Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 1

Written Answers - Legislative Programme.

Denis Naughten

Question:

498 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the secondary legislation outstanding within her Department; the function of each piece of secondary legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5529/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

A number of measures, announced in the budget statement on 4 December last, are scheduled to come into effect during the course of 2003 and will require secondary legislation. These are:

Carer's benefit: a person in receipt of carer's benefit may engage in employment or self-employment outside the home, subject to a maximum of ten hours per week and an income ceiling of €95.23. As announced in the budget, provision has been made for an increase in the income ceiling to €150 per week to come into effect in April 2003. The required regulations are currently being drafted.

Carer's allowance: provision was made in budget 2003 for increases in the income disregarded for the purposes of carer's allowance. In the case of a single person, the increase is €19 per week, bringing the total amount of the disregard to €210. In the case of a married person, the disregard is increased by €38 per week, raising the total to €420. These amendments will be given effect by regulations which are scheduled to commence in April 2003.

Class P PRSI: provision was made in budget 2003 for an amendment to the minimum PRSI contribution payable by a class P contributor. The minimum amount payable was reduced from €253 per annum to €200 per annum, and this was provided for in section 6 of the Social Welfare Act 2002. Regulations extending these provisions in the case of an optional contributor who becomes an optional contributor in the same contribution year in which he or she first becomes insured as a self-employed contributor will be finalised shortly.