Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if payments of social welfare contributions by the self employed are not recorded on the computer system; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this causes complications and delays in the payment of benefits to the self employed; and if he will take steps to remedy the situation. [16887/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Pay related social insurance, PRSI, contributions for the self employed are collected by the Revenue Commissioners under the self assessment system. PRSI details are transferred to my Department by electronic tape exchange. Records for fully paid up self employed contributors are recorded on my Department's central records computer system. Records in cases where the self employed contributor has partly paid PRSI are recorded on a separate computerised data base.

Self employed contributors pay class S contributions which provide cover for widow's and widower's contributory pension, orphan's contributory allowance, old age contributory pension, maternity benefit, adoptive benefit and bereavement grant. Old age contributory pension applications in respect of self employed contributors cannot be awarded until all self employed PRSI contribution liabilities have been met.

Where a self employed contributor applies for pension and their PRSI record is in order there is no delay in determining pension entitlement. However, if PRSI records are not up to date it is necessary for all outstanding PRSI payments to be made by the self employed contributor before entitlement to pension can be determined. It may be necessary to contact the Revenue Commissioners to establish the exact position in individual cases. Self employed contributors are advised that it is very important to ensure that all PRSI liabilities have been fully met and that their annual returns are submitted to the Revenue Commissioners on time. They are also advised of the importance of applying for pension in good time.

Officials of my Department and the Revenue Commissioners meet regularly to ensure continued operational efficiency in the transfer of PRSI contributions data. The Revenue Commissioners are aware of the importance of the timely submission and processing of annual PRSI returns by self employed contributors. As part of a major programme of modernisation under way in my Department's pensions services, a new unit has been set up to examine the insurance records of people approaching pension age so that any problems will be identified and addressed before an application for pension is due to be lodged with my Department.

Timely submission of annual PRSI returns to the Revenue Commissioners by self employed people will help to ensure that entitlements can be determined promptly by my Department and payment of benefit or pension can be made without delay.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the efforts his Department intends to make to publicise the change to the means test criteria for non-contributory social welfare benefits (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17199/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The changes in the arrangements for the assessment of capital for social assistance schemes, as announced in budget 2005, will be advertised in the national and provincial newspapers in the coming weeks. In addition, use will be made of television screen advertising in credit unions throughout the country. My Department's information officers in our social welfare local offices will be available to assist people who wish to make any inquiries regarding the assessment of their capital as it affects their payments.

My Department is fully committed to ensuring that the general public and, in this instance, pensioners who are currently in receipt of a reduced pension because of capital assessment are made aware of the new capital assessment formula. In that regard the pension services office has commenced a review of the entitlements of some 6,000 people who applied for old age non-contributory pension and 1,300 people who applied for widow's or widower's non-contributory pension. Where the review indicates that an increase in payment is warranted, the increase will be put into effect immediately and backdated to the start of June 2005.

All disability allowance claims affected by the new arrangements are currently being reviewed and the customers concerned will be notified of any change in their weekly rate of payment arising from the review. In the case of recipients of carer's allowance, the improvements in capital assessment came into effect in April 2005 in line with other improvements introduced in that scheme. All relevant claims are currently being re-assessed and customers will be notified of the outcome of those re-assessments. All relevant one-parent family payment claims that were refused on grounds of capital assessment have been identified and we are in the process of notifying the customers concerned of any change in their entitlements. In the case of unemployment assistance and pre-retirement allowance recipients, instructions have been issued to all local offices of my Department to review all relevant claims and to re-assess the means in accordance with the new formula.

My Department produces a comprehensive range of information booklets covering each social welfare payment. Our main information publication, entitled "Guide to Social Welfare Services", is currently being updated to include the new arrangements for capital assessment as well as all other changes to our schemes. In addition, our range of information leaflets about the various schemes affected is being updated. Our information booklets are available from our network of social welfare local offices, the network of citizens information centres, CICs, throughout the country and from our LoCall leaflet line: 1890 20 23 25.