asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any further plans to remove pay-related benefit from any other social welfare benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
42.
Written Answers. - Pay-Related Benefit Payments.
17.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is intended to reduce or abolish the pay-related element of social welfare benefits generally, or of particular social welfare benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 42 together.
Pay-related benefit is payable with unemployment benefit, disability benefit, the maternity allowance scheme and injury benefit. The rate of pay-related benefit is 12 per cent of reckonable weekly earnings between a weekly earnings floor of £62 and a ceiling of £220. Pay-related benefit is payable for a maximum of 375 days after a three week waiting period.
The 1988 Estimate for my Department provides £37.86 million for pay-related benefit payments in respect of the three schemes mentioned.
The Social Welfare (No.2) Bill, 1987, which was passed by the Dáil yesterday, provides for the abolition from 4 April 1988 of entitlement to pay-related benefit in the case of all new claims for the original (old) general maternity allowance scheme. This will not affect the level of benefit payable under the new maternity allowance scheme which will continue to be related to earnings.
I have no plans for further changes in the pay-related benefit scheme.