income from earnings. The result of this has been that whereas the maximum contributory and non-contributory pensions payable were 87/6d. and 37/6d. respectively, the highest rates now in payment are, contributory 169/6d. and non-contributory 97/6d. per week. The practice of extending the means scale to take account of increases in assistance rates which was initiated in 1962 was continued.
In the case of unemployment assistance, provision was made for the giving of retrospective effect to decisions affecting Qualification Certificates, thus enabling unemployment assistance to be paid retrospectively where this was not previously possible, and in the case of fishermen working seasonally on their own account or on a share basis, for the disregard of income derived from seasonal fishing up to a limit of £80 a year. Other improvements were the abolition of the lower age limit for receipt of widows' non-contributory pension, the removal of the overriding limit of half a million pounds on expenditure on treatment benefits, and the bringing of pensionable teachers in training colleges into line with pensionable teachers in other schools in the matter of insurability under the Social Welfare Acts. A Regulation made during the year provided that persons insurably employed as sharefishermen and who derive their livelihood wholly or mainly from that occupation must be insured at the ordinary rate of contribution, and consequently such persons will, for the first time, become eligible for unemployment benefit. Another Regulation increased from 6/8d. to 10/- the daily amount which a person may earn from a subsidiary occupation without affecting his title to unemployment benefit. Finally, with effect from 1st April, 1964, the State capitation grants payable to approved institutions for the blind in respect of each resident of a school, home or hostel were increased by £20.
These changes, and those made in earlier years, are the expression of a definite policy on my part of keeping our social welfare services under constant scrutiny, to ensure the removal of anomalies and the making of improvements wherever possible. This policy will be continued in the coming year.
I have now covered the main features of the Estimate and I would ask the House to approve of it.