I understand the question relates to the effect of the measures announced in November 2003 in the context of the 2004 Estimates. These measures included changes to the back to education allowance, one parent family payments and certain child dependant allowances, changes in the conditions of entitlement to short-term social insurance payments and changes in the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, including rent supplements thereunder.
In some instances, including the back to education allowance and certain changes in unemployment benefit, the changes have not yet come into operation. In other cases where changes have been implemented, it is not possible to quantify precisely the numbers affected by the measures in question in that where there are disallowances, the specific reasons for them may not be recorded on computer payment systems.
Data is available in most cases on numbers in receipt of the relevant payments immediately before the measures were introduced and the current position. This data supplies some indication of the number of persons affected but it is important to note that the number in receipt of payments on any particular scheme can fluctuate for a wide variety of reasons, such as, for example, seasonal factors in the case of unemployment. As regards the one parent family payment scheme, where transitional half-rate payments were discontinued, there are now 460 recipients of such payments, a reduction of 120. In respect of short-term social insurance claims, the period for linking claims to previous claims was increased from 13 weeks to 26 weeks. The number of linked claims has increased by 2,800 to 21,900. The earnings threshold for payment of graduated rates of short-term social insurance was raised from €88.88 to €150 to restore the previous relationship with standard rates of payment. The number of graduated rates of payment has increased by 2,000 to 8,500. It is not possible to establish the numbers affected by the increase from 39 to 52 weeks in the number of paid contributions required for entitlement to benefit.
In the case of child dependant allowance payments to recipients of disability and unemployment benefit, there were some 63,000 payments of half-rate allowance in payment in cases where the spouse-partner of the recipient was in employment and earning more than €210 per week, the then limit. This allowance was discontinued where earnings exceed €300 per week. The number of such allowances now in payment is 46,000.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
In the case of supplementary welfare allowance, the numbers of rent supplement payments have decreased since the beginning of 2004 to 58,100, a drop of 1,900. The number of crèche supplements has fallen from 1,800 to 1,450, the number of MABS supplements from 370 to 240 and the number of diet supplements from 13,580 to 13,180.
I re-emphasise that the changes in numbers outlined may be due in part to factors other than the policy changes made. I am satisfied the measures in question have been implemented in a way which respects the original purpose of the schemes and services in question. Furthermore, these measures produced savings which, in turn, were directly reinvested in a substantial 2004 budget package of €630 million. A budget package of this magnitude 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 provision generally.