John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will gender-proof Budget 2013 before publication to ensure that women will not be disproportionately affected by cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44579/12]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will gender-proof Budget 2013 before publication to ensure that women will not be disproportionately affected by cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44581/12]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the rationale underpinning her cuts targets breakdown of children and families €250 million to €400 million; persons of working age €350 million to €600 million and older persons €150 million to €300 million; and if she is concerned at the impact such cuts will have on children in view of their dependence not only on child and family supports but also on persons of working age. [44565/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 108 and 110 together.

The Comprehensive Expenditure Report published last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €1,033 million over the next two years by the Department of Social Protection. This includes €540 million of new savings to be achieved in Budget 2013.

The CER also stated that the Department would look at three broad areas, namely children and families, people of working age and retired and older people to identify further indicative savings. This does not imply that expenditure in any given area will reduced or by how much.

I recognise that reducing overall expenditure in 2013 and beyond in order to meet the expenditure ceilings will be extremely difficult and requires a critical analysis of all expenditure. In this context, I will look to minimise the impact of the necessary adjustments to the Department’s welfare expenditure on groups vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. As part of the Budgetary deliberative process, the Department will analyse, in so far as possible, the distributive and poverty impact of possible welfare changes to all welfare recipients including different family types including those with children and male/female poverty impacts. Finally, the Department will prepare a similar analysis of the overall Budget 2013 tax and welfare packages when they are finalised.