Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Rates.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

58 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will ask the Government to bring forward the 70% qualified adults personal allowance rate to 2001; and if he will make a statement on the further progress he is considering towards individualisation of social welfare rates. [24948/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

I am committed to increasing the rate of qualified adult allowances over a three year period, to 70% of the personal rate. In budget 2000 increases in QAA rates ranged from almost 8% to 17% which brought them to between 60.5% and 67% of the personal rate. The position varies from scheme to scheme. Further progress will be made towards achieving the 70% target in the forthcoming budget, the extent of which will depend on the resources available and the Government's other priorities.

Individualisation already exists to a certain extent within the social welfare system. In the social insurance system, those who meet the contribution conditions receive a payment in their own right. In the old age non-contributory pension arrangements exist whereby in the case of a couple, each over age 66, there is a joint means test and payment is then on an individual basis – each person receives the same level of payment.

The report of the working group examining the treatment of married, cohabiting and one-parent families under the tax and social welfare codes, published in August 1999, considered that individualisation of the system could best be achieved through the expansion of social insurance to enable individuals to establish their own direct rights and social welfare entitlements.

Much has already been achieved in this area over the last 12 years with coverage being extended to the self-employed in 1988, part-time workers in 1991 and new civil-public servants in 1995. In addition, measures were introduced in 1994 to protect the insurance records of those who take time out from the paid workforce for caring duties.

One of the objectives of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness is to develop proposals to progress the individualisation of social welfare payments in the context of the continuation of joint assessment of means. In this regard a working group has been established under the programme to produce proposals to progress the implementation of administrative individualisation within the social welfare system.

This group comprises the social partners, the Department of Finance and is chaired by an official of my Department. The first meeting took place on the 19 October. Progress on administrative individualisation will be pursued in the light of the working group's proposals which I look forward to receiving in due course.