Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2005 > Committee on Social and Family Affairs > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, 2004 and Work Programme 2005

APPENDIX 6

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

Ghnóthaí Sóisialacha agus Teaghlaigh (29ú Dáil)

Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs (29th Dáil)

WORK PROGRAMME 2005

WORK PROGRAMME 2005

Introduction

In accordance with Standing Order 84(4) of Dáil Éireann and Standing Order 69(4) of Seanad Éireann the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs hereby presents its Work Programme for 2005.

Under its Orders of Reference, the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs will review major areas of policy falling within the remit of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, including the following:

Anomalies:

•Review of anomalies in the social welfare system

•In conjunction with the review of anomalies, the Joint Committee should treat as a priority, the item on comparative research into Social Welfare systems in other EU and applicant countries, perhaps carrying out a broad overview initially and then concentrating on one country. It was agreed that this project would need the assistance of external consultants. It was further agreed that members may need to travel to one or more of the countries concerned and that the Chairman would raise the need for an adequate travel budget for the Joint Committee at the first Working Group of Chairmen meeting in 2005

Asylum:

•Asylum Seekers — Review of social welfare services in relation to ethnic minorities and asylum seekers and the travelling community in particular

Childcare issues:

•General Child care and employee support issues in conjunction with a parallel review of the position of parents working in the home.

•Review of the nature and extent of child poverty in Ireland

Disabled:

•Review of the position of the disabled

•It was agreed that the position of the disabled should be looked at and that, in this regard, the Clerk should liaise with the Joint Committee on Health and Children

Famial:

•Review of the Family, to include changing trends in Family Structures and their impact on social welfare services in general

•The review of the Family was discussed and it was agreed that, as the Minister for Social and Family Affairs is having a report produced on this topic, the Joint Committee would need to meet with him to have an input to the report.

Reports:

•Social Welfare system: Basic income adequacy including benchmarking and indexation and the dignity of work — Review of the implementation of the Benchmarking Report.

Research:

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

•Social Welfare Services / Benefits

•Integrated social services, including review of means tests, the Integrated Social Services System (ISSS) and Service Integration Initiatives.

Travel:

•Issues which will require the Committee to attend international conferences and/or inform itself, as part of the input to issues under review etc.

Select Committee on Social and Family Affairs

Under Paragraph (1) of its Orders of Reference (Dáil Éireann) the Select Committee wil consider such Bills and Estimates as shall be referred to it by Dáil Éireann form time to time.

__________________

William Penrose T.D.

Chairman

17 May 2005.