Jack Wall
Question:290 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number and names of voluntary groups he has met recently as part of the pre-budget process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24673/98]
Written Answers - Pre-Budget Submissions.
As part of the budgetary process, my Department organises a pre-budget forum annually for voluntary organisations representing the interests of social welfare recipients. This year's pre-budget forum, which was held on Tuesday, 22 September 1998, was the eleventh, and the biggest, such event, with 27 organisations participating. These organisations represent the welfare interests of a wide variety of people in society including the elderly, people with disabilities, widows and widowers, lone parents, unemployed persons, carers and family support groups.
The forum gives voluntary organisations the opportunity to have a meaningful input into the budgetary process by ensuring that both I and my officials are fully appraised of their views, concerns and priorities in relation to social welfare improvements.
There was a strong consensus among the various organisations attending the forum that the measures in this year's budget should share the benefits of economic growth with the poor and those on low incomes.
I have brought the concerns highlighted by the representative organisations to the attention of the relevant members of Government. Copies of their submissions have also been forwarded to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs.
I have also had separate meetings with a number of other representative organisations, including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Farmers' Association, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association and the Carers' Association. In addition, submissions have been received from a wide range of voluntary organisations and interest groups representing trade unions, employers and business groups and others, including the Combat Poverty Agency and the National Social Service Board.
The various proposals received have been examined by my Department, in so far as they relate to social welfare matters. While it would not be possible to meet all of these demands, the most major of which would cost over £1.5 billion, in this year's budget, I will nevertheless be endeavouring to respond to the various concerns which have been raised in formulating my Department's budget package, having regard to the available resources and to the commitments contained in An Action Programme for the Millennium, Partnership 2000 and the national anti-poverty strategy.
List of organisations who attended the 1998 pre-budget forum
1. Accord
2. Age Action Ireland
3. Care Alliance Ireland
4. Carer's Association
5. Conference of Religious of Ireland
6. Crosscare
7. Disability Federation of Ireland
8. Family Solidarity
9. Forum of People with Disabilities
10. Irish Council of People with Disabilities
11. Irish Countrywomen's Association
12. Irish Senior Citizens Parliament
13. Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
14. Irish Widowers and Deserted Husbands Association
15. Marriage and Relationship Counselling Services
16. National Association of the Mentally Handicapped
17. National Association of Widows in Ireland
18. National Federation of Pensioners Association
19. National Women's Council
20. Parents Alone Resource Centre
21. Pavee Point
22. Retired Workers Committee
23. St. Vincent de Paul
24. Scheme Workers Alliance
25. Tallaght Welfare Society
26. Treoir
27. Women in the Home