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Departmental Estimates.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004

Thursday, 25 November 2004

Questions (150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167)

Richard Bruton

Question:

148 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the Estimates 2005 contain changes in the rates, thresholds, ceilings or exemptions in respect of the payment of social insurance or of health levies; if so, the details of the charges; and the provisions which will apply in 2005. [30649/04]

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Written answers

The abridged Estimates for social welfare provide a total spend of €11.42 billion in 2005. These improvements do not take account of improvements to be announced in the forthcoming budget 2005. These Estimates provide the framework within which spending priorities for the Government are allocated in advance the budget. In relation to social insurance, the 2005 Estimate assumes an increase in the employee PRSI ceiling for 2005 by €2,020 to €44,180 and a footnote to this effect is included in the Estimates publication.

An annual review of this ceiling is provided for under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993. The legislation provides that the Minister shall take into account changes in average earnings of workers in the transportable goods industries since the previous review, as recorded by the Central Statistics Office. Changes in rates of social insurance contributions or the health levy were not announced as part of Estimates 2005. Where such changes are made, this occurs in the context of the budget.

Richard Bruton

Question:

149 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the Estimates for 2005 have made provision for changes in the back to work allowance and the provision which will apply in 2005. [30660/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

150 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the Estimates for 2005 have made provision for changes in the back to education allowance; and the provisions which will apply in 2005. [30661/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

151 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made changes in the earnings disregard for a person on one parent family allowance in the Estimates of 2005; and the provision which will apply in 2005. [30662/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

152 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made changes in the earnings disregard for persons on unemployment benefit or assistance who take up part-time work in the 2005 Estimates; and the provision for eligibility for unemployment payments which will apply to such workers in 2005. [30663/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

153 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provisions for changes in the fuel schemes in the Estimates of 2005; and if the terms of payment and of eligibility which will apply in 2005. [30664/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

154 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision for changes in the terms of treatment benefit in the Estimates of 2005; the terms of eligibility which will apply in 2005; and the changes which will be made for different treatments. [30665/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

155 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision for changes in the terms of the free schemes in the Estimates for 2005; and the terms of eligibility and the extent of the concessions which will apply in 2005. [30666/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

156 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made changes in the means tests which apply in respect of non-contributory pensions in the Estimates of 2005; and the rules which will apply in respect of assessing the impact in reckonable means of the value of savings, of the proceeds from selling a home to move to more suitable accommodation. [30667/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

157 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the rate of the minimum contribution to be made by recipients of rent supplement; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30703/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

158 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the ceiling on rent payable by different families in order to be eligible for rent supplement; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30704/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

159 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the basis on which diet supplement is calculated; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30705/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

160 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the level of gross weekly earnings of a spouse or partner at which child dependant allowance is withdrawn from the claimant; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30706/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

161 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the weekly earnings threshold for the purpose of paying reduced rate disability or unemployment benefit; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30707/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

162 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the level of contributions required for eligibility for any of the benefit payments; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30708/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

163 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the requalification period for any benefit payments; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30709/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

164 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has made provision in the Estimates for 2005 for changes in the earnings disregard in respect of a spouse’s income or in respect of parents’ income when assessing entitlement to unemployment assistance; and the provision in respect of this which will apply in 2005. [30710/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

172 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the maximum value of rent supplement for different family units has been changed in the Estimates for 2005; and the values which will prevail in 2005. [30863/04]

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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 164, inclusive, and 172 together.

The 2005 abridged Estimates made no provision for changes in eligibility, entitlements or rates of payment for any of the schemes administered by my Department. Improvements across the range of social welfare schemes are being considered at present in the context of the forthcoming budget.

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