I propose to take Questions Nos. 476, 485, 490, 497, 501 to 503, inclusive, and 505 together.
Partial Capacity Benefit was introduced in February 2012 and accordingly, there were no recipients or associated expenditure in 2010 or 2011. As responsibility for the Rural Social Scheme transferred to the Department in September 2010, the information sought on Rural Social Scheme recipient numbers in 2010 is not available. As statistics on fuel allowance recipients are not segregated from the statistics of the schemes under which it is paid, the information sought on fuel allowance recipient numbers is not available. The cost of Living Alone Allowances and Island Allowances are not segregated from the scheme expenditure under which it they are paid and accordingly, the information sought on expenditure on those payments is not available. The information sought on Household Benefit Package recipient numbers is available only for 2012. The information on county of residence requested by the Deputy is not collated by the Department.
The other statistical and financial information sought is set out in the tabular statement.
The future of these payments will be considered in the course of the preparations for Budget 2013. The outcome of those deliberations will be announced in the Budget and in the meantime, no final decisions have been made.
Partial Capacity Benefit
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
-
|
Scheme commenced 13 February 2012
|
677
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
-
|
Scheme commenced 13 February 2012
|
13,104
|
Adoptive Benefit
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
53
|
45
|
18
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
891
|
1,075
|
1,230
|
Bereavement Grant
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012 (to end Sept. for recipients)
|
Recipients
|
21,780
|
22,919
|
17,668
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
18,292
|
19,436
|
18,700
|
Rural Social Scheme
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
N/A*
|
2,534
|
2,549
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
13,872
|
46,835
|
45,660
|
*Rural Social Scheme transferred to the Department of Social Protection in September 2010.
Fuel Allowance
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
-
|
-
|
Information regarding the allowance’s recipients is not segregated from the statistics of the schemes under which it is paid.
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
228,766
|
265,839
|
214,360
|
Living Alone Allowance
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
170,579
|
174,015
|
175,477
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Allowance Cost: The cost of the Allowance is not segregated from the scheme expenditure under which it is paid.
Household Benefits Package
Recipients*
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
413,030
|
Allowance Recipients
Electricity
Cash Electricity
Gas
Telephone
T.V. Licence
Total Allowances
|
-
300,567
46,831
41,822
378,059
394,030
1,161,309
|
-
295,679
61,019
43,609
389,483
404,619
1,194,409
|
-
293,697
65,374
44,048
392,508
407,026
1,202,653
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|
Scheme Expenditure
|
367,800
|
369,575
|
335,105
|
*Number of recipients is available since June 2012
Island Allowance
-
|
31 December 2010
|
31 December 2011
|
30 September 2012
|
Recipients
|
549
|
555
|
550
|
-
|
2010
€000
|
2011
€000
|
2012 (REV-II)
€000
|