Bernard Allen
Question:235 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason unemployment assistance was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork for the day of national mourning. [23392/01]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Casual or part-time employees who have worked at least 40 hours in the five week period ending on the day before a public holiday have a statutory entitlement to payment by their employer in respect of the public holiday.
Casual or part-time employees are not entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance in respect of a public holiday for which they have an entitlement to payment from their employer.
The national day of mourning on Friday 14 September, was a public holiday. As the person concerned worked more than 40 hours in the five week period prior to 14 September, he does not qualify for unemployment assistance for this public holiday as he has a statutory entitlement to payment from his employer.
If he is experiencing difficulty with his employer in this regard he should contact the employment rights information unit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
236.Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will grant all recipients of the old age pension the free fuel scheme. [23394/01]
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:237 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will remove the means test for people over 70 years of age in relation to free fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23395/01]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together.
The purpose of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. In order to receive a payment a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare or health board payment and satisfy a means test.
As the Deputies are aware, in recent years I have extended the duration of the fuel season from 26 weeks to 29 weeks and introduced substantial improvements in the means test which mean that a person may now have a combined household income of up to £40 (50.79) per week or savings/investments of up to £30,000 (38,092) over and above the maximum contributory pension rate and still qualify for fuel allowance.
I recognise the importance of fuel allowance to pensioners and I am also conscious of the need to simplify the social welfare system, whenever possible. To remove the means test for people over 70 years or to pay fuel allowances to recipients of the old age pension would have to be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of alternative proposals for delivering improvements in social welfare supports to pensioners and others.
238.Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will reconsider the provisions in the back to education support schemes which confine additional supports to persons undertaking full-time education in order that persons for whom day-time courses are not a viable option would be able to avail of back to education opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23396/01]
The main programme operated by my Department to facilitate people wishing to take up educational courses is the back to education allowance. To qualify for participation in that scheme, an unemployed person or other qualified category of recipient must, inter alia, be pursuing a full time day course of study at a recognised second or third level institution leading to a recognised qualification. Part-time courses of study do not qualify for the purposes of the back to education allowance.
Unemployed people who wish to pursue part time education courses may, however, do so and still retain their unemployment payment, if they continue to be available for work. To qualify for the part-time education option, the person may be of any age and in receipt of an unemployment payment for any length of time prior to commencing the part-time course of study. Applications for participation in the part-time education option should be made through the local social welfare office.
Denis Naughten
Question:239 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to abolish the orphans allowance payment and amalgamate it with the foster care allowance; the reason for this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23399/01]
It is not the case that orphans payments have been abolished.
The report of the working group on foster care published by the Department of Health and Children in May 200 proposed that the weekly rate of foster care allowance be increased from £71.55 (90.85) to £200 (253.95) for children aged under 12 and from £85.55 (108.63) to £220 (279.34) for children aged over 12.
In light of the report of the working group on foster care the Government decided to increase the rate of the foster care allowance as recommended while also ensuring that all foster chil dren benefit from the orphan's (non-contributory) pension or orphan's (contributory) allowance.
I understand that there were a number of foster carers and members of the Irish Foster Care Association represented on the working group and that there was wide consultation and general agreement on the recommendations of the report.
The report of the working group on foster care also considered the need for administrative efficiency in the payment structure as well as the adequacy of financial supports to foster carers. Accordingly orphans payments which were formerly paid by my Department on behalf of some children in foster care, are now being paid on behalf of all foster children. Since August 2001 the orphans payment is paid directly to the health board on behalf of and for the benefit of each child in foster care. It is also the case that an orphan payment will continue to be paid in respect of eligible children up to age 22 where they are in full-time education.
This change in arrangements addresses many of the concerns raised by the Irish Foster Care Association concerning the involvement of my Department in foster care situations. It also accords with their strong recommendations that the foster care allowance should be inclusive of all former discretionary payments and entitlements.