Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the role and membership of the Tax and Social Welfare Commission; if she will receive a report from the commission in advance of this year's budget; if so, the areas she requested the commission to comment on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28216/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that we face. It is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these issues and ensure that work is worthwhile. To this end, I established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare in June of this year. The main rationale for setting up the Advisory Group is to harness expert opinion and experience in order to address a number of specific issues and to make cost-effective proposals for improving employment incentives and achieving better poverty outcomes, particularly child poverty outcomes.

The Group has been asked to examine a number of specific issues and make recommendations on these, including child and family income supports, working age income supports, the appropriate unit of assessment in both the tax and social welfare codes, the interaction of the tax and social welfare codes, issues concerning social insurance for self-employed people and any other issues that may be referred to it. I understand that the Group is currently prioritising the area of family and child income supports so that it can make a contribution in time for the 2012 Budget and that it will address other issues after that as part of its work programme.

The Advisory Group is chaired by Ms Ita Mangan, a barrister with considerable experience in public policy. In line with a practical, problem-focused and evidence-orientated approach, members of the Group have expertise from economic and social policy and other relevant areas and include individuals with a mix of experience and expertise from within and outside the public sector. A list of the members of the Group is set out in the Annex.

The Group's method of working is based on producing modular reports on the priority areas identified in the terms of reference. Where possible, the aim is to provide recommendations that can be acted upon in time for the annual budget/estimates and legislative cycle and to allow the Government to best address its commitments under the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support. Annex Membership of the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare as announced on 25th June 2011 Ita Mangan, Chair John Bohan, Department of Social Protection. Niall Cody, Office of the Revenue Commissioners. Micheál Collins, Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin.* John Conlon, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Catherine Hazlett, Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Paul Kealy, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Geralyn McGarry, Citizens Information Board. Aebhric McGibney, Dublin Chamber of Commerce. Pat Mahon, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC). Derek Moran, Department of Finance. Mary P. Murphy, Department of Sociology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Brian Nolan, School of Applied Social Science in UCD. Marie Sherlock, SIPTU. John Sweeney, National Economic and Social Council.

* Since moved to a position with the Economic Research Unit.