Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Jul 1992

Vol. 422 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Enda Kenny

Question:

224 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the number of persons in County Mayo who have received notification of a reduction of up to 12 in social welfare payments arising from an EC Directive; whether he proposes to introduce some other form of compensation in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy):

Statistics of the number of people affected by the discontinuance of the alleviating payments are not available on a county basis.

Arising from the delay in implementing the Equal Treatment Directive by the then Government, a number of court proceedings were initiated by married women. Having considered the most recent decision of the European Court, the Government decided earlier this year to provide for equality of treatment in respect of the period of delay at a cost of £60m in the period 1992 to 1994.

Unfortunately, the courts have also found that the alleviating payments are themselves in conflict with the principle of equal treatment and for this reason, the Government had no option but to discontinue these payments. In order to minimise the impact on people still in receipt of the alleviating payments, the Government decided to discontinue them with effect from the end of July coinciding with the date of implementation of this year's budget increases.

It would not be possible to introduce some other compensation in these cases as suggested by the Deputy as any such provisions would similarly be in conflict with the EC Directive.