Frances Fitzgerald
Question:777 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the numbers receiving the maternity allowance; and the annual cost from 1995 and to date in 2000. [20309/00]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tables.
Table 1: Number of Recipients of Maternity Benefit at 31 December, 1995-2000
| £000 | |
| 1995 | 3,889 |
| 1996 | 4,592 |
| 1997 | 5,512 |
| 1998 | 5,453 |
| 1999 | 6,008 |
| 2000* | 6,198 |
Table 2: Number of Maternity Benefit Claims Awarded during the Year, 1995-2000.
| £000 | |
| 1995 | 15,664 |
| 1996 | 17,628 |
| 1997 | 19,796 |
| 1998 | 22,384 |
| 1999 | 23,851 |
| 2000* | 19,004 |
Table 3: Expenditure on Maternity Benefit, 1995-2000
| £000 | |
| 1995 | 27,273 |
| 1996 | 29,839 |
| 1997 | 34,058 |
| 1998 | 38,208 |
| 1999 | 41,530 |
| 2000* | 32,492 |
*Data for 2000 relates to the period up to 23 September.
Question No. 778 taken with Question No. 109.
Question No. 779 taken with Question No. 143.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:780 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of those receiving the carer's allowance; and the number in each case who receive under £10, under £20, under £30, under £40, under £50, under £60, under £70 and under £80. [20347/00]
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within my Department. However, the pensions development area of the Department is currently working on a program to retrieve the statistics requested from the Department's database. It is expected that these figures will be available by Friday, 6 October 2000 and they will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
Question No. 781 taken with Question No. 143.