Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Finance the approximate average effect on the public finances of each 0.1% increase in the live register figures taking into account reduced income tax revenues, increased social welfare payments, including secondary benefits, and other associated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47563/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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A 0.1 per cent increase in the numbers on the Live Register at the end of November, 2008 would add €3.1 million in a full year to the cost of Jobseeker's Benefit and Allowance payments.

Entitlement to secondary social welfare benefits varies according to the personal circumstances of the individual claimants and the available data on the costs of secondary benefits do not enable the determination of an average cost for any given increment in the numbers on the Live Register. Similarly, an individual's income tax contribution is based on a number of unique factors such as taxable income and personal circumstances. Accordingly, it is not possible to estimate the effect of each 0.1 per cent increase in the Live Register on these elements.