Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Oct 1995

Vol. 456 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Insurance Fund.

Bertie Ahern

Question:

148 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the level of payments and receipts out of the social insurance fund; the anticipated percentage of payments receipts will represent in 1995; and the percentage represented in each of the years 1982 to 1994. [14589/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The latest 1995 estimates for the social insurance fund indicate that payments, including the cost of the Christmas bonus recently approved by the Government, will amount to around £1,785 million and that receipts will amount to around £1,715 million. The payments figure excludes a sum of £200 million in respect of equal treatment payments which will also be paid through the fund in 1995.

The percentage that receipts represent of payments in the years 1982 to 1994, together with the latest estimates for 1995, are as follows:

1995 96% (a)	1990 94% (b)	1985 71%
1994 98%	1989 83%	1984 74%
1993 94%	1988 77% (c)	1983 72%
1992 91%	1987 70%	1982 72%
1991 90%	1986 69%

(a) If the equal treatment payments in 1995 are included, this figure would be 86 per cent.

(b) The Occupational Injuries Fund and the Redundancy and Employer's Insolvency Fund were absorbed into the Social Insurance Fund in 1990.

(c) Social insurance was extended to the self-employed in 1988.