Written Answers Nos. 1-31
2. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made under the humanitarian aid scheme for uninsured householders in 2023, particularly on flooding, segmented by county; and the number of successful and unsuccessful applications, in tabular form, with the total amount issued. [18232/24]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies. My Department provides assistance to eligible households in the immediate aftermath of emergency weather events under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.
The purpose of the scheme is to provide income- tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged and because of lack of insurance are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair.
The income test for the scheme is more generous than that applied under means tested social welfare payments in general. The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance. This includes non-social welfare recipients.
In October 2023, Government approved an additional €3 million in funding for the scheme. Income limit levels for the scheme were also increased on October 2023 from:
• €30,000 to €50,000 for a single person;
• €50,000 to €90,000 for a couple; and
• €10,000 to €15,000 per dependent child.
During 2023, some 1,100 payments have been made nationally to members of the public under the scheme, with a provisional total expenditure of just over €1.90 million. Table 1 in the tabular statement attached to this reply shows the number of householders by county that received payments under the scheme in 2023.
If any household affected by the severe weather events in 2023 needs to access these supports, they can contact the Community Welfare Service by phoning 0818 60 70 80.
Tabular Statement
Table 1 - Humanitarian Assistance Scheme by County for 2023
|
County |
Number of Householders |
Number of Payments |
Expenditure |
|
CARLOW |
1 |
1 |
€350 |
|
CORK |
460 |
856 |
€1,608,149 |
|
DONEGAL |
3 |
5 |
€10,170 |
|
DUBLIN |
4 |
4 |
€5,982 |
|
GALWAY |
33 |
61 |
€47,579 |
|
KERRY |
2 |
2 |
€6,973 |
|
LEITRIM |
3 |
6 |
€2,060 |
|
LIMERICK |
1 |
1 |
€849 |
|
LOUTH |
32 |
88 |
€109,053 |
|
MAYO |
3 |
4 |
€4,639 |
|
MEATH |
18 |
21 |
€27,524 |
|
OFFALY |
1 |
5 |
€4,380 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1 |
2 |
€5,675 |
|
WATERFORD |
14 |
15 |
€24,950 |
|
WEXFORD |
6 |
23 |
€104,326 |
|
Total |
582 |
1,094 |
€1,962,659* |
* These figures represent a snapshot of claims as they are approved by an officer rather than when they are paid. Therefore, these figures vary slightly from the provisional figure of €1.90 million.
4. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to seek more sustained, long-term solutions to support families experiencing food poverty during school holidays, given the Children’s Rights Alliance food provision scheme received applications totalling over €350,000 - six times its capacity, in the run up to the Christmas holidays in 2023. [18664/24]
View answerMinister Humphreys was very pleased to recently announce the extension of the Hot School Meals programme meaning that an additional 900 schools and 150,000 children are now eligible for hot meals. This means that there are now over 2,000 Primary Schools and 316,000 children able to benefit from Hot School Meals, having started in 2019 with a small pilot of 30 schools. The Department has also invited further expressions of interest from remaining schools as Minister Humphreys wants to expand the scheme so that every child born today will benefit from a hot school meal.
This expansion of the Hot School Meals programme reflects the Government's determination to alleviate food poverty as committed under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 - 2025 .
Goal 7 of the Roadmap is to “ensure that all people can live with confidence that they have access to good quality healthcare, housing, energy and food.” Commitment 61 of the Roadmap commits Government to “develop a comprehensive programme of work to further explore the drivers of food poverty and to identify mitigating actions.”
In order to advance this commitment the Food Poverty Working Group, under my chairmanship was established in 2021, consisting of representatives from a range of Government Departments and the community and voluntary sector.
In addition to rolling out Hot School Meals, and taking on board the recommendations of the Food Poverty Working Group, I secured funding under Budget 2023 to introduce a pilot scheme, based on a case worker model, to support people experiencing food poverty.
Following a procurement process, the pilot programme commenced in September 2023 and is provided by organisations involved in emergency food provision in three regions of Ireland: Crosscare in Dublin, Feed Cork in Cork and Mid-West Simon in Limerick.
The pilot programme seeks to help address the underlying reasons that people have found themselves experiencing food poverty through a case worker service that directs people to appropriate supports and services. The pilot is due to run for a period of 18 months and aims to assist at least 200 people in each region.
I met with the organisations involved in delivering the pilot programme at the most recent meeting of the Food Poverty Working Group and am pleased to report that the programme is progressing extremely well.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
7. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider abolishing the punitive means test for the carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18203/24]
View answerThe Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion.Means tests are an essential components of our social welfare system - they help to direct scarce reroutes to where they are needed most. In the absence of means tests expenditure on social welfare schemes and services would increase very significantly with many of the beneficiaries of these increases being people who are relatively well off.Nevertheless taking account of the very important role of Carers in our society, I have, since my appointment as Minister, made a number of significant of improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance. In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.As part of Budget 2024, the weekly income disregard will be further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.As a result, the means test disregards for Carer's Allowance are now the highest disregards in the Social Welfare system.It is also important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by the Department which are not based on a means assessment.The Carer’s Support Grant can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant to €1,850, its highest ever rate.Carer's Benefit is a weekly payment based on social insurance contributions rather than a means test and is payable for a period of up to 2 years.Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of Budget 2024 we have increased the payment by another €10 bringing it to €340 per month.In addition, as part of Budget 2024, I established an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments. I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
10. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Social Protection annual report for 2023 will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18434/24]
View answerOfficials in my Department have been compiling material related to all areas of the organisation to draft the Annual Report for 2023. This information is currently being collated. The content and design will be finalised in the coming weeks. It is intended that the 2023 Annual Report will be submitted to Government by the end of June 2024. The aim is to lay it before the Houses and publish the report shortly after that. The Department's annual statistics report for 2023 including summary financial data will also be published at that time.The Appropriation Accounts of the Department and the Financial Accounts of the Social Insurance Fund are scheduled to be published as usual by the Comptroller and Auditor General at the end of September.I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
13. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of organisations in receipt of the workplace equipment adaptation grant in 2023 in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18435/24]
View answerMy Department provides a wide range of income and employment supports to assist jobseekers and employees with disabilities, and their employers.These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme.The Reasonable Accommodation Fund provides financial support for people with disabilities and for employers to help make their workplaces more accessible.The Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides funding for disability awareness training for employees.Expenditure is recorded by reference to the supplier of the services, rather than the beneficiary of the supports. Therefore, it is not possible to immediately provide information on those organisations who benefited from the Reasonable Accommodation Grant, previously known at the workplace equipment adaption grant. However, on the assumption that many of those organisations will seek the services locally, our records show that 13 payments were made to seven Cork suppliers in 2023 in respect of supports benefitting organisations and their employees. In autumn 2023, I published a review of these schemes. The review recommends combining the two schemes into a single flexible scheme, simplifying systems and processes, providing approval in principle, and promoting the reformed scheme which will make the scheme work better for people with disabilities and their employers. I have allocated an additional €1 million to expand the scheme and implement these recommendations which I anticipate will lead to an increase in the use of these supports.My officials have been working to make recommendations from this review operational. I expect to launch a reformed scheme that will give effect to all nine recommendations of the review in the coming weeks.
18. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline, further to the recent scrapping of the green paper on disability reform, her plans to introduce a cost of disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18376/24]
View answerI am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability. In budget 2024 for example I provided for:
• A €400 once-off payment for Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Carer’s Support Grant recipients in November 2023 to address the high cost of living.
• A €200 lump sum Living Alone Allowance payment.
• A €300 lump sum Fuel Allowance payment.
• A Christmas Bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment.
• A January Cost of Living Bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment.
• A €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2024.
I also,
• Reduced the minimum weekly hours threshold for employers to avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme from 21 to 15 hours from April 2024.
• Extended Free Travel to people medically certified as unfit to drive.
These measures were informed by the Indecon Cost of Disability report which highlighted that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. Based on this analysis, one of the main ideas in the Green Paper I published for consultation last year was to provide additional support to those most in need by increasing payments for those people with most profound challenges.However the feedback I received through this consultation process indicates that there are significant concerns about the proposals as set out and, in particular, as to whether it was appropriate to reform the system of disability payments separate to a wider consideration of other challenges faced by people with disabilities including transport, education and access to employment. In addition, although it was acknowledged that disability takes many forms and that the costs of disability vary along a spectrum, people were also concerned as to how, in practice, a distinction would be drawn between people with profound challenges attracting the higher rate of payment and other people with disabilities. I have listened to these concerns and will not therefore proceed to further develop the proposals to a white paper or Government Decision stage.As a Government, we now need to have a fresh look at how we can support people with disabilities. It is for this reason that the Taoiseach has announced the establishment of a special Cabinet Committee on Disability, with a major emphasis on improving supports and services for people with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. Any reform of disability payments will now be considered as part of this broader review of disability matters on a whole-of-government basis and will take account of the feedback received during the Green Paper process. Alongside this new Cabinet Committee, a new National Disability Strategy is being developed. This is being coordinated by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, also with a whole-of-government approach.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
19. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff, including total WTE positions and grade breakdowns, working in the Department's scope section; if the section is adequately staffed to undertake the work required of it in relation to examining bogus self-employment in large organisations such as RTÉ; how long she expects the RTÉ scope investigation to take to conclude; if the scope section plans to examine cases of workers at RTÉ prior to the period currently under examination by the scope section; if the scope section is currently examining or has plans to examine other State or semi-State agencies; if so, which ones; the annual budget for the scope section for each of the past five years; how many prosecutions her Department has initiated as a result of bogus self-employment cases in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18380/24]
View answerThe function of Scope Section in my Department is to make decisions and provide information and advice on PRSI insurability in accordance with the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005.In conducting insurability investigations, the Department's fundamental objective is first, to ensure that workers do not suffer a loss of entitlement to social insurance benefits as a consequence of misclassification and, second, to ensure that employers collect and remit the correct amount and value of social insurance contributions. A Scope decision deals only with PRSI insurability and it has no effect on an individual’s status for tax or employment rights purposes. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners deal with tax treatment and the Workplace Relations Commission deal with employment rights issues.There is 1 Principal Officer, 2 Assistant Principal Officers, 17 Higher Executive Officers, 9 Executive Officers and 3 Clerical Officers directly assigned to Scope Section. In addition, Social Welfare Investigators throughout the Department’s Divisions are also involved in employer investigations. The budget for Scope Section is part of the overall administrative budget of my Department.I am satisfied that my Department has the capacity and resources to fully address the RTE investigation and also to continue to carry out investigations in other sectors to identify and address any potential PRSI misclassification. The Department is engaging pro-actively with RTÉ on this issue and is making progress.In order to sustain a prosecution it must be shown that an employer or a worker knowingly misstated a person's employment status. It is important to point out that cases of misclassification of employment do not necessarily involve a deliberate or fraudulent misclassification of an employee as self-employed. Given how case law has evolved, and given the variety of employment arrangements, it may not always to be clear to an employer or a worker as to how the worker should be classified.When a SCOPE decision is requested it is also generally the case that both the employer and employee are happy to correct the position once the Department’s officials make a determination.Accordingly, the Department has not initiated any prosecutions in the past five years but does seek full recovery of sums due when a worker's status is reclassified.It open to any individual seeking information, advice or a decision regarding their own insurability or the insurability of their workers to apply to Scope Section for a decision at any time.
20. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered any options to improve the speed with which applications for disability allowance or similar means-tested payments are processed thus eliminating hardship for people who may be vulnerable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18337/24]
View answerThe Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.The average number of weeks to award a Disability Allowance claim is currently 12 weeks. My Department understands the many pressures faced by people and always seeks to ensure that claims are processed quickly and efficiently.In respect of DA, evidence must be provided in respect of the person’s medical condition, the extent to which it restricts them from taking up employment, their means and their habitual residency. To help the Department to make timely and fair decisions on applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the application form fully and attach all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application form. It is particularly important that an applicant provides, at the outset, all the details they have in relation to their medical conditions to best support their claim.In order to register a claim and establish an early entitlement or claim date many people submit an application without first securing all of the necessary supporting documentation. Claims with missing supporting information typically take longer to process. In response to an increase in application volumes of 10% over the past year the Department has increased the number of officers processing new DA claims and there has been a recent restructuring to better manage current and incoming claims. Reviews and refinements of internal processes are underway to enhance efficiency in processing DA claims. This includes prioritising applications from people in urgent situations, or those who may not already be in receipt of a payment from my Department.It is important to note that about 80% of awarded DA applicants are already in receipt of another social welfare payment meaning that any processing time does not affect their income. People who are not in receipt of another payment can be prioritised for processing or can be awarded an interim payment via the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. Where a claim is decided in a person's favour after a delay, DA arrears will issue to the customer dated back to the date their claim was received.I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
21. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection her assessment of the impact of the Supreme Court's recent decision to award a pension to a widower who was not married but had children with his former partner; if this will have an impact on other retrospective and future cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18202/24]
View answerUnder the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership.On Monday 22nd January the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension. The Supreme Court judgment overruled a previous High Court decision and found in favour of the claimant and his children. In simple terms, the Court found that section 124 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is inconsistent with the Constitution insofar as it excluded the claimant from the category of persons entitled to benefit from it. The Court reached that conclusion on the basis of the equality guarantee contained in Article 40.1 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court judgment notes that in order to resolve the issue raised by the judgment, a legislative amendment is required.My officials and the Office of the Attorney General are now considering the very detailed judgment, including the legislative changes required to respond to this decision. This will be done with all expediency.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
22. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection what value-for-money analysis has been carried out in relation to the different rates of participation in the proposed automatic enrolment pension scheme; the different rates of opt-outs; the different rates of suspension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18377/24]
View answerThe introduction of an automatic enrolment (AE) retirement savings system is a Programme for Government commitment and a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. Implementation of the AE system is well underway, with the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 now having completed Second Stage in the Dáil and a tender process to contract for administration services being well advanced. Enrolment of the first participants is expected to commence in January 2025. The Deputy will be familiar with the analysis contained within the Regulatory Impact Assessment that accompanied the General Scheme of the Bill when it was approved by Government in July 2022. This document sets out the main options available to Government and the policy justifications for each approach. That document describes how the now agreed design of AE is understood to be the best solution to the problem of low pension coverage and low pension adequacy, particularly among private sector workers.When AE launches, the number of workers who will meet the eligibility criteria is approximately 750,000-800,000. This is based on data provided by the Revenue Commissioners. AE has some unique features, but insofar as it is comparable to other quasi-mandatory pension schemes around the world, we can be confident that opt-out rates will be low. When conducting costings and financing estimates, my departmental officials typically assume a 90% adherence rate for AE participants. This is partly due to the UK comparator, which, as I understand it, has a current opt-out rate of 10.4%. Given that the AE scheme is a very attractive offering for participants, I expect that the opt-out rate will be even lower in Ireland.Under the final design principles of the AE system, the State will make a contribution to participant’s retirement savings funds at a rate of €1 for every €3 saved by the employee. In estimating the costs of this State contribution, and assuming that 90% of enrollees will remain enrolled in the scheme, the full year cost of the State top-up is estimated to be €138 million in 2025. By Year 10, when the full contribution rates are phased in, the full annual cost is estimated to be €760 million.While the cost of incentivising AE appears to be significant, it represents an investment in retirement savings in order to safeguard the standard of living of the retired population in the future. Accordingly, it is expected that the investment made now will be returned to the economy in higher levels of expenditure by retired people in the future.With regard to the costs associated with the operation of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, the intention is for the Authority to become self-financing from fees charged to the participants over 10 to 15 years following its establishment.I hope that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
23. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on her examination of the issues facing kinship carers who receive nominal contributions from birth parents and who may then be prevented from receiving guardianship allowance. [18470/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to supporting kinship carers in the valuable role they play in our society.A Guardians payment is made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation. A child is considered an orphan if they are under 18 (or 22 if in full time education) and both parents are deceased; or one parent is either dead or unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child and the other parent is unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child. The Deputy has requested an update on three applications for the Guardians (contributory) payment. I can confirm that one application was awarded with effect from 29 December 2023. The other two applications are being reviewed. On completion of the review, the persons concerned will be notified of the outcome.Any financial support provided by the parent, including maintenance must be considered when looking at the circumstances of these cases in their entirety. However, I can confirm for the Deputy that a birthday present or occasional pocket money would not constitute providing for a child and would not be considered grounds for disallowance on its own. While the maintenance paid in respect of the children is not assessed as means, the extent of the parents’ commitment to their child’s well-being through the provision of regular financial support is considered when determining if the parent has abandoned and failed to provide for the child.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
24. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide a State pension for those currently in receipt of the increase for qualified adult under their partner’s pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18366/24]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection provides income supports through a mixture of contributory payments (which are based on a person's social insurance record) and means-tested social assistance payments. To receive either a contributory or social assistance payment a person currently in receipt of an increase for a qualified adult under their partner's payment must qualify for that payment in their own right.The State Pension (Contributory) requires 520 (10 years worth) of paid contributions to qualify for the payment. Once this threshold is reached the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate.In January of this year I introduced the Long Term Carers Contributions which allowed for those who provided full time care to incapacitated individuals to receive reckonable contributions for the time spent giving that care, provided they cared for at least 20 years. Those years do not need to be consecutive. Long Term Carers Contribution are considered the equivalent of paid contributions and can be used to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory).The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in ensuring that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.Social welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme. The means assessment includes income from sources such as employment, self-employment, occupational pensions and maintenance payments. It also includes property owned, other than the family home, and capital such as savings, shares, and other investments. Income earned under the rent-a-room tax relief scheme is exempt from the means test. If a person does not qualify for either the contributory pension, based on their contribution to the social insurance fund or the time spent caring full time, or the non-contributory pension based on their assessed mean, the option to retain the increase for a qualified adult will remain. An increase for a qualified adult may be paid directly into the qualified adult’s bank account as a separate payment from the primary pension recipient.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
25. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the specifics regarding the pension entitlements being worked on for carers by her Department presently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18134/24]
View answerThis Government acknowledges the vital role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependants may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension Contributory. They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years of paid contributions.Last year, legislation was enacted to implement a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system as part of the Government's response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.A key measure introduced is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record.This measure is available to individuals who reached State Pension age from 1 January 2024 and is also available to people currently over pension age. They will be able to apply for these periods, but they will only receive a State Pension (Contributory) or enhanced pension from 1st January 2024 where eligible.Last year, my Department launched an online system for people to register for long term caring contributions prior to reaching pensionable age to facilitate the expeditious processing of these periods to their contribution record.I am very pleased that the legislation to give effect to these measures was enacted in December and the scheme came into operation on 1st January 2024. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
26. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount that was allocated in 2019 to 2023 to companies engaged by her Department in providing labour activation programmes; the number of clients they assisted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17614/24]
View answer27. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to allow for caring periods under 20 years to be included for long-term caring contributions for the purposes of the State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18355/24]
View answerThis Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the State Pension system currently gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period outside of paid employment, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role.Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependants may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension (Contributory). This was recognised by the Pension Commission in its report which recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the State Pension (Contributory) and defined long-term caring as caring for more than 20 years. It was also recognised that long-term carers may, for example, have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years of paid contributions.In September 2022, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system in response to the recommendations from the Pensions Commission. This set of measures represents the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system. As the Deputy is aware, one of the key measures introduced from the 1st January 2024 is the introduction of long-term carer's contributions. Long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions will be treated the same as paid contributions for State Pension (Contributory) entitlement only and can be used to satisfy the minimum 520 contributions condition.My Department launched an online system for people to register for long term caring contributions. If a person has cared for less than 20 years (1040 weeks), the period will be registered and used for State Pension (Contributory) if/when they have additional periods which accumulate to 20 years or more. The care does not have to be provided for consecutive years. It can be a combination of any periods during the working life where a person was unable to be in paid employment for more than 18.5 hours per week due to caring responsibilities.A person with less than 20 years caring may be entitled to avail of homecaring periods subject to existing qualification conditions of having 520 paid contributions. A combination of 20 years homecaring periods and 20 years paid contributions can be used to qualify for a full rate pension.In the case of a person who reaches age 66 and does not have sufficient contributions to qualify for a full pension, they will now have the option to work for longer to build up additional entitlements. If a person has less than 10 years PRSI reckonable paid contributions, they may be able to use this period of deferral to establish entitlement. A person will also have the option to continue working between age 66 and 70 and receive an actuarially based increase in their weekly payment rate, should they choose to defer their State Pension (Contributory). Finally, the situation remains unchanged where a person reaches State Pension age and does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for State Pension (Contributory) or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for one of the following:
• The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) which is a means-tested payment (based on their share of household means) with a maximum payment of 95% of the State Pension (Contributory); or
• An increase for a qualified adult (based on their own means), amounting up to 90% of a full rate State Pension (Contributory) where their spouse has a contributory pension; or
• Where their spouse/civil partner is deceased, a widow's/widower's/civil partner's contributory pension, which they may claim either based on their spouse's or their own social insurance record. The qualifying conditions for this require fewer contributions paid (260) than the SPC for the maximum personal rate for those aged 66 or over.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
28. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection what threshold needs to be cleared for an appeal to be granted by her Department’s appeals office in respect of challenges to decisions by her Department's scope section against employers in relation to findings on bogus self-employment; if applications for appeal are scrutinised, what percentage of appeal applications by employers in respect of scope decisions on bogus self-employment were granted in 2023; the average time such an appeal takes to be heard and decided upon; the number (and percentage) of appeal hearings in 2023 initiated by employers in respect of scope decisions on bogus self-employment, where the appellant subsequently did not present for the hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18381/24]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. Anyone who has received a decision from my Department regarding a scheme they have applied for, which is appealable, or who had received a determination insurability in the case of scope cases, can appeal this decision. The threshold is the same for all appeals including scope appeals. In scope appeals there are generally a number of parties to the appeal such as the employee, the employer and the scope section of my Department. An employee or and employer can appeal a scope decision. Each case is individual and appeals are dealt with on a de novo basis.Forty four scope appeals were finalised in 2023. Of theses forty four appeals, fourteen were appeals made by employers. Of these fourteen appeals, three were allowed seven were disallowed, three were withdrawn and in one case the Department revised its decision.These fourteen appeals represent 32% of the overall Scope appeals finalised in 2023.The appeals office have advised me that they are not aware of any instance in 2023 when an appellant did not attend an oral hearing in an Scope appeal.
29. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that one in five (19.7%) people unable to work due to disability live in consistent poverty, that this is almost four times higher than the national average (5.3%); what measures will she take to lift people with disabilities out of poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9513/24]
View answerIn the 2022 Survey on Income and Living Conditions, the consistent poverty rates for persons unable to work due to long-standing health problems, was at 19.7%. However, in the recent published Survey on Income and Living Conditions data, that figure has now reduced to 16.5%, a reduction of 3.2 percentage points. While I am pleased that this rate is coming down, it is still higher than the general population.My Department provides a number of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means tested social assistance schemes. I have introduced many improvements across these schemes in my time as Minister for Social Protection. The personal rates increased by €29 per week over the last three budgets with proportionate increases for qualified adults. In addition, the income disregards which can be availed of by people receiving Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, have increased by almost 38% over the same period to a current level of €165.As part of Budget 2024, the Social Protection budget, which is the largest in the history of the State, will assist families and vulnerable citizens through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments.Budget 2024 has provided the following supports for people with disabilities:
• €400 cost of living lump sum has been paid to people getting Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension;
• €300 cost of living lump sum for those getting the Fuel Allowance, which was paid in November 2023;
• €200 cost of living lump sum to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase;
• Christmas Bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment;
• From January 2024 there has been an increase of €12 in maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments;
• A cost of living double week bonus for people getting a weekly social welfare payment, was paid in January 2024;
• Provision for Free Travel Scheme for those medically certified unfit to drive;
• Reduction in the minimum weekly hours threshold from 21 to 15 hours for employers to avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme, which came into effect in April.
The Taoiseach has placed a major emphasis on improving supports and services for people with disabilities in all aspect of their lives. He has announced his intention to establish a special Cabinet Committee on Disability.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
30. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans in respect of the means test for the carer's allowance; how she plans on ensuring that more carers can avail of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18269/24]
View answer31. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reform payments to family carers. [18408/24]
View answer44. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a living wage for family carers through the social protection system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18329/24]
View answer53. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will abolish means testing of carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18327/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 31, 44 and 53 together.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion.Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance. In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.As part of Budget 2024, the weekly income disregard will be further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.Since June 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the income disregards of €117.50 for a single carer and €235.00 for a carer who is part of couple. These are the highest disregards in the Social Welfare system.The changes meant that carers on a reduced rate moved to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time. Carer's Allowance does not purport to be a payment for care, and I do not intend to deviate from the underpinning principle of Carer’s Allowance being an income support payment. It is important to note that the removal of the means test would give rise to significant additional costs, which would result in people who may have higher sources of income benefitting while reducing the scope for the Department to provide income supports to lower income households.That said, as part of Budget 2024, I announced my intention to establish an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments.I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
