Vol. 469 No. 2
126 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the percentage of the population who are recipients of or dependants of recipients of social welfare payments; the comparable figure for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17078/96]
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tables. The number of recipients rose by less than 1 per cent during the period in question while the number of dependants fell by 3.7 per cent. The proportion of the population in respect of whom weekly social welfare payments were made declined from 41.6 per cent to 40.9 per cent between 1993 and 1995.
Table 1: Social Welfare Recipients and Dependants 1993-1995
|
1993 |
Number |
As percentage of total population |
|
Recipients |
832,822 |
23.4 |
|
Adult Dependants |
160,072 |
4.5 |
|
Child Dependants |
489,886 |
13.8 |
|
Total |
1,482,780 |
41.6 |
|
1994 |
||
|
Recipients |
823,308 |
23.7 |
|
Adult Dependants |
151,845 |
4.4 |
|
Child Dependants |
468,042 |
13.5 |
|
Total |
1,443,195 |
41.6 |
|
1995 |
||
|
Recipients |
839,633 |
23.4 |
|
Adult Dependants |
152,142 |
4.2 |
|
Child Dependants |
473,510 |
13.2 |
|
Total |
1,465,285 |
40.9 |
|
Table 2 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
|
Old Age |
30.9% |
30.9% |
30.1% |
|
Illness |
11.2% |
11.3% |
11.3% |
|
Family Income Support |
23.0% |
25.0% |
26.0% |
|
Unemployment |
34.8% |
32.7% |
32.5% |
|
Miscellaneous |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.1% |
