Inquiry regarding the social welfare reform (no 720)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-05-05 21:24
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 49
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 46m
AI Summaries: 49/49 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Inquiry No. 720 addressed the social care reform and its implementation in Estonian social policy. The presenters were Riina Solman, Mart Maastik, and Helir-Valdor Seeder, expressing widespread concern about the reform's impact on the elderly, the availability and cost of nursing home places, and the division of supervision, responsibility, and accountability. The purpose of the inquiry was to obtain clarification on how the reform has begun to function and what its short-term and long-term effects have been: prices, availability, workforce issues, the development of home care, and the financial burden on municipalities. The initial responses and discussion focused on whether the original promise of "nursing home places for the average pension" is feasible and what the actual results have been regarding the number of nursing home places, the role of local municipalities, and the participation of private entrepreneurs in the market. The second part focused on issues of control and accountability, and in the final stage, specific measures and further steps were brought up, to which the minister provided answers and explanations.
Decisions Made 1
A political decision wasn't made; answers were given to the inquiry, and negotiations concluded.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Riina Solman, a member of the Isamaa party (right-wing position). She posed a question, and participated extensively in asking questions and explaining topics, highlighting concerns regarding the prices, responsibility, and oversight of nursing homes.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The parliamentary inquiry on social welfare reform (No. 720) submitted by Riina Solman, Mart Maastik and Helir-Valdor Seedri is presented to the Riigikogu's speaking desk.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman asks someone to say it again, because she has several of them.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi said that this is not a problem at all, and today there are indeed many interpellations, including Interpellation No. 720 concerning the reform of social welfare.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They express a sudden understanding.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi addressed the social welfare reform and submitted interpellation number 720.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman talks about the reform of social welfare.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Currently only the list of participants/the participants' header has been provided, and the full text of the speech is not available; please add the full speech text so that I can produce a one-sentence summary in Estonian.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman said that she is fully up to date with it, presented and wrote this text that was on the table, but there are several of them here.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He says that the situation isn't too bad and that the minister has something planned.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman expressed strong dissatisfaction with the 2022 social welfare reform plan and the nursing home recruitment policy, noting that state support increased the prices of nursing homes and the owners' profits while employees' salaries have continued to lag behind, recruitment is uncontrolled, and the protection of the elderly has been put at risk, especially in connection with the recent Pihlakodu case.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked and said that now it is the turn of Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller, and if you have any questions at hand, having them read aloud would be quite appropriate so that we can obtain precise answers.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
According to the minister's briefing, the social welfare reform is important and already shows a positive impact: the cost burden on nursing homes has fallen, home care services have expanded, and the number of care workers and their salaries have risen; EU funds will be allocated to developing home care services, and the reform focuses on ongoing transparency and the accountability of local governments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanks and announces that there are questions, and gives the floor to Tanel Kiik.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asked the Minister of Social Affairs what he has done in cooperation with the Estonian Social Insurance Board to initiate oversight of nursing homes and to review the legal regulations, in order to ensure that the elderly have the necessary sense of security.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Karmen Joller said that the cases brought to light are rare, and that these are crimes the justice system handles; the SKA conducts supervision of care homes regularly and on the basis of complaints, and if a crime has been committed, the justice system resolves it; the Minister of Social Affairs added that there is nothing for them to do about this, which may be a good thing since they are not a subject-matter expert.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is merely a plea to appear before Riina Solman.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman thanked them for the answers, highlighted a pledge regarding the availability of nursing home places, and the National Audit Office's criticism, and asked how this objective is achieved and how the ministry will strengthen the safety of nursing homes and the quality and oversight of social welfare.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
They stressed that the safety and quality of nursing homes and the supervision are priorities, noting that the burden of personal participation has been reduced from 81% to 51% at the level of the average pension, and that many places have already started implementing this, and although crimes occurred, this demonstrates the functioning of the supervision and that matters are resolved through the legal system within the SKA supervision framework.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Anti Allast.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas said that the social welfare reform enables a dignified salary in institutions that provide general care services, and that this is better than before, but he is concerned that in specialized care institutions the ability to pay a competitive salary is significantly limited, and he asks what could be done to improve this.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller confirms that specialized care requires attention, and she will do everything to ensure that services for those in need of help are better targeted and accessible, while acknowledging that the elder care reform has created problems in this sector.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech begins with a request to invite Helmen Kütti to perform.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt confirms that the care reform has met its initial objectives, highlights the National Audit Office's audit and a plan to draw conclusions and, if necessary, amend laws in autumn 2026, and at the same time asks how they intend to address the substantial workload of family caregivers, the shortage of nursing-home places, and the price surge that arises when municipalities do not organise procurements.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller said that more questions should be asked of local governments during price negotiations, and the ministry is ready to help them clarify the content of the service and how the price components are formed, and, if necessary, discuss why a private nursing home does not follow the pricing model.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy speaker Toomas Kivimägi asks Rene Kokk to take the floor.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk said that the reform of social welfare cannot be regarded as a great success, emphasized the transfer of responsibility from the state to local governments and the lack of funding, and asked whether state funding for the maintenance of nursing homes is sufficient and what will be done if it is not.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Such a price increase could not be foreseen; some municipalities have gone to court, and the Supreme Court has said that finding money and guaranteeing services are the local government's responsibility, and by the end of 2026 the reform analysis is planned to be carried out and, if necessary, changes made so that municipalities can provide better services.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti to come forward.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In summary, the speaker claims that the previous government passed a law according to which pensioners living alone lose their benefit if they end up in a nursing home, which increases the risk of poverty; the Centre Party supported the Union of Cities and Municipalities' position and voted against the bill, and now the question is whether it can be reversed and the benefit for a pensioner living alone restored.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The Minister of Social Affairs, Karmen Joller, said that the allowance for a pensioner living alone is 200 euros per year, and the costs for pensioners living in a care home are lower due to partial compensation by the local government; therefore it is fair not to pay additional benefits to those who already have support, but to channel the same amount to obtain assistance in another form.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov expressed a critical stance toward the word "analysis," noted the failure of the reform and the growing burden on local governments from nursing homes, and suggested that real analysis could simply be a discussion based on the cooperation of about ten municipalities, while at the same time asking whether the price increases of nursing homes can be slowed.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, invites Vladimir Arhipov onto the stage.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The analysis will be completed by the end of 2026 and will show what's wrong: that the reform would focus aid on the elderly at the greatest risk, and that caregivers’ work brings revenue to local governments, but there are no quick solutions, and to curb price increases, local governments can ask nursing home service providers for a price breakdown and, if necessary, negotiate the price downward.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Henn Põlluaas to speak.
Henn Põlluaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Henn Põlluaas asked where municipalities would find money to meet ever-increasing obligations, if the government imposes burdens on them but does not ensure sufficient financing.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The Minister of Social Affairs, Karmen Joller, said that in 2024, 59.5 million euros were received by local governments, and at the end of 2026 it will be reviewed again to see how to improve the service, and she did not say that collecting the money is the obligation of local governments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Raimond Kaljulaid to speak.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid asserts that although it is said about the reform that it has failed, it has significantly simplified life for many families and household expenses have decreased, and he asks the minister whether it is correct to conclude that the reform was not a complete failure.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The reform has not collapsed, but has fulfilled its main objectives: as of now, a care-home place has been secured for a thousand people, which frees up caregivers' time and energy and provides the opportunity to go to work or to engage more in their own affairs, while improving both mental and physical health and increasing people's emotional well-being and freedom.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks Riina Sikkut to speak.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut asks the minister whether the prices of general care services could move in the opposite direction and become cheaper, while energy prices, food prices and wage growth rise, or whether prices in the care sector must still keep pace with other sectors, considering that over the entire period the prices of care services have risen by about a third.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
They say that prices do not fall when prices in the surrounding area rise, and that logic is absolutely adequate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the minister, opens negotiations and invites Riina Solman to the speaker's podium, noting that although a speech has been registered, there is still a desire to come to the podium, and she will be given 5+3 minutes if necessary.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman notes that a place in a nursing home is not affordable on an average pension, that the reform has left gaps which have caused prices to rise and left the responsibility to municipalities, and she emphasizes that the state must establish standards, secure funding, and develop home care so that the elderly can obtain an affordable nursing home place if necessary.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chair Arvo Aller announces the next speaker as Helmen Kütt and states that Riina Solman's speech has been included in the record and must be withdrawn.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt emphasizes that better coping for the elderly and improving access to general home-care services are important, and the reform will not yield immediate results, but has increased the number of places, reduced their out-of-pocket costs, and improved the situation of informal caregivers, and requires cross-party cooperation and adherence to the National Audit Office's recommendations.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller is requesting three more minutes.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt points out that the distribution of nursing home places is 40% to municipalities and 60% to the private sector, but the price surge is harmful, and municipalities must strengthen oversight and listen to the opinions of families and clients, and pension indexation and increases are necessary due to the cost of living.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Thank you, the minister did not want to speak, and the negotiations have ended, and the interpellation in question has been answered.