Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 10 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Batt O'Keeffe

Ceist:

147 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 76,943 United Kingdom pensioners who currently reside in Ireland may be claiming social welfare benefits and that the number has escalated by almost 100 per cent over the last decade; and his views on the escalating cost in this regard. [18181/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa):

Statistics are not available in my Department as to the number or nationality of pensioners who have transferred their residence from the United Kingdom to Ireland.

According to statistical data provided by the United Kingdom Department of Social Security the number of people resident in Ireland in receipt of a DSS retirement pension or widow's benefit in 1995 was 76,943, (the figure quoted by the Deputy), representing an increase of over 70 per cent since 1985.

This figure represents not only payments to persons who have only worked in the United Kingdom but also to persons who have worked in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Some recipients in the latter group are Irish citizens and may also be in receipt of an Irish pension either under our national legislation or EU social security legislation. The figures also include persons who have acquired an entitlement to a United Kingdom pension based on their spouse's insurance in the United Kingdom.

The legislation of the European Union provides for free movement of persons and equality of treatment between our own nationals and nationals of other EU member states who are workers or former workers and who are resident in this State. Our social welfare legislation is fully in accordance with these principles. This legislation also provides for payment of contributory pensions to persons who are resident in other member states. Some 13,490 people resident in the United Kingdom are in receipt of Irish contributory pensions at an estimated cost of £24 million per annum.

Additional benefits, such as the free schemes, are also available subject, of course, to the normal qualifying criteria. Everyone agrees that the free schemes are very important to the pensioners as they enable them to lead an active retirement and maintain social contact. Over the years the free schemes have been extended to include those in receipt of United Kingdom or Northern Ireland pensions similar to the qualifying Irish payments, those in receipt of pensions from other EU member states or from a country with which we have a bilateral social security agreement.

Those in receipt of United Kingdom payments and in receipt of free schemes are receiving benefits to which they are legally entitled. I should like to point out to the Deputy that the Department of Social Security estimates that the annual cost of UK pensions to persons resident in Ireland in 1995 was £114 million. The Deputy will appreciate that this inflow is of considerable benefit to the Irish economy.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

148 Breeda Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is currently investigating the possibility of means testing the dependent adult on a contributory pension. [18186/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa):

A person who qualifies for an old age contributory pension may also qualify for an adult dependant allowance provided that he/she is wholly or mainly maintaining that person.

Under existing provisions a person is regarded to be wholly or mainly maintaining another person where the person—

(a) is one of a married couple living together or one of a cohabiting couple and the person's spouse or partner is not in receipt of a social welfare payment in his or her own right and does not have weekly income in excess of £60;

(b) being separated from his or her spouse, is contributing towards his or her spouse's maintenance by a weekly amount of at least £37.50 (which is the adult dependant allowance rate) where the spouse is not cohabiting with someone else as husband and wife and the spouse does not have weekly income in excess of £60; or

(c) being an unmarried, widowed or separated person, is residing with a person aged 16 or over who does not have weekly income in excess of £60 and who is caring for a child dependant of the person. In the case of a separated person, he or she must not be living with or be wholly or mainly maintained by his or her spouse.

I have no plans to change the current arrangements.