Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 10

Written Answers. - Commissioning of Reports-Inquiries.

Peter Barry

Question:

112 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his Department has been responsible for commissioning reports and/or inquiries over the past five years; if so, the nature and number of these; their cost; the number published or awaiting publication.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

As part of a larger research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute, my Department has commissioned two reports from the Institute. One of these reports concerns the identification of factors which are associated with short or long term poverty, based on the 1987 survey of poverty and income distribution which was carried out by the Institute. The Department has also been involved with the Institute in the development of a computer-based system to model the tax liabilities and social welfare entitlements of households and the Institute is preparing a report which outlines certain results from this in relation to the Family Income Supplement scheme. It is anticipated that both reports will be available for publication in 1994.

Identification of the cost of each report is not feasible, given that they represent only a part of an ongoing research programme with the Institute.

The report of the working group on the treatment of households in the Social Welfare code was published in May 1991. The Working Group was established in May 1989, arising from a Supreme Court judgment concerning the treatment of marriedversus cohabiting couples under the unemployment assistance scheme, for the purpose of identifying ways in which the social assistance schemes could be adapted to ensure that households with similar needs are treated in a consistent and equitable way. The cost of publishing the report is not readily available.

In line with a commitment in the Partnership Programme for Government, an expert group on the integration of the tax and social welfare systems was established in July 1933. That group is considering a wide range of issues in that area and is expected to submit an interim report shortly and to have completed its deliberations by the end of next year.