Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2001 > Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs > Annual Report 2001

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL

ón gComhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Teaghlaigh, Pobail agus Sóisialacha Obair an Chomhchoiste

ANNUAL REPORT

of the Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs Work of the Joint Committee

2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Content and Format of Report

This report has been prepared pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 79A, Dáil Éireann and paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 63, Seanad Éireann which provides for Joint Committee reports and work programmes as follows-

•review of its procedure and its role

•annual work programme

•laying minutes of proceedings

•making an annual report

2. Functions and Powers of the Joint Committee

The Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 20 November, 1997, and by Order of Seanad Éireann of 19 November, 1997 as part of a programme of Oireachtas reform involving the refining of the Committee system to enable more detailed examination of Government Departments including–

•public affairs administered by each Department

•legislation and expenditure proposals of each Department

•certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of each Department.

The Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee were modified by further Orders of Dáil Éireann of 28th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (2)(a)(iv) added) and 14 February 2001 (new subparagraph (1)(a)(iii) added) and Seanad Éireann of 30th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (1)(a)(iv) added) and the Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee, as so modified, are set out at Appendix 1.

3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy Noel Ahern was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 10 December 1997. Deputy Tommy Broughan was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 10 March 1999 to replace Deputy Breeda Moynihan Cronin. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies John Browne (Carlow/Kilkenny) and Eddie Wade are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members or their substitutes for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members’ availability for divisions.

The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Joint Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Joint Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Joint Committee was broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by R.T.É.

Verbatim written reports of public meetings of the Select Committee in relation to Bills and Estimates for the Public Services, Vote 40, Social, Community and Family Affairs were published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.

Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at Section 8.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 14 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 22 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 5 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 14 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 4.

Records of attendance by Members of the Joint Committee and their duly nominated substitutes at meetings of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 5.

Records of attendance by Members of the Dáil Select Committee and their duly nominated substitutes at meetings of the Dáil Select Committee are set out at Appendix 6.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee meeting in public session are attached at Appendix 7.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

•Pension Provisions.

•‘Teenage Parenting: Contemporary Issues’ report.

•Appointment of Sub-Committee on Pensions.

•Meeting with representatives of the Pensions Board.

•Free Schemes and Back to School Allowances.

•Proposals for Rapporteur Projects.

•Support Systems for Asylum Seekers.

•Proposals in response to the Foot and Mouth outbreak.

•The Employment Action Plan, Local Employment Schemes and Community Employment Schemes.

•The Irish Farmers Association perspective on the Farm Assist Scheme et al.

•The Social Economy Programme.

•Concerns of the Carers Group in the South West.

•Concerns of the Irish Wheelchair Association.

•‘The Challenges of Aging, Care Giving and Political Choice’ report.

•Review of the National Anti Poverty Strategy (NAPS).

•The majority recommendation of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group.

•The 2002 Budget frame-work.

•Pre-Budget discussions.

•2002 Work Programme.

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 5 occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

•The Social Welfare Bill, 2001.

•Consideration of 2001 Estimates for the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

•Family Support Agency Bill, 2001.

•The Social Welfare (No.2) Bill, 2001.

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

In the year under report the Joint Committee met with the following:

▪Officials of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

▪Officials of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

▪Officials of the Department of Finance.

▪Officials of the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform.

▪Irish Farmers Association.

▪Pensions Board.

▪Carer’s Association.

▪Irish Wheelchair Association.

▪Society of St Vincent de Paul.

▪TREOIR.

▪Disability Federation of Ireland.

▪Presentation Justice Network.

8. Joint Committee Reports

During the year under report the Joint Committee published the following reports:

•Teenage Parenting: Contemporary Issues

•The Challenges of Aging, Care-Giving & Political Choice

9. Work in Progress

A copy of the Joint Committees’ work programme is at Appendix 8.

10. Travel by the Joint Committee

Six Committee members travelled to a Conference on the Rights of the Child (including Child Poverty) held in Sweden in May 2001 and had meetings with members of the Social Policy Committee of the Swedish Parliament and of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

11. Function and Powers

In addition to existing functions and powers of the Committee, further powers were accorded to the Committee by a resolution of Dáil Éireann of 2 July 1999 to amend Standing Order 78A of Dáil Standing Orders, enabling the Committee to ‘consider and report to Dáil Éireann on such proposals for EU Legislation as may be referred to it from time to time by any Committee established by Dáil Éireann (whether acting jointly with the Seanad or otherwise) to consider such proposals and upon which has been conferred the power to refer such proposals to another Select Committee’. A corresponding provision was made by way of amendment to Standing Order 65 of Standing Orders of Seanad Éireann on 30 June 1999.

___________________________

Noel Ahern, T.D.

Chairman of the Joint Committee

(Note: This annual report was agreed by the Joint Committee at it’s meeting on 12 February 2002)

APPENDIX 1

Orders of Reference

Dáil Éireann

Order of 20 November 1997, (* 28 April 1998), (** 14 February 2001)

(1) (a)That a Select Committee,which shall be called the Select Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs, consisting of 14 members of Dáil Éireann (of whom 4 shall constitute a quorum), be appointed to consider such-

(i)Bills the statute law in respect of which is dealt with by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, and

(ii)Estimates for Public Services within the aegis of that Department, as shall be referred to it by Dáil Éireann from time to time.

(iii)**Proposals contained in any motion, including any motion within the meaning of Standing Order 149(A) concerning the approval by the Dáil of international agreements involving a charge on public funds, as shall be referred to it by Dáil Éireann from time to time.

(b)For the purpose of its consideration of Bills under paragraph (1)(a)(i), the Select Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 78A(1), (2) and (3).

(c)For the avoidance of doubt, by virtue of his or her ex officio membership of the Select Committee in accordance with Standing Order 84(1), the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (or a Minister or Minister of State nominated in his or her stead) shall be entitled to vote.

(2) (a)The Select Committee shall be joined with a Select Committee to be appointed by Seanad Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs to consider-

(i)such public affairs administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs as it may select, including bodies under the aegis of that Department in respect of Government policy,

(ii)such matters of policy for which the Minister in charge of that Department is officially responsible as it may select,

(iii)the strategy statement laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister in charge of that Department pursuant to section 5(2) of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, and shall be authorised for the purposes of section 10 of that Act

(iv)*such Annual Reports or Annual Reports and Accounts, required by law and laid before either or both Houses of the Oireachtas, of bodies under the aegis of the Department(s) specified in paragraph 2(a)(i), and the overall operational results, statements of strategy and corporate plans of these bodies, as it may select,

provided that the Joint Committee shall not, at any time, consider any matter relating to such a body which is, which has been, or which is, at that time, proposed to be considered by the Committee of Public accounts pursuant to the Orders of Reference of that Committee and/or the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act,1993,

provided further that the Joint Committee shall refrain from inquiring into in public session, or publishing confidential information regarding, any such matter if so requested either by the body or by the Minister in charge of that Department; and

(v)such other matters as may be jointly referred to it from time to time by both Houses of the Oireachtas and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

(b)The quorum of the Joint Committee shall be 5, of whom at least 1 shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and 1 a member of Seanad Éireann.

(c)The Joint Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 78A(1) to (9) inclusive.

(3)The Chairman of the Joint Committee, who shall be a member of Dáil Éireann, shall also be Chairman of the Select Committee.

Seanad Éireann

Order of 19 November, 1997,(* 30 April 1998)

(1) (a)That a Select Committee consisting of 5 members of Seanad Éireann shall be appointed to be joined with a Select Committee of Dáil Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs to consider-

(i)such public affairs administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs as it may select, including bodies under the aegis of that Department in respect of Government policy,

(ii)such matters of policy for which the Minister in charge of that Department is officially responsible as it may select,

(iii)the strategy statement laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister in charge of that Department pursuant to section 5(2) of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, and shall be authorised for the purposes of section 10 of that Act,

(iv)such Annual Reports or Annual Reports and Accounts, required by law and laid before either or both Houses of the Oireachtas, of bodies under the aegis of the Department(s) specified in paragraph 2(a)(i), and the overall operational results, statements of strategy and corporate plans of these bodies, as it may select,

provided that the Joint Committee shall not, at any time, consider any matter relating to such a body which is, which has been, or which is, at that time, proposed to be considered by the Committee of Public accounts pursuant to the Orders of Reference of that Committee and/or the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act,1993,

provided further that the Joint Committee shall refrain from inquiring into in public session, or publishing confidential information regarding, any such matter if so requested either by the body or by the Minister in charge of that Department; and

(v)such other matters as may be jointly referred to it from time to time by both Houses of the Oireachtas, and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

(b)The quorum of the Joint Committee shall be 5, of whom at least 1 shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and 1 a member of Seanad Éireann.

(c)The Joint Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 62(A) (1) to (9) inclusive.

(2)The Chairman of the Joint Committee shall be a member of Dáil Éireann.

APPENDIX 2

Members of the Joint Committee

List of Members

Deputy Tommy Broughan was appointed in place of Deputy Breeda Moynihan-Cronin on 24th February, 1999

Deputy Róisín Shortall was appointed in place of Deputy Proinsias de Rossa on 24th February, 1999

Deputy Simon Coveney was appointed in place of Deputy Bernard Durkan on 29 June, 2000

Deputy Frances Fitzgerald was appointed in place of Deputy Jim O’Keeffe on 29 June, 2000

Deputy Mary Upton was appointed in place of Deputy Roisin Shortall on 7 Nov, 2000

Deputy Brian Hayes was appointed in place of Deputy Seymour Crawford on 29 March, 2001

APPENDIX 3

Meetings of the Joint Committee

APPENDIX 4

Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee

APPENDIX 5

Attendance at Meetings of the Joint Committee

Attendance at Meetings of the Joint Committee (continued)

P Indicates Member was present at meeting

O Indicates Member was absent from meeting

A Indicates apologies were sent

* Indicates Member was represented by a Substitute

** Deputy Brian Hayes was appointed in place of Deputy Seymour Crawford on 29 March, 2001

APPENDIX 6

Attendance at Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee

P Indicates Member was present at meeting

O Indicates Member was absent from meeting

A Indicates apologies were sent

* Indicates Member was represented by a Substitute

** Deputy Brian Hayes was appointed in place of Deputy Seymour Crawford on 29 March, 2001

APPENDIX 7

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 16 JANUARY 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 2.45 pm., in public session, in Room G2, Kildare House.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), Liam Aylward (in substitution for John Browne) John Brady, Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, Simon Coveney, Seymour Crawford, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Eddie Wade, and Senators Joe Costello, Rory Kiely (in substitution for Des Hanafin), Ann Leonard, Don Lydon, Mick Lanigan (in substitution for Don Lydon) and Therese Ridge.

Apologies were received from John Browne (Carlow/Kilkenny),

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 5 December 2000 were agreed.

Under matters arising Deputy Broughan raised concern that the Secretary General of the Department had reportedly recently expressed concern that the Department might find it difficult to implement changes arising from the next budget if the budget was late. The difficulties would arise from the Government commitment to implement changes from 1 January 2002 as well as the implementation of the euro changeover.

4.Meeting with Officials of the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs and the Department of Finance on Pension Provisions.

The meeting was joined by Ms. Anne Vaughan, Principal Officer, Mr. Paul Cunningham and Mr. Don Watts from the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs, Ms. Anne Maher of the Pensions Board and Jim McCaffrey of the Department of Finance.

The meeting commenced with a brief presentation from Anne Vaughan. The presentation centred on the following issues:

•Pension Policy: - Social Welfare Pensions and Occupational Pensions; Extension of coverage for Social Welfare and Occupational Pensions; Entitlement/eligibility; demographics; rates of payment; financing/funding; long term care.

•Qualifying Condition:- contributory and non contributory.

•Payment Rates from April 2001.

•Social welfare Pensions: - 90% receive SWP - directly or indirectly; 63% receive contributory

•Occupational Pension Regime: - voluntary; condition of employment option for employer; tax relief; defined benefits; defined contribution.

•Policy Issues: - Pensions Board Report; Integration; Voluntary V Mandatory provisions; regulation; Pensions Bill; Review of the Board.

•PPF: - Agreed increases; cooperation of Social Partners: New national survey of pension coverage.

•Pensions Bill.

In response to matters raised by Members the visiting delegation also provided details of arrangements in the following areas:

•Civil and Public Service Pensions

•The Social Insurance Fund

•Credit for Homemakers

•Establishment of a Pensions Ombudsman

•Annual cost to GNP ratio

•Aspiration to increase payments to 34% of average incomes.

The meeting was adjourned at 16.37 pm until 2.45 pm on Tuesday 6 February 2001

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

5 February 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 6 FEBRUARY 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 2.45 pm., in public session, in Room G5, Kildare House.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne(Carlow/Kilkenny), Simon Coveney, Seymour Crawford, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Eddie Wade, and Senators Ann Leonard and Willie Farrell (in substitution for Don Lydon).

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 16 January 2001 were agreed.

4.Report of the Joint Committee on Teenage Parenting Contemporary Issues.

The Chairman introduced the report and invited Deputy Fitzgerald to make a brief presentation on the main issues and recommendations of the report.

Deputy Fitzgerald commenced by thanking Ms. Aisling Byrne, researcher and Dr. Pauline Conway for their assistance with the preparation of the report. She said that the report aimed to identify the groups most at risk and the specific risks that faced teenage parents. In addition the report seeks to identify strategies which should be targeted in such a way as to eliminate such risks and facilitate teenage families. The report concentrated on the following headings.

Changing Family Structures; Use of Contraception among Teenagers; Teenage Parents: No appreciable rise; Fall in Teenage nuptiality; The Fall in Adoption; Abortion: Trends and Statistics; Children as Mothers; The Risk and Incidence of Poverty; Commitment to Children; The Child Poverty Initiative; Teenage Families – A Success; The Service Needs of Teenage Parents; Three Pilot Projects; Young Fathers; Relationships and Responsibility; Family Planning Issues; Detachment from School; Childcare; Housing Children as Adults; Minority Groups and Teenage Parents; A Statistical Focus; Work Options for Lone Parents - Impact on the One-Parent Family Payment; Ireland in a Comparative Context.

The report recommended the following solutions:

ØThe introduction of a nation-wide scheme supporting teenage parents.

ØEstablishment of a Working Group to identify accommodation needs

ØIntroduction of a suitable FAS scheme for teenage parents.

ØIntroduction of an emergency allowance

ØNew childcare allowance to facilitate full-time education and/or training.

ØRemoval of age barriers for education/training programmes

ØIssue of guidelines to schools

ØEstablishment of National Monitoring Committee to monitor RSE

ØIntroduce a quota scheme in publicly funded crèches for the children of teenage parents.

ØImplement a 50% disregard of maintenance payments in the Budgetary.

ØPut in place a new family planning strategy.

ØSuitable antenatal and post natal care should be made available

ØAppointment of Health Liaison Officers for Schools

ØProvision of proper guidance to young men with sexual health messages

Øreview of the programme ‘Exploring Masculinity’

Øencouragement to name the father of child on birth certificates

Ødevelopment of courses on parent/child communication

Øtargeting of individual needs of minority groups.

Ødevelopment of Protocol for pregnant substance abusers.

Øreview of existing research base relating to teenage pregnancy - health, education and social welfare issues.

The Committee welcomed the report and it was agreed that it should laid before the Houses forthwith. It was further agreed that the report should be circulated to relevant Departments and other relevant groups who should be asked for their observations on the specific recommendations and thereafter to be discussed again by the Committee in the light of the responses.

5.Pensions Sub Committee

It was agreed to set up the proposed sub-Committee to oversee the review of Pensions. The following members were nominated to serve: Deputies Noel Ahern, Paul McGrath, Matt Brennan and Tommy Broughan and the nominations were agreed.

Private Session

The Committee continued in private session.

6.Expenditure

It was agreed to seek sanction from the Working Group of Committee Chairmen to spend £7,500 on advertisements seeking submissions from interested parties on the Pensions issue. It was further agreed to seek sanction to spend £5,000 for the engagement of a consultant to assist the Committee in the preparation of the subsequent report.

The meeting was adjourned at 15.49 pm until 2.45 pm on Tuesday 13 February 2001

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

13 February 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 13 FEBRUARY 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 2.55 pm., in public session, in Room G5, Kildare House.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), John Brady, Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, Seymour Crawford, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Mary Upton, Eddie Wade, and Senators Ann Leonard and Willie Farrell (in substitution for Don Lydon).

Apologies were received from Senator Therese Ridge.

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 6 February 2001 were agreed.

4.Meeting with representatives of the Pensions Board

The Chairman introduced the delegation from the Pension’s Board, which included: Grainne Clohessy, Chairperson of the Board, Anne Maher, Chief Executive, Kevin Brabazon, Board Member, Rosheen Callender, Board Member Ian Woods, Head of Technical and Research, and he invited Ms. Clohessy to make a formal presentation.

After a brief introduction Ms. Clohessy handed over to Ms. Maher who detailed the history and background of the Board as follows:

ØThe Board was set up under the Pensions Act 1990 as a statutory Body, by the Minister for Social Welfare.

ØAt that time there had been significant growth occupational pension schemes and there was an absence of regulation and independent advice available.

ØThe new board consisted of a Chairman and 14 ordinary members representing social partners; trustees of pension schemes; pension professionals and representatives of Government Departments.

ØThe Board is entirely financed from fees from pension schemes.

ØThe dual role of the Board is to regulate occupational pension schemes and to advise the Minister generally on pension matters.

ØThe regulatory role includes registration of schemes; disclosure compliance monitoring; monitoring of funding; conduct of investigations; prosecutions; enquiry service; information programme.

ØThe Policy role includes reports and advice to Minister.

ØThe Board is currently involved in providing input to the Pensions Bill, 2001 as well as organising a pensions coverage survey;

The meeting was adjourned at 4.26 pm sine die

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

12 March 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 13 MARCH 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 2.55 pm., in public session, in Room R3, LH 2000.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (F.G.), Seymour Crawford, Denis Foley, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Seamus Kirk (in substitution for Eddie Wade) and Senators Ann Leonard and Don Lydon.

Apologies were received from Deputy Eddie Wade, Frances Fitzgerald and Senator Therese Ridge.

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 13 March 2001 were agreed.

4.Proposals for Rapporteur Projects.

The Chairman notified the Committee that Deputy Frances Fitzgerald has submitted a project for consideration by the Committee. The proposed project centred on a ‘Review of current mechanisms for the support of carers and proposals for future initiatives in this area.’

It was agreed that the project should proceed and that the fee for the project would be £3,000.

5.Meeting with representatives of the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs

The Chairman advised the Committee that during the Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill, there had been some discussion on the question of free schemes and their availability to particular groups (including widows/widowers) there had also been discussion on the question of Back to School Allowances and School Meals. These are issues which are included in the Committee’s programme of work and it had been planned to review these matters in the near future. During the debate on the Bill, the Minister suggested that these issues could be clarified at a meeting with officials of his department who could advise the Committee on the range of these schemes and the plans, if any, there are to extend the schemes.

The Chairman welcomed Briain Ó Raghallaigh, Orlaigh Quinn, Deirdre Nichol, Marion Hehir and Niamh Fitzgerald of the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs and invited Mr. Ó Raghallaigh to make a presentation.

Mr. Ó Raghallaigh comenced his presentation with details of the Child Education Support Programme which makes provision for Back to School Clothing and Footwear and School Meals, including the Urban School Meals Scheme and the School Meal Community Programme.

ØThe BSCFA was introduced in 1990 and is administered on behalf of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs by the health board Community Welfare Officers (CWO’s) in conjunction with the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. The presentation outlined income limits; Beneficiaries and Expenditure; Recipient Numbers and Expenditure in recent years.

A Working Group was established to review the scheme in September 1999.

The Group identified the following potential difficulties with the scheme:

1.The means test which excludes substantial numbers of people who qualify for means tested social welfare payments.

2.The lack of a taper, which constitutes a poverty trap and families narrowly outside the means test limit fail to qualify.

3.The rate of payment, which is inadequate in relation to the cost of clothing and footwear and the Department does not use an objective benchmark to calculate the cost of BSCF

4.The administration of the scheme, as it involves people making application at their local Health centre each year, even though they may already be in receipt of a means-tested weekly social welfare payment and may have received BSCF allowance in the previous year.

School Meals Review of the Urban School Meals scheme and the School Meal Community Programme

5.The food provided is less than adequate.

6.all schools in County Council areas are excluded

7.second level schools in all areas are excluded

8.administrative complexity and lack of consistency

Extension of the Free Schemes to Widows and Widowers under 66 years

9.Budget 2001 made provision for the further extension of the Free Schemes to people aged 70 years and over regardless of income and household composition.

10.29,000 households who will now be eligible for the Free Electricity/Gas Allowance, Free TV Licence and Free Telephone Allowance.

11.The cost of this measure is £9.6 million in 2001 and £14.2 million in a full year.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.26 pm sine die

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

27 March 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 27 MARCH 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 2.55 pm., in public session, in Room R3, LH 2000.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (F.G.), Simon Coveney, Frances Fitzgerald, Brian Hayes, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade and Senators Don Lydon and Therese Ridge.

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 13 March 2001 were agreed.

Before introducing the next item the Chairman permitted discussion on a proposal from Deputy Broughan to invite the Minister for Social Community and Family affairs before the Joint Committee at the earliest available opportunity to discuss arrangements for emergency supports to those directly or indirectly affected by the current foot and mouth outbreak.

Following discussions it was agreed that an urgent meeting with the Minister would be sought.

4.Presentations by officials of the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs and Justice Equality and Law Reform.

The Chairman welcomed Brian O’ Raghallaigh of the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs and Pat Wiley, Catherine Byrne and Noel Waters of the Directorate of Asylum Support Services of the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. Mr. Wiley made a brief presentation during which he outlined the Governments response to the asylum seekers issue to date. The presentation covered the following areas.

Øresponsibility for Policy rests with the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform

ØRefugee applications commission established in Mount Street, Dublin 2.

ØRefugee Appeals Tribunal established to hear appeals on negative decisions.

ØDirectorate for Asylum Support Services established to look after the needs of applicants.

ØRemit of the Directorate includes: procurement of accommodation; direct provision of essential maintenance; co-ordination of services provided by other state agencies; integration.

ØAgency is cross departmental. Established in 1999.

ØIn addition to direct provision, a rate of £15 per person is paid. Childrens allowances and other supplementary payments are also made, including medical cards.

Ø4000 applicants currently catered for in the system; located in 23 counties; average cost of full board is £22 - £27 per person per night.

ØMany applicants disappear from system before direct provision. Most go to UK; many work in black economy.

ØSignificant reduction in applicants so far this year.

Following the presentation the Chairman invited questions from the floor and during the course of the debate the following matters were raised.

ØThe arrangements for applicants who were not in receipt of direct provisions.

ØThe numbers of such applicants.

ØThe legality of the direct provision arrangements.

ØThe adequacy of the £15 payment.

ØThe effects on local communities

ØThe take up of educational places

ØNumbers of applications granted and refused and appeals.

ØPolicy of separation of refugees from the local communities.

ØRights of applicants to work.

ØControl of minors.

Following the debate the Chairman thanked the visiting officials for their detailed presentation and responses.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.28 pm sine die

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

5 April 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 5 APRIL 2001

1.The Joint Committees met at 11.35 am., in public session, in Room R4, LH 2000.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (in the Chair), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, Seymour Crawford (in substitution for Frances Fitzgerald), Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade and Senator Ann Leonard.

3.Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of 27 March 2001 were agreed.

4.Meeting with Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., Minister for Social Community and Family Affairs on proposals in response to the Foot and Mouth outbreak.

The Chairman welcomed the Minister and his Officials before the Committee and invited the Minister to make a presentation.

The Minister made a presentation, updating the Committee on measures which he has taken in response to the outbreak of foot and mouth. During the course of the presentation the Minister dealt with the following matters:

Øsince the outbreak there have been an additional 733 claims for UB/UA or Farm Assist; 88 in Louth.

ØIt is accepted that the existing schemes are capable of coping with the new demands; SWA would be available as a scheme of last resort for those with short term needs.

Øthe ‘signing on’ requirement was suspended in the affected area (Louth). Telephone and postal arrangements have been put in place temporarily.

Guidelines have issued to deciding officers in relation to the nature of FMD related lay offs.

ØFarm assist will be available to affected farmers and those already in receipt may have their entitlements reviewed. Farmers in the Cooley area received a mailshot advising them of their entitlements.

ØSpecial means assessment arrangements were put in place; compensation for slaughtered herds not to be assessed as income; position to be reviewed in 6 months; formally restricted farms will be assessed as nil means from farming; downturn in prices will be factored in means tests.

ØArrangements for fast tracking investigations for farm assist have been agreed with Dept Agriculture/DVOs.

ØTemporary clinics will be put in place if necessary.

Following the debate the Chairman thanked the Minister and his officials for his detailed presentation and responses.

The meeting was adjourned at 1.00 pm until Tuesday 24 April 2001

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

23 April 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 24 APRIL 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.50 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), Tommy Broughan, Frances Fitzgerald, Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade and Senators Joe Costello, Ann Leonard, Don Lydon and Therese Ridge.

Deputies Sean Fleming and Michael Kitt substituted for Deputy John Brady. Deputy John Ellis and Conor Lenihan substituted for John Browne (Wexford) and Denis Foley, respectively.

An apology was received from Deputy John Browne (Carlow/Kilkenny).

3.Meeting with Officials of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the Employment Action Plan, Local Employment Schemes and Community Schemes.

[The Committee went into private session].

[The Committee returned to public session].

4.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until 2.55 p.m. on 8 May 2001.

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

8 May 2001

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 8 May 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R1, Leinster House 2000 at 2.45 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), Tommy Broughan, Tony Killeen (in substitution for John Browne (Wexford), Simon Coveney, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, Brian Hayes, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senators Pat Moylan (in substitution for Ann Leonard) and Camillus Glynn (in substitution for Don Lydon).

Apologies were received from Deputy John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny).

3.Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 24 April were agreed.

4.Presentation by officials from the Irish Farmers Association.

The Chairman introduced Gerry Gunning, Jim Devlin, Walter Crowley, Michael Bergin and Betty Murphy of the Irish Farmers Association. He invited them to make a brief presentation on the Farm Assist Scheme; Social Insurance Arrangements for the Farming Community and the Position regarding Pension Entitlements.

Mr. Bergin commenced the presentation by outlining the main issues of concern regarding the Farm Assist Scheme. Mr. Devlin then dealt with contributory old-age pensions and social insurance coverage for the self-employed. Finally Ms. Murphy spoke on the non-recognition of the work done by women spouses on farms and their lack of entitlements. Following the presentation there was a questions and answers session and the following issues were discussed.

•Women spouses working on farms deserve greater recognition and are discriminated against by the current social welfare system. They do not, for instance, receive maternity benefits and cannot qualify for a pension in their own right.

•Capital expenditure incurred by farmers, predominantly to comply with health and environmental requirements, should be recognised for income assessment purposes and capital depreciation should also be taken into account.

•A minority of farmers are ineligible for contributory pension schemes such as the 50% self-employed pension scheme because of insufficient income in the past. A mechanism is needed to entitle these farmers to avail of the 50% scheme such as allowing them buy the contributions they are short of now.

•Disability benefit should be extended to self-employed persons. Farmers have a particularly high accident rate due to the nature of their work and yet have no welfare entitlements in the event of an accident or illness.

•12% of farmers are covered by private insurance schemes. The IFA strongly advocates private provision and operate a pension scheme including accident cover but recognise that the numbers availing of the scheme needs to increase.

On conclusion, the Chairman thanked the IFA and the members for the informative debate.

5.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 4.15 sine die.

____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

9 May 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 3 July 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.45 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), John Brady, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath and Eddie Wade.

Senators Ann Leonard and Don Lydon.

Apologies were received from Deputies Frances Fitzgerald and Mary Upton.

3.Presentation by officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and FÁS on the Social Economy Programme.

The Committee had invited the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment to make a presentation on the Social Economy Programme. The meeting was joined from the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment by Mr. Eugene Forde, Chair, Social Economy National Monitoring Committee; Ms. Eileen Guiney, Secretary, Social Economy National Monitoring Committee and Mr. Rory McCluskey, Labour Policy Unit and from FÁS by Mr. Gerard Walker, Programme Director.

The Chairman welcomed the officials and invited them to make their presentation following which the meeting would be opened to discussion.

Mr. Forde commenced the presentation by giving an overview of the Social Economy Programme – it’s origins, working definitions and the frame-work for it’s development in this country. Following the presentation there was a questions and answers session during which the following points were made.

•The social economy is unique in that it focuses on both creating services and employment, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

•People on social economy projects cannot claim the Back to Work Allowance for the initial three years they are employed on a social economy project. This issue needs to be addressed.

•The frame-work where Local Working Groups determine what projects should be funded initially based on particular needs identified in Local Area Action Plans is seen as a major strength of the Programme.

•All relevant Departments and Agencies are represented on the National Monitoring Committee which should lead to a more co-ordinated approach to State funding in this area.

•Community based structures, built up through Community Employment Schemes, should be maintained in a cost effective and viable way.

•Income generated by social economy enterprises will be reinvested back into the business and not given out in dividends to share-holders.

•Projects will be encouraged to move towards sustainability and viability but the degree to which they will have to be self-financing depends on the nature of the service provided.

•Ex-offenders and people coming out of addiction should be considered as target groups for employment on social economy projects.

•Managers of social economy projects may benefit from profit sharing arrangements but such arrangements should be monitored closely.

The Chairman thanked the officials for their presentation.

4.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 16.20 p.m. until 2.25 p.m. on 17 July.

____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

4 July 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 17 JULY 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.00 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), Simon Coveney, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senators Joe Costello, Ann Leonard, Willie Farrell (substituting for Don Lydon).

3.Presentation by the Carers Association.

The Chairman introduced Ger South and John Ryan, Limerick Parents & Friends Association and Eddie Collins-Hughes, Sean Gallagher and Stanley Warren of the Carers Association. He invited them to make a brief presentation on their submission to the Committee. The submission outlines the main issues arising from research carried out in Limerick involving 37 carers. It will be published in due course as a full report.

Mr. Collins-Hughes explained that the submission sets out to define what is meant by a carer and identify the specific roles and responsibilities involved. In addition, the research examined what impact performing this role over a prolonged period had on both the carer and the wider family.

The submission recommends that the current system of means testing is overhauled so that it is based on a persons needs and rights. This entails targeting supports and services at those who need them through an independent needs assessment system.

The Committee thanked the Associations for the submission which will be examined in greater detail in September before the next Budget.

4.Presentation by the Irish Wheelchair Association.

The Chairman introduced Anne Winslow, Claire Barry and Eileen Daly of the Irish Wheelchair Association and invited them to make a presentation on their views. The presentation outlined the wide-ranging issues that affect people with a disability on a daily basis by focusing on the realities of life for many people with a physical disability; the barriers to inclusion and the impact of marginalisation on individuals and their families. The main points made were as follows:

•75% of people with a disability are dependent on social welfare for their income. The disability allowance currently is 25% of the national industrial wage.

•No Government Department has met it’s own target of ensuring that 3% if it’s staff are people with disabilities.

•The majority of buildings, particularly those that are privately owned, and public transport remain inaccessible to people with mobility impairment. Infrastructural barriers contribute significantly to a feeling of marginalisation and isolation among disabled people.

•Current legislation is inadequately monitored and similarly provision of services is discretionary and not based on a person’s rights. A serious commitment is needed from the Oireachtas to introduce a Disabilities Act that would outline the rights of people with disabilities.

•State agencies need to adopt a more co-ordinated approach in the delivery of services to people with a disability.

5.Report of the Joint Committee on ‘The Challenges of Aging: Care Giving and Political Choice’.

The Chairman introduced the report and invited Deputy Fitzgerald to make a brief presentation on the main issues and recommendations contained in it.

Deputy Fitzgerald commenced by thanking Ms. Aisling Byrne, researcher and Dr. Pauline Conroy for their assistance in the preparation of the report. She explained that the report is focused primarily on those who care for the elderly and the disabled and examines the political choices made over the years in this context; the services currently provided and specific problems in relation to community care.

The main conclusions and recommendations contained in the report are:

•There is a lack of support for the elderly and people with disabilities who live in the community with no clear policy on the provision of quality community care to these target groups.

•Those providing care at home to the elderly and people with a disability are predominantly women. In addition, significant numbers of women are working part-time in the economy to accommodate child-care and care of the elderly.

•In many cases, carers are losing social and pension rights and the opportunity to work. Requirements in relation to the Carers Allowance, therefore, need to be reviewed and the means test abolished.

•Standards in the provision of home care should be developed by the Department of Health & Children and made available by the end of the year. There should be a social work service for the elderly.

•Far greater financial resources are going to institutional residential care than community care. The difficulties in ascertaining the costs of residential care need to be overcome.

•A National Care Commission should be established to develop different models for the delivery of care and improvement of standards.

The Committee welcomed the report and it was agreed that it should be laid before the Houses forthwith. It was further agreed that the report should be circulated to relevant Departments and Health Boards for their observations and thereafter to be discussed again by the Committee in September when the responses have been received.

6.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned sine die at 4.25 p.m.

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

17 July 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 23 October 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.45 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), Simon Coveney, Frances Fitzgerald, Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senators Joe Costello, Ann Leonard and Willie Farrell.

3.Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 17 July were agreed.

4.Correspondence.

Correspondence which had been circulated to members was noted.

5.Final Report of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group.

A draft motion by Deputies John Browne; Simon Coveney; Frances Fitzgerald; Brian Hayes; Paul McGrath and Senator Therese Ridge was circulated to members at the meeting as an item of correspondence.The motion reads as follows: ‘That this Committee supports the majority recommendation of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexing Group and mindful of the need to eradicate poverty in providing for basic income adequacy, hereby calls upon the Government to establish a formal link between Welfare Rates and average earnings and specifically calls upon the Government to commit resources so that the lowest Welfare Rates should be increased to reach 27% of Gross Average Industrial Earnings by 2003 and to 30% of GAIE by 2007’.

It was agreed to ask the Minister for Social, Community & Family Affairs and/or officials of his Department and officials from the Departments of Finance and Enterprise, Trade & Employment to come before the Committee to discuss the Final Report of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group as soon as possible.

6.Presentation on the Review of the National Anti Poverty Strategy (NAPS) by officials of the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs.

The Committee had invited the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs and the Department of the Taoiseach to make a joint presentation on the Review of the National Anti Poverty Strategy (NAPS), as both Departments co-chair the Inter-Departmental Policy Committee on the NAPS. The meeting was joined from the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs by Deirdre Carroll, Assistant Secretary and Ms. Mary Kennedy, Principal Officer; NAPS Unit and from Department of the Taoiseach by Ms. Mary Doyle, Assistant Secretary; Ms. Eileen Kehoe, Principal Officer, Social Policy Unit and Ms. Brenda Boylan, Assistant Principal Officer, Social Policy Unit.

The Chairman welcomed the officials and invited them to make their presentation following which the meeting would be opened to discussion.

Ms. Carroll commenced the presentation with an overview of the NAPS and the forthcoming Review. Ms. Doyle then outlined a number of fundamental issues that impact on the effectiveness of the NAPS and which will be addressed in the Review. Following the presentation there was a questions and answers session and the following issues were discussed.

•Departments of Finance; Enterprise, Trade & Employment and the Employers Pillar haven’t signed up to the majority recommendation of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group.

•There are a lack of relevant statistics regarding poverty in Ireland. Data collection methods need to be improved significantly.

•Homelessness is a significant and growing problem, particularly in the greater Dublin area.

•Budgets need to be poverty proofed more effectively.

•Relative poverty is a fundamental problem with growing inequalities in Irish society.

•There is a need for comprehensive strategies to tackle poverty among women, children, the disabled and the elderly in particular.

•NAPS should set targets to address the problems encountered by asylum seekers. At present, no one body co-ordinates asylum seeker supports.

•Effective implementation of the NAPS should be the top priority and, in this context, it is important to measure the outcomes of the NAPS, particularly regarding quality of life issues.

•NAPS provides an integrated frame-work for implementing poverty reduction strategies across a wide range of issues.

•Access to Public Services is a fundamental aim of the NAPS.

•There is a high visibility of crime in many local authority estates and a need for better estate management.

•NAPS is currently a high level strategy and now seeks to go to local level.

•Reduction in unemployment generally reduces incidence of child poverty.

7.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 4.20 p.m.until 2.15 p.m. on Tuesday, 6 November 2001.

_____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

30 October 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 6 November 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.45 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), John Brady, Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), Frances Fitzgerald, Donal Moynihan (in substitution for Denis Foley), Brian Hayes, Paul McGrath, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senators Peter Callanan and Camillus Glynn (in substitution for Des Hanafin), Ann Leonard and Willie Farrell (in substitution for Don Lydon).

Apologies were received from Deputies Simon Coveney and Denis Foley and from Senator Therese Ridge.

3.Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 23 October were agreed.

4.Correspondence.

Correspondence circulated to members at the meeting was noted.

5.Presentation on the Final Report of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group by officials from the Departments of Social, Community & Family Affairs; Finance and Enterprise, Trade & Employment.

The Committee had invited the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs to make a presentation on the Final Report of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group followed by a brief explanation from officials of the Departments of Finance and Enterprise, Trade & Employment as to why they didn’t sign up to the majority recommendation contained in the report. The meeting was joined by Eoin O Seagdha, Assistant Principal Officer and Ciaran Lawlor, Administrative Officer; Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs; Joe Mooney, Principal Officer and Tom Murphy, Assistant Principal Officer, Department of Finance and Eugene Forde, Principal Officer, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment.

The Chairman welcomed the officials and invited Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs to make their presentation following which the meeting would be opened to discussions.

Ms. O Seagdha commenced the presentation with an overview of the Group, it’s report and specifically the majority recommendation. Following the presentation there was a questions and answers session during which the other two Departments made presentations explaining why they didn’t sign up to the majority recommendation. The following issues were discussed.

•There is an inherent difficulty in objectively arriving at a definition of income adequacy.

•The Group didn’t reach consensus on a particular benchmark, however, a majority did reach agreement on the majority recommendation that social welfare rates should be 27% of Gross Average Industrial Earnings by 2007 with the possibility of a higher target in the context of the review process.

•Working age people on social welfare who can work should, where possible, be encouraged to avail of educational, training and employment opportunities as employment is the best route out of poverty.

•Regular and formal reviews should be accommodated within the National Anti Poverty Strategy (NAPS).

•The minimum wage should be considered as a bench-mark for social welfare payments and a Basic Income Standard should be introduced.

•The current £1.1 billion surplus in the Social Welfare Fund indicates pessimistic predictions may be over cautious.

•Independent actuarial projections indicate that demographic trends will exert pressure on the State’s ability to pay future pensions.

•The majority recommendation could carry a significant risk in terms of affordability and sustainability and could act as a potential disincentive to return to work.

•Ireland is the lowest spender on social welfare as a proportion of GDP in the EU but it is difficult to make accurate comparisons.

•Low income is only one of a range of factors that cause premature mortality.

6.Motion.

A draft motion was submitted on 22 October by Deputy Brian Hayes in the names of Deputies John Browne; Simon Coveney; Frances Fitzgerald; Brian Hayes; Paul McGrath and Senator Therese Ridge as follows: ‘That this Committee supports the majority recommendation of the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexing Group and mindful of the need to eradicate poverty in providing for basic income adequacy, hereby calls upon the Government to establish a formal link between Welfare Rates and average earnings and specifically calls upon the Government to commit resources so that the lowest Welfare Rates should be increased to reach 27% of Gross Average Industrial Earnings by 2003 and to 30% of GAIE by 2007’.

Following discussions, a compromise amendment was proposed and agreed where the Committee supports the majority recommendation as contained in the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group;- ‘Recognising that the exact rate was a matter for Government, and having balanced the various factors set out in the Terms of Reference, the majority of the Group considered that the target of 27% of GAIE (on a current year basis) for the lowest social welfare payments was not an unreasonable policy objective. Given current uncertainties in relation to the short term economic position, it was difficult to be prescriptive about the precise time frame, although it would not be unreasonable to expect that the target would be met in full by 2007 (i.e. in the Budget announced late in 2006). This does not of course rule out setting a higher target e.g. 30% of GAIE, in the context of the review process set out in section 8.8’. (section 8.4.6., page 82)

7.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 4.02 p.m.until 2.15 p.m. on Tuesday, 13 November 2001.

____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

9 November 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 13 November 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R3, Leinster House 2000 at 2.15 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), John Brady, Matt Brennan, Tommy Broughan, John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), Frances Fitzgerald, Brian Hayes, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senator Camillus Glynn (in substitution for Des Hanafin), Ann Leonard, Willie Farrell (in substitution for Don Lydon) and Therese Ridge.

Apologies were received from Deputy Denis Foley and from Senator Joe Costello.

3.Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 6 November were agreed.

4.Presentation on the forthcoming Budget by officials from the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs.

The Committee had invited the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs to make a presentation on the forthcoming Budget. The meeting was joined by Gerry Daly, Assistant Secretary; Benny Kevitt, Principal Officer; Brian Flynn, Principal Officer and Stephen Coughlan, Assistant Principal Officer.

The Chairman welcomed the officials and invited Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs to make their presentation following which the meeting would be opened to discussions.

Mr. Daly made the presentation on the frame-work for the forthcoming Budget, with particular reference to the change in the social welfare year and how payments would be made to both short and long term customers in the context of this change. The officials reported that:

•Separate provisions will have to be made for short and long term customers resulting from the change in the social welfare year.

•Four options were considered for long term customers – payment by supplementary PPO books; payment by cheques; use of existing vouchers or lump-sum payments.

•It has been decided that majority of short-term customers will receive payments in January/early February and long-term customers will receive lump-sum payments in mid February.

•Second Social Welfare Bill will follow in the new year. First Bill, to go before the Committee in mid December, will focus on social welfare rates and PRSI increases.

Following the presentation there was a questions and answers session. The following issues were discussed.

•Social Welfare recipients should be entitled to increases on the due date as is their legal right.

•An earlier Budget could have averted the need for late payments of increases particularly given that the Department was aware that the social welfare year and the taxation year were being aligned.

The Chairman thanked the officials for their informative presentation.

5.Presentations on Pre-Budget Submissions.

The Chairman welcomed Ms. Audrey Deane, St. Vincent De Paul; Mr. Alan Dunne, Disability Federation of Ireland; Sister Maureen O’Connell and Sister Bernadette McMahon, Presentation Justice Network and Ms. Veronica Black and Ms. Margaret Dromey of TREOIR.

Commencing with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, each of the visiting organisations made a brief presentation outlining the main points set out in their pre-Budget submissions which they had made to the Minister. The presentations were followed by a questions and answers session.

All of the presentations had a strong anti-poverty theme and focused on the growing inequalities between rich and poor in Irish society. Among the matters raised were the following issues which were of interest to each of the groups.

A significant number of Irish people live in poverty, evidenced by our high rates of child poverty; health inequalities, early school leaving et al.

•A balanced budget is needed that focuses on redistribution of income.

•Minimum wage earners should be exempt from taxation.

•Child Income Support needs to be increased and more subsidies should be available to ensure adequate levels of quality, affordable child-care.

•Education is fundamental in removing people from the poverty trap and back-to-school allowances; early education and early school leaver initiatives deserve top priority.

•Benchmarking is needed to help ‘bridge the gap’ between rich and poor.

•People with disabilities incur greater costs per se and Government policy should target people with particular disadvantages such as the disabled rather than solely disadvantaged areas.

•Social Welfare weekly rates should be increased to £14 for a single person and £24 for a couple.

•Significant increases are needed for one parent families and fathers who are making financial contributions shouldn’t be over-burdened.

•Existing inequities in the tax code and social welfare rates act as a disincentive for parents to co-habit and create a secure family structure.

•Heat poverty is an important issue as 50,000 local authority homes have no central heating.

•While progress has been made on consistent poverty, relative poverty remains a persistent and growing problem.

•Some social welfare recipients mis-manage their payments and budgeting advice and/or education may be needed.

On conclusion, the Chairman thanked the groups and the members for the debate.

6.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 4.27 p.m.until 2.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 20 November 2001 when the Select Committee will meet to consider the Family Support Agency Bill 2001.

____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

16 November 2001.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF 4 December 2001

1.The Joint Committee met in Room R1, Leinster House 2000 at 2.45 p.m.

2.Attendance

The following Members were present:

Deputies Noel Ahern (Chairman), John Brady, Tommy Broughan, Frances Fitzgerald, Denis Foley, John Moloney, Mary Upton and Eddie Wade.

Senator Don Lydon.

Apologies were received from Deputies John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) and Brian Hayes.

3.Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 13 November were agreed.

4.Correspondence.

Correspondence which had been circulated to members was noted.

5.Committee’s 2002 Work Programme.

Copies of the Committee’s Work Programme and a list of issues addressed by the Committee in 2001 were circulated to Members. The Chairman asked Members to identify specific issues they want addressed in 2002 notwithstanding that other emerging issues of importance can also be considered by the Committee as appropriate. Following discussion, the Committee agreed on a number of priority issues as follows:

•The Three Year Strategic Plan (2002-2005) of the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA);

•An analysis of Budget 2002 by CPA;

•An update on the National Employment Action Plan (EAP) and the Work Permits Scheme;

•A briefing on the Pensions Amendment Bill, 2001(before it is considered at Committee Stage);

•Rent Subsidy Scheme;

•Child Poverty in Ireland;

•Teenage and Lone Parenting;

•Income Adequacy/Relative Poverty.

The Committee noted these issues are in addition to The Social Welfare Bill 2002; The Pensions Amendment Bill 2001 and The 2002 Estimates which will be considered by the Select Committee during the year.

6.Adjournment

The Committee adjourned at 3.13 p.m.until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 December 2001,when the Select Committee will meet to consider the Social Welfare (No.2) Bill 2001.

____________________

Noel Ahern T.D.

Chairman

6 December 2001.

APPENDIX 8

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

WORK PROGRAMME

JOINT COMMITTEE OF FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS. WORK PROGRAMME:- 2001.

In accordance with Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann the Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs adopted the following work programme for 2001.

Under its Orders of Reference (attached at Appendix A) the Joint Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs will review major areas of policy falling within the remit of the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, including the following:

1.Social Welfare system: Basic income and the dignity of work; determination of minimum wage.

2.Review of Back to Work Scheme; educational opportunities for the unemployed

3.Integrated social services, including review of means tests, impact on FÁS workers, care of the elderly and disability payments.

4.National Anti Poverty Strategy.

5.Review of rent and mortgages subsidies scheme, including differential rents system, with particular reference to the impact of inflation on social welfare increases generally.

6.Review of anomalies in the social welfare system.

7.Comparative research into social welfare system in other EU Member States and applicant countries.

8.Points system; involvement of local authorities and health boards.

9.Review of social welfare services in relation to asylum seekers.

10.Impact on the family of social welfare system.

11.Review of pensions position for self-employed.

12.Review of Family Income Supplement.

13.Review of position of women in the home.

14.Review of social employment schemes.

15.General Review of the position of widows.

16.General child care issues in conjunction with a review of the position of women in the home.

17.Housing points issues, and the differing systems used from one area/local authority to another.

It should be noted that the issues listed above for inclusion in the Joint Committee’s work programme are not set down in an order of priority. The Joint Committee will decide on individual areas for review in light of its assessment of a particular need during the year. In that context it is also probable that other relevant issues, not included in the work programme, may arise from time to time, which will require urgent attention by the Joint Committee

To date

•Items 1, 2 and 14 were considered over a series of meetings at which the Departments of Social, Community & Family Affairs; Finance and Enterprise, Trade & Employment made presentations to the Committee.

•Item 3 was at least partially considered in that presentations were made by the Carers Association and the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disability Federation of Ireland regarding care of the elderly and disabled and disability payments respectively.

•Item 4 was considered and a presentation was made by the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs on the forthcoming Review of the National Anti Poverty Strategy.

•Item 9 was considered and a presentation was made by the Departments of Social, Community & Family Affairs and Justice, Equality & Law Reform on Asylum Seeker Support Services.

•Item 10 was at least partially addressed by the Select Committee, in it’s consideration of the Family Support Agency Bill, 2001.

•Item 11 was considered over a series of meetings and presentations were made by the Departments of Social, Community & Family Affairs and Finance and by the Pensions Board on pension provisions.

•Reports were prepared on the following Agenda items in the context of the ‘Rapporteur’ system.

-Item 3: Deputy Frances Fitzgerald

-Items 10 and 12: Deputy Frances Fitzgerald

2002 Work Programme

The items not addressed by the Committee from this year’s Work Programme can carry over to next year notwithstanding the need to prioritise other issues of emerging importance.

Strategy Statement and the Strategic Management Initiative

The Joint Committee will consider the S.M.I. documents relating to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in detail during the year and report annually on progress made by the Department.

Travel

While the Joint Committee has no specific plans to travel abroad in connection with its work, it is likely that issues will arise during 2002, which will require the Committee to attend international conferences and/or inform itself, as part of the input to issues under review etc.

* inserted by Order of the Dáil dated 28 April 1998.

** inserted by Order of the Dáil dated 14 February 2001.

* Inserted by Order of the Seanad 30 April 1998.