Seán Ryan
Ceist:57 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the total number of public service employees on the full PRSI rate. [18886/99]
Written Answers. - PRSI Data.
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as it would require a very extensive trawl of the computer-based records system of my Department which could not be completed within the timeframe available for answer of this question.
However, indicative figures regarding the PRSI status of persons employed in the public service are available. These are outlined in the tables which I am making available to the Deputy. The tables show the numbers of persons employed in the public service, the commercial state sector and the total public sector in the period from 1995 to 1999 inclusive, and the number of PRSI contributors who paid PRSI at the modified rates applicable to the public sector in the contribution years 1994-95 to 1997-98 inclusive.
The tables show that, as at January 1998, there were more than 280,000 persons employed in the public sector, of which around 160,000 paid modified rate PRSI. Accordingly, the balance, approximately 120,000 employees, were paying PRSI at the full rate.
As the Deputy will be aware, all new employees recruited to the public service after 5 April 1995 are subject to full PRSI rates. Prior to that date, permanent and pensionable employees in the public service, including civil servants, public servants and employees of public authorities were insurable at modified PRSI rates. These persons continue to pay PRSI at the modified rates provided there has been no break in their service. These modified rates provide cover for a limited range of social insurance benefits.
Employees in the public sector, who do not pay PRSI at modified rates, pay PRSI at the full rate and are covered for the full range of social insurance benefits. The numbers of public sector employees paying full rate PRSI has increased since 1995 and will continue to increase as modified rate contributors retire or leave the public service for other reasons.
If the Deputy requires further information regarding the PRSI status of persons in the public sector generally or in specific areas of the public sector, I will arrange for my Department to supply same in due course.
Table 1.
Number of public service-sector employments, 1995 to 1999.*
|
Year |
Public Service |
Commercial |
Total |
|
(Jan. 1) |
StateSector |
PublicSector |
|
|
1995 |
215,337 |
62,793 |
278,130 |
|
1996 |
218,703 |
61,883 |
280,586 |
|
1997 |
219,021 |
60,459 |
279,480 |
|
1998 |
222,071 |
58,916 |
280,987 |
|
1999 |
226,595 |
57,087 |
283,682 |
*Source: Department of Finance.
Table 2.
Number of persons in modified social insurance classes,
1994-95 to 1998-99.
|
Year |
Number insured |
||||
|
Class B |
Class C |
Class D |
Total |
||
|
94/95 |
38,390 |
1,750 |
126,100 |
166,240 |
|
|
95/96 |
39,400 |
1,550 |
126,200 |
167,150 |
|
|
96/97 |
38,400 |
1,530 |
125,000 |
164,930 |
|
|
97/98* |
37,700 |
1,400 |
121,300 |
160,400 |
* Provisional