Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Insurance Fund.

Michael Woods

Question:

74 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Social Welfare the shortfall in income to the social insurance fund which had to be met by general taxation in each of the years from 1987 to date in 1997; and the percentage which this shortfall represented in total expenditure from the fund in each case. [3446/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The details sought by the Deputy are set out in the following table. The figures for 1995 and 1996 include equality arrears payments of £193 million and £53 million respectively. If these once-off payments are excluded the percentages fall to 1 per cent for 1995 and 3 per cent for 1996. Actual details in respect of the period to date in 1997 are not available. The estimated expenditure and income of the fund, including Exchequer liability, for the year will be published in the 1997 Revised Estimates volume.

Year	£m	%
1987	405	30
1988	308	23
1989	219	17
1990	81	6
1991	146	10
1992	154	9
1993	106	6
1994	41	2
1995	215	11
1996	100	5
(Provisional)

Michael Woods

Question:

75 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Social Welfare the income from self-employed contributions for each of the years from 1988 to date in 1997; and the numbers of self-employed people who will be retiring annually from the year 2000 onwards for ten years. [3447/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The amount paid into the social insurance fund by self-employed people for the years 1988 to 1996 — figures are not available for 1997 — is as follows:

	£000s
1988	21,792*
1989	46,383
1990	52,379
1991	57,882
1992	70,613
1993	73,105
1994	90,897†
1995	87,260
1996	93,000‡
Total	587,311

* Represents the period from April to December only.

†Includes amnesty receipts.

‡Provisional.

The information the Deputy requested on an annual basis from the year 2000 is not readily available in that format. However, it is estimated that during that ten year period approximately 30,000 self-employed people will reach the age of 66 and qualify for an old age contributory pension. The cost of 30,000 pensioners with ADA on an annual basis would be £180 million.

The National Pensions Board in its final report, "Developing the National Pension System", recommended,inter alia, that an actuarial review of the projected long-term costs of social welfare pensions be carried out every five years. In this regard consultants have been engaged to carry out the first review and it is expected that it will be completed by mid-year. An analysis of the situation pertaining specifically to the self-employed will be carried out in the context of this review.