Dáil Éireann - Volume 456 - 10 October, 1995

Written Answers. - Social Insurance Fund.

148. Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the level of payments and receipts out of the social insurance fund; the anticipated percentage of payments receipts will represent in 1995; and the percentage represented in each of the years 1982 to 1994. [14589/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa): The latest 1995 estimates for the social insurance fund indicate that payments, including the cost of the Christmas bonus recently approved by the Government, will amount to around £1,785 million and that receipts will amount to around £1,715 million. The payments figure excludes a sum of £200 million in respect of equal treatment payments which will also be paid through the fund in 1995.

The percentage that receipts represent of payments in the years 1982 to 1994, together with the latest estimates for 1995, are as follows:

1995   96% (a)

1990   94% (b)

1985   71%

1994   98%

1989   83%

1984   74%

1993   94%

1988   77% (c)

1983   72%

1992   91%

1987   70%

1982   72%

1991   90%

1986   69%

(a) If the equal treatment payments in 1995 are included, this figure would be 86 per cent.

(b) The Occupational Injuries Fund and the Redundancy and Employer's Insolvency Fund were absorbed into the Social Insurance Fund in 1990.

(c) Social insurance was extended to the self-employed in 1988.