asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount allocated in the 1985 budget for expenditure on unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance; whether he proposes to review this allocation before the end of the financial year; and, if so, to what extent.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Benefit and Assistance.
14.
The amount allocated in the 1985 budget for expenditure on unemployment benefit, including associated pay-related benefit and unemployment assistance is £615,325 million. The allocation includes provision for payments to smallholders. My Department are at present reviewing the allocation and any necessary revision will be incorporated in the Supplementary Estimate on the Social Welfare Vote which will be moved in the House in the coming weeks.
Is it not clear that in view of the huge increase in unemployment over and above the amount projected by the Government and the Minister at the beginning of the year, there will now be a huge increase in the cost of unemployment benefit and assistance which was not provided for in the budget? What proposal have the Government, and the Minister in particular, to deal with that huge increase? Is this going to be by way of Supplementary Estimate and if so, what will the amount of that Supplementary Estimate be, which will obviously have a major overrun effect on the projected budget deficit?
There will be a Supplementary Estimate but the details have not yet been finalised. For example, the £4.3 million attributable to the 75 per cent bonus which will be payable in December to the long term unemployed will have to be included.
In view of the information given to me in this House on Wednesday, 20 February 1985 — and this latest is most significant and dramatic information in view of that — is it not now clear that as the Minister then acknowledged, if one had an average of 230,000 on the unemployment register for 1985, it would involve an overrun of £31 million on the Government's provisions, and the Government will now have to provide an extra £31 million ——
The Deputy is giving information. He is not asking a question.
Does the Minister accept that their calculations were so far out, and the unemployment levels so far in excess of what they had hoped, they now have to acknowledge — in reference to the reply he gave me on 20 February last — that £31 million extra has now to be found? Is it not about time they told the public where they are going to find it?
As it is now 3.30 p.m. I am going to move to ——
Can I have a reply to that?
You cannot, Deputy. I am bound by an Order of the House.
Then the record stands at £31 million.
The Deputy will resume his seat.
When the Supplementary Estimate is introduced, we will see.
I am sorry, Minister. As it is now 3.30 p.m. I must move to priority questions.