The family income supplement, FIS, is designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families and thereby preserve the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments. A range of improvements to the family income supplement scheme, including the assessment of FIS on the basis of net rather than gross income and the progressive increases in the income limits, have made it easier for lower income households to qualify under the scheme.
In the 2003 budget I provided for further increases in the FIS income limits with effect from January 2003. These increases raised the weekly income limits by €17 at each point, adding an extra €10.20 to the payments of most existing FIS recipients. The average weekly payment now stands at €59.90 per week, with 12,024 families receiving a supplement under the scheme. The question of further improvements to the income thresholds is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context, having regard to available resources and Government commitments.
Question No. 276 answered with Question No. 77.