Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Alan Shatter

Question:

202 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of lone parent's allowance, deserted wife's benefit and deserted wife's allowance on 31 December 1996. [6463/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.

Scheme	Recipients at 31 December 1996.
Lone Parent's Allowances
—Unmarried Parent	37,506
—Separated Spouse	11,268
—Widowed	1,685
—Prisoners Spouse	98
Total	50,557
Deserted Wife's Benefit	14,738
Deserted Wife's Allowance	2,138

Ivor Callely

Question:

203 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the percentage of social welfare recipients with an address in the Dublin region; if he will give a breakdown on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6616/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of weekly social welfare recipients is contained in the following table. The table also includes a population breakdown by county for comparative purposes.

This table does not include the 497,252 monthly child benefit payments of which 143,609 or 29 per cent are payable to families with an address in Dublin city and county.

County	Social Welfare Recipients.	Percentage Social Welfare Recipients	Total Population in County	Percentage of Total Population
		%		%
Carlow	10,809	1.25	41,616	1.15
Cavan	12,314	1.42	52,903	1.46
Clare	19,912	2.30	93,914	2.59
Cork	96,591	11.13	420,346	11.61
Donegal	38,278	4.41	129,435	3.57
Dublin	244,175	28.15	1,056,666	29.18
Galway	44,465	5.13	188,598	5.21
Kerry	32,137	3.70	125,863	3.48
Kildare	23,412	2.70	134,881	3.72
Kilkenny	14,094	1.62	75,155	2.08
Laois	10,771	1.24	52,798	1.46
Leitrim	7,871	0.91	25,032	0.69
Limerick	38,747	4.47	165,017	4.56
Longford	8,498	0.98	30,138	0.83
Louth	27,120	3.13	92,163	2.55
Mayo	33,720	3.89	111,395	3.08
Meath	17,655	2.03	109,371	3.02
Monaghan	12,508	1.44	51,266	1.42
Offaly	12,949	1.49	59,080	1.63
Roscommon	11,730	1.35	51,881	1.43
Sligo	13,613	1.57	55,645	1.54
Tipperary	31,634	3.64	133,308	3.68
Waterford	23,018	2.65	94,597	2.61
Westmeath	15,336	1.77	63,236	1.75
Wexford	26,418	3.05	104,314	2.88
Wicklow	22,417	2.58	102,417	2.83
Other	17,365	2.00	—	—
Total	867,557	100.00	3,621,035	100.00

Note: Excludes Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is administered by the Health Boards. A county breakdown of the recipients of this payment is not available.

Mary Wallace

Question:

204 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the files of a person (details supplied) in County Meath who has disabilities and who has an income from his Department which over the past three years has been cut back due to insistence by the Department of Finance that these payments are now liable for tax in view of the fact that this pensioner has no other income. [6689/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The person concerned is in receipt of the maximum disablement pension of £88.20 per week for life in respect of an assessment of 100 per cent disablement. In addition he receives an invalidity pension of £81.40 per week, i.e., £66.20 personal rate plus half rate child dependant increase of £15.20 in respect of his two children. His wife is in receipt of £80.70 carer's allowance in respect of him, i.e., £67.50 personal rate plus half rate child dependant increase of £13.20 for two children.

The current household income from my Department less child benefit comes to £250.30 weekly. This represents an increase of £22.05 over the past three years and the 1997 budget improvements adds a further £9 to this from June of this year. In addition he has a free travel pass, electricity allowance and telephone rental allowance and his wife receives child benefit in respect of their two children.

The person concerned and his wife are in receipt of maximum entitlement under social welfare legislation.