Agenda Profile: Helmen Kütt
Draft law amending the Act on Social Support for People with Disabilities and amending other acts in connection therewith (561 SE) – Second Reading
2025-05-14
15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, plenary session
Political Position
The political focus is centered on improving social sector legislation and protecting vulnerable groups. The speaker strongly backed an amendment that preserved the option for 16-year-olds to be placed on the waiting list for specialized care services, thereby easing the burden of concern for parents. They criticized the government's austerity measures and the deficiencies in service accessibility, particularly within specialized care and the reliability of social security IT systems. This stance is firmly rooted in policy and performance, demanding proactive engagement from the Minister of Social Affairs.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates comprehensive expertise in social welfare legislation, particularly concerning the regulations for social benefits and special care services for people with disabilities. They employ technical terminology (e.g., deferred old-age pension, flexible old-age pension) and reference specific data regarding the length and movement of waiting lists. The expertise also encompasses legislative procedures, detailed reporting on stakeholder positions, and the requesting of data from the ministry.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is formal and detailed, particularly in the presentation of the commission's work summaries, which meticulously list the dates, participants, and decisions of the meetings. In the political commentary, the tone shifts to critical and concerned, emphasizing the shortcomings in service availability and the risk of budget cuts affecting the most vulnerable. The speaker offers recognition and thanks (e.g., "great praise to the commission staff") and highlights the procedural success achieved.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The presenter has been highly active in managing and processing the work of the Social Affairs Committee, participating in and providing summaries of four recent committee sessions. They successfully proposed temporarily withdrawing the draft bill from the agenda to ensure stakeholder involvement and the preparation of necessary amendments. This pattern of activity demonstrates a strong commitment to the quality of legislative procedures and listening to interest groups.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The criticism is aimed at the actions of the Minister of Social Affairs and the government, particularly concerning the insufficient funding and lack of places for special welfare services. The speaker expresses concern that the government’s austerity measures could affect "the most vulnerable and weakest." The criticism is policy- and performance-based, demanding that the Minister take active steps and advocate for the sector during budget negotiations.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The presenter is highly collaborative, stressing the importance of consensus-based decisions within the committee and highlighting successful cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs during the preparation of amendments. They emphasize the crucial role of involving interest groups (the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People, the Estonian Association of Cities and Municipalities) and addressing their concerns. Specific thanks are extended to colleagues (Irja, Riina, Aleksandr) for their support during a critical vote, which ultimately resulted in improvements to the draft legislation.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is on the systemic availability of social services at the national level, noting that access to these services varies widely across Estonia. A specific example is mentioned from a rural area where the necessary services are not reaching the family of a child with autism spectrum disorder, emphasizing the problem of regional differences.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Economic positions center on ensuring adequate funding for the social sector, while criticizing the government's austerity measures which endanger vulnerable groups. The necessity of 25 million euros is highlighted to guarantee the operational reliability of the social insurance system, citing the system's instability. The speaker stands against any cuts to the social sector.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The social focus is on ensuring the accessibility of social benefits and special care services for people with disabilities. The speaker supports raising the age limit for a child with a disability to 18 years of age to ensure equal treatment, but simultaneously emphasizes the need to prevent an increase in the number of informal caregivers due to a lack of services. The goal is to reduce the burden of worry on parents of children who require special care services.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative priority involved processing the draft law on social benefits for persons with disabilities (Bill 561 SE), where the speaker served as the rapporteur for the lead committee. The primary achievement was the successful introduction of an amendment that preserved the option for 16-year-olds to be placed on the waiting list for specialized welfare services. Furthermore, work was carried out on technical amendments related to the regulation of deferred and flexible old-age pensions.
3 Speeches Analyzed