Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

661 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if she will trace the movements in payments (details supplied) over the past ten years; the reason the difference between payments is declining; if her Department is gradually trying to abolish the benefits of the workmen's compensation fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13270/02]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Ms Coughlan)

The Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) Act, 1966, introduced an occupational injuries scheme which replaced the workmen's compensation scheme and provided for compulsory insurance against injury arising out of, and in the course of, employment and against prescribed diseases due to the nature of the employment. Contributions were paid into the occupational injuries fund and a range of benefits were paid from that fund. The occupational injuries fund was merged with the social insurance fund in 1990.

The principal occupational injuries benefits payable, at present, are disablement benefit, injury benefit and death benefit pension. The weekly rates of these benefits over the period from 1993 to date is shown in Tables 1 and 2 which follow while the rates of disability benefit and invalidity pension are shown in Table 3. Death benefit pension is the only occupational injury scheme which is payable at different rates depending on death benefit pensions, whether payable to widows and widowers aged 66 and over and those under 66, are paid at a higher rate than similar age related social welfare payments. For example, the current rate of death benefit pension payable to person age 66 or over is €4.40 higher than the rate of old age contributory pension and €6.90 higher than the rate of widow/er's contributory pension. The rate payable to persons aged under 66 is €23.30 higher than the analogus rate of widow/er's contributory pension.

The aim of the special increases which have been given to those aged 66 and over since 1998 was to achieve the last Government's priority of the attainment of a minimum rate of €127 a week for all social welfare old age pensioners by 2002. This target rate has now been well exceeded for all pensioners.

There are a number of important commitments in the new Government's An Agreed Programme for Government in relation to social welfare rates generally; in particular, the Government is committed to increase the level of the basic State pension to €200 per week by 2007. The level of future increases in the rates of occupational injuries benefits generally will be considered in the context of the overall social welfare commitments in the new programme.

In addition, the question of providing more preferential benefits as a consequence of accidents at work is one of the issues being addressed in the context of the expenditure review of the illness and disability payment schemes, which is currently being carried out. The findings of this review will guide future policy in this regard, and I look forward to receiving the results later this year.

Table 1: Weekly Rates of Injury Benefit and Disablement Benefit, 1993 to 2002.

Year	InjuryBenefit	DisablementBenefit
	€	€
1993	70.60	102.98
1994	77.45	106.02
1995	79.36	108.69
1996	81.90	111.99
1997	85.71	115.80
1998	89.52	119.61
1999	93.33	123.42
2000	98.40	128.50
2001	108.56	138.66
2002	118.80	149.90

Table 2: Weekly Rates of Injury Benefit and Disablement Benefit, 1993 to 2002.

Year	InjuryBenefit	DisablementBenefit
	€	€
1993	100.94	100.94
1994	103.99	103.99
1995	106.53	106.53
1996	109.71	109.71
1997	113.51	113.51
1998	117.32	117.32
1999	121.13	121.13
2000	126.21	126.21
2001	136.37	138.91
2002	146.60	151.70

** Death benefit was payable at a single rate, regardless of age, up to and including 2000.

Table 3: Weekly Rates of Disability Benefit and Invalidity Pension, 1993 to 2002.

Year	DisabilityBenefit	InvalidityPensionUnder 65/66years	InvalidityPension Over65/66Years
	€	€	€
1993	70.60	77.20	77.20
1994	77.45	79.49	90.15
1995	79.36	81.52	92.44
1996	81.90	84.06	95.23
1997	85.71	87.87	99.04
1998	89.52	91.68	105.39
1999	93.33	95.18	113.01
2000	98.40	102.00	121.89
2001	108.56	113.13	134.59
2002	118.80	123.30	147.30

** Payable from age 66 and over in 1994 and from age 65 and over from 1995 onwards. The rate of payment from 1994 onwards is equivalent to the rate of old age (contributory) pension.