Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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665. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the level of foresight or future planning that operates within his Department; who is responsible for long-term planning; the input these individuals or teams have into Departmental policy and practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61669/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recently published our new Statement of Strategy 2025-2028. This strategy supports the implementation of the priorities set out in the Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future and provides a framework for the ambitious programme of work to be undertaken by the Department over the next three years. This includes the development and implementation of a new Pathways to Work Strategy to guide the delivery of employment services, and also the development of a new whole-of-government Roadmap for Social Inclusion.

We are also committed to continuing the implementation of the Roadmap for Pensions Reform, while increasing pension coverage and adequacy, including through the roll out of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System – MyFuture Fund.

The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 requires that the Minister undertakes an Actuarial Review of the position of the Social Insurance Fund at 5-year intervals. The most recent review, published in March 2023, was the fifth review of the Fund, reflecting the position of the Fund as at 31 December 2020. The purpose of the Actuarial Review is to inform policy developments in relation to the social insurance system. The Review projects the income and expenditure of the Fund over a 55-year period, taking into account policy, economic and demographic changes since the previous review was undertaken. It is intended that a new Actuarial Review will be carried out in 2027. The findings of the Review will inform further developments in the social insurance system.

In response to the report of the Commission on Pensions and the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund, a PRSI Roadmap of PRSI changes was developed to address the projected shortfalls in social insurance income. This approach was agreed as an alternative to increasing the State pension age, and my Department plans to safeguard the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund by fully implementing the PRSI Roadmap 2024 – 2028.

In this regard, long-term planning is core to the work of the Department and informs the development of policies and cross-Governmental strategies. The Secretary General and the Management Board in my Department are responsible for developing policy proposals and for long term planning. These proposals are submitted to me as Minister for Social Protection for consideration and decision.