Willie Penrose
Question:86 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's Estimates for 2004. [28935/03]
Written Answers. - Departmental Estimates.
The Abridged Estimates for social welfare provide a total of €10.65 billion in 2004, even before the improvements to be announced in tomorrow's budget. The 2004 Estimates underline this Government's commitment to the elderly, to caring for our children, those less well off, those who are sick, unable or incapable of caring for themselves and those who find themselves unemployed.
The Estimates represent year on year increases under this Government in social welfare spending, for example, in the year 2001 the social welfare budget totalled €7.8 billion and in 2004 it will reach the highest ever spend of €10.65 billion before the budget measures – an increase of over one third in three years. Spending has almost doubled since 1997. An estimated 970,000 people on average are expected to claim weekly social welfare payments next year and almost 1.5 million people, including dependants, will benefit from these payments.
Some of the main areas of increased expenditure in the 2004 pre-budget Estimates are as follows: child benefit – plus €70 million; old age contributory pension – plus €51 million; widow and widower's contributory pension – plus €23 million; disability allowance – plus €40 million; and supplementary welfare allowance – plus €72 million.
The 2004 Estimates are framed to stay within the overall spending guidelines agreed by the Government, despite spending pressures arising from the underlying increases in numbers claiming various payments. In the context of the Estimates a number of schemes have been reviewed and adjusted to ensure better targeting of resources under the social welfare system and ensure that I am in a position to make adequate provision for those less well off, disadvantaged, ill or unemployed. Details of these measures were set out by me when the Estimates were published on 13 November.
I am satisfied that in the circumstances in which we find ourselves, the Estimates provision represents an appropriate response to the needs of customers in the light of the financial constraints facing the Government in 2004.