Mary Upton
Question:48 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has plans to extend occupational risk benefits to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29354/04]
View answerWednesday, 15 December 2004
Questions (46, 47, 48)
Written answers
The social insurance system in Ireland is generally based on the obligation to make PRSI contributions which in turn establish entitlement to a range of contingency based payments. The contributions to be paid are determined by reference to the nature of work. Employees and their employers generally pay contributions at PRSI class A and self-employed workers, including farmers, pay class S contributions. The contributions paid determine the range of benefits and pensions to which contributors can build up entitlement.
Farmers generally pay social insurance as self-employed workers at PRSI class S. Class S PRSI was introduced for the self-employed in 1988 and self-employed workers have been compulsorily insurable under the Social Welfare Acts since. Subject to an adequate insurance record, they are eligible for the following payments: widow's or widower's contributory pension; orphan's contributory allowance; old age contributory pension; maternity benefit; adoptive benefit; and bereavement grant.
When social insurance for the self-employed was introduced, coverage for short term insurance based benefits including occupational injury benefit, OIB, was excluded, given the difficulties of applying it to self employed workers and the financial implications associated with this.
There are no plans at present to extend coverage for short-term income support benefits such as occupational injury benefit to self-employed persons. Such an extension to self-employed contributors would necessitate a significant increase in the rate of PRSI class S contribution to fund it as well as having significant administrative and control implications.
Question No. 49 answered with QuestionNo. 32.
Joe Sherlock
Question:50 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs If he will consider extending the free travel scheme to Irish emigrants returning home from abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33456/04]
View answer
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:56 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the introduction of a euro travel pass giving concessionary travel facilities to pensioners and others throughout the European Union; and if he will promote the proposal. [33458/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 56 together.
The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland.
The proposal to make free travel available to persons in receipt of Irish pensions but living abroad would have to be examined in a budgetary context taking account of the other demands for extension of the free travel scheme and the cost, administrative and legal implications involved.
Implications include the current examination of proposals for an all Ireland travel pass which would apply to all eligible persons resident in both jurisdictions. I intend to keep the issue raised by the Deputy under consideration.
With regard to the introduction of a travel pass, as far as I am aware, there are no proposals being worked on currently at EU level in relation to a common travel framework on the lines referred to by the Deputy. Any such proposals would have significant financial and administrative implications and, in the light of the variety of arrangements which currently apply, there would be major practical problems in implementing arrangements of this kind.
The issue of a senior euro pass card, which would entitle older people to concessions on various services including travel, cultural and social activities, was raised in a report commissioned by the EU Commission some years ago but no proposals in this regard were brought forward subsequently.
Question No. 51 answered with QuestionNo. 39.