Interpellation Concerning the Underfunding of Special Care Services (No. 826)
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-11-03 22:08
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 38
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 51m
AI Summaries: 38/38 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu held an interpellation (No. 826) of Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller regarding the underfunding of special welfare services, initiated by the Social Democrats under the leadership of Helmen Kütt. The interpellation was prompted by the 2025 review from the National Audit Office, which brought to light serious deficiencies in the accessibility of special welfare services. Helmen Kütt stressed that waiting lists have nearly doubled between 2018 and 2024, now extending up to 53 months, and that court rulings concerning places in secure special welfare facilities have not been implemented. She pointed out that the Ministry of Social Affairs had requested €195 million from the government for special welfare over four years but was allocated only €4.2 million for the upcoming year.
Minister Karmen Joller acknowledged the chronic underfunding of special welfare and the increasing demand, particularly for round-the-clock services. She noted, however, that the budget has grown (from €22.7 million in 2015 to €57.7 million in 2026). Joller outlined three steps to improve the situation: increasing the remuneration for service providers by €4.2 million annually to facilitate a 10% salary increase; establishing a 10-day decision deadline for accepting a service placement to reduce the number of vacant spots; and opening new service placements in high-demand regions (Tallinn, Harju County, Tartu). Joller conceded that a situation where people must take the state to court just to receive services is neither humane nor appropriate for a state governed by the rule of law.
During the debate, the questioners (Tanel Kiik, Lauri Läänemets) focused on the government's priorities, contrasting the €4.2 million allocated for salary increases with the tax "gift" of over €100 million given to the wealthier segment of society by abolishing the progressive income tax system (the "tax hump"). Minister Joller defended the tax reform, arguing that it also benefits those earning an average salary and simplifies the tax system, while affirming that special welfare remains a continuing priority within her ministry.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Most Active Speaker
Helmen Kütt (left) served as the rapporteur and was the most active speaker, outlining the substance of the interpellation, highlighting the State Audit Office's audit, and challenging the figure for the tax gift cited by the minister (100 million euros, rather than 10 million).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller introduced the final item on the agenda before the open microphone session, which was an interpellation by Riigikogu members to the Minister of Social Affairs, Karmen Joller, regarding the underfunding of special welfare services, and asked Helmen Kütt to serve as the rapporteur.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt emphasizes the necessity of the Social Democrats' interpellation regarding the critical underfunding and accessibility issues plaguing special welfare services. She refers to the National Audit Office's review, which confirmed that waiting lists for service spots have nearly doubled between 2018 and 2024, now stretching up to 53 months. Furthermore, the state's inability to guarantee adequate funding has left family caregivers isolated and on the brink of burnout. Consequently, substantive answers to the seven questions posed are being demanded from the minister.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller gave the floor to the Minister of Social Affairs, Karmen Joller, requesting that she answer seven questions and stressing the need to read those questions aloud for the benefit of both the official transcript and the questioners.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller, the minister responsible, acknowledged the long-standing underfunding of special welfare services. This underfunding has resulted in poor accessibility of services, long waiting lists, and staff shortages, despite the significant growth in the budget over the last ten years. To remedy the situation, the government has allocated additional funds to increase the remuneration of service providers (4.2 million euros annually for salary increases). Furthermore, it plans to streamline waiting lists by shortening decision deadlines and opening new service places based on demand, making the reorganization of special welfare care a key priority for the social sector next year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks and then yielded the floor to Helmen Kütt, who wished to raise a point of order.
Helmen Kütt
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Helmen Kütt raises a procedural question regarding the Minister's response, drawing attention to a significant discrepancy between the 100 million euro tax gift cited in the inquiry materials and the 10 million euros repeatedly mentioned by the Minister, asking whether the Minister is consulting different documents and where this erroneous figure originates.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller moderated the sitting, confirming the existence of a sum of 100 million under the fifth item during the review of procedural materials. He also clarified the interrelation of questions 6 and 7, before giving the floor to Tanel Kiik to continue the round of questioning.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik is questioning the minister's claim regarding the priority of special welfare services, highlighting the contradiction in the government's budget, where over 100 million euros are being channeled as a tax gift to the wealthiest segment of society, while only a few million are allocated to improve funding for special care for those in need. This demonstrates that the actual priority lies in helping the wealthier part of society.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded his speech with a brief thank you and subsequently handed the floor over to the next speaker.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller stresses that a simple and transparent tax system is crucial for maintaining work motivation, citing the negative impact of the previous "tax hump" as an example. She defends the tax relief measures, noting that they are not aimed solely at the wealthy but rather encourage consumption, which in turn returns money to the state through taxation. Simultaneously, the Minister confirms her priority is to ensure the livelihood of people in vulnerable situations, promising to streamline and rationalize specialized welfare services to make support payments more targeted and effective.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller gave the floor to the next speaker, Madis Kallas, inviting him to proceed with his address.
Madis Kallas
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Madis Kallas is drawing attention to the current underfunding of special welfare services and asks the minister whether the major reform carried out about ten years ago to create more humane conditions—a reform that involved dismantling large institutions—was actually successful, or if it merely solved one problem (institutionalization) at the expense of exacerbating another (funding).
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller emphasizes that the goal of special welfare services has been met because people's conditions have improved. She notes that although smaller service provision sites may be more expensive, people's well-being is paramount and ultimately more cost-effective in the long run, stressing that modern facilities are night and day compared to the horrific Soviet-era mega-institutions, where living conditions were inhumane.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller invited Jaak Aab to the podium, thereby giving him the floor.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab praises the direction of the reform that was started 20 years ago, which has created better conditions, but emphasizes that it requires greater resources. Considering the long waiting lists and the high demand, he inquires whether the need to create new positions has been thoroughly examined and what kind of additional state investment this would require.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller notes that despite the high demand for round-the-clock services, the long-term direction is to support people living in their own homes. However, she emphasizes that currently, valuing the employees who provide the service and ensuring the sustainability of the service are more crucial than infrastructure investments, as funding still covers only a portion of the actual costs and requires additional resources.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Helmen Kütt were invited to speak.
Helmen Kütt
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Helmen Kütt notes that although the audit focuses on the years 2018–2024 and significant changes have occurred in the sector, the proposed 4.2 million euro salary increase for welfare workers is insufficient, meaning only a 20-euro addition for direct support staff. This in no way solves the problem of salaries being significantly lower than the Estonian average. She adds that the abolition of the tax hump/tax bulge also provides them with only a negligible 10–15 euros.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Minister Karmen Joller acknowledges that while the allocated sum is clearly too small and represents only the minimal compromise they were forced to accept, they plan to fight again for greater funding next year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller called upon Raimond Kaljulaid to approach the podium next and present his views.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid sharply criticizes the government's tax reform, emphasizing that, according to the Ministry of Finance's data, it will increase the deficit, reduce the state's ability to invest in services and infrastructure, and primarily benefit the highest income earners, demanding that the minister acknowledge these financial facts.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Minister Karmen Joller highlighted that the abolition of the tax hump primarily helps people earning 1,200–2,100 euros, whom she does not consider high-earners, but immediately admitted that she is not a competent authority on tax matters and requested that the debate be left to specialists in the field.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invited Anti Allas to the podium, granting him the floor to begin his presentation.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas stresses that the extra funding allocated to resolve the chronic salary issues in special care facilities is inadequate. He proposes an alternative solution for caring for individuals with severe autism spectrum disorder: diverting a portion of the institutional placement fees to home caregivers, arguing that home environments are better for the patient and the state would ultimately save money.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Minister Karmen Joller is raising the issue of the complexity of caring for individuals diagnosed with severe autism, emphasizing that although environmental stability is vitally important for them, it places a significant burden on their loved ones. She promises to clarify how the state contribution to the care placement fee and the requirements for care homes interrelate in this situation, given that current home-based solutions may not meet the necessary standards.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller called Reili Rand to the podium as the next speaker, giving her the floor to present her report.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand criticized the discussion for its excessive generality and focus on large numbers, demanding a concrete message and solution from the minister specifically for Tiina, who is in her 60s, and others in her situation. These individuals are exhausted from decades of single-handedly caring for a son with special needs and are deeply worried about his future and securing a special care placement for when their own health eventually gives out.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller stresses that while the Social Insurance Board handles specific individual cases, her focus remains on policy and improving the accessibility of specialized social welfare services. She refuses to make empty political promises but affirms that she will do everything in her power to ensure these services are available, and hopes that the successful development trend seen so far in Estonian specialized welfare will continue and accelerate.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller Lauri Läänemets was called to the podium to deliver his report.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets praised the minister’s grasp of detail but criticized the government, arguing that tax reliefs were disproportionately aimed at Estonia’s wealthiest 10% (providing them with nearly 114 million euros), while the socially crucial issue of specialized care was left unaddressed. He then questioned why this more socially responsible alternative was not considered.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller criticized the constant focus on the wealthy during the tax debate, emphasizing that improvements in tax collection and systemic changes would actually bring the greatest benefit to people earning average and below-average wages, essentially providing them with a 13th salary. She also expressed hope that increased spending by the wealthy would improve the social sector budget in the future, though she simultaneously admitted that the topic of taxation is not her strong suit and suggested the debate should be held with finance professionals.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the questioning, thanked the participants, and gave Anti Allas the opportunity to ask a procedural question before moving on to the discussion phase.
Anti Allas
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Anti Allas explained that the Social Democrats support eliminating the tax hump for those earning between 2,000 and 4,000 euros, but he stressed that the tax-free minimum should not be granted to people earning over 4,000 euros, as those resources could be used to solve society's real problems.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller, noting the necessity of an official address from the podium, first gave the floor to Helmen Kütt, the representative of the interpellators, whose request was granted an additional three minutes of speaking time.
Helmen Kütt
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Helmen Kütt leveled sharp criticism against the chronic underfunding of special care services, a situation that has driven sector employees and clients to protest and left court orders for the placement of dangerous patients unfulfilled. She stressed that this long-term crisis demonstrates the government's misplaced priorities, particularly when the state is taking out loans to hand out over 100 million euros in tax breaks to people earning more than 4,000 euros, while simultaneously abandoning vital social services.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the audience and then handed the floor over to Lauri Läänemets.
Lauri Läänemets
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Lauri Läänemets expresses deep concern over the government's budget policy and the unfairness surrounding tax issues, emphasizing that changes to tax revenue funnel over 100 million euros annually specifically toward the highest-income earners, when that money should instead be directed into the social sector—for instance, into special care services and covering shortfalls in healthcare. He criticizes the government for failing to provide fundamental solutions and for having the political will to use the budget merely to "teach lessons" to the opposition, rather than tackling the nation's serious problems.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller closed the debate, as no further requests to speak had been submitted and the minister did not require any further comments, announcing that the seventh item on today's agenda was thereby concluded.