asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is in agreement with the basic emphasis and proposals relating to Social Welfare in the Government's Green Paper Development for Full Employment.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Government's Green Paper .
27.
: The Green Paper enunciates the following approach to social welfare policy to which I fully subscribe:
the belief that economic advance carries with it direct social benefits and that substantial social improvements in other areas cannot take place unless there is the necessary economic progress to support and finance them. The primary value of these dimensions of social progress is nevertheless fully recognised, and it is not intended to diminish them.
The Paper goes on to specify major developments envisaged in the social welfare area, including in particular pay-related social insurance contributions, pension improvements and extension of insurance coverage to the self-employed.
While the paper envisages social spending rising at less rapid rates than in the past in order to devote more resources to investment and job creation, such a policy together with the benefits accruing from a reduction in unemployment will still leave sufficient room to increase social spending in real terms over the 1977-1980 period thus ensuring that the real value of existing payments is maintained.
: May I ask the Minister whether his Department was consulted about the specific pages of the Green Paper referred to?
: Not alone the Department but even I, as Minister, was consulted and, in fact, the proposals for the development of the social welfare services outlined in the Green Paper were submitted by myself and my Department and accepted by the Government for inclusion in the Green Paper.
: Is the Minister quite categorical in his acceptance of the outline of the proposed retrenchment of standstill in terms of social expenditure contained in relation to his Department?
: I do not accept that there is any retrenchment in social expenditure and I should point out, though the Deputy will have an opportunity of giving voice to his opinions in this whole area in the debate which is going on at present, that the Green Paper makes it perfectly clear that what is proposed in the Green Paper are options for discussion by, in particular, the social partners.
: May I take it then that the Minister and his Department are in no way committed at this stage to the final enactment of the proposals of the Minister for Economic Planning and Development which were published in Business and Finance in 1976 long before they even appeared in the Green Paper?
: All I can say is that the Minister for Economic Planning and Development, the Tánaiste and other Members of the Government have made it quite clear that the Green Paper is primarily a discussion document. A number of options are put forward there for discussion and in the light of the discussion which takes place on the Green Paper and on these options a White Paper will be prepared later on this year, the proposals of which will be definitive.
: Is the Minister——
: We have had enough supplementaries. Question No. 28.