Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the basis for the projected decline of 20% in pre-retirement allowance in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate. [37867/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Pre-Retirement Allowance is a means tested payment for people aged 55 and over who opt to retire from the labour force. People transferred to this scheme from Jobseeker's Allowance (formerly Unemployment Assistance). The Pre-Retirement allowance scheme was discontinued for new applicants with effect from July 2007. However, people who were in receipt of the payment at that stage continued to receive their payment, and will continue to receive such payments, as long as they satisfy the conditions of entitlement.

The projected decline of €26.6 million (20%) in Pre-Retirement allowance in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate reflects the declining client base for these schemes as current recipients reach normal pension age.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the basis for the projected decline of 9% in social assistance and other allowances in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate. [37868/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Assistance and other allowance subhead relates to the means tested payment for deserted wives and prisoners' wives schemes. These schemes were discontinued for new claimants with effect from January 1997, when One Parent Family Payment was introduced. However, people who were in receipt of these schemes at that stage continued to receive their payment, and will continue to receive such payments, as long as they satisfy the conditions of entitlement.

The projected decline of €0.6 million (9%) in Social Assistance and other allowance in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate reflects the declining client base for these schemes as current recipients reach pension age or otherwise lose their entitlement through a change in their circumstances.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the basis for the projected decline of 27% in section T2 of the 2009 Estimates over the 2008 Estimate. [37869/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Subhead T2 provides for the Exchequer's contribution to projects under the social inclusion and social protection strand of the EU Community Action Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (PROGRESS) 2007 to 2013, which involve Irish partners (both statutory and non-statutory).

EU funding for the projects amounts to approximately 80% of project costs, with the remaining 20% to be supplied by the participating partners. In the case of Irish project partners, the 20% matching funding is provided by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

Over the period of this programme, applications from Ireland for funding were fewer than originally anticipated. The funding of €90,000 provided for 2009 is considered to be more than sufficient to cover any project requirements which may arise. In this regard it should be noted that the highest expenditure in any one year to date did not exceed €64,000.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the basis for the projected decline of 8% in its grant to the Citizen's Information Board in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate. [37870/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The projected decline of €2.45 million (8%) in the grant to the Citizen's Information Board in the 2009 Estimate over the 2008 Estimate is due to measures taken by the Board to control expenditure next year.

These measures include:

A 3% reduction in payroll costs over 2008, through the management of staff vacancies.

A 50% reduction in expenditure on consultancy, advertising and promotional activities.

The deferral of the introduction of the Personal Advocacy Service.