Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
112 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, with higher than expected tax revenues in the year to date, she will review and rescind her cutback decisions of November 2003. [17727/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2004 Estimates for my Department, announced last November, included a number of provisions to better target resources within the social welfare code. The measures in question produced savings which freed up resources towards a substantial budget 2004 package of €630 million. This enabled the provision of increases well ahead of inflation for all social welfare recipients of weekly payments as well as significant general improvements in social welfare provisions generally.
My Department keeps all its schemes under review so that the total social welfare budget is applied to the best effect in tackling disadvantage and to continue the Government's policy of significant improvement in basic payments to social welfare recipients, as well as other improvements to the social welfare code. The question as to what level of increase in payments or other improvements in existing provisions to be provided in 2005 will be a matter for consideration in the context of the next budget.
