Vol. 531 No. 3
29 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he is satisfied with the advertising campaign promoting the availability of the family income supplement scheme, the total number of persons who obtain support through this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5709/01]
It is an essential part of my Department's customer service policy to ensure that citizens are made aware of their entitlements and are kept informed of changes and improvements as they occur. An essential element of this is the provision of comprehensive information in a clear and simple manner. My Department tries to ensure that information in relation to all its schemes, including family income supplement, is widely available to the public so that entitlements, where appropriate, can be claimed.
Information and publicity on the family income supplement scheme is provided in a variety of different ways with a view to increasing the level of take-up. For example, information on family income supplement is currently available on child benefit books, is provided to all one-parent families when awarded a one-parent family allowance, is provided to all employers in PRSI mail shots from my Department, and entitlement is considered for all applicants for the back to work allowance. In addition, the scheme is extensively advertised through local and national media outlets, including newspapers, radio, and the Aertel service, as well as through poster campaigns and targeted mail shots
From 5 April this year, as announced in the budget, the income limits governing entitlement to family income supplement are being increased by £25 at each point resulting in an average increase of £15 per week for all recipients. These improvements will be advertised closer to the effective date of increase and should also further enhance awareness and take-up of the scheme. The number of persons in receipt of family income supplement at the end of January 2001 was 12,769.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): I accept that notice of the availability of the scheme is printed on booklets and so on. Would the Minister consider it worthwhile promoting this scheme by way of local radio stations which broadcast discussions on social welfare? I am amazed, as I am sure the Minister is, at the number of people who are not aware of their entitlement to family income supplement. I am not referring to lazy people who may be drawing social welfare payments. Many working people are entitled to this payment and are unaware of it.
A question, please Deputy.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): While I accept the Minister and his Department already display notice of this scheme in many places, would he agree to look at the option of using local radio and newspapers rather than national ones to promote awareness of the scheme?
I agree with the Deputy. Since coming into office I have encouraged my officials to advertise schemes generally on local radio and to participate in the types of programmes referred to by him. Since taking up office I have endeavoured to ensure that the take-up of the family income supplement increased. There is no longer the same reliance on that scheme given the current state of the economy and the fact that many people are now taking up well paid jobs. It is true that in previous years the scheme was not properly advertised but people now understand their entitlements when taking up paid employment. The current buoyancy in the market has resulted in a slower uptake of the scheme. I will take on board what the Deputy said.
Is it not true that one of the useful functions which many of us perform is to circularise our constituents with information regarding their social welfare entitlements? In effect, this should be done by the Department. Deputy Browne is correct. The Minister earlier this week publicised the £200 million recovery from fraud which we welcome but it is not a fact that the Minister owes up to £60 million to low income families and pensioners? He admitted that only a few weeks ago regarding non-contributory pensions. Is it possible that every household be mailed a full briefing on their social welfare entitlements?
Since coming into office, I have been particularly aware of the need to target groups of social welfare recipients. I was the first Minister to propose and ensure every old age pensioner received a 40 page booklet on their entitlements not only regarding social welfare but regarding taxation, health and medical cards. I applied the same exercise to approximately 17,000 carers and 100,000 people in receipt of invalidity and disability pension.
The Deputy may not have noticed an advertisement in the national papers and the EU Journal for a contract to send to every household – approximately 1.4 billion – a 24 page booklet containing information regarding social welfare entitlements, including FIS. We hope to do that some time in May.
That is to be welcomed. The Minister informed the House that approximately 12,000 persons are in receipt of family income supplement. Could he assess, from within his Department, the potential number of people who could draw down support under this scheme?
A brief reply, Minister.
I do not have that information with me. When questioned on this issue a number of years ago, the general feeling was that the take-up was not as much as would have been expected. That is why we embarked on an information campaign about FIS.
