Vol. 454 No. 3
55 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he would detail the consequences to the cost of social welfare schemes in light of the recent injection of £10 million in the community employment programmes budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10618/95]
The extra £10 million recently approved by the Government to increase average numbers on the community employment programme by 1,500 to an average of 40,000 participants this year is being funded from savings in a number of Government Departments.
The contribution from my Department is £7.4 million. It arises mainly because this upward revision in the numbers participating in community employment schemes reduces expenditure on unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit by my Department.
58 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there has been no increase in the child dependant allowance in 1995 in respect of old age pensioners or invalidity pensioners; and the proposals, if any, he has to remedy this matter. [10634/95]
Payments made in respect of all children, including those with children on old age pensions, invalidity pension and other social welfare payments, are being increased significantly in 1995, with the £7 across-the-board increase in child benefit. Channelling the 1995 increase in child income support through the £7 increase in child benefit is more beneficial to pensioners and others as child benefit is not subject to assessment for tax, or for local authority rights, or for PRSI, and is payable whether the recipient is in employment or not.
Redirecting the State's contribution towards rearing children through child benefit is a first step towards achieving the commitment in the programme, A Government of Renewal, to provide a form of basic income for children. Having established a good basic child benefit payment this year, work is progressing on the development of a child benefit supplement. This new child benefit supplement will incorporate both the child dependant allowances paid to people on social welfare and the family income supplement payable to families on low income from employment.
61 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the living alone allowance scheme and the national fuel allowance scheme to nonsocial welfare pensioners over 66 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10632/95]
The living alone allowance is payable to people of pensionable age who are in receipt of certain social welfare type payments and is intended to recognise the extra cost of living alone. The national fuel scheme is intended to help households which are dependent on long-term social welfare type payment and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Payment of the allowance is subject to a means test.
The people to whom this proposal mainly refers, therefore, are people who have not qualified for a social welfare type pension either because they have not a satisfactory record of contributions to the social welfare insurance scheme or are not in receipt of a non-contributory social welfare pension.
It is open to any person of pensionable age, whose means are inadequate, to apply to the Department for a non-contributory old age pension. If they satisfy the means test, they can qualify for a full or partial old age pension and, if living alone, may also qualify for a living alone allowance and for the national fuel scheme.
The estimated cost of extending the entitlement to persons who cannot qualify for social welfare entitlements is estimated at £15 million a year at current rates of payment. Such expenditure could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources.
64 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will introduce the new lone parent's allowance which was announced in February 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10636/95]
81 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to abolish the deserted wife's allowance for future claimants and subsume the allowance into a reformed lone parent's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10629/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 81 together.
