asked the Minister for Social Welfare when it is proposed to issue the publication Summary of Social Insurance and Assistance Services for 1973-74.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Publication.
23.
An updated version of the booklet Summary of Social Insurance and Assistance Services is being distributed at present.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that for a Government who in their public statements lay so much stress on the need to keep the public informed of their rights in the social welfare sphere the publication of this booklet at the very end of the year is, to say the least of it, tardy?
I agree that it would have been desirable to have the book published much earlier. The delay was due to a complete examination of the lay-out of the book. I think the Deputy will agree that the results are worth waiting for, because this publication will set a considerably higher standard than previous publications of this nature. By means of an unprecedented campaign in the media, we endeavoured to make the public aware of the new benefits and schemes which had been brought into operation after the last budget. We hope the Deputy will agree with our opinion that the results have been worth waiting for.
Can we take it that the next issue will be out much earlier?
Yes, what we were hoping for and what I think justified the delay was to get an acceptable, easy-to-read lay-out that can be repeated with just whatever changes in amounts may occur in future budgets.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the publication was always a worthwhile one? I accept that the format is very good in this case.
Undoubtedly it was a comprehensive publication but the lay-out as of now is much easier for the average person to read and ascertain what he is entitled to.