Written answers
Wednesday, 8 March 2017
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the details of all working-age payments and the estimated full-year cost of increasing the payments by €5, €10, €15 and €20, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12436/17]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the different rates of jobseeker's payments for those under 25 years of age; the estimated full-year cost of increasing the respective payments by €2.50, €5, €7, €10; €15 and €20, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12437/17]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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178. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current expenditure on the school meals programme; the estimated full-year cost of increasing expenditure by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12438/17]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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179. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12439/17]
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together.
The costings sought by the Deputy are detailed in the following series of tables.
Table 1: Cost of increasing all working age payments (i.e. weekly payments for those under 66 years of age) by varying amounts
| Scheme | Full year cost of a €5 increase €m | Full year cost of a €10 increase €m | Full year cost of a €15 increase €m | Full year cost of a €20 increase €m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Insurance Schemes | ||||
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension | 8.0 | 15.9 | 23.9 | 31.8 |
| Deserted Wife's Benefit | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 4.3 |
| Invalidity Pension | 15.9 | 31.8 | 47.8 | 63.7 |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| Disablement Pension | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 6.2 |
| Illness Benefit | 14.5 | 29.0 | 43.4 | 57.9 |
| Injury Benefit | 0.35 | 0.7 | 1.05 | 1.4 |
| Incapacity Supplement | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 9.1 | 18.2 | 27.4 | 36.5 |
| Carer's Benefit | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.8 |
| Health and Safety Benefit | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| Maternity & Adoptive Benefit | 5.4 | 10.9 | 16.3 | 21.8 |
| Paternity Benefit | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| Total Social Insurance Schemes | 57.5 | 115.0 | 172.4 | 229.9 |
| Social Assistance Schemes | ||||
| Blind Person's Pension | 0.35 | 0.7 | 1.05 | 1.4 |
| Widow/ers or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Con) Pension | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.5 |
| Deserted Wife's Allowance | 0.05 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | 10.6 | 21.2 | 31.9 | 42.5 |
| Carer's Allowance | 9.2 | 18.4 | 27.6 | 36.8 |
| Half Rate Carer's Allowance | 2.5 | 5.0 | 7.6 | 10.1 |
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 54.8 | 109.6 | 164.5 | 219.3 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (€100 rate) | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 12.8 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (€144 rate) | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
| Pre-Retirement Allowance | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Disability Allowance | 35.1 | 70.1 | 105.2 | 140.2 |
| Farm Assist | 2.7 | 5.5 | 8.2 | 10.9 |
| Back to Education Allowance | 2.85 | 5.7 | 8.55 | 11.4 |
| Back to Work Enterprise Allowance | 3.4 | 6.8 | 10.1 | 13.5 |
| Community Employment Programme | 6.8 | 13.7 | 20.5 | 27.4 |
| TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative | 2.6 | 5.2 | 7.9 | 10.5 |
| Rural Social Scheme | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.6 |
| Gateway | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | 4.6 | 9.2 | 13.8 | 18.4 |
| Total Social Assistance Schemes | 141.5 | 283.2 | 424.7 | 566.3 |
| OVERALL TOTAL | 198.9 | 398.2 | 597.1 | 796.2 |
Table 2: Cost of increasing the reduced rates payable to Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients aged under 26
| Scheme | Full year cost of a €2.50 increase €m | Full year cost of a €5 increase €m | Full year cost of a €7 increase €m | Full year cost of a €10 increase €m | Full year cost of a €15 increase €m | Full year cost of a €20 increase €m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobseeker's Allowance (€100 rate) – claimants under 25 (aged 18 to 24 years of age) | 1.6 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 12.8 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (€144 rate) – claimants aged 25 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
It should be noted that the costings listed above include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant. It should also be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2018.
Table 3: Cost of increasing the School Meals Programme and Carer’s Support Grant by varying percentages
| Scheme | Full year cost of a 5% increase €m | Full year cost of a 10% increase €m | Full year cost of a 15% increase €m | Full year cost of a 20% increase €m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Meals Programme – based on increasing the 2017 allocation of €47.5 million | 2.4 | 4.75 | 7.1 | 9.5 |
| Carer’s Support Grant – based on increasing the 2017 estimated expenditure €180.9 million | 9.05 | 18.1 | 27.1 | 36.2 |
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