Vol. 376 No. 11
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in respect of all social insurance and assistance payments including supplementary welfare assistance he will list any changes he has made since March 1987 in relation to eligibility, insurance contributions required and other changes adverse to the recipient; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will indicate the changes he has made since taking office in relation to eligibility conditions including contributions conditions and rates of payment in respect of all the schemes administered by his Department.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 29 together.
The following are the changes requested. The weekly personal and dependant rates of social insurance and social assistance were increased by 3 per cent from mid-July 1987. The previous Government had provided for a similar increase but only from mid-November.
The rate of supplement payable under the family income supplement scheme was increased from one third to one half of the difference between gross family income and the prescribed upper limit with effect from July 1987. There were also changes in the income limits and in the maximum amounts payable under the scheme.
Eligibility under the dental, optical and aural benefits scheme was extended with effect from 19 October to the dependent spouses of insured workers.
From the beginning of October changes were made in the payment arrangement for individual items under the treatment benefits scheme. While there will continue to be no charge to claimants for basic services and treatment, claimants are required to make an increased contribution towards the costs of the more expensive forms of treatment.
From 6 April 1987 the earnings disregard or "floor" used for calculating the amount of pay related benefit was increased from £58 to £62 for all new claimants and the 25 per cent and 20 per cent rates of pay related benefit applicable until then were replaced by a single rate of 12 per cent. This was in line with the proposals of the previous Government.
The number of paid contributions required for entitlement to disability benefit after 52 weeks and invalidity pension was increased from 156 to 208 from April 1987. The previous Government proposed an increase to 260. A similar change was made in respect of treatment benefits from October 1987. The number of paid or credited contributions required in the relevant contribution year for entitlement to disability benefit, unemployment benefit and maternity allowance was increased from 26 to 39 with effect from 6 April 1987. A similar change was made in respect of entitlement to treatment benefits for persons over 23 years of age from October 1987.
Eligibility under the national fuel scheme was extended this year to include those on long term unemployment assistance. The heating season was reduced from 30 to 26 weeks to allow for the extension on a neutral cost basis.
The footwear scheme for children which operates under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was rationalised to ensure that those on lowest incomes received the highest net benefit and that a similar scheme operates in each health board area. The general conditions regarding eligibility remain the same. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the threshold figure for the payment of a rent supplement was increased from £1.50 to £3 per week from 2 November 1987.
