Draft law amending the Social Welfare Act (pension support) - first reading (508 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-10-17 01:30
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 36
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 39m
AI Summaries: 36/36 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first reading will address bill 508, an initiated draft law amending the Social Welfare Act, which concerns support for pensioners. The bill stipulates that a single pensioner will receive an annual support payment of 200 euros, and starting in 2025, this amount will no longer be paid to those living in general welfare institutions. In addition, the correction of placement fees for nursing homes and general welfare homes, as well as the distribution of resources between local municipalities, will be addressed. The bill is estimated to affect approximately 6700 people, while the total pensioner support represents a larger portion of the funding for welfare programs, and the decision will impact the budget by €1.34 million in 2025 and a projected saving of €1.54 million by 2028. For the first reading, the issue will be placed on the agenda, and it will be recalled that a €200 supplement will be added to the list in October, with the focus of the discussion being the size of the support and how to distribute the funding for local municipalities.
Decisions Made 1
First reading completed: the vote result – 8 members of the Riigikogu in favour, 53 against, 2 abstentions. The first reading of the bill was concluded, and the deadline for the next stage of the procedure (the deadline for submitting proposals) is October 30, 2024, at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
Riina Solman (Isamaa faction) – right-wing political orientation; among the most active speakers, representing the Isamaa faction and speaking clearly in a leading position during interventions and debates.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Under the eighth item on today's agenda, the first reading of Draft Bill 508, initiated by the Government of the Republic, regarding amendments to the Social Welfare Act, was discussed, and Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo was invited to serve as the presenter.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo announced to the Riigikogu a proposal to amend the Social Welfare Act: starting in 2025, the support benefit for pensioners living alone would no longer be paid to those residing in general welfare institutions. This change is projected to generate an annual saving of approximately 1.34 million euros and would affect about 6,700 people.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller asks Lauri Laats to ask the question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats said that the 200-euro benefit in October applies to over 60,000 pensioners, including about 6,700 people living in care homes, and all the money goes to the care homes, and therefore they are left with very little extra money, because the state cannot even guarantee 1.34 million euros for next year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech's message, "Your time!", calls on listeners to act and take responsibility.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats stresses that there is no sense in spending even a penny on buying extra products for yourself.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
The state has allocated 65 million euros to local municipalities to continue providing financial support to those individuals for a third year. It simultaneously emphasized that 15% of the income must be retained by the person, noting that this remains an autonomous decision for the local governments, even though the 200 euro one-time grant does not cover the full cost of the general welfare service.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller calls upon Anti Allast to speak.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas pointed out that while paying for a nursing home spot through cooperation between the state and local government seems sensible, the issue lies in how much extra pensioners living alone will have to pay and what the total number of such cases is.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that many residents are required to make additional payments. According to the analysis, the average nursing home fee is 1,328 euros, the coverage of care costs by local municipalities is 645 euros, the average pension of residents is 753 euros, and the average supplementary payment is about 20 euros (rarely reaching 200 euros).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a short request to invite Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the frequent turnover of governments and the fact that the target group for special needs care is seen merely as a statistical number—6,700 people. She asks the minister what improvements they actually intend to make in the care sector through 1.3 million euros in cuts.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Signe Riisalo reminded the Riigikogu that in the 2022 budget, the allowance for a pensioner living alone was raised from 115 to 200 euros, and that next year an additional 227 million euros will be paid from the state budget to cover the expenditures for old-age pensioners.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller invites Lauri Laats to the stage.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats claims that this is already the second cut to the support for pensioners living alone, recalls that in October they were given only 200 euros if their pension was less than 1.2 times the average Estonian pension, and asks how many thousands of pensioners were left without this support.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo said sadly that no changes have been made to the benefit structure since 2022, and 1.2 times the previous year’s pension acts as the ceiling, which excludes people who received larger pensions from the support; this year there are about 60,000 of them, and by 2025 we will return to the old normal, where about 90,000 people will be left out of the support.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman asserts that pensioners are the most vulnerable demographic, and she claims that the cuts planned by the Reform Party targeting them prove a contrary attitude towards pensioners.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Vice-Chair calls upon Riina Solman to speak.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
The most vulnerable group, those requiring 24/7 general care services, has received a public benefit averaging 590 euros monthly over the past year and a half, rather than 200 euros once a year. This demonstrates genuine concern when these individuals are able to cover their costs throughout the year. Although the 200-euro one-time allowance is very necessary and could potentially be expanded in the future to include those living at home, the care reform is already moving toward achieving this objective. Next week, I will respond to the parliamentary inquiry and discuss the matter in greater detail.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller submitted a brief request to Õnne Pillak.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He refers back to the previous point that the benefit for a pensioner living alone was previously cut, and asks the minister how much this benefit has increased in recent years.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
The allowance for single pensioners was raised from 115 euros to 200 euros in the 2022 state budget.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concludes the questions and asks Eero Merilind, member of the Social Affairs Committee, to provide an overview of what was discussed in the committee.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The draft bill discussed in the Social Affairs Committee on October 8th concerned approximately 6,700 people and 1.3 million euros in savings. It highlighted the importance of the 200-euro personal allowance for pensioners, and ultimately, it was decided to place the bill on the plenary session agenda for October 16th, appoint Eero Merilind as the lead rapporteur, and conclude the first reading, which passed with 6 votes in favor, 0 against, and 2 abstentions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller declared the negotiations between the factions open and, on behalf of the Estonian Centre Party faction, called upon Aleksandr Tšaplõgin.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He expressed his shame regarding the government, criticized the state's expenditures on Rail Baltic, green energy, and unknown companies, and stated that the government is cutting the support allowance for pensioners placed in nursing homes. He then called on the Centre Faction to reject the bill during the first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Next, Riina Solman will take the floor on behalf of the Isamaa faction.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the draft bill as a cynical and unequal step concerning vulnerable pensioners. The planned savings for 2025–2028, which affect approximately 6,700 people receiving round-the-clock care, demonstrate the severing of the bond between the Reform Party and pensioners.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech expresses the desire to grant three minutes of extra time.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the government for breaking promises to pensioners, raising taxes, and eliminating support for pensioners living alone, while also pointing to the failure of expectations tied to the second pillar. On behalf of the Isamaa faction, she is submitting a proposal to reject the first reading of the pension support bill 508.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller called upon Mihkel Lees to speak on behalf of the Reform Party faction.
Mihkel Lees
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mihkel Lees claims that cutting support for single pensioners living in care homes would yield savings of approximately 1.3 to 1.5 million euros. He argues that this would not reduce the availability of care services, since local governments cover the costs and the amount allocated for personal use is needs-based. Furthermore, the Reform Party faction supports moving the draft bill forward.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Helmen Kütt represents the Social Democratic Party of Estonia and is requesting three minutes of extra time.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt pointed out that Bill 508 affects approximately 6,700 pensioners whose care service costs depend on decisions made by local authorities, potentially leading to unequal treatment. She emphasized the importance of the 200-euro supplementary allowance and the need for its continuation, along with discussing the funding of institutional care services, taking into account poverty among the elderly and the context of state budget cuts.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concludes the debates and puts to a vote the proposal by the Estonian Centre Party Faction and the Isamaa Faction to reject Draft Bill 508 on the first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The proposal failed to pass (8 in favor, 53 against); the first reading is concluded. The deadline for submitting amendments is 5:15 PM on October 30th of this year. The session is now closed, and we will reconvene tomorrow. We wish you all a safe journey home.