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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Jun 1988

Vol. 382 No. 11

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Changes.

66.
Barry Desmond

Mr. Desmond

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the full year saving to the Exchequer of: (a) the abolition of child benefit for the first child (b) the abolition of child benefit for all recipients earning in excess of the PRSI ceiling (c) the taxation of short term disability benefit (d) increasing the number of paid or credited contributions for (1) unemployment benefit (2) maternity benefit and (3) disability benefit from 39 to 52 (e) increasing the number of paid or credited contributions for dental benefit from 207 to 260 and the number of credited contributions in the claim year from 39 to 52 (f) increasing the pay related benefit floor from £68 per week to £72 and no increase in the ceiling (g) (1) reducing the 12 per cent pay related benefit rate to 9 per cent (2) abolition of pay related benefit for (a) disability benefit (b) unemployment benefit and (c) maternity benefit (h) increasing the PRSI ceiling to £17,500 (i) reducing the private rent payment under supplementary welfare allowance by £1.50 per week (j) increasing the number of waiting days for disability benefit from three to six (k) shortening of unemployment benefit duration from 15 months to 12 months (l) increasing the rate of PRSI contributions by 1 per cent for employees and employers (m) the termination of all alleviating equal treatment payments (n) the freezing of child benefit in 1989 (o) a reduction in the live register of 1,000 in respect of unemployment related payments and (p) the increase of 4 per cent in 1989-90 of PRSI contributions for the self-employed.

67.

Barry Desmond

Mr. Desmond

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the full year cost of (a) a 3 per cent increase in all social welfare assistance and insurance rates (b) a 5 per cent increase in child benefit rates (c) the introduction of the contributory old age pension from age 65 years and (d) the restoration of half rate payment of disability benefit, maternity allowance and unemployment supplement to widows, deserted wives, single parents and prisoners' wives.

Michael Woods

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together.

The information requested by the Deputy, in so far as it is available, is contained in the attached tables. Information which is indicated as not readily available will be compiled, to the extent that this is possible, and forwarded to the Deputy.

Table 1 — Estimated Full year savings.

Measure

Saving (£millions)

(a)

the abolition of child benefit for the first child.

86

(b)

the abolition of child benefit for all recipients earning in excess of the PRSI ceiling.

*

(c)

yield from the taxation of short-term disability benefit.

27

(d)

increasing the number of paid or credited contributions for (1) unemployment benefit (2) maternity benefit and (3) disability benefit from 39 to 52.

*

(e)

increasing the number of paid or credited contributions for dental benefit from 208 to 260 and the number of credited contributions in the claim year from 39 to 52.

*

(f)

increasing the pay related benefit floor from £66 per week to £72 and no increase in the ceiling (new claimants only).

1.3

(g)

(1) reducing the 12 per cent Pay Related benefit rate to 9 per cent (new claims only) for

(a) Disability Benefit

5.5

(b) Unemployment Benefit

2.4

(c) Maternity benefit.

Not applicable

(2) abolition of Pay Related Benefit

(a) Disability Benefit

9.0

(b) Unemployment Benefit

27.0

(c) Maternity Benefit

Not applicable

(h)

increasing the PRSI ceiling to £17,500.

17.0

(i)

reducing the private rent payment under Supplementary Welfare Allowance by £1.50 a week.

0.5

(j)

increasing the number of waiting days for disability benefit from three to six.

5.0

(k)

shortening of unemployment benefit duration from 15 to 12 months

6.0

(l)

yield from increasing the rate of PRSI contributions by one per cent for employees and employers.

37.0

(m)

the termination of all alleviating equal treatment payments.

15.0

(n)

the freezing of child benefit in 1989. Cost of each 1% increase in child benefit.

2.1

(o)

a reduction in the live register of 1,000 in respect of unemployment related payments.

2.6

(p)

the increase to 4 per cent in 1989/90 of PRSI contributions for the self-employed.

9.0

* Not readily available

Table 2 — Estimated Costs

Measure

Cost (£millions)

(a)

a 3 per cent increase in all social welfare assistance and insurance rates.

70.0

(b)

a 5 per cent increase in child benefit rates.

10.6

(c)

the introduction of the Contributory Old Age Pension from age 65 years.

14.0

(d)

the restoration of half rate payment of Disability Benefit. Maternity Allowance and Unemployability Supplement to widows, deserted wives, single parents and prisoners' wives.

1.0
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