Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 October 2022
305. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to offer funding through the various schemes available to her for the rest of the current year and in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51060/22]
View answerThe funding for schemes and services under the remit of the Department of Social Protection for 2022 was considered by the Select Committee on Social Protection and voted on by the Dáil in February 2022. Officials in my Department constantly keep the expenditure of each scheme under review, monitoring expenditure against the published estimate.
As announced on Budget Day, my Department will fund a number of additional measures in 2022, including a Cost of Living double-week payment, lump sum payments for Fuel Allowance recipients, Working Family Payment recipients, carers, and people on Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension. There will also be an additional payment to Child Benefit recipients in the first week of November. The traditional Christmas Bonus will be paid in December.
These measures were not included in the original 2022 Revised Estimates and must be funded as part of a Supplementary Estimate to be considered by the Select Committee on Social Protection and voted on by the Dáil later in the year.
Officials in my Department are reviewing the performance on all schemes to determine the revised estimates for each subhead to determine the requirements for a Supplementary Estimate.
The funding for schemes and services in 2023 for my Department were announced on Budget Day. The 2023 Revised Estimates will be published in December and will be presented to the Select Committee and voted on by the Dáil in due course.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
