asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who have applied for the family income supplement in County Donegal; and the number that have been sanctioned to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Family Income Supplement.
19.
The number of applications received for the family income supplement in County Donegal up to 25 April 1985 is 466, of which 295 had been granted by that date.
20.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the poor take-up level for the family income supplement, he will request the Revenue Commissioners to send out an application form and information leaflet with certificates of tax-free allowances to all persons in the relevant income categories.
Entitlement to family income supplement is determined by reference to the weekly average of earnings in the period immediately prior to the date of the claim. The most recent earnings records available to the Revenue Commissioners would be in respect of the 1983-84 tax year and so no information would be available regarding changes of circumstances in the meantime. This data would not be suitable for identifying potential beneficiaries.
A further extensive newspaper advertising campaign was recently undertaken with a view to bringing the scheme to the attention of those who might be eligible. The situation is being kept under review and any further measures considered necessary to publicise the scheme will be undertaken.
The Minister indicated in a previous question that the estimate of those who might take up the scheme had been gleaned from the Revenue Commissioners. Does it not make sense then that the application forms and information should be sent out through the Revenue Commissioners to those in the income bracket covered by the family income supplement? This would avoid the extensive and expensive media advertising involved.
The problem in that regard is that the most recent earnings records available to the Revenue Commissioners are in respect of the April 1983-April 1984 tax year. The P60 forms are now being issued but not all workers will have got them as yet. Therefore, the correct information would not be available to the Revenue Commissioners because more up-to-date information is required for identifying potential beneficiaries of the family income supplement scheme. The figure of 35,000 was based on the previous year's tax returns. It would not be correct to assume that the beneficiaries would be confined to that figure because people who were not in the returns for that year might qualify.
That is accepted, but surely the vast majority of those entitled to the benefit could be reached in this way. Given that the present system of making people aware of the scheme has failed in that only 5,000 people have taken up the scheme, does the Minister not think he should again look at the question as I am suggesting and send out information and application forms with the tax-free allowance certificates that are being distributed at the moment?
That is possibly something that can be looked at eventually. As the Deputy is aware, the Revenue Commissioners are overworked in trying to get in outstanding taxes and if we were to request them to go through their files and locate the 35,000 people and send them forms it would mean a diversion from more important work. The Deputy has rightly complained that there is not sufficient personnel in the Revenue Commissioners office. At this stage it might not be productive to divert them from their own work to do what the Deputy is suggesting, particularly when there is far more urgent and necessary work for them. However, it is a suggestion that can be looked at again. As I have said, posters will be displayed in all health centres and in the Department's offices throughout the country. I doubt if the Revenue Commissioners would look kindly on a request to do this additional work.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper. I am now calling Item No. 12.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the question of the transfer of juvenile prisoners to adult prisons and the closing down of educational facilities in Cork and Arbour Hill prisons. I referred to this matter before Question Time in the hope that I would be facilitated in raising the matter on the Adjournment.
I regret to tell the Deputy he cannot have it both ways. I did not cut him short at Question Time but now he is outside the time for raising the matter on the Adjournment.
Then, perhaps I shall have to deal with it in the course of my contribution on Item No. 12.