Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the actions she has taken to explore the possibility of including in the household benefits package, a national waste services waiver scheme. [18613/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The setting of waste management charges and the introduction of waivers in respect of waste charges is, as has been stated in this House on many occasions, a matter for each local authority. Local authorities operate under the auspices of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The introduction of a national social welfare scheme as part of the household benefits scheme to address the issue would not be feasible given the wide range of charging regimes and cost structures that exist in respect of waste management throughout the State. Charges vary across local authorities and within local authorities where there is more than one provider. In addition, some local authorities and private operators already operate waiver schemes but again the qualifying conditions for these schemes also vary. Any system put in place to assist people with waste collection charges would have to take account of the different local arrangements.

My officials have discussed this issue with their counterparts in the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I understand that Department does not have any plans at present to introduce a National waiver scheme. Similarly, I have no plans to introduce a waiver scheme through the social welfare system.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she is taking to deal with the oversight in her Department's guidelines in relation to the application of EU regulations to the entitlement of migrant workers to child benefit where their children resided outside Ireland, as highlighted in the 2007 report of the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18605/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The reference in the Social Welfare Appeals Office Report 2007 relates to a number of cases where Child Benefit claims were submitted outside of the specified time frame for so doing. The small number of Child Benefit claims referred to were paid from the month after receipt of the claim as provided for by Social Welfare legislation. EU legislation provides that in certain circumstances such claims to family benefits can be backdated to an earlier date. The decision to allow payment only from the month after receipt of the claim was subsequently appealed by the customer to the Social Welfare Appeal office.

The appropriateness of the application of this EU legislation to the Child Benefit claims in question is being examined by the Department at present. When this examination is completed the relevant Department guidelines will be updated if required.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she is satisfied that the increases in welfare and pension payments in 2008 are sufficient to meet the growing cost of living for low income individuals and families and retired people; and her intentions to seek a supplementary estimate to support her Department's clients with these rising costs. [18625/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Improvements in social welfare supports are normally introduced by way of the annual Budget. Budget 2008 provided for increases in welfare rates of payment which are ahead of the projected increases in prices for 2008. These included:

An increase in the maximum personal rates of contributory pension of €14, or6.7%, per week, and

An increase of €12.00 per week, or 6.5%, in the lowest personal rate of payment.

In addition, a wide range of improvements for families with children were also announced. Following Budget 2008, total child income support for a welfare-dependent family with one young child will be €87.77 per week, an increase of 7% over 2007.

Over the last five Budgets, the lowest social welfare rates have increased by 58% compared to cumulative price increases of 17% in the same period. In 2004, the lowest social welfare rate of payment equated to 24% of gross average industrial earnings. In 2008 this rate will equate to 30%. Overall social welfare spending in 2008 is projected to be just under €17 billion, an increase of €1.5 billion (or more than 10%) over 2007.

The increases introduced this year clearly demonstrate the Government's determination to fully protect the most vulnerable in our society and to making real progress towards achieving our commitments for pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and all others relying in whole or in part on a welfare payment. I look forward to making further progress in this regard in the years ahead, having regard to available resources.