asked the Minister for Social Welfare the public expenditure on income maintenance as a percentage of GNP for the years 1968-69 and 1969-70; and how these figures compare with the EEC countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income Maintenance.
18.
In 1968-69 total expenditure on social welfare services-mainly income maintenance services-administered by my Department, exclusive of administration costs, represented 5.7 per cent. of GNP. The corresponding provisional figure for 1969-70 is 6.1 per cent.
Figures for expenditure on income-maintenance services in the EEC countries are not published separately from total expenditure on social welfare and security—which, for example, includes medical care—and I am therefore unable to say how the figures I have given compare with the EEC countries.
Could the Minister find out how we compare by any standards? Is it possible to get information about how our services compare with theirs?
We compare very favourably indeed.
That is what the Minister is saying now but there is no proof.
There are sets of figures we use.
The Minister is constantly saying this.
All right. I will not say it again.
Is the Minister aware that the family allowances in France and Italy are several times— and in the case of Italy many times
—higher than they are here with a similar standard of living?
In Belgium they are over four times higher.
What are the contributions?
After 18 months of investigation he is not aware of that.
The Deputy knows perfectly well that this has been debated, and when my Estimate comes before the House he can discuss the matter fully if be wants to.
Two years hence.
Taking it country for country the contribution from the Exchequer in most of those countries is practically nil.
That is not the question asked.
They are paid for mainly by the employers and the employees and if Deputies want to adopt that system it would be a very simple one indeed. I do not think they would favour it either.
Why not?
Question No. 19.