25 MFómh 2012, 12:07
The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection meets tomorrow with the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton TD for a pre-budget briefing.
25 September 2012
The Programme for Government 2011 stipulates that Committees examine Estimates on a whole-of-year basis, and this meeting forms part of that initiative.
Committee Chair Joanna Tuffy TD says: “Pre-budget engagement with the Minister is an important component of our current work programme and Committee Members will wish to explore the current budgetary challenges facing the State. As with other Government Departments, significant savings are expected in social protection spending in the upcoming budget.
“While the Minister may not be in a position to give precise details on the upcoming budget, the meeting will allow Committee members to question her regarding the possible form the adjustments may take. Our Committee will be keen to question the Minister on how the impact of the savings, particularly on the most vulnerable sections of society, can be minimised.”
“Last week our Committee met officials from the Department of Social Protection on the worrying projections for the Social Insurance Fund. The Fund’s shortfall last year of €1.5bn is predicted to increase dramatically if action is not taken. The meeting gave us a profound insight into the challenges facing the sustainability of our social protection system, both in the immediate term and in the coming decades as our population ages. As part of our engagement with the Minister tomorrow, our Committee will be keen to explore issues and concerns arising from last week’s meeting.”
The Committee will also hear from the Minister on the forthcoming EU Council of Ministers meeting, to be held in Brussels on 4 October.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “Our Committee will engage with Minister Burton on the approach she proposes to take at the forthcoming Employment and Social Council meeting in Brussels. This important meeting will follow through on the European Council meeting in June, which requested Member States to engage in growth-friendly fiscal policies to curb youth and long term unemployment. With Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union approaching in January, Minister Burton will also have an opportunity to outline her priorities in the area of Social Protection during the six-month Presidency.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 26 September at 10 a.m. in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000. It will commence with discussion on the EU Council of Ministers meeting.
Committee proceedings can be viewed online via this link.
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +353 1 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Ray Butler, Fine Gael
Áine Collins, Fine Gael
Joan Collins, People Before Profit
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Independent
Simon Harris, Fine Gael
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil
Nicky McFadden, Fine Gael
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour Party (Vice Chair)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil
Brendan Ryan, Labour Party
Joanna Tuffy, Labour Party (Chair)
Senators:
Jim D’Arcy
Fidelma Healy Eames
Marie Moloney
Marie Louise O’Donnell
Averil Power
Diarmuid Wilson