Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her presentation. To clarify, she mentioned an increase in the number of social welfare recipients since 2008. Will she give us the figures again?

During the debate on the Social Welfare Bill we went through the various proposed cost-saving measures, to which the Minister has referred in her opening statement, including the reductions in the respite care grant, back to school clothing and footwear allowance, household benefits scheme and so on. The calculation at the time, working on the Minister for Finance's figures, was that the total savings, excluding the changes to child benefit, would be in the order of €178 million. We pointed out that in a reply we had received to a parliamentary question the Minister for Finance had indicated that an increase of 3% in the universal social charge applicable on the portion of incomes above €100,000 would yield €200 million. Introducing that change, we argued, would eliminate the need for these cuts to the social protection budget. That proposal was, apparently, discussed but ultimately jettisoned in favour of a mansion tax, which I understand will this year yield the massive sum of €600,000. Will the Minister comment on this?

The departmental briefing material indicates that the expenditure ceiling for 2013 was €20.243 billion, which amounts to a decrease of €483 million, or 2.3%, on the provisional outturn for 2012. There is no indication, however, of the actual outturn for last year. The Minister will recall that just before the budget last year, this committee sanctioned a Supplementary Estimate of more than €600 million. How does that additional allocation factor into the outturn figures?

In regard to the projections for 2014, the Minister has indicated that an additional €440 million in savings are targeted. I agree with her view that social welfare expenditure contributes enormously to sustaining the domestic economy. I note, too, her recent public statement that an additional €440 million reduction in her budget in the next round of expenditure cuts would be a bridge too far and her indication of an intention to reduce that level of savings. What is her current position in this regard? Will she comment on the suggestions from certain quarters that the pressure on the public finances has eased in the wake of the agreement on the promissory note and other matters and that the dividend arising therefrom might be used to reduce projected cuts in social protection spending?