Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has received a projection of the amount that may be needed to cope with rising unemployment. [12087/08]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in view of rising unemployment, he will bring forward a Supplementary Estimate on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12106/08]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on a recent report which revealed Government officials believe that significant extra funds will be needed to meet the rising cost of unemployment benefit in the coming months. [12086/08]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is satisfied that the allocation for jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit for 2008 is sufficient to meet demand for the payment in view of the recent large increase in the live register; his intentions to introduce a supplementary estimate to cater for the increase; and the locations where he will make savings to cater for this supplementary estimate. [12196/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 136, 142 and 144 together.

The Estimates allocation for jobseeker's allowance in 2008 is €1,019.8 million while the provision for jobseeker's benefit is €614.52 million. Expenditure on these schemes amounted to €875 million and €545.6 million respectively in 2007. This year's allocations are based on an underlying live register forecast of an average of 170,000 for the year. Live register forecasts are determined by the Department of Finance. Developments in relation to jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit will be closely monitored during the year in the context of the Government's framework for reporting on public expenditure.

Social welfare scheme expenditure is incurred almost entirely on payments to individual recipients based on pre-determined qualifying conditions and rates of payment. The expenditure, which is demand-led, is driven by a range of economic, social and demographic factors. The issue of a supplementary estimate will be considered if, and where, the need for such a measure arises.