Ruairí Quinn
Question:428 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will list all the changes that have been made since 1st January, 1992 to every social welfare scheme/benefit/allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit Changes.
The 1992 budget provided for a number of improvements in the schemes administered by my Department.
These are:
—Reduction in the age limit for receipt of pre-retirement allowance from 58 to 55 years (28 May 1992).
—The free travel "companion pass" was extended to include blind pensioners, recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance (DPMA) who transfer to old age pension on reaching 66 years, people in residential care previously in receipt of DPMA and non-married couples receiving DPMA (6 April 1992).
—An alternative average test for old age (contributory) pension for claimants with gaps in their insurance records. Claimants may now qualify for the maximum rate pension if they have a full insurance record since 1979 (6 April 1992).
—The income limits for receipt of Family Income Supplement were raised meaning that most recipients benefit by between £9 and £11 per week (30 July 1992).
—Payments under the back to school clothing and footwear scheme increased by £10 per child bringing the new rates to £35 for a child at primary school and to £50 for a child at second level school (1 July 1992).
—A special increase in the adult dependant allowance payable with old age (non-contributory) pension to bring it into line with other adult dependant payments (31 July 1992).
—the "Over 80" allowance was extended to invalidity pensioners. (9 April 1992).
—An additional £1 million was provided for this year in grants which are being paid to voluntary organisations, the community development programme and projects to combat the problem of moneylending.
The Social Welfare Act, 1992, provided for a general increase of 4 per cent in all payments from the end of July this year. Persons in receipt of the lowest payments received an additional special increase of 2 per cent (31 July 1992).
This year's Act also provided for certain changes in social welfare schemes as announced on the publication of the 1992 Estimates in December last year.
These are:
—The amalgamation of the two maternity allowance schemes into one scheme. The new scheme covers not only women who are covered by the Maternity Protection of Employees Act but others who are covered by the social insurance system but not by that Act (6 April 1992).
—Introduction of an earnings limit for receipt of deserted wife's benefit in respect of new claims only. Only claimants earning around £12,000 per year are affected (31 August 1992).
—Abolition of the requirement to have a Qualification Certificate (statement of means) for receipt of Unemployment Assistance (29 July 1992).
—The linking of applications to unemployment assistance where the applications are separated by a period during which the applicant attends a FÁS course which exceeds 52 weeks (29 July 1992).
—The assessment of earnings from insurable employment in determining entitlement to unemployment assistance (29 July 1992).
—Disqualification from receipt of unemployment benefit for up to nine weeks for persons aged under 55 who receive a severance payment in excess of £12,000 (20 July 1992).
—Extension of period of disqualification for receipt of unemployment benefit from six to nine weeks in certain circumstances (6 April 1992).
—discontinuance of pay-related benefit in the case of persons whose pattern of work is "week on, week off" as, at present, for people who work short-time within the same week (6 April 1992).
—Amended contribution conditions for receipt of disability and treatment benefit to require a minimum of 13 paid contributions in the governing contribution year or in either of the two previous contribution years or a subsequent year (1 July 1992).
—Introduction of an earnings limit for receipt of treatment benefits. From 6 July 1992, an insured person whose income exceeds £25,000 per annum will not be eligible for dental, optical or aural benefits. Dependent spouses of such persons will continue to be entitled to full benefits where earnings are greater than £25,000 but do not exceed £50,000.
—Discontinuance of pay-related benefit with disability benefit for new claims (6 April 1992).
—Alignment of the personal rate of injury benefit under the occupational injuries benefit scheme to the personal rate of disability benefit (6 April 1992).
—PRSI earnings ceilings increased to £19,000 and to £20,300 for employee and employer respectively.
The Act also makes provision for a number of miscellaneous amendments to existing legislation such as the integration of the single woman's allowance scheme with the pre-retirement allowance and the payment of carer's allowance to persons caring for recipients of retirement pension who have transferred from invalidity pension at age 65.
This year's budget increases in payment rates represent a further step towards achieving the commitment in theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress to meet by 1993 the priority rates set by the Commission on Social Welfare. All long term social welfare rates either reached or exceeded the priority rates last year.
The various other changes which I have introduced into the system this year are designed to ensure that social welfare schemes and services are directed more effectively and that available resources are targeted at those who need them most.