71 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the EUROSTAT figures published on 25 January 2002 which showed that the Government's spending on social protection was just half the EU average and the lowest of all 15 member states; his plans to bring spending on social protection into line with the EU average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6595/02]

308 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the EUROSTAT figures published on 25 January 2002 which showed that the Government's spending on social protection was half the EU average and the lowest of all 15 member states; his plans to bring spending on social protection into line with the EU average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6865/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 308 together.

Social protection, as defined by EUROSTAT, covers not only the income support schemes administered by my Department, but also health care, supports with housing and other social and family services. I will just deal with the income support aspects.

The EUROSTAT report does not in fact say that Ireland's spending on social protection was just half that of the EU average but that Ireland's spending, as a percentage of its GDP, was below the EU average. This is due to Ireland being different from other EU countries in a number of areas which have a major bearing on this indicator.

This can be illustrated firstly by the situation of the EU as a whole. In the three year period 1990 to 1993 EU social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP rose on average by over 3% from 25.4% to 28.9%. This was the result during that period of the slower rate of economic growth and as a result, a slower rise in GDP, and rising unemployment resulting in higher social protection expenditure on unemployment. Over the five year period 1994 to 1998 the percentage for the EU actually declined slightly to 27.7%, due to renewed economic growth and an actual decline in social protection expenditure in some countries, some of which would be attributable to the decline in unemployment.

For Ireland in 1990 expenditure on social protection as a percentage of GDP was 18.7%. This rose to 20.5% in 1993, and then declined to 16.1% in 1998.