Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Code.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

110 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the 16 changes to schemes announced by her on 13 November 2003 were poverty-proofed; the results of such a study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28938/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

121 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she examined in full the impact and wider implications of recently announced social welfare cuts; if an evaluation has been done on the impact of these cuts on areas suffering from social or economic deprivation; if she intends to make a response to submissions she has received in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28990/03]

Brendan Howlin

Question:

126 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the views of the social inclusion consultation group, established under Sustaining Progress, were sought on the range of cutbacks announced by her on 13 November 2003; if not, if it is intended to seek the view of the group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28946/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 121 and 126 together.

The Abridged Estimates Volume for 2004 provided for a total allocation for social welfare spending in 2004 of €10.65 billion. This represents an increase of €358 million, or 3.5%, compared with the 2003 allocation. Furthermore, these Estimates do not include any additional expenditure in respect of improvements to social welfare payments and programmes to be announced in the budget. The increase in social welfare spending underscores the Government's commitment to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.

However, my Department continues to review social welfare programmes so as to ensure that programme objectives are still valid and are met in the most efficient and effective way. Arising from this and so as to stay within Government financial guidelines, a number of measures were announced as part of the Estimates process. Changes to the conditions underlying some schemes seek to ensure that the schemes continue to meet their underlying objectives. Within the context of overall spending guidelines, the measures were evaluated so as to minimise any adverse impact that they might have on social welfare recipients. In the first instance, the measures applied for the most part to new cases only and existing payment recipients will not generally be affected. Certain measures will have an impact only when family income is in excess of around €300 while other measures re-focus existing schemes on the groups or needs for which they were primarily intended. Further measures were introduced because income thresholds had previously been set in absolute terms and required updating while other measures were adopted because there are more appropriate mechanisms for delivering the necessary support.

The total allocation to social welfare spending in 2004 will not be known until after the budget announcement. Accordingly, it is not possible to complete a complete poverty proofing exercise on the 2004 spending allocation until the budget package is decided upon. Nonetheless, my Department has completed a more limited poverty proofing exercise in respect of the range of measures which were announced as part of the Abridged Estimates exercise. Any effects on the risk of poverty arising from the measures will be considered in the context of rate increases to be announced in the budget.

The social inclusion consultative group is one of the new institutions established under the revised national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS. It comprises representatives of the social partners, the ESRI, the Combat Poverty Agency and equality authority and relevant Departments. Its role is to offer advice and observations on the NAPS process as it unfolds. The consultative group does not have a specific role in the Estimates process and was not asked for its views in this regard. However, in so far as the group considers the Estimates and the budgetary measures to be announced as relevant to the NAPS process, any views which are put forward by this group, as well as any other submissions in relation to the Estimates provision, will be fully considered.