Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Mar 1990

Vol. 397 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Michael Ferris

Ceist:

28 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social Welfare , having regard to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 12 December 1989, his views on whether lack of indexation of the £50 limit for working spouses of families on social welfare can have the effect of confining such persons to low-paid work.

Máirín Quill

Ceist:

45 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is his intention to initiate action to adjust the £50 ceiling on the income of working spouses of social welfare recipients, as agreed under the Social Welfare Act, 1985; if he has consulted the Minister for Labour and the Minister for Finance with a view to finding a mechanism to bring about upward adjustments in line with (a) national wage agreements and (b) the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 45 together.

As I announced to the House last week during the debate on the Second Stage of the Social Welfare Bill, I have increased this £50 limit on the earnings of a spouse of a social welfare recipient to £55 from next July to coincide with the date of the budgetary increases.

I know from representations made by the ICTU and other groups that this increase will improve the position of low-paid workers. Future increases in this limit would have to be considered in a budgetary context.