Written answers

Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Department of Social Protection

Departmental Expenditure

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael D HigginsMichael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his priority areas for additional expenditure in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the pre-Budget 2008 outlook in so far as it affects his Department. [26292/07]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The recently published Pre-Budget Outlook provides for total social welfare expenditure between Vote and Social Insurance Fund of €16.113 billion in 2008. This is a 5.1% increase over the 2007 allocation and reflects the full-year impact of the Budget changes announced last December, as well as forecasted changes in numbers of recipients. The Pre-Budget estimates are on an existing level of service basis. They do not provide for any changes to qualifying conditions or rates of payment.

Improvements in social welfare schemes and services are introduced by way of the Budget. In this regard, I will be developing proposals having regard to various factors.

My priority will be to make progress in delivering on the commitments contained in the Agreed Programme for Government, the Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016 and the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016. These commitments relate to increases in pensions and other social welfare payments as well as a wide range of measures to benefit vulnerable groups in society including older people, children, and carers.

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