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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

153 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the annual increase in all weekly social welfare payments in each of the last three budgets; the extra cost, if any, there would have been in each year if the new rates came into effect in June, that is, one month earlier than they are currently applied; and if such increases have always applied from July. [290/94]

Details of the budgetary rates increases, the estimated cost of those increases, in budget year, and the additional cost of providing special increases to those on the lowest payments towards achieving the priority rate, as recommended by the Commission on Social Welfare, in the last three years are as follows:

Year

General increase

Cost of general increase

Additional special increases (Priority Rate)

Total cost of increases

%

£m

£m

£m

1994

3

43.0

12.3

55.3

1993

3.5

49.8

3.0

52.8

1992

4

52.2

4.4

56.6

To implement the increases a month earlier in each year would have cost an estimated additional £9.6 million in 1994, £9.2 million in 1993 and £9.8 million in 1992. The increases have been paid in July since 1984.
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