Departmental Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 6 September 2019

Friday, 6 September 2019

Questions (216)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

216. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the basis of assuming a significant fall in the projected demographic costs associated with social projection arising from the change in pension age, further to the paper Budgetary Impact of Changing Demographics 2017-2027; the extent to which increases in jobseeker payments from persons in their mid-sixties have been factored into this calculation; and if a revised paper will be provided with projected jobseeker increases included in the final costing. [36396/19]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

The purpose of the paper is to examine expected changes in the age structure of the Irish population and how these specific changes impact areas of public expenditure in the short, medium and long term. The demographic projections in the paper are based on the assumption that the only variables changing over the period are the size and age distribution of the population. Pension projections take account of legislation which increases the eligible age to 67 from 2021 onwards.

These estimates focus exclusively on the cost of demographic pressures across Health, Social Protection and Education. These annual demographic estimates inform budgetary allocations along with a variety of other factors which influence overall allocations.

Going forward, IGEES intends to build on the 2016 work and an update of the paper is due to be published as part of the 2019 Spending Review. This update will again examine the cost of demographic pressures over a ten year period, 2020 to 2030, focusing on Health, Social Protection and Education, as these are three primary areas of current expenditure which are particularly impacted by demographic changes.

Question No. 217 answered with Question No. 178.