asked the Minister for Social Welfare the names and functions of the commissions, committees, interdepartmental committees, working parties and State-sponsored bodies established by him and abolished by him since taking office.
Written Answers. - State Bodies.
85.
A number of inter-departmental committees were established in the period in question to examine various policy issues as part of the annual review of Departmental expenditure. The main issues addressed by these committees were PRSI for public sector employees; statutory sick pay and the routing of disability benefit through employer pay roll systems; the future administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; the rationalisation of means testing and the future of credited contributions.
In addition, as part of the ongoing administration of the different schemes operated by my Department, committees are frequently established on an ad hoc basis to examine particular problems of day to day operations. An example of such a committee comprises officials of the Department and of the Revenue Commissioners who are examining and solving problems relating to the PRSI scheme for the self-employed.
A third category of committee is where I establish formally a group to report back to me on particular issues. In this context on 30 November, 1987 I established a joint working group made up of officials of my Department and the Irish Dental Association. The function of the group, which reported to me on 26 July 1988, was to examine all aspects of the social insurance dental benefit scheme.
I recently established a supervisory committee for the loan guarantee fund set-up as part of the Government's action plan on moneylending. The committee held their first meeting on 20 February 1989.
This committee are to draw up a scheme as part of the Government's action plan to tackle the problems of moneylending to enable people on low incomes, who are in difficulty with moneylenders, to gain access to conventional credit at normal rates. The loan guarantee fund will be used to guarantee loans made to those assisted by the scheme. The scheme will also provide for education in money management and debt counselling
In general, because of the nature of most of the committees established, they cease when the task given to them is complete. I have not abolished any commissions, committees, inter-Departmental committees, working parties, or State sponsored bodies under the aegis of my Department during the period in question.