Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:367. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of restoring the pension age to 65 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23794/23]
View answerState Pensions
Questions (367)
Written answers
It is important to note that the State Pension age was never 65 years of age. The State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) were never paid at 65 years of age.
Reducing the State Pension age to 65 years would increase pension related expenditure significantly. As State Pension age has never been 65 and taking account a number of complex factors relating to demographics, qualifying criteria for State Pension (Contributory), and behaviours in relation to retirement and accessing benefits, it is not possible for my Department to provide an accurate projection of the cost of the measure suggested by the Deputy.
However, my Department had previously prepared estimates in relation to changing the pension age to 65 with effect from 1/1/2021. These estimates were prepared before the legislative changes in relation to the State Pension Age introduced in the Social Welfare Act 2020. In order to provide a more accurate and up to date estimate, a detailed analysis would need to be carried out by my Department. However, a high level and indicative estimate of the cost of introducing State Pension payments at the age of 65, based on current pension rates from 1/1/2024, is €355 million for one year only. Given current demographic changes and projections, this additional annual expenditure would obviously increase year on year.
This figure is based on a best estimate of net costs for future State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) qualifiers but does not include estimates for any changes to household benefits, free travel or fuel allowance costs. In addition, the figure takes no account of any additional costs to public sector pensions.
As set out above, the estimate is for the year 2024 only and a more accurate estimate would set out the net present value of the future cost increase. The estimate is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated numbers of recipients.
Demographic projections indicate significant increases in the number of future State Pension recipients which will impact on State Pension related expenditure. Clearly, reducing the State Pension age to 65 years of age would be very expensive and would require either considerable additional revenues, or, if introduced on a cost-neutral basis, very significant diversion of funds from elsewhere.
In February 2021, I introduced the "Benefit Payment for 65 year olds" in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to provide a benefit payment for people who are aged 65 and who are required to retire, or who chose to retire, without a requirement to sign on, engage in activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. This new payment was designed specifically to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at 65 years of age but who do not qualify for the State Pension until age 66.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (368)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:368. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing all headline social protection payments to €300 per week, excluding disability-related payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23795/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing all weekly social welfare payments to €300 per week is €2,938.1m. This includes a proportionate increase for Qualified Adults and those on reduced rates of payment.
These costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit, Invalidity Pension, Partial Capacity, Injury Benefit, Incapacity Supplement, Disablement Pension and Blind Person’s Pension are excluded from the above costings.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (369)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:369. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing disability, blind pensions and invalidity pensions to €350 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23796/23]
View answerWritten answers
The full year cost of increasing Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension to €350 is set out in the table.
|
Scheme |
Cost €m |
|
Invalidity Pension |
389.2 |
|
Blind Pension |
7.3 |
|
Disability Allowance |
1,137.0 |
|
Total |
1,533.5 |
The costs shown are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults where relevant.
Registration of Births
Questions (370)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:370. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will update the stillbirth registration process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23895/23]
View answerWritten answers
Registration of stillbirths by parents in Ireland is voluntary. Currently, the birth of a stillborn child may be registered where the child has a gestational age of 24 weeks or more or weighs 500 grammes or more.
The Government has recently given approval to draft legislation, based on clinical advice from the Department of Health, to reduce these criteria to 23 weeks and 400 grammes respectively. In cases of multiple pregnancies if any child reaches the criteria for stillbirth, then any other children will also be recorded as a stillbirth, provided they each weigh 200 grammes or more.
I am also proposing that legislative changes are made to enable broader access to the Stillbirth Register. Currently, only the parents of a child recorded in the register or an tArd-Chláraitheoir or a member of his or her staff can search the register. The proposed amendments will enable a broader range of staff in the civil registration service to search the Stillbirth Register along with improved access to stillbirth records.
The proposals are being sent to the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands for pre-legislative scrutiny. I look forward to bringing the legislation to the House once that process is complete.
These are important changes which I hope will help families who have experienced the trauma and sadness of the loss of a stillborn child.
I hope that this is of assistance to the Deputy.
Health and Safety
Questions (371)
Denis Naughten
Question:371. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of her consideration of long Covid as an occupational illness for front-line workers; if she has been furnished with a final reply from the Minister for Health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23910/23]
View answerWritten answers
Occupational Injuries Benefit is an income support provided by my Department to those injured at work or travelling to and from work, or who contracted a prescribed disease at work.
Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87(2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
The decision on whether to recognise an illness as an occupational illness is a Member State competence. My Department is aware of the recommendation of the European Commission regarding Covid-19 and has consulted with other relevant departments and Ministers on the matter, including the Minister for Health, and the replies received are currently under consideration.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (372)
Denis Naughten
Question:372. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 891 of 18 January 2023, if she will provide updated figures on overall numbers and the claimants in each time period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23911/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am informed by officials in my Department that this analysis will take more time to compile. My officials will therefore send the requested information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (373)
Robert Troy
Question:373. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on their social welfare appeal. [23937/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22 March 2023. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. The Appeals Office has now sought these papers as a matter of priority.
When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
I trust that clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (374)
Peter Fitzpatrick
Question:374. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the recent cost-of-living bonus paid to those in receipt of certain social welfare payments; the amount the Government saved by not allowing those on adult dependant payments to receive this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23943/23]
View answerWritten answers
The €200 Spring lump sum payment was paid to 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This lump sum was paid in late April and cost approximately €261 million.
The payment was made to primary recipients of a qualifying payment only.
This support was paid to a cohort defined on a similar basis to the Christmas Bonus, including to those on jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months; with the addition of recipients of the Working Family Payment.
This lump sum is one of a range of Spring Cost of Living supports valued at over €410 million announced in February this year, this includes a €100 Child Benefit lump sum in June, an additional €100 on the rate of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and an extension of the Hot School Meals programme.
The February package follows on from a €2.2 Billion Social Protection Budget 2023 Package - the largest in the history of the state – which included eight lump sum payments in the last quarter of 2022.
My Department also brought in measures earlier in 2022 to help households with increasing prices, for example, two Fuel Allowance lump sums were paid in March and May and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance was increased by €100.
Since March last year, therefore, Government has been keeping the situation under review and has responded providing a range of unprecedented supports to protect people and families as the Cost of Living has increased.