Vol. 589 No. 4
130 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department is responsible for maintaining a website (details supplied); the frequency with which it is updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23302/04]
The website referred to by the Deputy is managed by the national information agency, Comhairle, which comes under the aegis of my Department. The overall aim of the OASIS website is to provide simple, clear, straight-forward information on all public services that is focused on the needs of people living in Ireland. In that regard, OASIS represents a new approach to the presentation and delivery of public service information over the Internet through the structuring of information around key life events such as the birth of a child, education, housing, employment, retirement and death.
The OASIS website which was first established in 2001 integrates information on services from a range of Departments and agencies and presents it using its life events approach. Comprehensive information for each life event is available in one place regardless of the number of State organisations involved in providing the relevant services.
In addition to information, citizens can download forms such as application forms for passports and driving licences.
Ensuring that the OASIS content remains accurate and relevant is a challenging task given the range and diversity of public services, service providers, rights and entitlements and the complexity of legislation underpinning entitlements. Site content is managed on a daily basis and every effort is made to ensure that the website content is kept accurate, relevant and accessible.
A range of systematic procedures are in place to facilitate this including partnership with a number of key Departments to maintain content. Information on the site comes from a variety of sources, including Departments, statutory agencies, in-house information staff and commissioned authors. In addition, Comhairle invites feedback from OASIS users in the form of comments, suggestions, ideas and content updates.
The OASIS website experienced significant traffic growth in 2003 with almost one million users, which represented an increase of 86% over the previous year. Early indications for the first half of 2004 suggest that usage has increased further and is likely to exceed the 2003 level.
131 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the policy initiatives the Government intends to take on foot of the recommendations of the recently published ESRI report on relative income poverty. [23412/04]
159 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position with regard to relative poverty levels in the State and in relation to revised targets for the national anti-poverty strategy. [23364/04]
182 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the recent ESRI report (details supplied) which shows that Ireland has the highest level of relative income poverty in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23299/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 159 and 182 together.
The ESRI report referred to was commissioned by my Department and provides an excellent analysis on relative income poverty in Ireland. The report and its recommendations constitute a very valuable input to the strategy for tackling poverty and will be fully taken into account in the future development of the process.
The percentage of the population in relative income poverty is arrived at by calculating the numbers below the income threshold of 60% of median income.
Not all those below the threshold are regarded as being in poverty, as that depends on other factors such as the extent to which their income is below the threshold, the length of time they have been living on a low income, the degree to which their assets will have run down while on a low income, and the other resources they have at their disposal. In the case of Ireland, for example, the indicator does not reflect the high level of home ownership, especially among the elderly, and consequently the value to households of owning their own home. It also does not reflect access to household allowances in kind such as electricity, fuel, telephone rental and TV licence.
As a result of limitations such as these, people under the 60% relative poverty threshold are classified by the EU as being at risk of poverty rather than being in poverty. It was for that reason that in setting targets for a reduction of poverty in the national anti-poverty strategy, another indicator, which measures consistent poverty, was used. This indicator, developed by the ESRI, identifies the proportion below 60% of mean income, who are also deprived of goods and services regarded as essential for living in Ireland today, as measured by deprivation indicators.
The numbers of people experiencing consistent poverty in Ireland fell from 9.7% in 1997 to 5.2% in 2001, as indicated by the latest figures available.
Reducing consistent poverty to at least 2% or eradicating it altogether by 2007 is the overriding objective of our national anti-poverty strategy. It will remain the objective to identify, for priority attention, those most vulnerable and in need from among those classified as being at risk of poverty.
The percentage below the 60% threshold of median income and at risk of poverty rose from 18.2% in 1997 to 21.9% in 2001 during the same period as consistent poverty was falling. However, social welfare rates also increased significantly in real terms during that period — 27% above the increase in the cost of living between 1997 and 2004, which, together with the sharp fall in unemployment, helps to explain the reduction in consistent poverty. The main reason for the increase in relative income poverty, therefore, was the almost unprecedented increases in average incomes, which resulted in the 60% median income threshold almost doubling, for example, from just over €83 per week in 1994 to €164 per week in 2001.
The increases in average incomes have been due to the high levels of economic growth in the past decade which led to: major increases in employment; better paid jobs; more two income households resulting from a significant increase in female participation in the workforce; and lower tax levels in exchange for moderate wage increases to maintain economic competitiveness.
Accordingly, the main groups now classified as at risk of poverty are those who are not in employment or are in low income employment, and have not been in a position to benefit from the employment opportunities afforded by the high economic growth. These include pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and larger families, with their children, and the much reduced numbers of unemployed.
It is now almost universally recognised in the EU that the best route out of poverty for those able to work is through employment. Priority, therefore, is being given to removing obstacles to employment experienced by those with family responsibilities, such as lone parents and the parents of larger families, people with disabilities, and the unemployed. This requires ongoing improvements in access to training and education to improve employability, supports with job search and job placement, services, such as child care, and appropriate income supports.
In the case of those who cannot work, improved income support is a key element. The Government is committed to increasing old age pensions to €200 per week by 2007. It is essential also to ensure that focusing on income indicators does not distract from the importance of services such as health care, especially in the case of older people.
The aim should be to ensure provision of the right balance of supports in terms of income and services to maximise the overall well-being of the people in need.
Economic sustainability is an essential feature of the strategic process as it delivers high employment and high employment participation, and thus delivers the virtuous circle of fewer demands on State services and more revenue to finance them. We must maintain the balance which has been developed between achieving the key economic and social objectives, having regard to our current stage of economic development and the need to maintain economic competitiveness.
132 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has received a report from the National Economic and Social Council which states that Government welfare policies have done little to address inequality here. [23414/04]
I understand that the report in question is still in draft form and is not expected to be published until 2005. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on it until I have received the final report.
133 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the changes he envisages making to the rules governing sickness and disability benefits. [23369/04]
My Department operates a number of schemes which provide income support to persons who are unfit to work because of illness or who are substantially handicapped from doing work which would otherwise be suitable for a person of that age, experience and qualifications. The rules determining eligibility for these benefits is set down in the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993 and subsequent amending acts. Detailed rules which elaborate on primary legislation are also set out in regulations and guidelines.
Significant improvements have been made in these supports in recent years. For example, cover for social insurance payments, including illness and disability payments, has been extended to additional groups of workers, including part-time workers and public servants; a range of improvements have been introduced in the operation of the means test for the disability allowance and blind person's pension schemes, including substantial increases in the amount of earnings from rehabilitative employment and self-employment which can be disregarded for means test purposes — currently €120 a week — and major improvements in the method of assessing capital, with the first €12,697 being disregarded; the disqualification for disability allowance purposes for those in full-time residential care has been progressively relaxed; and the range of employment supports available to people in receipt of illness and disability payments has been significantly strengthened and enhanced.
Changes to the conditions determining eligibility for these schemes are normally made in the context of the annual budget, subject to priorities and available resources. I will be considering what improvements in terms of access to income and employment support can be made in the context of the forthcoming budget.
134 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons who have had their entitlements reduced, curtailed, terminated or otherwise deemed ineligible as a result of the implementation of the 2004 budgetary cuts; if expenditure to date under the headings affected by such cuts is in line with expectations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23325/04]
The measures introduced in the context of the 2004 Estimates included changes to the back to education allowance, one parent family payment, certain child dependant allowances, changes in the conditions of entitlement to short-term social insurance payments and changes in the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
It is not possible to quantify precisely the numbers affected by the measures in question in that where disallowances or reduced entitlements occur, the specific reasons for such are not recorded on payment systems in a way which facilitates production of the information requested.
While data is regularly available on the numbers in receipt of all payments, simple comparisons of such numbers would not reliably indicate the number of persons affected by the measures.
The number in receipt of any particular scheme can and does fluctuate for a wide variety of reasons such as, for example, seasonal factors in the case of unemployment.
Furthermore, in many instances, the individuals who may have been affected by a particular measure could have availed of alternative support. Again, it is not possible to distinguish those particular cases from those who, for other reasons, avail of these alternative supports over the same period.
The total overall projected expenditure in 2004 on the schemes affected by the measures is, however, broadly in line with expectations.
As my predecessor explained to the House, these measures produced savings which, in turn, were directly reinvested in a substantial 2004 budget package of €630 million. A budget package of this magnitude enabled the provision of increases well ahead of inflation for all social welfare recipients of weekly payments as well as significant general improvements in social welfare provision.
135 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the finding in the Report of the Working Group of Illness and Disability Payment 2003 that the risk of an ill person or a person with a disability falling into consistent poverty is three times higher than that incurred by the rest of the population; if he has proposals to reduce this risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23309/04]
A review of the various illness and disability income maintenance payments was carried out as part of my Department's ongoing programme of expenditure reviews.
In its analysis of the effectiveness of the income support system in tackling poverty, the working group found that for persons in receipt of illness and disability payments, there had been a significant decline in consistent poverty from almost 23% in 1994 to just over 16% in 2001. Significantly, this fall reflects an almost halving in the proportion of those experiencing basic deprivation. The decline in those experiencing consistent poverty among those in receipt of illness or disability payments is reflected in the decline in consistent poverty in the population generally from 14.5% in 1994 to just under 5% in 2001.
Nonetheless, the review drew attention to the fact that the rate of consistent poverty for those in receipt of an illness or disability payment is over three times higher than the population generally and significantly higher than most other categories of social welfare recipients such as old age pensioners and unemployed persons. This suggests that factors other than the very considerable rise in the real value of social welfare payments played a role.
The report identifies a number of factors which could be considered as affecting these trends including: trends in social welfare rates relative to other groups; the lack of employment opportunities for people with disabilities; issues related to additional costs of disability; the impact of extended durations on the social welfare system compared with persons on shorter durations; and differences in household composition among the group.
In relation to social welfare rates, Government policy is to increase the real level of social welfare over the period to 2007 and I am confident that this commitment will be reflected when social welfare rates increases for next year are announced in the context of the forthcoming budget. This would benefit all social welfare recipients, including those in receipt of illness and disability payments.
The report also identified a number of areas where employment support could be strengthened within the social welfare system and across Departments generally and the report will provide guidelines for my Department's future strategy in this area.
In relation to the additional costs associated with disability, a working group, established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and chaired by the Department of Health and Children, is examining the issues associated with the introduction of a costs of disability payment.
The report also highlights the need for better data and more research to strengthen our understanding of the links between poverty and disability and I will be pursuing this as part of my Department's research agenda.
137 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a non-EEA national has the right to apply for and be granted a PPS number. [23394/04]
152 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the persons who can qualify for a PPS number; and if non-EEA nationals can apply and qualify for a PPS number if they are married to an Irish citizen and living in the State. [23346/04]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 137 and 152 together.
The personal public service number, PPS number, was introduced in the 1998 Social Welfare Act as the unique personal identifier for transactions between individuals and Departments and other public bodies specified in the Social Welfare Acts. These public bodies include health boards, educational institutions and hospitals.
Any person who does not already have a PPS number and who requires one for a transaction with a public body can apply for a PPS number at one of my Department's local or branch offices.
An application can be made by anyone, regardless of nationality. This includes non-EEA nationals with no relations in this State, and non-EEA nationals married to Irish citizens and living in the State.
Applicants are required to attend in person, fill out an application form and provide proof of identity. Such proof of identity typically entails a person's passport or national identity card from their country of origin as appropriate. Where my Department is satisfied that all the criteria are met, a PPS number is allocated and the applicant is advised by letter, usually within five days.
139 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there is a common framework within the EU to allow persons who have travel passes in their own country to travel on them within the EU; the progress which has been made in establishing a senior euro pass card within the EU, to entitle older persons to concessions on various services, including travel, cultural and social activities with a particular emphasis on the benefits for Irish emigrants living in the UK and elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23373/04]
As far as I am aware, there are no proposals being worked on currently at EU level in relation to a common travel framework on the lines referred to by the Deputy. Any such proposals would have significant financial and administrative implications and, in the light of the variety of arrangements which currently apply, there would be major practical problems in implementing arrangements of this kind.
The free travel scheme in this country covers everybody aged 66 or over as well as carers and people with disabilities in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland. The Government is committed to the introduction of a system of all-Ireland free travel for pensioners and other eligible categories of social welfare customers to enable passholders to make onward journeys free of charge in each jurisdiction. Discussions have taken place with the Northern Ireland authorities to progress this issue.
The issue of a senior euro pass card, which would entitle older people to concessions on various services including travel, cultural and social activities, was raised in a report commissioned by the EU Commission some years ago but no proposals in this regard have been brought forward subsequently.
140 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will amend the child benefit scheme to ensure that parents of twins receive equal treatment; the estimate of the costs of same; the number of parents currently receiving child benefit for twins and the number in receipt of child benefit for multiple births; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23386/04]
I am assuming the Deputy is seeking parity of treatment for parents of twins with other parents of multiple births.
Prior to 1998, child benefit was payable at the normal rate for each child in the case of twins. However, a grant of €635, or £500, was payable at birth and further grants of €635 were payable when the twins reached the ages of four and 12. Child benefit was paid at double the normal rate where three or more children were born together. However, no birth grants were payable in the case of triplets.
In 1998, two key additional measures were introduced, designed to improve the overall package of benefits available to parents of multiple births. First, the €635 grants were extended to include families with multiple births of three or more children. Second, the rate of child benefit payable in respect of each twin was increased to one and a half times the normal child benefit rate.
Currently, double rate child benefit is in payment in respect of 270 sets of triplets, 11 sets of quadruplets and one set of quintuplets — 859 children in all. An increase to double the rate for twins as with other multiple births in respect of the 26,500 children involved would cost an estimated €22 million in a full year.
Any further changes in the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context and in the context of priorities generally.
The very substantial investment in the child benefit scheme in recent years, including the historic increases since 2001, have benefited all families with children.
141 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will explain the policy whereby geographic areas can be designated by him as areas in which rent allowance will not apply. [23396/04]
Rent supplements are paid under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered by the health boards subject to my general direction and control. Rent supplements are paid throughout the State. No geographic areas have been designated where rent supplement does not apply or is not available.
In the case of the Ballymun regeneration area, rent supplement is paid only with the prior agreement of the local authority. This is to ensure that the payment of rent supplement would not conflict with the housing strategy of that area. The decision was taken in response to a request from the members of the North West Area Committee of Dublin City Council, from Ballymun Neighbourhood Council and from the Minister with responsibility for housing and urban renewal.
The achievement of a housing tenure diversity and social mix within the residential developments of Ballymun are key objectives of the Ballymun regeneration plan. In this regard the development of a vibrant private rental sector is an important ingredient in securing these objectives. The overall housing strategy in the plan is to move Ballymun from being 100% social housing to that of a more typical city neighbourhood with a diversity of tenures ultimately arriving at a more sustainable social mix.
I would like to emphasise that rent supplement is still payable within the Ballymun area in any case where the housing authority considers it appropriate.
I would like to further emphasise that the decision to make rent supplement applications subject to the approval of the housing authority is consistent with the role of housing authorities in determining and providing for a person's housing need.
142 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend the living alone allowance to persons in receipt of the retirement pension; and the cost of so extending this allowance. [23395/04]
The living alone allowance is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare type payments, including retirement pension, and who are living alone. It is also available to people under 66 years of age who are living alone and are receiving payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes.
It is estimated that extending the living alone allowance to retirement pensioners aged 65 would cost in the order of €600,000 per annum. However, the position of other social welfare recipients aged 65 would also have to be considered in the context of such a change and this would add considerably to the estimated cost.
For many years the policy in relation to support for pensioners has been to commit resources to improving the personal pension rates for all pensioners, rather than supplementary payments such as the living alone allowance. This approach ensures that the position of all our pensioners is improved. Any change in policy in relation to the living alone allowance would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
143 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has proposals for introducing measures to have induction loops installed in all premises coming under the criteria of her Department, welfare offices and so on. [23368/04]
My Department is committed to having all of its offices and services accessible to people with disabilities.
The installation of induction loop systems in existing offices is provided for under the disabled access programme of works managed by the Office of Public Works and to date, such systems have been installed in a number of offices.
In addition, it is now an accepted standard requirement that induction loop systems be installed in all new and refurbished buildings occupied by my Department.
144 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to amend the back to education allowance scheme. [23347/04]
179 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will reinstate the back to education allowance which formerly was available during summer months. [23375/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 179 together.
The back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The scheme was always intended for the benefit of people who had difficulty finding employment and was never intended to be an alternative form of support for people entering the third level education system.
The conditions for entitlement to the third level option of back to education allowance were revised with effect from 1 September 2004. From that date, the qualifying period was increased from six months to 15 months for new applicants intending to commence third level courses of study.
One of the factors that influenced the change in the qualification conditions is the concern that some people go on the live register for short periods specifically to qualify for the back to education allowance. In the 2003-04 academic year, the majority of participants in the third level option of the scheme were in receipt of an unemployment payment for 12 months or less when they accessed the scheme.
The scheme is intended to assist people with a history of long-term dependence on social welfare. In many cases, people who have not completed second level education are held back in their efforts to find employment. Therefore, it was decided that the qualifying condition should remain at six months for people who wish to pursue a second level qualification.
Restructuring of the back to education allowance in this way has ensured that it retains its focus on the more vulnerable groups in our community, particularly people who do not have a second level education qualification and who are at risk of becoming dependent on social welfare payments on a long-term basis.
The changes recognise the more urgent need for intervention in the case of people who have not completed formal second level education. Time spent pursuing a second level course with the assistance of the back to education scheme will count towards meeting the 15 month qualification condition for the third level option.
Payments under the scheme for the summer period have been discontinued for BTEA participants who were in receipt of an unemployment payment as many students find seasonal work at home or abroad during the summer months. Participants in the scheme who fail to find employment during the summer may be entitled to unemployment assistance or benefit, subject to satisfying the usual qualifying conditions.
All other participants on the scheme — lone parents and people with disabilities — retain payment during the summer period.
There are no plans at present to change any of the existing conditions of the scheme.
145 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of unemployment assistance recipients who are categorised as self-employed; and the average assistance paid each week. [23387/04]
Persons who are engaged in self-employment may qualify for a reduced rate of unemployment assistance payments if their net income is below the relevant threshold. At 24 September 2004 there were 1,727 such persons in receipt of unemployment assistance.
Where income from self-employment is assessed as means for unemployment assistance, the weekly payment is reduced on a euro for euro basis by the weekly means assessable. People categorised as self-employed for unemployment assistance purposes do not have to declare individual days worked but must report changes in income levels.
The weekly amount assessable is based on the person's net income in the previous 12 months. The average weekly payment to these persons is €137.85.
In general, the people involved are sole traders. People so categorised are not counted as unemployed on the live register series. They do, however, have access to the range of secondary and supplementary benefits if they are long-term recipients of unemployment assistance.
146 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it is his intention to introduce measures to encourage social welfare recipients with impairments to take up work; and if so, the details of such a proposal. [23370/04]
My Department operates a number of schemes which provide income support to persons who are unfit to work because of illness or who are substantially handicapped from doing work which would otherwise be suitable for a person of that age, experience and qualifications. These payments include, for instance, the contributory disability benefit and invalidity pension schemes and the means-tested disability allowance and blind person's pension schemes. In addition, there is a further range of benefits available under the occupational injury benefits scheme for people who have been disabled as a result of an accident at work.
There are also a number of employment and training incentives available within the social welfare system to encourage and facilitate people with disabilities to take up available employment and training options. In recent years the range of employment supports has been widened considerably and now include: the back to work allowance; exemptions from the general "no work" conditions for contributory illness and disability payments; income disregards in the case of means-tested payments; family income supplement; the job facilitator network; and exemptions from liability for employer and employee social security contributions.
As part of the Government's expenditure review initiative, a working group established by my Department completed a review of the illness and disability schemes provided by my Department and by the Department of Health and Children. The review identified a number of areas where employment support could be strengthened within the social welfare system and across Departments generally.
The review considered that there is no one single option which offers a total solution to all of these problems. Rather a combination of measures is required which should include: a recognition of the fact that some people's medical and other circumstances may mean that they have some capacity for work but may never achieve full-time work; ensuring that whatever employment support measures are adopted do not act as a disincentive for people with disabilities and long-term illnesses in maximising their employment and earnings potential; retaining a range of employment supports for different client groups and ensuring that clients are referred to the most suitable option, having regard to the nature of their illness/disability, age and social circumstances etc.; and the introduction of early intervention measures which are aimed at re-integrating people who sustain serious illnesses, injuries and disabilities back into the workforce before they become long-term dependent on social welfare payments.
The review also stresses the importance of meeting the additional costs of disability in ways that are less dependent on labour force status, if people with disabilities are to be given the opportunity of participating in the workforce. The review sets out a strategic direction for policy in relation to these schemes in the future and its recommendations will be taken on board in the context of the future development of the scheme.
147 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action he has taken to alleviate the high costs on families of back to school children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23318/04]
163 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the means test for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23321/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 163 together.
My Department assists families with the cost of children returning to school via the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme. The scheme provides assistance towards the cost of school clothing and footwear for children attending mainly primary or post-primary schools. In addition, the significant increases in child benefit payments in recent years also assist parents in meeting school costs at this time of year and indeed throughout the year.
The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year and is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards.
A person may qualify for payment of a back to school clothing and footwear allowance if he/she is in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment, is participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education or training course and has household income at or below certain set levels.
Under the scheme an allowance of €80 is payable in respect of qualified children aged from two to 11 years and an allowance of €150 is payable in respect of qualified children aged from 12 to 22 years.
A couple with one child whose weekly income is at or below €348.10 may qualify for the allowance. A lone parent with one child could have income of up to €238.90 per week and qualify for a payment. For couples the income limit is increased by €19.30 for each additional child and for lone parents it is increased by €21.60 for each additional child.
Recipients of the allowance are now better able to meet the cost of school clothing and footwear than was the case in 1990 when the scheme was introduced. The value of the allowance in real terms has improved considerably since the inception of the scheme.
According to the consumer price index, the cost of clothing and footwear has fallen by 2.6% in the year to June 2004 even though the overall consumer price index rose by 2.3% during the same period. In the period from 1990 to 2004, the cost of clothing and footwear has fallen by29.5%. In the same period, the payment rates for the scheme have increased by 195% in the case of children aged 12 years or more and by 152% in the case of those below 12 years.
148 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will make provision for the introduction of clearer and more easily accessible guidelines for the public, outlining not just their entitlements but the way in which to access them; and if he will also make provision for the supply of clearer information in cases in which applications are turned down. [23367/04]
An essential element of the effective delivery of the social welfare schemes and services for which my Department is responsible is the provision of comprehensive information in a clear and simple manner. The objective of my Department's information policy is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their entitlements across all social welfare schemes and supports and are kept informed of changes and improvements as they occur.
My Department directs information to citizens on new schemes and services through advertising, using an appropriate mix of national and provincial media and through information leaflets, fact sheets, posters and direct mailshots. All our schemes and services are publicised on our website at www.welfare.ie. Selective use is also made of freephone telephone services to provide information on new schemes and services and at particular times of the year, such as budget time.
In relation to information products, my Department produces a comprehensive range of information booklets covering each social welfare payment. These are widely available from the network of 130 social welfare local offices and branch offices throughout the country as well as from citizens information centres, many local organisations and also from my Departments website www.welfare.ie. All of my Department’s information booklets can be ordered free of charge from our lo-call leaflet line 1890 20 23 25.
One of the initiatives introduced recently is the development of a plain English policy in relation to our information products. The National Adult Literacy Agency, using funding provided by my Department, is reviewing all of our information booklets and application forms so as to meet plain English and literacy friendly guidelines.
My Department is committed, under our customer charter, to informing customers of the reason for the decision on their claim, of their right to appeal the decision and how to make an appeal. Deciding officers who decide entitlement to social welfare payments provide reasons for their decisions to applicants where the decision is an adverse one and they notify them of their rights to a review or to appeal these decisions.
My Department works closely with voluntary and community organisations involved in an information giving role. A number of such organisations receive funding on an annual basis towards the cost of providing welfare rights and information services for their target groups. I refer in particular to the work of Comhairle, the national information agency, which comes under the aegis of my Department. Comhairle has responsibility for supporting the provision of independent information, advice and other supports to all citizens, including those with disabilities. Comhairle supports a network of some 85 citizens information centres whose role is to provide information to members of the public on the full range of social services.
149 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on recent comments from the Combat Poverty Agency which are critical of the growing gap between rich and poor here; if he has received a copy of the agency’s annual report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23323/04]
The Combat Poverty Agency launched its annual report for 2003 on 28 September 2004. The comments made on the numbers at risk of poverty, referred to by the Deputy, were made at the launch by the agency's director.
The "at risk of poverty" indicator is based on the percentage of persons below 60% of median income. This indicator rose from 19.8% in 1998 to 21.9% in 2001. This was mainly due to the significant rise in average incomes which occurred during a period of rapid and high economic growth in Ireland when the median income threshold almost doubled from €83 in 1994 to €164 in 2001.
The significant real increases in social welfare payments during this period — 27% above the increase in the cost of living between 1997 and 2004 — did not fully keep pace with these almost unprecedented increases in average income during the period.
However, they did meet a key priority aim of our national anti-poverty strategy which is to reduce, and if possible, eliminate consistent poverty. The "consistent poverty" indicator, developed by the ESRI, measures the percentage of persons below 60% of average income and experiencing basic deprivation. Over the period 1994 to 2001, the numbers experiencing basic deprivation reduced by almost two thirds from 15.1% in 1994 to 5.2% in 2001. The aim is to reduce consistent poverty below 2% or, if possible, eliminate it by 2007.
The reduction in unemployment, especially long-term unemployment, and increasing employment participation, especially among married women, has been the key to the remarkable increase in the standard of living of a majority of our people. It is essential that we continue to ensure that the economic success that has brought these improvements in living standards is maintained. The one reality in common which those who have lagged behind share is the fact that they are not in employment or are in low income employment.
These groups include certain families with children, especially lone parent families, larger families, where the second parent may have to care for the children full-time, and the families of people with disabilities. A key policy aim is to progressively remove obstacles to such people getting more and better jobs and benefiting directly from our economic success.
Another group at risk are pensioners, although the "at risk of poverty" indicator may understate their income. No account is taken of home ownership and the benefits this provides to older people, a high proportion of whom own their own homes. Neither is account taken of the value of the package of free schemes made available to certain pensioners and other groups such as carers and people with disabilities. However, the indicator does underline the importance of the priority this Government is giving to significantly increasing pensions in real terms and, in particular, the target to increase pensions to €200 per week by 2007. Consideration will also be given in this context to improving the position of pensioners living alone, especially women.
Income indicators can result in the focus being placed entirely on income. It is also important to ensure that access to and the quality of services such as health and care services, housing and accommodation are also improved given their importance for overall quality of life, especially for pensioners.
The national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, together with the National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion, provide the framework for the strategic response by Government to one of its most important challenges of reducing and, if possible, eliminating poverty and social exclusion. This strategy will be further developed in the years ahead.
151 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the proposals he has for the development of an advocacy service for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23305/04]
The introduction of a personal advocacy service aimed specifically at people with disabilities is a key element of the Government's national disability strategy designed to underpin the participation of people with disabilities in society. The new service is provided for in the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 which was published on 29 September last in conjunction with the Disability Bill 2004 and the outline sectoral plans for six Departments.
Under the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004, the new personal advocacy service for people with disabilities, which will be administered by the national information agency, Comhairle, will provide for the assignment of a personal advocate to a person with a disability who is unable or who has difficulty in obtaining a social service without the assistance or support of the personal advocate. The main function of the personal advocate will be to assist, support and represent the person with a disability in applying for and obtaining a social service and also in pursuing any right of review or appeal in connection with that service.
The Bill also provides for the appointment of personal advocates and a director of the new service who will be responsible for the management and control of the service and report to the chief executive of Comhairle.
Comhairle already has a statutory remit in supporting the provision of independent information, advice and advocacy services in relation to the broad range of social services and for that reason I am pleased that this new personal advocacy service will be administered by Comhairle.
I believe that the position of people with disabilities will be improved significantly through the introduction of this new service and I look forward to the speedy passage of the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill through the Oireachtas.
153 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of medical referees employed by his Department; the medical qualifications of each of the referees; if psychologists and psychiatrists are employed from the point of view of determining the medical disability of persons who claim disability benefit, disability allowance or invalidity pension on the basis of their mental incapacity; if he has satisfied himself that there is a sufficient number of persons with expertise in his Department to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23363/04]
Where a person claims a payment from my Department in respect of illness, an opinion regarding the person's medical condition is given in the first instance by his or her own doctor. Where required, a second opinion is provided by medical assessors employed by my Department for the guidance of the Department's deciding officers who ultimately determine entitlement.
Currently, there are 17 medical assessors, as well as the chief medical adviser and the deputy chief medical adviser. They are recruited via the Civil Service Commission and a condition of their appointment is that they must have at least six years experience in general medical practice. They are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners who have full registration in accordance with Medical Council criteria. Prior to qualification as doctors, each undergoes psychiatric training to the appropriate level.
Among the medical assessor cadre are individual doctors with postgraduate and higher qualifications in various fields of occupational medicine including psychology and psychotherapy.
All have considerable expertise in the area of disability assessment which covers both mental health/incapacity and all other health related problems.
Ongoing medical education is provided by national and international experts in the evaluation of disability, including distinguished psychiatrists. The chief medical adviser holds regular meetings and seminars at which a range of medical issues and developments in the occupational medicine field are discussed.
When a claimant is called for a medical examination, the medical assessor will have available to him or her the initial medical diagnosis, supplemented, where appropriate, by relevant specialist and other reports. The claimant's doctor is informed and may attend the medical examination if she or he so desires.
Where considered necessary, there is provision for the chief medical adviser or the chief appeals officer to seek specialist consultant advice in a particular case.
In the course of medical examinations of claimants all relevant and available medical information is taken into account. Any information provided by the claimant is also taken into account. Where further specialist advice is considered necessary, it is obtained.
I am satisfied that claimants are treated in a fair and equitable manner having regard to the need to ensure that the conditions for entitlement to disability payments are upheld.
154 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his legislative priorities for the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23317/04]
The legislative priorities for my Department in the coming 12 months encompass four major initiatives. These are the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004, the Social Welfare Bill 2004, the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005 and a Social Welfare (Consolidation) Bill 2005.
The Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 was published on 21 September last. This Bill is a key element of the Government's legislative programme for improving services for people with disabilities. The primary purpose of the Bill is to facilitate the introduction of a new personal advocacy service for people with disabilities which will be administered by the national information agency, Comhairle. The Bill will be progressed in conjunction with the Disability Bill 2004.
Immediately following the Budget Statement by the Minister for Finance in early December, I will introduce the Social Welfare Bill 2004 to the House. This Bill will provide for the implementation of budget increases in social welfare payments and any other changes which would normally be scheduled to take effect from January 2005.
The Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005 will provide for any amendments to the social welfare schemes consequent on the budget 2005 which are not provided for in the Social Welfare Bill 2004 and any additional measures requiring a basis in legislation. This Bill is provisionally scheduled for publication early in 2005.
In addition, to improve accessibility to the existing body of Social Welfare legislation, it is intended to bring forward a Social Welfare (Consolidation) Bill. This Bill will bring together, in a single document, the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993 and the amending legislation enacted in the intervening years, thereby facilitating ready access to the social welfare code.
156 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons in possession of a personal retirement savings account; his views on the low level of interest in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23301/04]
Information on the number of Personal Retirement Savings Accounts, PRSAs, opened is received by the Pensions Board from PRSA providers at the end of each quarter. The latest figures available relate to the end of June 2004 and these show that 32,920 accounts have been opened with a total asset value of €83 million. Figures for the period up to the end of September 2004 will not be available for at least another month.
As the Deputy will be aware, it is Government policy to encourage people to participate in occupational and private pension arrangements so that they can, when they retire, maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. The national pensions policy initiative suggested that up to 70% of those in employment who are 30 years of age or over, will need to supplement their social welfare pension for this purpose. At present, 59.1% of people in this target group have the necessary pensions cover.
PRSAs were launched in 2003 and are one of the main policy instruments being adopted in pursuit of Government targets in this area. The Government is also running a pensions awareness campaign, through the Pensions Board, to encourage take-up of all types of private and occupational pensions, not just PRSAs.
Since the launch of PRSAs, the number opening accounts has grown steadily. In September 2003, the number of people with accounts was 6,707 and, as already indicated, this had grown to almost 33,000 by the end of June this year. This growth in numbers is encouraging and I hope that this upward trend will be seen to continue when the next set of figures is released.
Research has shown that there is a high level of awareness of pensions issues by the general public and the challenge is to translate this into increased actual coverage. The Pensions Board is running a very targeted awareness campaign this year aimed at groups with low pensions coverage. They have also been involved in an extensive control project to identify employers who are not honouring their legal obligations with regard to access to PRSAs for their employees. I hope this effort will manifest itself in improved coverage figures in the future.
The take-up of PRSAs and pensions generally is being monitored closely and the overall number of people with pensions has increased. A review of the position is required under legislation in 2006 and at that stage progress towards Government targets will be assessed and, if appropriate, other strategies will be considered to increase coverage.
157 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applicants since 1 May 2004 for unemployment assistance from citizens of the ten new EU states which joined the EU on 1 May 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23312/04]
Some 618 applications for unemployment assistance were received from citizens of the ten new member states of the EU since 1 May 2004. The majority of these claims were made by 178 citizens of Poland, 173 citizens of Lithuania, 100 citizens of the Czech Republic and 100 citizens of Latvia.
All applicants for unemployment assistance since 1 May 2004 must satisfy the habitual residence condition. Some 445 unemployment assistance claims made by citizens of the new member states have been examined to date of which 232 or 52% were disallowed on the grounds that they did not satisfy the condition.
Applicants who meet the habitual residence condition must also undergo a means test and must satisfy a deciding officer that they are available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work.
The total number of people from the ten new member states who are currently on the live register is 700. This is an increase of 265 since 1 May 2004 but represents less than half of 1% of the live register.
A total of 32,405 personal public service numbers or PPSNs have been allocated to citizens of the new member states since 1 May 2004. Some of these may have been in Ireland since before 1 May 2004. Some 15,486 citizens of Poland, 6,865 of Lithuania and 3,340 of Latvia account for 25,691 or 72% of these PPSN allocations.
Age analysis of 30,000 PPSNs allocated between 1 May 2004 and 31 August 2004 reveals that the majority — some 20,389 or 68% — were in the 18 to 30 age range while 7,247 or 24% were taken up by persons aged 30 to 45. This would suggest that the majority of citizens coming here from the new member states do so for the purposes of seeking employment. The number who succeed in finding employment is not known but data held by the Revenue Commissioners suggest it is significantly less than 30,000. Given the very small numbers who went on the live register, it would appear that those who did not find employment subsequently left the state.
158 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the provisions in place to prevent social welfare fraud; his views on the increased rate in the number of cases of social welfare fraud which resulted in prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23306/04]
The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day to day work of my Department. In this regard all staff engaged in claims processing are concerned with preventing and detecting fraud and abuse.
Over 600 staff at local, regional and national level are engaged on a full-time or part-time basis on work related to the control of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system.
A special investigation unit, comprising about 80 staff spread throughout the country, is involved in work which is specifically related to the investigation of employers and employees where fraud and abuse is suspected. These officers, some of whom work jointly with inspectors from the Revenue Commissioners, carry out inspections of employers in relation to their PRSI obligations as well as investigating cases where fraud or abuses of the schemes are suspected.
Controls are exercised at both the initial claim stage and at subsequent stages during the claim life cycle. Claims are reviewed on a regular and targeted basis. Means tested payments are reviewed at certain intervals or when there are indications that changes in circumstances have not been reported to the Department. Those in receipt of illness payments are called for a medical examination by the Department's medical assessors.
During 2003, some 320,000 reviews of entitlements were carried out by staff in my Department. The records of some 7,600 employers were inspected to ensure compliance with the Department's regulations and in particular to prevent and detect abuses of the system. These activities resulted in savings of €306 million in 2003.
A key objective of my Department's control strategy is to ensure that we pay the right person the right amount of money at the right time. A four pronged approach has been adopted by the Department to meet this objective, namely, prevention of fraud and error at the initial claim stage, early detection through effective review of claims in payment, measures to deter fraud and the pursuit and recovery of overpayments.
Systematic risk analysis is a key element of the control strategy. This entails the identification, by scheme managers, of areas of high risk of fraud and abuse in the schemes for which they are responsible and putting in place appropriate measures to address them in a systematic way. The benefit of this approach is that review activity is targeted in the most effective manner.
The Department is at present undertaking a number of specific control initiatives in its ten regions throughout the country, the outcomes of which will be evaluated with a view to expanding successful initiatives to other areas. These initiatives will feed into the process of re-focusing control activity to those areas and types of cases which present the highest risk of fraud and error.
The Department also intends to include surveys of the levels of fraud and error as an integral part of its control strategy with a view to identifying the types of claims which should be prioritised for review purposes. To date during 2004, one such survey has been undertaken, with two more planned for later in the year.
Prosecution of offenders is a key element in the Department's overall control approach. My Department's policy is to consider all cases of fraud for prosecution and revised prosecution guidelines were issued to staff in February 2003. The issue of these guidelines and an increased focus on the prosecution of offenders has had a significant impact on the number of cases submitted to the Chief State Solicitor's office to initiate criminal proceedings, with a total of 405 cases being referred in 2003 compared with 245 cases for the previous year. Current indications are that there will be in excess of 500 such cases in 2004.
160 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measures which are in place to reduce the number of appeals on hand and to shorten the average time taken to process appeals. [23389/04]
180 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of appeals which are on hand in respect of each category of social welfare payment; the average time it is taking to process and complete the appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23388/04]
191 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of social welfare appeals in 2003; the rate of success for those who appealed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23307/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 180 and 191 together.
The number of appeals received during 2003 was 15,224 and the total disposed of in that year was 16,049. Of these, the number of appellants who received favourable outcomes was 7,034 or 44%. This total includes cases where the deciding officer revised the original decision in the light of new information furnished in the statement of appeal. A total of 56% of appeals lodged were unsuccessful and were either disallowed by an appeals officer or withdrawn. The number of appeals on which work was in progress at 31 August 2004 was 5,031. Over the past three years the number of appeals on hand has been reduced by a third. A breakdown of these cases, by appeal category, is set out below:
|
Cases |
|
|
Old Age and Retirement |
272 |
|
Sickness and Disability |
2,123 |
|
Occupational Injuries Benefits |
313 |
|
Unemployment |
978 |
|
Widows and One-Parent Family Payment. |
782 |
|
Child Benefit |
84 |
|
Carer’s Benefit and Allowances |
238 |
|
Farm Assist |
45 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowances |
58 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
105 |
|
Miscellaneous |
33 |
Of the 15,224 new appeals registered in the Social Welfare Appeals Office during 2003 only 360 or 3% remained to be finalised at 31 August2004.
The average processing time for appeals closed in 2004 is 20 weeks. If the slowest 10% of appeals are excluded the average falls to 15 weeks. This covers all phases of appeals, including, where appropriate, examination by medical assessors of the Department, and oral hearings which are now afforded in approximately 70% of the cases determined by appeals officers.
There will always be some appeals which take a particularly long time to process, generally for reasons which are outside the control of the appeals office. For example, delays can occur if the appellant furnishes new evidence which requires investigation at a late stage in the proceedings or where adjournments are sought by the appellant and his/her representative.
The social welfare appeals system is judicial in nature and the procedures involved are designed to ensure that every appellant's case gets full and satisfactory consideration. While the achievement of further improvement in processing times is a major objective of the office, at all times it is necessary to ensure that progress in this regard is achieved in a manner that is not in conflict with or at a cost to the demands of justice and the requirement that every appeal be fully investigated and examined on all its merits.
161 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action he has taken to exempt missionaries and others from the habitual residence condition in place since 1 May 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23298/04]
167 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the changes being proposed to afford State pension rights to Irish citizens who have been involved in long term overseas development work. [23399/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 167 together.
With effect from 1 May 2004 the requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for a range of social assistance and child benefit schemes operated by my Department. The old age non-contributory pension scheme is included among these schemes.
The basis for the restriction contained in the new rules is the applicant's habitual residence. The restriction is not based on citizenship, nationality, immigration status or any other factor. The effect of the restriction is that a person whose habitual residence is in the United States, Europe, Africa or elsewhere is not paid certain social welfare payments including non-contributory old age pension on arrival in Ireland.
The question of what is a person's habitual residence is decided in accordance with European Court of Justice case law, which sets out the grounds for assessing individual claims.
The habitual residence condition is being operated in a very careful manner to ensure that Ireland's social welfare system is no longer open to everyone who is newly arrived in Ireland, while at the same time ensuring that people whose cases are appropriate to the Irish social welfare system get access to social assistance when they need it.
Every effort is made to find grounds for making a positive decision when cases are being considered. These grounds, however, have to be compatible with EU law and other international and national legal obligations and it is not possible to discriminate in favour of any particular group or nationality. Specifically, it is not possible to discriminate in favour of missionaries or in favour of Irish citizens in general, including those who have been involved in long-term overseas development work.
The changes do not affect missionaries or development workers returning to Ireland on a permanent basis, for example to retire. They still qualify for an old age pension on the same basis as heretofore.
Each case received for a determination on the habitual residence condition is dealt with in its own right and a decision is based on application of the guidelines to the particular individual circumstances of each case.
Any applicant who disagrees with the decision of a deciding officer has the right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
Should a person find themselves in an exceptional situation without funds, the community welfare officers may provide a once off exceptional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
The habitual residence condition is a major new development in the Irish social welfare system. Now that it has been in place for almost five months my officials are carrying out a review of its efficiency and effectiveness. This will include an examination of the implications for various groups, whose cases have come up for decision, including elderly missionaries and development workers returning to Ireland on a temporary basis on holiday.
In addition, my officials would be happy to meet with representatives of missionary orders and other groups to discuss their concerns in relation to pensions and any other social welfare payments.
162 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the opinion of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed that welfare rules continue to hinder the transition from unemployment to work for many. [23401/04]
166 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has plans to raise the weekly household income limit for the retention of secondary benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23320/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 166 together.
It is important that social welfare programmes are responsive to the needs of those who depend on them while simultaneously providing opportunities to assist people to become more independent. A number of measures have been introduced in recent years to removing disincentives to taking up employment and to helping ease the transition from welfare to work.
These measures include: the introduction of means disregards and tapered withdrawal of benefits as earnings increase; the introduction of employment support schemes such as the back to work programme; and the assignment of job facilitators from my Department's staff to assist with the transition to employment.
The INOU statement of 12 July 2004 referred in particular to the household income limit of €317.43 for retention of secondary benefits for unemployed persons taking up employment on the jobs initiative and other employment support schemes. This income limit applies to people who take up employment under approved employment schemes. Such people are entitled to retain certain social welfare and other benefits, known as secondary benefits, for the duration of the scheme. For most people the most significant secondary benefit is rent or mortgage interest supplement which is paid under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
While the absolute level €317.43 income limit has not changed since its introduction, significant changes have been made to the means test. Back to work allowance and family income supplement, in cases where one or both of these are in payment, are now disregarded in the assessment of the €317.43 weekly income limit. PRSI and reasonable travelling expenses are also disregarded in the means test.
In effect, this means that people who had been unemployed and who commence employment through the back to work scheme can have a weekly household income significantly in excess of the €317.43 limit in question and still qualify to retain 75% of their rent or mortgage interest supplement. For example, in the first year of their participation in the back to work scheme, a single person can have combined income from the back to work allowance and wages of €418.50, while a couple with two children can have an income of €510.75.
A participant in the back to work scheme can opt to be assessed under either standard rules or under retention rules and will be entitled to receive payment under the more favourable option.
Any further changes to the above initiatives would have to be considered in the light of competing priorities and available resources.
164 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress which has been made in extending free travel for qualifying recipients on an all-Ireland all-island basis. [23416/04]
189 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals for the introduction of a smartcard for rail and bus travel which could lead to the extension of the social welfare free travel scheme throughout the Thirty-two Counties; the content of his discussions with the Minister of State for Northern Ireland recently on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23311/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 189 together.
Under the existing free travel scheme, pass holders who reside in the Republic of Ireland can travel free within the South. Similarly, people who live in Northern Ireland who hold a concessionary travel pass can travel free within the North. Under special cross-Border arrangements that have been in place since 1995, both southern and northern pass holders can undertake cross-Border journeys free of charge. The introduction of free travel on an all-Ireland basis would enhance these existing arrangements by enabling southern pass holders to make free onward journeys within the North. Similarly, Northern Ireland pass holders would be able to make internal journeys within the South free of charge to them. There is considerable take-up by passholders — North and South — of the existing cross-Border free travel service. Some 200,000 passenger journeys are made by pass holders each year under the scheme, about half and half from each jurisdiction. The proposed enhanced all-Ireland free travel service will bring a useful additional flexibility to the service and should help encourage even more extensive take-up by pass holders on both sides of the Border.
There is a number of technical and financial issues to be resolved in order to implement this enhanced all-Ireland free travel system. These issues will require co-operation between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department with responsibility for transport policy, as well as the relevant northern and southern transport operator companies. My Department has had some discussions over the past year with its counterpart Department in the North on the general proposals. In September 2004, my predecessor met with the Minister of State at the Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland to explore the potential for further co-operation between the two Departments in relation to the proposal. They discussed the options and scope for co-funding the scheme and considered various technical issues that will arise.
One of these issues relates to the different types of free travel passes that are used in each jurisdiction. It was agreed by both Ministers that it would be useful to ensure that smartcards used for public transport and concession travel purposes are as compatible as possible to facilitate cross-Border journeys.
At present the Rail Procurement Agency is working towards introducing a smartcard for integrated ticketing on public transport services in the greater Dublin area. My Department is co-operating on this project to explore the possibilities for extending the use of this card to free travel pass holders in the greater Dublin area and ultimately to pass holders countrywide.
165 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he plans to reverse any or all of the remaining social welfare cutbacks announced in November 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23316/04]
The Estimates for the Department of Social and Family Affairs announced last November included a number of provisions to better target resources within the social welfare code. These measures produced significant savings which, in turn, freed up resources towards a substantial budget 2004 package of €630 million. This enabled the provision of increases well ahead of inflation for all social welfare recipients of weekly payments as well as significant general improvements in social welfare provisions generally.
As my predecessor has already indicated to the House, the implementation of all of the Estimates measures has been kept under review and there are no plans to change any of the measures currently in place.
169 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of child care or crèche facilities which exist within local or national offices under the control of his Department; the number of places he has provided since the last election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23365/04]
While there are no child care or crèche facilities situated in my Department's offices, I would point out to the Deputy that the provision of child care and crèche facilities in Government offices is a matter for the Department of Finance.
170 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if representations have been made by her and her Department to the Department of Finance regarding the taxation of maintenance payments, in view of the extent to which single parent families often rely on such payments. [23397/04]
Matters of taxation policy and implementation are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Finance. Similarly, maintenance provisions — particularly where they involve court resolution under family law — are primarily the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
My Department provides income support where necessary to unmarried and separated parents through one-parent family payment, on a means-tested basis. The need for this income support arises mainly where lone parents have been unable to obtain adequate — or perhaps any — maintenance for themselves and their children from their spouses or partners. One of the conditions for eligibility for one-parent family payment places an obligation on applicants to make appropriate efforts to obtain maintenance from their spouse or partner by a mediation process or through the family law courts.
My Department also has powers under the liability to maintain family provisions of the Social Welfare Acts to pursue the liable relatives of one-parent family payment clients to obtain a contribution towards the cost of the social welfare income support provided to the families concerned.
Representations were made to my predecessor in September last on the question of the general tax treatment of maintenance income for separated people. The issue raised in these representations was that maintenance received by a separated person should be exempted from income tax, or at least taxed at the standard rate. The representations were based on the situation of a named individual separated person who is not a social welfare client and there was no particular social welfare context.
In responding to these representations, the then Minister for Finance confirmed the position that maintenance payments received under a legally binding agreement are taxable in the same way as any other income. Tax relief is provided for the person making the payment if it is made under a formal maintenance agreement or court order. Informal or non-legally binding maintenance payments made between a separated couple are neither taxable for the recipient nor tax-exempt for the donor.
Also, if the separated couple jointly elect to be taxed as if the separation had not taken place, maintenance payments are not subject to tax or to tax relief.
In relation to social welfare, maintenance payments received by clients on one-parent family payment are assessable as means. However, there are disregards where lone parents have mortgage repayment or rent commitments on their principal residence. Half of the balance of maintenance received is exempted for means purposes. These measures were introduced in the social welfare code to provide a financial incentive to lone parents to seek maintenance support themselves. There are no plans to change the current arrangements in this regard.
171 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to terminate the payment of the crèche supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23319/04]
The objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to meet immediate, short-term income maintenance needs. The scheme is not intended to be a long-term solution in any individual case.
Crèche supplements were intended to provide short-term emergency support to enable parents to avail of services such as counselling or addiction treatment programmes. It was never intended to be an ongoing source of funding for crèches.
It is estimated there are currently over 3,000 crèches and pre-schools in the country, the vast majority of which are privately operated. The remainder are community based and operate on a not for profit basis. Some are grant aided by health boards while others receive funding through the equal opportunities child care programme of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
This programme provides capital funding to both private and community based groups as well as funding for the staffing costs of certain community based child care facilities. The programme aims to allow parents to avail of educational, training or employment opportunities.
In addition, the early start pre-school programme, operated by the Department of Education and Science, targets children in the three to four age bracket in areas of disadvantage. The programme operates in some 40 schools.
Responsibility for the provision of child care supports rests with the health boards. The child care facilities which are grant aided by the boards generally cater for children who are referred by a public health nurse or other health professional where the child's needs or those of the parent, are of a medical or personal social services nature.
The practice of paying crèche supplements, as they came to be known, grew up in certain areas only and in an unplanned and unco-ordinated way. In a situation where there are specific programmes for the provision of child care support, it does not make sense that support of this kind be provided on a routine basis through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
There needs to be consistency in the way the supplementary welfare allowance scheme operates and the changes introduced relating to crèche supplements were designed in order to refocus that scheme on its original objective of providing short-term income support.
The change to the scheme also served to highlight the need for adequate funding arrangements to be put in place for those crèches which are grant aided by the health boards. This issue was raised by my predecessor with the Minister for Health and Children and is a matter for consideration in the context of health service provision generally.
172 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made on the report being carried out on behalf of his Department and the National Children’s Office. [23417/04]
I believe the report the Deputy is referring to is the national longitudinal study of children, which will be jointly funded by the National Children's Office and by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The study is the most significant of its kind to be undertaken in the Republic of Ireland, particularly in terms of the cost, scope and length of study period.
The aim of the study is to study the factors which contribute to, or undermine the well being of children in contemporary Irish families, and, through this, contribute to the setting of effective and responsive policies relating to children and to the design of services and their families. It is anticipated that 10,000 children from birth and 8,000 children aged nine will be recruited to participate in the study.
A steering group has been established, chaired by the director of the National Children's Office, and including senior officials from the Department of Social and Family Affairs, policy makers, people with expertise in research and statistics as well as child health, to make the necessary preparations for the commissioning of the study.
The study was put out to tender at the end of April 2004. The closing date for receipt of tenders was 27 August 2004. Tenders are currently being evaluated and it is hoped to award the contract by the end of 2004.
173 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of exceptional needs payments made by health board officials in each year from 1997 to 2003; and the average payment made in each area. [23391/04]
187 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of cases of supplementary welfare allowance rent subsidy handled in each year from 1997 to 2003; and the average weekly payment made. [23390/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 187 together.
The objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, is to provide assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their basic needs and those of their adult or child dependants.
Subject to certain conditions the scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs and who do not have accommodation available from any other source.
The legislation also allows a health board to make a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. These payments are known as exceptional needs payments.
The number of recipients of rent supplement at the end of the years 1997 to 2003, inclusive, and the annual expenditure are set out in the following tabular statement. Details of the average weekly payment in the years 1997 to 2000 are not available. It should be noted that some 75% to 80% of supplements are paid weekly with the remainder paid monthly.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of expenditure or recipient numbers in respect of exceptional needs payments for the years 1997 to 2000. Details of the number of exceptional needs payments and the average payment made at the end of 2001, 2002 and 2003 are set out in the following tabular statement.
|
Year |
Recipients |
Annual Expenditure |
Average Weekly Supplement |
|
€ |
€ |
||
|
1997 |
40,000* |
95.23m |
not available |
|
1998 |
40,000* |
111.74m |
not available |
|
1999 |
41,873 |
127.74m |
not available |
|
2000 |
42,683 |
150.72m |
not available |
|
2001 |
45,028 |
179.43m |
80.30 |
|
2002 |
54,213 |
252.34m |
94.88 |
|
2003 |
59,976 |
331.47m |
97.07 |
* = estimated
|
Health Board |
2001 No. of Payments |
2001 Average Payment |
2002 No. of Payments |
2002 Average Payment |
2003 No. of Payments |
2003 Average Payment |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
||||
|
ERHA |
102,364 |
171.38 |
114,349 |
206.60 |
117,485 |
211.91 |
|
MHB |
6,280 |
156.53 |
7,788 |
193.50 |
7,035 |
234,83 |
|
MWHB |
20,427 |
186.81 |
20,248 |
206.14 |
20,269 |
229.27 |
|
NEHB |
8,511 |
169.19 |
8,686 |
195.26 |
8,201 |
230.34 |
|
NWHB |
5,976 |
271.75 |
6,709 |
327.17 |
7,128 |
361.11 |
|
SEHB |
23,822 |
209.05 |
26,174 |
232.02 |
26,351 |
255.44 |
|
SHB |
28,193 |
234.95 |
32,578 |
251.43 |
33,009 |
251.57 |
|
WHB |
22,917 |
177.16 |
24,874 |
190.16 |
24,316 |
194.77 |
174 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will remove the requirement whereby a person reaching the age of 65 must first retire for a period before being able to work and retain a portion of their pension; when he will remove the financial disincentives for persons of pension age who may want to continue some form of employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23372/04]
In addition to satisfying the relevant contribution conditions, those applying for retirement pension at age 65 must be retired from employment or self employment. Retirement is defined as not having earnings from employment of more than €38 per week or earnings from self-employment of more than €3,174 per annum. There is no retirement condition associated with old age contributory or non-contributory pensions which are both payable at 66 years of age.
The retirement pension was first introduced in 1970 and was intended to bridge the gap between retirement at 65 and the pension age for social welfare purposes, which at the time was 70 years of age. The qualifying age for old age pension was subsequently reduced over time to 66 years of age which means that the requirement to retire before receiving a retirement pension now only has effect for one year.
Given the improvements in life expectancy which have occurred in recent decades and the demographic changes our society will face in the years ahead, it is important that we should encourage and facilitate people who wish to extend their working lives to remain active.
In the circumstances, the Government is committed, as part of the programme for Government, to removing the requirement to retire at 65 in order to receive a retirement pension. The implementation of this commitment will be considered in a budgetary context having regard to the availability of resources and other priorities.
175 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the plans which exist in relation to decentralisation within his Department. [23398/04]
Under the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance in budget 2003, all headquarters sections of my Department currently located in Dublin, some 1,200 posts, are to relocate to the following towns: Drogheda, Buncrana, Donegal, Carrick-on-Shannon, Carrickmacross and Sligo.
In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency and Comhairle, agencies under the aegis of my Department, will relocate to Monaghan and Drogheda respectively.
A detailed implementation plan covering all aspects of the decentralisation process was submitted to the decentralisation implementation group in June. This plan sets out the proposed sequence of each relocation, staff placement and training plans, the estimated resources required to complete the project, the risks associated with the project and the contingency plans to deal with those risks.
The Office of Public Works is in the process of securing suitable accommodation for the programme.
Staff applications to relocate under the programme are being handled centrally through the central applications facility. The facility closed for priority application on 7 September but will remain open for further applications for the duration of the programme.
The departmental implementation plan will be monitored closely and further developed when more information on accommodation and central applications facility applicants is available.
Progress on the plan will continue to be reported on a regular basis to the implementation committee, which reports in turn to the special Cabinet sub-committee which is overseeing the decentralisation programme as a whole.
176 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to continue the Government’s three-year programme of increases in child benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23300/04]
The policy direction followed by successive Governments has been to concentrate resources for child income support on the child benefit scheme. Child benefit is neutral vis-à-vis the employment status of parents and therefore does not contribute to unemployment or poverty traps.
Over the period since 1997, monthly rates of child benefit has increased by between €93.51, at the lower rate of payment, and €115.78, at the higher rate. These are very substantial increases of 246% and 234% respectively, compared with inflation of 26.9% over the period.
In budget 2001, the Minister for Finance announced a multi-annual programme of increases in child benefit to the value of €1.27 billion over three years. This was subsequently extended to five years, to be completed in budget 2005. The implementation of this commitment is a matter to be dealt with in a budgetary context.
177 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the purpose and terms of the review of the income maintenance payments provided by his Department as part of the Government’s expenditure review initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23314/04]
The expenditure review initiative was launched in 1997 and forms part of the strategic management initiative.
The objectives of the initiative are to analyse in a systematic manner what is actually being achieved by expenditure on each programme and to provide a basis on which more informed decisions can be made on priorities within and between expenditure programmes.
My Department has engaged with the process since its launch in 1997. An expenditure review steering group is in place in the Department to provide support and direction, while the process overall is overseen by the expenditure review central steering committee, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Finance.
Expenditure reviews are carried out by working groups comprising staff from the relevant areas within the Department, with representation from the Department of Finance and other Departments and agencies, as appropriate. All of the reviews involve consultations with interested organisations and lobby groups and surveys of customers are carried out as required.
The guidelines issued by the central steering committee require that the terms of reference of a review should: identify programme objectives; examine the current validity of those objectives and their compatibility with the overall strategy of the Department; define the outputs associated with the programme activity and identify the level and trend of those outputs; examine the extent to which the programme's objectives have been achieved and comment on the effectiveness with which they have been achieved; identify the level and trend of costs and staffing resources associated with an expenditure programme and thus comment on the efficiency with which it has achieved its objectives; evaluate the degree to which the objectives warrant the allocation of public funding on a current and ongoing basis and examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving these objectives on a more efficient and-or effective basis; and specify potential future performance indicators that might be used to monitor better the performance of a programme.
All reviews commenced since 2003 are subject to external review. The Department has published 17 completed reviews. These reviews have contributed positively to policy evaluation within the Department and form a component of the budgetary process. They have also led to improvement in the administrative efficiencies of the schemes reviewed.
178 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the proposals and objectives in his Department’s sectoral plan under the Disability Bill 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23308/04]
The sectoral plans under the provisions of the Disability Bill 2004 form an integral part of the Government's national disability strategy which was launched on 21 September 2004. These plans will set out service provision for people with disabilities, the measures to facilitate access to these services and the planned improvements.
In common with the other Departments involved, my Department's sectoral plan was published in outline form in order to allow a period of consultation and discussion with relevant interests before the plan is finalised and laid before the Dáil for approval.
The objective of the outline sectoral plan prepared by my Department is to ensure that, as far as is practicable, the schemes and services we provide to people with disabilities operate in a manner which facilitates their full participation in society and meets the mainstreaming principle of the equality agenda.
The outline plan draws on the Department's statement of strategy 2003-05, which provides the framework for progressing and developing its services to customers. It gives a brief description of the range of schemes and services designed to meet the income support needs of people with disabilities and covers a range of issues including performance standards for claim processing, supports for people with disabilities to return to work or education, consultative processes designed to pro actively seek the views of people with disabilities, physical access to departmental premises, specific measures for visually or hearing impaired customers and the role of Comhairle in meeting the needs of people with disabilities, including the new personal advocacy service to be provided under the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004.
The sectoral plan will provide a focus for the future development of services for people with disabilities coming within my Department's remit and regular reporting on activities and improvements planned for the future.
181 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has proposals for increasing the grant for hearing aids to allow persons to purchase the digital models which are more efficient, though more expensive than the outdated analogue models. [23366/04]
The treatment benefit scheme provides a range of benefits in the areas of dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses. My Department pays up to half the cost of a hearing aid, subject to a maximum grant of €700. This grant was last increased from 1 January 2002 when it was doubled from €350 to its present level. This substantial increase was granted in cognisance of the availability of digital hearing aids.
There are no plans, at present, to change the current level of grant for hearing aids. Any changes to the level of grant would have financial implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
183 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of farm families which are benefiting from farm assist; the average allowance they receive; the number which have been transferred to the new farm employment scheme; if he has satisfied himself that the means test for this scheme is a fair and accurate assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23184/04]
The farm assist scheme, which introduced special arrangements for farmers on low incomes, came into operation with effect from 7 April 1999.
At the end of September 2004, there were 8,607 people in receipt of a farm assist payment. Of this number, 5,258 were families and they received an average weekly payment of €171.04 which includes a fuel payment.
The amount paid to each farmer depends on a number of factors, for example, family size, whether the spouse-partner is working and any means assessed from all sources.
In calculating means for the purposes of farm assist, account is taken of the gross yearly income which the farmer and his or her spouse-partner may reasonably expect to receive from farming or any other self-employment, less any expenses necessarily incurred in carrying on the business.
This means that the assessment of the expected annual income is based on normal output and costs appropriate to normal stock levels, capacity and market trends. While the legislation does not stipulate that the assessment should be based on the income received in the previous year, income and expenditure figures for the preceding year are generally used as an indicator of the expected position in the following year. However, account is taken of any exceptional circumstances so as to ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the current situation.
Where a farmer disagrees with a means assessment, he or she may appeal the decision to the social welfare appeals office. In addition, where a farmer feels that his or her circumstances have changed since the most recent assessment, he or she may request a means review.
The scheme has brought about a worthwhile improvement for low income farmers and particularly for those with children and makes a valuable contribution to supporting those who are at the lower end of the farm income spectrum. I am satisfied that the current assessment of means is fair and reasonable.
A new scheme, the rural social scheme was introduced by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with effect from May 2004. This scheme is designed specifically for rural people and is a community work programme, with a focus on the provision of direct services in the community.
At the end of September 2004, 45 farmers had transferred from farm assist to the rural social scheme.
184 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the expenditure on social protection as a percentage of GDP for each year since 1995; and the EU average for each of those years. [23385/04]
Comparisons of social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP across the European Union are published by EUROSTAT, the statistical office of the EU. These comparisons encompass not only social welfare expenditure but also expenditure in areas such as health care, social housing, employment support and other social inclusion programmes.
The latest such statistics were released in April of this year and deal with developments up to and including 2001. They do not take into account developments in social expenditure since then as no figures are yet available for those years. In terms of expenditure on social protection as a percentage of GDP the comparable figures for Ireland and the EU average between 1994 and 2001 are as follows:
|
Year |
Ireland |
EU15 |
|
% |
% |
|
|
1994 |
19.7 |
28.5 |
|
1996 |
17.8 |
28.4 |
|
1998 |
15.4 |
27.5 |
|
2000 |
14.2 |
27.3 |
|
2001 |
14.6 |
27.5 |
When examining such data it is important to remember that gross expenditure measures can distort the real picture, as they do not take account of social charges or taxes which may be levied on benefits, nor do they include transfers made by means of tax concessions, as opposed to direct cash payments. In fact the EUROSTAT release itself states: "The European average masks major national differences in the structure of social protection funding."
The level of expenditure is also significantly influenced by the age profile of the population. Currently Ireland, with one of the youngest populations in the EU, needs to spend less on pensions and health care-care of the elderly than most other member states. The extent to which the State directly provides supplementary pensions and childcare are also important factors.
In addition, social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP is significantly influenced by the pace of economic growth and the level of unemployment. The statistics show that at EU level between 1993 and 1996 social protection expenditure relative to GDP stabilised at a level below the peak of 28.8% in 1993. This was due to renewed GDP growth and slower growth in social protection expenditure, particularly related to unemployment benefits.
Over the period 1996 to 2000 the EU average dropped from 28.4% to 27.3% but there was a slight increase to 27.5% in 2001. For Ireland in 1990, expenditure on social protection as a percentage of GDP was 18.4%. This rose to 20.2% in 1993, and then declined to 14.2% in 2000. These changes mirrored the developments just described in other EU countries, except that the level of economic growth and the decline in unemployment were much greater in Ireland than in most other EU countries. In 2001 there was an increase to 14.6%.
Under this Government there have been sustained and substantial increases in social protection expenditure. The EUROSTAT report on social protection states that the increase in real-terms expenditure on social protection in four EU countries, including Ireland, at 4.7% per annum, over the period 1992 to 2001 was "particularly marked." The EU average was 1.9%.
The EUROSTAT figures show a 40% increase in the per capita expenditure on social protection in Ireland in the period 1994 to 2001, compared with an EU average of 13.9%.
This Government will continue to address the scope for further improvements in Ireland's social protection infrastructure, guided by the national anti-poverty strategy, while at the same time continuing to take the measures necessary to maintain economic growth and competitiveness.
185 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there will be development of the homemaker‘s scheme in view of recommendations of the review which was undertaken; and the details of all the recommendations of this review. [23376/04]
The homemaker's scheme was introduced in 1994 and is intended to protect the pension entitlements of those who take time out of the paid workforce for caring duties. The scheme allows up to 20 years to be disregarded when a person's insurance record is being averaged to assess entitlement for contributory pension purposes. The scheme will not of itself qualify a person for a pension as the standard qualifying conditions relating to the type and number of contributions paid or credited must also be satisfied.
In August 2000, my Department published a review of the qualifying conditions for old age contributory and retirement pensions. This review also included a general examination of the homemaker's scheme and the report suggested a number of reforms for further consideration.
These included the possibility of changing the operative date of the scheme and replacing the disregard system with one based on actual credited contributions. These suggestions are being examined in more detail in the second part of the review. This phase of the review is also looking at changes to the qualifying conditions for contributory and retirement pensions suggested in the phase one report together with a range of other issues.
I expect the review will be ready for publication in the next few months and developments in relation to the homemaker's scheme will be considered in the light of the conclusions of that report.
186 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a report from OPEN, in relation to one parent families; his views on the criticisms contained therein; if he will increase the one parent family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23313/04]
The one parent family payment, introduced in 1997, was designed to help in overcoming the particular obstacles lone parents may face in taking up employment or training opportunities, and to encourage them to return to employment, instead of remaining dependent on social welfare payments.
Ireland has among the highest percentage of lone parent families within the EU at over 11% of households. Many lone parents care full time or part time for children.
However, a high proportion of lone parents and their children in Ireland, some 42.9% in 2001, had a level of income which put them in the category of "at risk of poverty". This can be mainly explained by the relatively low participation in employment among lone parents, especially relative to the position in this regard among many other EU member states. Lone parents are not only at risk of poverty while out of the workforce when caring for their children, but these prolonged absences can also have an adverse effect on their future earning capacity, which can lead to longer term social exclusion.
It is, therefore, necessary to build on what the present one parent family payment scheme provides, with a view to enabling lone parents achieve a position where they can more effectively reconcile their priority commitment to care for their children and the need for greater employment participation, the main route to an improved standard of living for them and their children, both in the short term and long term.
Under my Department's statement of strategy there is a commitment to review the operation of income support arrangements for lone parents.
This review is taking account of recent reports and emerging analysis in this area, such as OPEN's "One Size Fits All?"' report and my own Department's review of the one parent family payment. Account will also be taken of volume II of the OECD study, entitled "Babies and Bosses, Reconciling Work and Family Life", published at the end of 2003 which contains an analysis, in a comparative context, of the situation in Ireland, especially with regard to lone parents, and of the proceedings of the Irish EU Presidency Conference in May last on "Families, Change and European Social Policy."
I am happy to confirm that work on this initiative has already commenced with preliminary discussions with lone parent NGOs, including OPEN, having already taken place.
The theme of parenting alone will be one of the issues addressed in the proposed strategy on supports for families currently in preparation. An interdepartmental committee has been established and is already analysing current cross-departmental policies for families, with a view to coming up with recommendations for future policy development.
Submissions on the proposed family strategy have also been received from a number of NGOs, including those representing one parent families, and these will be taken into account in the deliberations of the committee. The issue of increases in the one parent family payment is one for determination in a budgetary context.
188 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the United Nations human development report published in July 2004 which shows that Ireland has the second highest level of poverty in the western world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23310/04]
The United Nations human development report to which the Deputy refers contains a range of indices which measure the achievements of countries in three basic dimensions — life expectancy, knowledge and standards of living.
The human poverty index, HPI-2, is a multi-dimensional measure of poverty for selected high income OECD countries. It measures how well countries have distributed the overall human development they have achieved, using a range of indicators concerning life expectancy, population below income poverty line, people lacking functional literacy skills and long-term unemployment.
Ireland was ranked 16th out of 17 high income OECD countries with a HPI-2 value of 15.3%, compared to the best performer Sweden, 6.5%, and the worst performer, the United States, 15.8%.
The indicator for the "population below the income poverty line" is a relative income poverty line based on GDP per capita. Ireland’s rank was below the majority of EU countries listed, but better than the UK and Italy. There was no listing for Greece and Portugal. It was also better than developed countries such as Canada, United States and Australia.
GDP is not a good indicator for Ireland of the income available to the country given our exceptional reliance on foreign investment and the consequent scale of profit repatriation abroad. GNP would be a more appropriate indicator.
This indicator also does not show the exceptional progress made in reducing consistent poverty, which is the basis, designed by the ESRI, for the poverty targets in the national anti-poverty strategy. This measures the proportion of our people with incomes below 60% of average disposable income and who are also experiencing deprivation. The numbers of people experiencing consistent poverty in Ireland has fallen by two thirds — from 15.1% in 1994 to 5.2% in 2001 and our target is to reduce consistent poverty to below 2%, or eliminate it altogether, by 2007.
The relative position of certain categories of people has disimproved despite significant increases in real terms in their incomes, because of the unprecedented increases in average household incomes during the period of exceptional economic growth. This has been the result of major increases in employment, better paid jobs, more two income households and lower tax levels.
The Government is committed through the framework of the national anti-poverty strategy and the employment action plans and their further development to progressively improve the position of those who can work, mainly by removing obstacles to employment, and by increasing income support and improving services to those who cannot work.
In relation to the report's long-term unemployment indicator, Ireland ranked joint 11th with the UK on this index and joint 5th in the EU15. The reduction in long-term unemployment from 8.9% in 1993 to 1.2% in 2002 is one of the most welcome and significant outcomes of Ireland's recent economic success. Under the national anti-poverty strategy, the target is to eliminate long-term unemployment by 2007. Continuing progress in reducing unemployment and in increasing access to more and better jobs will make a significant contribution to reducing poverty levels generally.
The national anti-poverty strategy also contains specific commitments in relation to improving literacy skills and life expectancy, responsibility for which come within the remit of the Ministers for Education and Science and Health and Children respectively. These are priority areas for action but, like reducing poverty generally, take time before increased investment of resources show concrete results.
The core objective which this Government and the social partners signed up to in Sustaining Progress is "to build a fair and inclusive society and ensure that people have the resources and opportunities to live life with dignity and have access to the quality public services that underpin life chances and experiences". Government policy is geared towards meeting that objective and the policies I will be pursuing as Minister for Social and Family Affairs both in relation to income support and in the context of the national anti-poverty strategy generally will be aimed at making significant progress towards achieving that core objective.
193 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend entitlement to the free schemes to all widows and widowers aged 60 to 65, rather than only to those whose late spouse was receiving any of the allowances in the household benefits package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23371/04]
194 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will increase the free gas, electricity and telephone allowances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23374/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.
The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity-gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who fulfil a means test.
The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. People aged over 70 years of age can qualify regardless of their income or household composition.
Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefit package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.
A range of proposals has been made to extend the free schemes to other groups and to increase their value. These are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources.
195 Mr. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the top ten EU countries with which Ireland trades in terms of exports and imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23700/04]
196 Mr. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the top ten non-EU countries with which Ireland currently trades in terms on exports and imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23701/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together.
Tables 1 and 2 below identify Ireland's top ten EU and non-EU trading partners by value in 2003, respectively. The year 2003 is the latest one for which complete annual data are available. For comparative purposes, values for 2002 and 2001 are also included.
In addition, table 3 identifies Ireland's top ten trading partners within a global context.
|
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
|
|
€(000) |
€(000) |
€(000) |
|
|
Exports |
|||
|
Great Britain |
13,446,568 |
20,886,658 |
20,793,808 |
|
Belgium |
10,314,932 |
13,549,307 |
4,446,178 |
|
Germany |
6,826,042 |
6,740,417 |
11,682,508 |
|
France |
5,020,798 |
4,693,372 |
5,541,568 |
|
Netherlands |
4,268,284 |
3,511,632 |
4,263,614 |
|
Italy |
3,749,160 |
3,601,523 |
3,311,898 |
|
Spain |
2,353,688 |
2,242,630 |
2,297,985 |
|
Northern Ireland |
1,409,424 |
1,610,716 |
1,864,521 |
|
Sweden |
1,161,251 |
1,203,052 |
1,355,024 |
|
Denmark |
501,322 |
545,302 |
596,605 |
|
Total |
49,051,469 |
58,584,609 |
56,153,709 |
|
Imports |
|||
|
Great Britain |
15,893,393 |
22,112,667 |
21,495,813 |
|
Germany |
3,882,999 |
3,769,468 |
3,612,000 |
|
Netherlands |
1,978,110 |
2,090,106 |
2,156,168 |
|
France |
1,787,947 |
2,128,100 |
2,684,811 |
|
Northern Ireland |
1,281,036 |
1,215,376 |
1,489,035 |
|
Italy |
923,204 |
908,536 |
1,199,345 |
|
Belgium |
965,780 |
1,002,698 |
1,048,706 |
|
Denmark |
840,643 |
684,954 |
672,220 |
|
Spain |
587,980 |
601,219 |
612,169 |
|
Sweden |
401,903 |
379,968 |
446,661 |
|
Total |
28,542,995 |
34,893,092 |
35,416,928 |
|
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
|
|
€(000) |
€(000) |
€(000) |
|
|
Exports |
|||
|
United States |
16,939,245 |
16,509,438 |
15,694,396 |
|
Switzerland |
2,603,265 |
3,103,770 |
2,705,698 |
|
Japan |
2,109,434 |
2,630,798 |
3,261,074 |
|
Singapore |
734,246 |
739,310 |
641,308 |
|
Hong Kong |
688,304 |
534,074 |
670,201 |
|
Australia |
647,646 |
636,070 |
834,838 |
|
Malaysia |
578,068 |
765,941 |
1,140,342 |
|
South Korea |
509,585 |
640,367 |
695,906 |
|
Norway |
530,137 |
517,204 |
587,172 |
|
Canada |
469,383 |
510,896 |
592,502 |
|
Total |
25,809,313 |
26,587,868 |
26,823,437 |
|
Imports |
|||
|
United States |
6,755,916 |
8,052,982 |
8,084,943 |
|
Japan |
1,550,262 |
1,446,133 |
1,617,496 |
|
China |
1,422,524 |
878,878 |
684,330 |
|
Norway |
1,229,408 |
860,149 |
951,972 |
|
Singapore |
1,027,013 |
962,080 |
1,324,296 |
|
Switzerland |
698,369 |
636,862 |
554,420 |
|
Taiwan |
644,253 |
881,722 |
991,909 |
|
Hong Kong |
500,728 |
741,403 |
716,727 |
|
South Korea |
586,681 |
677,668 |
685,443 |
|
Canada |
463,517 |
419,554 |
617,526 |
|
Total |
14,878,671 |
15,557,431 |
16,229,062 |
|
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
|
|
€(000) |
€(000) |
€(000) |
|
|
Exports |
|||
|
United States |
16,939,245 |
16,509,438 |
15,694,396 |
|
Great Britain |
13,446,568 |
20,886,658 |
20,793,808 |
|
Belgium |
10,314,932 |
13,549,307 |
4,446,178 |
|
Germany |
6,826,042 |
6,740,417 |
11,682,508 |
|
France |
5,020,798 |
4,693,372 |
5,541,568 |
|
Netherlands |
4,268,284 |
3,511,632 |
4,263,614 |
|
Italy |
3,749,160 |
3,601,523 |
3,311,898 |
|
Switzerland |
2,603,265 |
3,103,770 |
2,705,698 |
|
Spain |
2,353,688 |
2,242,630 |
2,297,985 |
|
Japan |
2,109,434 |
2,630,798 |
3,261,074 |
|
Total |
67,631,416 |
77,469,545 |
73,998,727 |
|
Imports |
|||
|
Great Britain |
15,893,393 |
22,112,667 |
21,495,813 |
|
United States |
6,755,916 |
8,052,982 |
8,084,943 |
|
Germany |
3,882,999 |
3,769,468 |
3,612,000 |
|
France |
1,787,947 |
2,128,100 |
2,684,811 |
|
Netherlands |
1,978,110 |
2,090,106 |
2,156,168 |
|
Japan |
1,550,262 |
1,446,133 |
1,617,496 |
|
Northern Ireland |
1,281,036 |
1,215,376 |
1,489,035 |
|
Singapore |
1,027,013 |
962,080 |
1,324,296 |
|
Norway |
1,229,408 |
860,149 |
951,972 |
|
Italy |
923,204 |
908,536 |
1,199,345 |
|
Total |
36,309,288 |
43,545,597 |
44,615,879 |
197 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of FOI requests his Department has received in 2003; and the number which have been granted for 2003. [23630/04]
My Department received 153 freedom of information requests during 2003. In that year, 45 requests were granted in full, 48 were part granted, 48 were withdrawn or handled outside of FOI, 20 were refused and three were transferred to other public bodies. The total of these categories exceeds the total received in the year because requests initiated at the end of any year will fall to be decided in the following year.
206 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will come to South Kerry to witness first hand the job losses the people of Killarney and surrounding areas have suffered within the past few weeks with the loss of 87 jobs in the Killarney area alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23740/04]
I am very disappointed at the recent job losses in Killarney, including those at Transmould and Scott Tools and I am conscious of the adverse effects on the workers concerned and on their families.
Finding alternative employment for the workers affected is a priority for FÁS and the State development agencies. FÁS has contacted both companies and will make available its full range of support services including skills analysis, jobs placement, guidance and counselling interviews and identification of training needs and courses.
IDA Ireland continues to actively promote the south Kerry region to potential investors from a variety of sectors, including manufacturing and international services, through its network of overseas offices and project divisions, with every effort being made to secure new investments for the area. In addition to targeting potential new projects, IDA Ireland continues to work with the existing base of companies in the region with a view to supporting such companies with potential expansions and diversification of activities.
The agency has also completed site development works on its business and technology park in Killarney and is actively promoting this new investment, including a new building facility in the park. These investments will put the area in a position to compete more strongly for inward investment in the ICT, software and international services sectors.
The major decentralisation programme announced in the budget includes 165 jobs to be relocated to Killarney. This move demonstrates the Government's commitment to balanced regional development and will provide a further boost to enterprise development in Kerry. The designation of Killarney as a hub town under the Government's nationalspatial strategy adds to the attractiveness of the county for overseas and indigenous investment.
The State development agencies, under the auspices of my Department, will continue to work closely together and with local interests in promoting the Killarney area for additional investment and job creation. I would be happy to discuss the jobs situation in Killarney during my next visit to the area.
207 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the most recent letter from Amnesty International regarding weapons brokering to Sudan, his views on the matter, and when legislation on brokering in Ireland is to be put forward. [23741/04]
I have received two separate letters from Amnesty International in relation to a recent newspaper report linking an Irish-registered company to alleged illegal brokering activities involving the transfer of military equipment to the Sudan.
The newspaper article alleged that a British businessman was involved in illegal brokering activities relating to the sale of arms to Sudan, in breach of EU and UK laws. I understand that the UK Customs are currently carrying out an investigation into the allegations. The article also suggested that an Irish registered company, owned by the British businessman, was involved in the financing of the deal.
My Department has investigated the allegation in relation to the role of the Irish registered company. In this regard, it has been established that: the Irish company is dormant and has never traded since its establishment in 1990; the newspaper article was inaccurate in relation to the British businessman being the owner of the company; and the beneficial owner of the company has confirmed that the British businessman has no relationship with the Irish company.
On the basis of the investigation, there is no evidence of any involvement in illegal brokering activities by an Irish company. The updating of our national export control legislation, to include, inter alia, controls on arms brokering, is one of the recommendations of the recent Forfás review. I hope to bring proposals regarding this legislation to Government shortly.
208 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be provided with details of single payment entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23730/04]
A statement of provisional entitlements under the single payment scheme was posted to the person named on 6 September 2004. However, as it seems the person named failed to receive his statement to date arrangements have been made to issue a further copy of the statement as soon as possible.
209 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment of a tuberculosis reactor grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23732/04]
The local district veterinary office will process the appropriate valuation payment as soon as the necessary factory receipt is received from the person concerned in relation to two reactor animals disclosed in July 2004.
210 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding continuation of payment of a farm retirement pension to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [23733/04]
The person named is a participant in the 1994 early retirement scheme introduced under EU Council Regulation 2079/92, which she entered in joint management with her husband. It is a requirement of the Council regulation that any national retirement pension to which a scheme participant — and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management situation — becomes entitled must be deducted from the early retirement pension.
On 25 February 2004 my Department informed the person named that her husband must re-apply for a non-contributory old age pension and provide documentary evidence of the outcome of his application within three months. As this information was not provided to my Department, payment of the early retirement pension was suspended on 4 June 2004. As soon as this information is furnished to the Department, the position will be reviewed.
211 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will reconsider recouping a substantial amount of money from existing grants from a person (details supplied) in County Galway given that they were very marginally outside the stocking density for extensification in 2002; if she will agree to a lower rate of recoupment over a longer period so as to allow for a reasonable farm income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23785/04]
In relation to 2002 extensification premium, on 24 September 2003, two payable orders amounting to a total of €1,000 issued to the person named on 24 September 2003 representing his full entitlement in respect of the 25 animals that had already qualified for payment of 2002 suckler cow premium and special beef premium on his holding.
The person named applied for premium on 17 animals under the 2003 suckler cow scheme on 16 May 2003 and an advance payment of €3048.44 issued to him on the 16 October 2003. Under the stocking density limits for 2003, a producer may only be paid premium on up to 1.8 reckonable livestock units per hectare of the forage area established from the producer's 2003 area aid application. Based on the forage area of 47.13 hectares declared by him under his 2003 area aid, this meant that he could receive payment on a maximum of 84.83 livestock units across the livestock premia schemes. The person named applied on 22.5 livestock units under the 2003 ewe premium scheme and 67.8 livestock units under the 2003 special beef premium scheme, giving a total of 90.30 livestock units.
While processing for the 2003 suckler cow balance payment, it was established that the person named had exceeded the stocking density limits and was not entitled to any payment of suckler cow premium for 2003. As his suckler cow advance payment was deemed to be overpaid, the Department was obliged to seek recovery of this money at the earliest opportunity. The person named was due €3999.60 under the 2004 area based compensatory allowance scheme from which the overpayment of €3048.44 was recouped, leaving a balance due of €951.16 which issued to him on 17 September 2004.
In relation to 2003 extensification premium, the position is that the premium may only be paid where the stocking density of a holding does not exceed 1.80 livestock units per hectare. Since the stocking density of the holding in this case was 1.8158 livestock units per hectare, the person named cannot be considered for payment. He was advised of the position by letter last July.
212 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the suckler cow grant and the area based payment together with other livestock payments for 2004 have not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23786/04]
The person named included a land parcel on his 2004 area aid application that was also claimed by another herdowner. Both herdowners were written to and the matter has now been resolved in favour of the person named. His application has now been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 35.74 hectares.
Arrangements were made to have the 2004 area based compensatory allowance payment lodged to the bank account of the person named on 4 October last.
The person named has lodged no applications under the 2004 EU special beef premium or suckler cow premium schemes. The person named has one animal deemed eligible for payment under the 2004 EU slaughter premium scheme. In accordance with the EU regulations governing the slaughter premium scheme, advance payments of 60% of estimated entitlement will commence from 16 October 2004.
The person named will receive his full entitlement under the 2004 ewe/supplementary premium scheme when payments commence on 16 October 2004. The person named is not an applicant under the 2004 suckler cow premium scheme.
213 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the 2004 suckler cow, area based and other payments have not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23787/04]
The person named included a land parcel on his 2004 area aid application that is also being claimed by another herdowner. Both herdowners have been written to with a view to establishing entitlement to claim area aid on this parcel. The person named also included a parcel on his 2004 area aid application on which an overclaim has been detected. He has also been written to in this matter. Until these issues are resolved no area related payments can issue to him.
The person named has to date lodged no applications under the 2004 EU special beef premium scheme. The person named has one animal deemed eligible for payment under the 2004 EU slaughter premium scheme. In accordance with the EU regulations governing the slaughter premium scheme, advance payments of 60% of estimated entitlement will commence from 16 October 2004. The advance payments of 60% of entitlement under the 2004 suckler cow scheme due to commence from 16 October 2004 and payment due under the 2004 area based compensatory allowances scheme cannot be made until the area aid issue has been resolved.
214 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Finance the position with regard to the number of volunteers offering to transfer under the decentralisation initiative to Newcastle West, County Limerick. [23725/04]
I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, that the overall number of first preference applications received by the central applications facility as of 7 September 2004 for Newcastle West, County Limerick is 109. The breakdown is contained in the following table:
|
Public Service |
Civil Service |
Revenue Staff External |
|||
|
Dublin |
Other |
Dublin |
Other |
Dublin |
Other |
|
0 |
0 |
3 |
78 |
4 |
24 |
215 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Finance the number of sites that are under consideration by the Office of Public Works for the decentralisation of the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism to Killarney, County Kerry; the sites that are being considered; when a decision on the matter will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23726/04]
A number of sites has been shortlisted as possible property solutions for decentralisation of the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism to Killarney. The process of evaluating these sites is well advanced and formal negotiations have commenced with the respective owners of the sites. The sourcing of a suitable property solution for the Sports Council is also in hand.
216 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the State of the Office of the President over the past seven years, detailing costs on an annual basis for each category such as staff, travel, security and so on; the trips which have been made abroad during the President’s term of office; and the expenditure costs for each trip. [23727/04]
The table below sets out the voted moneys provided by the Department of Finance for the Office of the President over the last seven years as set out in the Appropriation Accounts for the period up to 2003 and in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2004. Items 1 to 6 are gross funded expenditure and items 7 to 11 are net allied services expenditure.
|
Item No. |
Subhead/Department |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
Outturn |
Outturn |
Outturn |
Outturn |
Outturn |
Outturn |
Estimate |
||
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
||
|
1. |
A.1 — Salaries, Wages & Allowances |
704 |
683 |
761 |
901 |
1,012 |
1,153 |
1,291 |
|
2. |
A.2 — Travel & Subsistence |
105 |
154 |
128 |
129 |
70 |
207 |
140 |
|
3. |
A.3 — Incidental Expenses |
27 |
37 |
33 |
63 |
95 |
99 |
115 |
|
4. |
A.4 — Postal & Telecommunications Services |
62 |
68 |
93 |
77 |
116 |
94 |
129 |
|
5. |
A.5 — Office Machinery & Other Office Supplies |
64 |
92 |
113 |
126 |
184 |
124 |
136 |
|
6. |
B. — Centenarians’ Bounty |
40 |
36 |
271 |
290 |
281 |
299 |
410 |
|
7. |
Taoiseach |
— |
43 |
32 |
46 |
85 |
60 |
61 |
|
8. |
OPW |
2,130 |
1,987 |
2,408 |
2,810 |
2,956 |
2,409 |
2,495 |
|
9. |
Garda Síochána |
388 |
397 |
405 |
417 |
498 |
468 |
546 |
|
10. |
Defence |
236 |
241 |
254 |
252 |
286 |
303 |
325 |
|
11. |
Foreign Affairs |
297 |
538 |
302 |
426 |
461 |
563 |
650 |
|
Total |
4,053 |
4,276 |
4,800 |
5,537 |
6,044 |
5,779 |
6,298 |
I do not have the other information the Deputy is requesting.
217 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the position in relation to stamp duty for farmers over 35 who inherit the family farm; if there are plans to amend or change same in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23728/04]
No stamp duty is imposed in respect of an inheritance regardless of whether the person inheriting the property would be eligible for stamp duty relief as a young trained farmer.
In respect of all other farm transfers, for example, by way of a gift or a sale, a stamp duty exemption is available to young trained farmers who fulfil certain criteria. For the purposes of the relief, a young trained farmer is one who is under 35 years of age on the date of execution of the transfer and is the holder of one of the specified agricultural qualifications.
Any proposals to alter this position would fall to be considered as part of the normal review of existing reliefs in the context of the budget and Finance Bill cycle.
218 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the full and final cost to the State in relation to the US-EU Summit in June 2004; and if he will itemise these costs. [23764/04]
The information that the Deputy requires will take some time to prepare. I will forward the information directly to the Deputy by Friday, 15 October 2004.
219 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing young persons who are resident in the United States by the introduction of new immigration procedures and control; if this matter has been discussed with the United States authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23631/04]
Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, there has been a progressive tightening of United States immigration controls and procedures. Most recently, on 30 September last, the US extended what are called its US-VISIT procedures to nationals of 27 countries, including Ireland, entitled to enter the US under the visa waiver programme. US-VISIT procedures include the taking of finger print scans and digital photographs. The use of this data is intended to enhance the verification of the identity of travellers entering the United States. Similar procedures are, we understand, going to be put in place at points of exit from the United States to record the departure of nationals of visa waiver countries.
During his recent visit to New York, my predecessor had the opportunity to meet with representatives of immigration centres which offer assistance to Irish citizens and which are recipients of Irish Government funding. He heard from them at first hand of the concerns of the undocumented Irish, including measures which would serve to create a tighter link between official documentation, such as in particular driver's licences, and authorised residency in the United States.
In this general regard, I would like to stress that the situation of the undocumented Irish in the United States is raised regularly in our bilateral contacts with US political leaders, including when the Taoiseach and my predecessor met with President Bush at the EU-US Summit in Dromoland in June 2004.
The Embassy in Washington and our network of consulates work closely with Irish citizens in vulnerable circumstances in the United States and with voluntary Irish organisations there which provide assistance and support to them. We are particularly concerned about the situation of the undocumented and I can assure the Deputy that, through our contacts with political leaders in the US, we will continue to encourage and seek support for measures that would help alleviate their situation.
220 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if as a result of the multi-annual review in relation to capital projects which is expected to be published in late October 2004, capital provision will be considered for a new school on a site identified and approved for the children attending a school (details supplied) in County Galway in view of the urgency which attends this matter and the concerns that have been stated to him by parents, management and teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23653/04]
An application for grant aid towards a new school has been received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers.
My officials are nearing completion of a review of all projects in line with the revised prioritisation criteria that resulted from consultation with the partners. The purpose of the review is to enable and inform a multi-annual approach to the school building programme. I expect to be providing details of this multi-annual programme before the end of the current year.
221 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science if an investigation will be carried out into the resignation of the chief executive officer of the vocational education committee in Ennis, County Clare. [23658/04]
The chief executive officer of County Clare Vocational Education Committee resigned with effect from the 24 September 2004. I will be consulting my officials in relation to the issues surrounding the decision to resign.
222 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science if extra resource hours will be allocated to a school (details supplied) in County Clare. [23659/04]
I can confirm that one application for resource teaching support was received from the school referred to by the Deputy.
A response issued to the school recently indicating that, based on the documentation submitted, the pupil in question did not meet the criteria for resource teaching support.
223 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Science, further to Question No. 364 of 29 September 2004, the progress which has been made to date in the provision of a new school for a school (details supplied) in County Louth. [23660/04]
The school planning section of my Department is currently examining all building projects on hands in line with the project prioritisation criteria that were recently revised in consultation with the education partners. The proposed project at the school to which the Deputy refers is included in this review.
I expect to be in a position to provide an update in relation to the progress of individual projects later this year.
224 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be eligible for a tuition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23685/04]
My Department has no record of having received an application for additional teaching support for the pupil in question. However, I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved special needs assistant support for the pupil. The school was notified of this decision recently.
225 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science when a full transport service will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23686/04]
The pupil referred to in the details supplied lives 1.1 miles from the bus route to her appropriate school, and is considered to have a level of service within guidelines.
When a school closes and amalgamates with another, my Department endeavours to provide transport within guidelines to pupils from the closed school area who are attending the school of amalgamation. Provision of transport is subject to a minimum number of seven eligible pupils from a distinct locality offering for transport.
Under my Department's guidelines, transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 1.5 miles to travel to a pick-up point. Pupils living off the main route of a service are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
226 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the school build programme with respect to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [23687/04]
The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included at section 8 of the 2004 school building programme. It has a band 2 rating. My Department's officials recently wrote to the school authorities requesting additional information on their stage 3 submission, developed sketch scheme and a response is awaited.
My Department's officials are also currently reviewing all projects that were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme, including the project in question, with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. I expect to make further announcements in this regard before the end of the year.
227 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science when a school (details supplied) in County Clare will receive funding for essential repairs. [23688/04]
An application for grant aid towards refurbishment has been received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers.
My officials are nearing completion of a review of all projects in line with the revised prioritisation criteria that resulted from consultation with the partners. The purpose of the review is to enable and inform a multi-annual approach to the school building programme. I expect to be providing details of this multi-annual programme before the end of the current year.
228 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department has not responded to numerous requests from the mother of a person (details supplied) in County Clare in relation to the assessments they require in order to progress their education. [23689/04]
My Department is awaiting additional information from the Deputy's office concerning the person in question. The matter will be considered further as soon as the information has been provided.
229 Dr. Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Education and Science when it is proposed to carry out the much needed refurbishment on a national school (details supplied) in Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23690/04]
The proposed large-scale building refurbishment project for the school in question is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme. The project has a band 1 rating and the school authorities were recently authorised to proceed to advanced architectural planning, stage 4/5 — detail design/bill of quantities. My Department's officials are currently reviewing all projects that were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme, including the project in question, with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. I expect to make further announcements in this regard before the end of the year.
230 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to an appeal from person (details supplied); if, in view of the circumstances in this case the children can be facilitated on the bus; if this decision can be made as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23691/04]
Under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, an eligible pupil may be allowed the concession of transport to a centre other than the post-primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which s/he lives provided there is room for them on the bus serving that centre. They are, themselves, responsible for getting to the catchment boundary.
The families referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy have submitted an appeal against a decision not to provide the concession of catchment boundary transport this year. The case will be forwarded to the School Transport Appeals Board at its next meeting.
231 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if, in view of the circumstances, this person can be facilitated on the bus; if this decision can be made as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23692/04]
In order to be eligible for transport under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil must reside three miles or more from, and be attending the post-primary school which caters for the catchment area in which s/he lives.
The pupil referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport as she resides less than three miles from the centre which caters for the catchment area in which she lives.
The transport liaison officer of the relevant VEC, advised the family that the pupil was ineligible for transport under the terms of the scheme and that it was open to them to appeal this decision to the School Transport Appeals Board.
232 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will reassess the application of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare in regard to their resource teacher hours in view of the contents of correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23693/04]
I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has received additional information in support of the application in question. The application will be reviewed and a response will issue to the school authorities as soon as the review has been completed.
233 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science when the database system recommended by the task force on dyslexia will be set up in view of the widespread need for this service; when special computers are given to children with dyslexia for classroom use if IT training is available to the teachers concerned to enable them to properly instruct the child; if there are resources and services available for all children with dyslexia and not just those with additional disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23743/04]
The report of the task force on dyslexia contains over 60 individual recommendations ranging across a wide variety of issues from identification and assessment to models of service delivery, specialist training for service providers, issues relating to structural reforms and the maintenance of a database of pupils with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, who are in receipt of special education services in primary and post-primary schools.
Since the task force reported, a number of initiatives have been taken in the area of dyslexia. These include: the introduction of the first ever on-line training course for teachers catering for pupils with dyslexia; the appointment of ten new learning support trainers to the primary curriculum support programme, specifically to provide in-depth support for the implementation of learning support guidelines for children with dyslexia; a reduction from 11:1 to 9:1 in the pupil teacher ratio applicable to special classes catering for pupils with dyslexia; and the development, in association with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland, of an information resource on dyslexia to be made available in CD-Rom, DVD and video format.
In addition to the above measures, a key focus of my Department has been on advancing the fundamental structural and legislative measures, which are necessary to underpin the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs, including children with dyslexia.
A key development on the structural front has been the Government's decision to approve the establishment of the National Council for Special Education. The national council will play a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia. It will have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to consider specific areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties. Arrangements for the establishment of the council are now completed and it is expected that the council will become operational shortly. The council will have a local area presence through a network of 70 special educational needs organisers who are undergoing training at present.
On the legislative front, the Oireachtas has approved the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004. This Act sets out the rights and entitlements of persons with special educational needs, including dyslexia, to an appropriate education service and provides the necessary framework for effective service delivery.
My Department also provides funding to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment such as computers to assist children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia, with their education where such equipment is recommended by relevant professionals. Schools can apply to the special education section of my Department for this support. Supporting documentation should include reports of psychological and other relevant professional assessments, as appropriate.
Training is available through the 21 teacher education centres nationally for teachers using ICT and assistive technologies to support pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia.
My Department has recently developed a weighted system of allocation of teaching support for special needs pupils, including those with dyslexia. The allocation of an additional 350 teaching posts to facilitate the introduction of the scheme has been approved.
234 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to a mature student in the first year of a two year PLC course at the Carlow Institute of Further Education who attended the first year of a business and administration course at the Dundalk IT in 2000-01, but dropped out after the first year and who had a third level grant for the year; if this person is entitled to a third level grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23769/04]
Under the terms of my Department's maintenance grant scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate, PLC, courses, generally speaking candidates who are entering approved PLC courses for the first time are eligible to be considered for grant assistance on condition that they do not already hold a FETAC level two or level three qualification/award, or equivalent, or a third level qualification at national certificate, diploma, degree or postgraduate level.
Accordingly, provided that the student referred to by the Deputy is entering an approved PLC course for the first time, and s/he does not already hold a qualification/award at any of the prescribed levels, s/he is eligible to be considered for grant assistance subject to the other terms and conditions of funding.
235 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to the third level grant application of a mature student who has to give evidence of residence in the previous year; if a rent book is acceptable as proof of residency here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23770/04]
The higher education grants scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992. These Acts define a mature student to mean "a person of not less than 23 years of age, or such other age as may stand specified for the time being in regulations made by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, who have secured places in approved institutions and have reached that age on the 1st day of January, or such other date as may be prescribed from time to time by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, in the year of entry to such institutions".
Mature students are categorised as either independent mature students or mature students dependent on parents. An independent mature student is defined to mean a mature student who was not ordinarily resident at home with his/her parents from the October preceding their entry to an approved course. Independent mature students are assessed without reference to either their parents' income or address.
In order to establish that a candidate is an independent mature student documentary evidence is required as proof of a candidate's ordinary/permanent address from 1 October of the year preceding entry to college. The notes booklet, which accompanies the 2004 grant application form, outlines the documentary evidence required as proof of permanent/ordinary address from 1 October 2003. Examples of documentary evidence required include telephone, gas or ESB bills. A rent book, on its own, would not be considered sufficient proof of independent residence from the required date. The awarding authorities are obliged to satisfy themselves beyond doubt that an acceptable degree of proof is submitted by the grant applicant in establishing eligibility under all aspects of the schemes.
236 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will re-evaluate the decision to close a school (details supplied) in light of the release of documentation by her Department following a ruling by the Information Commissioner that the decision to close the college was contrary to the advice of the consultant and Department officials; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23779/04]
The issue of the future of the college, which is the subject of the question posed by the Deputy, arose in the context of a decision by the trustees of the college that, due to personnel and financial considerations, they were no longer in a position to fulfil the role of trustees of the college. Following discussions between the trustees and my Department, it was agreed that a consultant would be appointed who would meet with relevant parties and prepare a report on the options for the college's future.
The consultant's report was thoroughly examined in my Department and the options for the future of the college were set out for my predecessor's consideration. Having carefully considered all of them and having taken into account other factors such as the national spatial strategy, relevant costs in a time of financial constraint, a Government decision to restrict public service numbers, the need to secure value for money and a better allocation of resources, the previous Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Dempsey, decided that these considerations are best served by the closure of the college and the designation of St. Angela's College, Sligo as the sole centre for the training of home economics teachers.
It was agreed that the closure of the college would be phased over three academic years to facilitate students currently enrolled in the college to fully complete their studies without moving location and to ensure that there was an adequate transition period for staff. On that basis there has been no in-take of first year students to the college for the 2004-05 year. Instead these students are now in St Angela's College. Officials from my Department have already met the trustees and management authorities of the college to discuss the necessary practical arrangements, including arrangements in relation to the position of the staff of the college. I have no plans to reconsider the decision to close the college.
237 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children at primary school level experiencing reading difficulties in mild, moderate or severe form; the number experiencing such difficulty five years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23780/04]
My Department conducts periodic surveys of reading literacy from which estimates of the number of children at primary level who experience reading difficulties can be derived. A national assessment of English reading at primary level was carried out in March 2004 by the educational research centre on behalf of my Department. This will enable comparisons to be made with the results of the previous survey which was conducted in 1998. The results of this survey will not be available until March 2005.
It is assumed, and national surveys of reading support the assumption, that at any time about 10% of pupils will experience difficulty in reading relative to their peers. It is estimated that approximately 1% to 1.5% have severe reading difficulties. Surveys of reading literacy conducted since 1972 suggest that these levels of reading achievement have remained constant since 1980.
At post-primary level, the reading literacy of 15 year old students was assessed in 2000 as part of the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA. This programme was administered in 27 OECD countries. Ireland ranked fifth overall in terms of mean achievement with just one country, Finland, achieving a significantly higher mean score. At the lowest level of proficiency, level one or below, Ireland had a relatively low percentage of students,11%, as opposed to the OECD average of 17.9%. Ireland participated in the second round of PISA during 2003 and the results of this will be released by the OECD on 7 December 2004.
238 D’fhiafraigh Mr. M. Higgins den Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta an dtabharfaidh sí le fios, mar chuid den athbhreithniú ilbhliantúil i dtaca le tionscnaimh chaipitil a bhfuiltear ag súil leis ag deireadh mhí Dheireadh Fómhair, an ndéanfar measúnú ar thacaíocht caipitil le scoil nua a thógáil, ar shuíomh atá aimsithe agus ceadaithe, do na páistí atá ag freastal ar Scoil Náisiúnta na hAirde Móire, Carna, Contae na Gaillimhe, Uimhir Rolla 105911, ós rud é gur cás práinne atá anseo agus go bhfuil a n-imní léirithe, leis, ag na tuismitheoirí, ag an mbainistíocht agus ag na múinteoirí, agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina leith. [23859/04]
Fritheadh iarratas i gcomhair deontais do scoil nua ó Bhord Bainistíochta Scoil Náisiúnta na hAirde Móire, Carna, Contae na Gaillimhe.
Tá athbhreithniú ar na tionscnaimh uile geall le bheith curtha i gcrích ag m'oifigigh, de réir na gcrítéar tosaíochta athbhreithnithe atá pléite leis na comhpháirtithe. 'Sé aidhm an mheasúnaithe ná eolas agus cumas cur i láthair ilbhliantúil a chur ar fáil don scéim tógála scoileanna.
Tá sé ar intinn agam sonraí maidir leis an gclár ilbhliantúil seo a fhógairt roimh dheireadh na bliana reatha. Tá iarratas Scoil Náisiúnta na hAirde Móire san áireamh maidir leis seo.
239 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the role his Department has in delivering a gas pipeline from Belfast to Letterkenny; when it is planned that the Belfast to Derry section will be complete; the timetable for the section from Derry to Letterkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23734/04]
240 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department or Bord Gáis has delivered a feasibility study in relation to having a spur of the Belfast to Letterkenny gas line taken to Buncrana, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23735/04]
241 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the priority given to bringing a gas network into Donegal. [23736/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 241, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will understand neither I, nor my Department, engages directly in the natural gas market and the regulation of that market is delegated to the Commission for Energy Regulation under the Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002.
In the case of Bord Gáis Éireann, section 8 of the Gas Act 1976 requires it to demonstrate that any pipeline investment it proposes will be an economic business operation. By its nature, a sparse population of low energy users is unlikely to achieve the investment profile to justify such an undertaking and uneconomic extensions in fact would increase costs for all gas users. Equally the CER must be satisfied that a proposal to extend the natural gas distribution network, whether that proposal is from a holder or a prospective holder of a distribution licence, is an economic proposition before it will grant consent for it. As part of my objective of creating an all-island energy market, a commitment was made to allocate €12.7 million towards the development of the gas network in the North. The Belfast to Derry pipeline, to which the Deputy refers, is due for completion in October 2004 and the Gormanstown to Antrim pipeline by the end of 2006.
Under the current INTERREG Programme, the CER has commissioned the Derry to Letterkenny gas pipeline feasibility study. The report is not yet finalised. Any second phase of this project, the actual construction of a pipeline, would be dependent on the feasibility study demonstrating economic viability. There is no proposal to examine the possibility of bringing gas to Buncrana.
242 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason a notice of detention has been placed upon a boat (details supplied). [23763/04]
The enforcement of all regulations governing the safety of vessels, including fishing vessels, is carried out by the surveying staff attached to the maritime safety directorate of my Department. They inspect vessels to ensure that they are complying with the statutory safety standards laid down. Where a vessel is found to be deficient, it is detained until the necessary repairs have been carried out.
I am advised that the vessel in question is a fishing vessel which was involved in a collision with another vessel in 2003. My Department investigated the incident at that time and the skipper was informed that he should apply for a certificate of compliance and that his crew required certificates of competency. During an inspection last week the same surveyor from my Department attempted to board the vessel to ascertain if the required certificates had been obtained. As the vessel did not have a safe means of access the surveyor was unable to board the vessel.
The skipper, however, advised the surveyor that neither he nor his crew hold the appropriate certificates. The vessel was consequently detained for non-compliance with the statutory requirements. The skipper was advised accordingly and requested again to apply for the appropriate certification. His application for survey will be processed as quickly as possible, when received.
243 D’fhiafraigh Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta an bhfuil a fhios aige nach bhfuil freagracht ar bith ag Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge, Áisínteacht Dáiliúcháin Leabhar nó an Leabharlann Náisiúnta as córas international standard book numbering, ISBN, náisiúnta a fhiosrú nó as a leithéid a rith. [23722/04]
244 D’fhiafraigh Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta an bhfuil aon fhreagracht air nó ar a Roinn nó ar aon cheann de na heagraíochtaí atá á maoiniú ag a Roinn, as foilsitheoireacht Éireannach a chur chun cinn in Éirinn nó go hidirnáisiúnta, agus an gcreideann sé go mbeidh international standard book numbering, ISBN, Éireannach ina áis luachmhar don tionscal sin chun filíocht, litríocht nó leabhair eile Éireannacha a chur chun cinn amach anseo. [23723/04]
245 D’fhiafraigh Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta an bhfuil sé i gceist aige treoir a thabhairt dá Roinn chun córas international standard book numbering, ISBN, náisiúnta a chur sa siúl cosúil le córais náisiúnta dá shórt atá i bhformhór thíortha eile an Aontais Eorpaigh. [23724/04]
246 D’fhiafraigh Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta an eol dó gur ceist achrannach i measc fhoilsitheoirí na hÉireann í nach bhfuil córas international standard book numbering, ISBN, náisiúnta ar fail dóibh agus cad iad na céimeanna atá an tAire ag gabháil a ghlacadh chun cinnte a dhéanamh de go mbeidh córas dá leithéid ar fáil acu sara i bhfad, seachas a bheith ag brath ar chóras Shasana. [23744/04]
Tá sé ar intinn agam Ceisteanna Uimhreacha 243 go 246, go huile, a ghlacadh le chéile.
Is tionscnamh de chuid thionscal na foilsitheoireachta é an córas ISBN, leabharuimhreacha caighdeánacha idirnáisiúnta, agus is é an tionscal sin a riarann é. Ba cheart d'fhoilsitheoirí leabhar agus a gcumainn ionadaíochta aon athraithe a bheadh i gceist, a phlé le ISBN. Níl aon fheidhm agam san ábhar.
247 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount in the horse and greyhound racing fund established under section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 in respect of each year since 2001; the amount paid from the fund each year to HRI; the amount paid each year to Bord na gCon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23767/04]
The Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund was established under the 2001 Horse and Greyhound Racing Act for the purpose of giving support to both racing industries. In accordance with section 12 (6) of the Act, 80% and 20% of the moneys paid into the fund each year are distributed between Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon respectively. The amounts paid each year, up to and including the end of September 2004, to Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount of Fund |
Amount paid from the Fund |
Allocation paid to Horse Racing Ireland |
Allocation paid to Bord na gCon |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
2001 |
58,890,000 |
58,890,000 |
47,112,000 |
11,778,000 |
|
2002 |
68,065,814 |
68,065,814 |
54,452,611 |
13,613,203 |
|
2003 |
64,186,000 |
64,186,000 |
51,349,000 |
12,837,000 |
|
2004 |
66,914,000 |
59,004,400 |
45,621,600 |
13,382,800 |
|
Total |
258,055,814 |
250,146,214 |
198,535,211 |
51,611,003 |
The Government has agreed to continue the fund for a further four years and to increase the limit of the fund to €550 million.
248 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Eastern Regional Heath Board or South West Area Health Board will increase the subvention for nursing home facilities for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12. [23705/04]
As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services in the Dublin 12 area is, in the first instance, the responsibility of the Southern Western Area Health Board acting under the aegis of the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive of the authority to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply direct to him as a matter of urgency.
249 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the payments made to doctors in respect of the indicative drugs target scheme are made in addition to amounts they have already received from the GMS scheme. [23745/04]
The payments, under the indicative drugs target savings scheme, to participating general practitioners, are made in addition to any other fees and allowances paid to the doctors. Payments under the scheme are for the provision of improvements to GP practices which have the specific approval of the health board.
250 Mr. Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when a hip replacement operation will be completed for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [23747/04]
The provision of hospital services for people living in County Limerick is a matter for the Mid-Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in relation to this case and to reply directly to the Deputy.
251 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, further to Question No. 837 of 29 September 2004, when it is expected that the needs assessment study on the Mosney accommodation centre will be finalised. [23748/04]
This report was commissioned by the North Eastern Health Board. Accordingly, the question has been referred to the chief executive officer for direct reply to the Deputy.
252 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will consider extending the upper age limit for free breast screening under the BreastCheck service to allow women above the age of 64 avail of free screening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23749/04]
The national breast screening programme commenced in March 2000 and now covers the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board, North Eastern Health Board and parts of the South Eastern Health Board. Screening is being offered every two years, free of charge, to all women in those areas in the target age group 50 to 64 years of age.
The current priority of BreastCheck and my Department is to progress the roll-out of breast screening to women in the same age group in the rest of the country. Following the national roll-out and when the programme is sufficiently developed and quality assured, consideration will be given to extending the upper age limit. Any woman irrespective of her age or residence who has immediate concerns or symptoms should contact her GP who, where appropriate, will refer her to the designated symptomatic services in her region.
253 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the options being considered by the ERHA regarding psychiatric treatment costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23750/04]
254 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason a person who changes from the ERHA to another health board does not carry their entitlements to give medical psychiatric treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23751/04]
255 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, further to Question No. 938 of 29 September 2004 (details supplied), if the position is that the ERHA will come in line with other health boards; if his Department will ensure that all health boards, inclusive of the ERHA will be the medical cards of psychiatric treatment as is the case within the ERHA area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23752/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 to 255, inclusive, together.
The current situation in relation to the supply of psychiatric drugs to public out-patients in the Eastern Regional Health Authority differs from that in other health board areas. This is an anomaly which has occurred for historical reasons.
A working group was established by the Eastern Regional Health Authority to review the matter and to make recommendations for change in the prescribing and dispensing of medication to psychiatric out-patients. I understand that the working group recommends that existing users of the service should not be disadvantaged and that all existing patients should continue to receive free medication. The working group's recommended approach is broadly equivalent to the system operating for non-psychiatric medicines and brings the general practitioner more fully into the mental health care system. I understand that the working group's recommendations are being considered by the ERHA at present.
256 Mr. Crawford asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will support and provide the necessary finance for the agreement announced by her predecessor on 29 September 2004 (details supplied); if the finances will be made available to put these agreements into action immediately; the date on which Monaghan General Hospital will come back on call; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23753/04]
My predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Martin, met officials of the North Eastern Health Board and medical representatives of the Cavan/Monaghan hospital group on 28 September 2004. The Minister was briefed on progress relating to the reconfiguration of hospital services across the group, as follows: the board proposes to recruit five additional non-consultant hospital doctors to facilitate the early restoration of 24 hour/seven day medical cover to Monaghan General Hospital. Work is due to begin shortly on an expanded treatment room at Monaghan General Hospital. My Department has approved capital funding of €750,000 for this purpose. The project will be completed in a timeframe of approximately 16 weeks. The board is to furnish my Department with details of the additional revenue funding required to commission this expanded facility. The board intends to commission ten additional day beds at Monaghan General Hospital to facilitate an increased volume of elective surgery on a day basis at the hospital. My Department has approved revenue funding of €500,000 for this purpose. Applications for three consultant surgical posts to facilitate the development of surgical services across the Cavan/Monaghan hospital group have been submitted to Comhairle na nOspidéal for approval. The board is to submit proposals to my Department regarding the provision of an additional 19 beds at Cavan General Hospital, as part of the reconfiguration of services across the group.
257 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children , further to Question No. 952 of 29 September 2004, regarding the new Ballymun health centre, if she will provide details of the evaluation which her Department is conducting; when this evaluation commenced; when it is due to be completed; the details of its scope; and when she is likely to make a decision on the allocation of funding necessary to commission this much needed facility. [23754/04]
The development of Ballymun primary care centre, incorporating area 7 headquarters, was undertaken without the involvement or approval of my Department. It was advanced by the Eastern Health Board and its successors, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Northern Area Health Board, in conjunction with Ballymun Regeneration Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dublin City Council. My Department began an evaluation of this project when the ERHA and the NAHB sought funding for the provision of these facilities and their fit-out last year, as construction work approached completion on site. My Department's evaluation has concentrated to date on confirming all necessary compliance with relevant obligations in respect of public procurement.
The evaluation also addresses the normal criteria applicable to health capital developments, including the scope, the functional content and the overall funding requirements of the project, particularly the recurrent non-capital element involved in this case. On satisfactory completion of this evaluation my Department will be in a position to make a recommendation in respect of the provision of funding for this project. My Department is making every effort to bring this matter to a conclusion as soon as possible.
258 Mr. Crawford asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has satisfied herself with the fact that home carers get paid only 19 cent per mile travel allowance to cover car costs in 2004 including special insurance; if there are other groups on similar levels of allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23756/04]
Under the home helps agreement a banding system in the form of an annual allowance for travel expenses was introduced specifically for home helps with effect from 1 June, 2000 as follows:
|
Less than 500 miles per annum |
= £240 (€304.74) per annum |
|
500 — 1000 miles per annum |
= £480 (€609.47) per annum |
|
1001 — 1500 miles per annum |
= £720 (€914.21) per annum |
|
1501 — 2000 miles per annum |
= £960 (€1,218.95) per annum |
|
2001 — 2500 miles per annum |
= £1,200 (€1,523.69) per annum |
|
Greater than 2500 |
= Normal mileage rates apply |
The Deputy may wish to note that the minimum mileage rate payable is 61 cent per mile, other than in circumstances where standard mileage rates for health service staff apply. Where home helps were claiming travel expenses in line with normal practice, they retained this arrangement on a personal to holder basis. As the Deputy is aware mileage is not payable for travel to the first visit and from the last visit.
259 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in view of the concerns expressed by relatives of patients in the Central Mental Hospital the plans she has regarding their proposal for a replacement facility to be located on the Dundrum site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23757/04]
Proposals for the development of a new Central Mental Hospital are currently under consideration in my Department. The majority of admissions to the Central Mental Hospital come from within the prison service. Accordingly, ease of access between the main Dublin prisons and the hospital would be of importance and I understand that the location of the hospital adjacent to a prison would have operational benefits for the prison service. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that the Central Mental Hospital is a therapeutic, healthcare facility. I fully agree with families and carers who feel that it would not be desirable that the hospital be perceived as, or closely identified with, a prison complex.
I understand that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has advanced proposals to develop a new prison complex replacing Mountjoy. I recognise the potential benefits of close co-operation between that project and the re-development of the Central Mental Hospital and I will be asking my officials to consider how the matter might be progressed to the mutual benefit of both services.
260 Mr. Stagg asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will indicate the additional accident and emergency facilities to be provided at Naas General Hospital following the previous Minister’s announcement on 15 September 2004; the total funds involved and the timeframe for the provision of the additional facilities; the reason for the delay in providing these facilities up to now; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23758/04]
Responsibility for the provision of services at Naas General Hospital rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. The Deputy will be aware that my Department recently approved funding for the commissioning of a range of additional facilities in the acute hospital sector. As part of this initiative additional revenue funding of €7.5 million was notified to the ERHA in respect of the commissioning of additional services at Naas General Hospital. With regard to the accident and emergency department at Naas, my Department is advised that the additional funding will be used to provide the following additional facilities: nine observation beds, two treatment rooms, two additional treatment bay, an additional resuscitation bay, a dedicated triage room for operation of 24 hour nurse-led triage and a dedicated plaster room.
261 Mr. Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the establishment of a statutory inquiry as a matter or urgency which will investigate the distressing and sensitive issues relating to organ retention in hospitals without parents consent; the reason the non-statutory Dunne inquiry missed five deadlines for producing a report; the reason the inquiry has been allowed to continue in session for over four years without producing a report; the way in which she can justify the estimated €16 million which has been spent on an inquiry which has furnished no report or findings to date; the way in which she can justify the private nature of this inquiry in view of the fact that the issues under investigation are matters of public interest; if she ascertained the extent of hospital and health board co-operation with the Dunne inquiry; the plans the 29 hospitals which have admitted to selling pituitary glands to companies (details supplied) have put in place to contact the next of kin of the 7,500 deceased persons from whom these glands were obtained without knowledge or consent; and if she will establish a statutory Inquiry as a matter of urgency into these distressing matters. [23759/04]
The terms of reference of the post mortem inquiry are very broad and require it to review all post mortem policy, practice and procedure in the State since 1970, with particular reference to organ removal, retention, storage and disposal. The inquiry is also mandated to examine any arrangements with pharmaceutical companies in relation to retained organs. The inquiry team has been examining thousands of documents and witness statements from a range of persons, including the pharmaceutical industry. The chairman had informed my predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Martin, that the inquiry has received considerable co-operation from each of the hospitals with which it is presently dealing and that the inquiry's non-statutory nature has not thus far significantly hampered its substantive work.
The chairman has indicated that she will provide a report on paediatric hospitals in December 2004. At a meeting between the then Minister and the chairman on 8 September 2004 it was agreed that both parties would examine the methodology of the inquiry with the objective of the chairman producing as comprehensive a report as possible on outstanding issues by 31 March next.
262 Mr. J. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in County Clare who is on the waiting list for the past three years for speech therapy will receive treatment for same. [23760/04]
The provision of health related services is a matter for the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority in the first instance. Accordingly, a copy of the Deputy's question has been referred to the chief executive officer, Mid-Western Health Board with a request that he examine the case and reply directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.
263 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if with reference to the national treatment purchase fund, there is a limit to the number of patients that can receive treatment under the fund from individual hospital waiting lists; the number of persons who have received treatment to date under the fund; the number currently awaiting treatment under the fund; the total cost of the fund to date and the projected cost for the next year; if she has plans to expand the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23761/04]
The national treatment purchase fund reported that as at January of this year there were some 19,500 patients who were waiting more than three months for specific, mainly surgical, procedures. The NTPF has the capacity to treat more than 1,000 patients per month or 12,000 in a full year from the funding available to it. Since it began operations the fund has been successful in locating additional capacity and arranging treatments for over 19,000 patients up to the end of September 2004. It is now the case that, in most instances, anyone waiting more than three months will be facilitated by the fund.
The cost of the national treatment purchase fund to date is as follows:
|
€m |
||
|
2002 |
5.012 |
|
|
2003 |
30.057 |
Provisional Outturn |
|
2004 |
44.00 |
Allocation |
The resources to be allocated for NTPF activities in 2005 and any change to the fund's remit will be considered in the context of the Estimates process.
264 Mr. Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding completion of the report of the review panel to conduct an independent review of the events surrounding the tragic death of a person (details supplied) on 1 July 2003, having been sent home by Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin due to a shortage of nurses for the intensive care unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23762/04]
On 23 July 2003, my predecessor, Deputy Martin, announced that he had convened a review panel to conduct an independent review of the events surrounding the tragic death of the person concerned. The members of the panel are Mr. David Hanly, management consultant, Ms Kay O'Sullivan, director of nursing at Cork University Hospital and Dr. Shakeel A Qureshi, paediatric cardiologist at Guy's and Thomas's Hospital, London.
The terms of reference of the panel are to consider the report of the ERHA in relation to the events of 30 June 2003 at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin and to make such further inquiries and conduct such interviews as the panel considers necessary; address the questions raised by the family; examine protocols and procedures relevant to this incident having regard to prevailing standards of best practice, and to examine their application in this case; and report to the Minister and make such recommendations as it sees fit.
Following the review, both reports will be made available. My Department understands that the work of the review panel is at an advanced stage.
265 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Questions Nos. 399 of 18 November 2003 and 1028 of 29 September 2004, if he will make a decision in view of the circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23633/04]
I have been informed by officials in the citizenship section of my Department that the application for naturalisation by the person in question is now in the final stages of processing and that it will be forwarded to me for a decision in the very near future. I will inform the Deputy and the person concerned as soon as I have reached a decision in this case.
266 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has proposals to regularise the position of non-national families of children born here prior to Supreme Court judgments (details supplied) and the passing of the Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution; and, if so, his proposals in that regard. [23634/04]
Following the decision of the Supreme Court on 23 January 2003 in the cases of L and O, which held that no automatic residency rights obtain in respect of non-national parents of Irish born children, the Government decided that the separate procedure which had then existed to enable persons to apply to reside in the State on the sole basis of parentage of an Irish born child would not apply to cases which were outstanding on 19 February 2003.
I would like to emphasise that the Government has stated that every outstanding claim to reside in the State on the basis of parentage of an Irish born child will be examined and decided individually in accordance with section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999 as amended and section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996. These cases are currently being processed in a unit which was set up for this purpose. In examining these cases, factors such as family and domestic circumstances and humanitarian considerations are taken into account.
267 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a Bill has been published providing for amendment to the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2001, thereby extending to five statutes the contents of which could have been accommodated in one text. [23635/04]
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill 2004 aims, as did, for instance, the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts of 1986 and 1994, to amend and not repeal the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. The current Bill has been developed, like earlier amending Acts, in accordance with the standard norms for such amending legislation.
In April last, as part of the document setting out the Government's proposals in the context of the new proposed constitutional referendum, the Government included an informal restatement of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2001, incorporating in a single text the proposed legislative amendments, in order to provide clarity and transparency and to inform debate at that time. The Bill at present before this House is substantially the same as the draft published in April.
In accordance with my practice in respect of a number of recent legislative proposals amending existing codes of legislation, for instance, the amendments proposed in the Immigration Bill 2002 — now the Immigration Act 2003 — to the Refugee Act 1996; the amendments to equality legislation to be made by the Bill for the Equality Act 2004, it is my intention to make available shortly to Deputies and on my Department's website a version of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts as the current Bill would amend them.
When this Bill is enacted, I will arrange for an informal restatement of the consolidated texts of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2004 to be posted on the website of my Department, as a precursor to their formal restatement in accordance with the Statute Law (Restatement) Act 2002. In this way, a single statutory text will be made available for use by the public, legislators and practitioners in the manner envisaged by the Statute Law (Restatement) Act 2002.
268 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí allocated to each county in 2004 compared to the number of Gardaí in each county in 1997. [23636/04]
I have been informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources including personnel that the personnel strength — all ranks — of each Garda division as at 1 October 1997 and 5 October 2004 is as set out as follows.
|
Division |
1997 |
2004 |
|
Carlow/Kildare |
292 |
325 |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
371 |
375 |
|
Clare |
218 |
260 |
|
Cork City |
543 |
618 |
|
Cork North |
214 |
248 |
|
Cork West |
227 |
250 |
|
D.M.R East |
491 |
535 |
|
D.M.R. N.C |
521 |
639 |
|
D.M.R. North |
533 |
585 |
|
D.M.R. S.C. |
748 |
788 |
|
D.M.R. South |
455 |
548 |
|
D.M.R West |
488 |
643 |
|
Donegal |
438 |
418 |
|
Galway West |
311 |
359 |
|
Kerry |
230 |
265 |
|
Laois/Offaly |
279 |
277 |
|
Limerick |
427 |
479 |
|
Longford/Westmeath |
235 |
247 |
|
Louth/Meath |
492 |
535 |
|
Mayo |
260 |
268 |
|
Roscommon/Galway East |
231 |
247 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
256 |
268 |
|
Tipperary |
293 |
314 |
|
Waterford/Kilkenny |
305 |
349 |
|
Wexford/Wicklow |
270 |
310 |
County boundaries do not correlate to Garda divisional boundaries. The figure for the DMR south central includes command and control.
269 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will investigate the case of a person (details supplied). [23637/04]
The person concerned, a Romanian national, entered the State on 6 October 1996 and claimed asylum. He withdrew his application for declaration of refugee status on 24 April 1998 and made an application for residency based on his parentage of an Irish born child. On 21 March 2002 a registered letter issued to the person concerned requesting documentation to support his application. This letter was returned marked "not called for". On 6 November 2002 my Department again wrote to the person concerned requesting the information and a response was received on 19 November 2002.
Following the decision of the Supreme Court in the cases of L and O, the separate procedure which then existed to enable persons to apply to reside in the State on the sole basis of parentage of an Irish born child ended on 19 February 2003. The Government decided that the separate procedure would not apply to cases which were outstanding on that date. The application from the person concerned fell into this category.
On 10 November 2003, in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, the person concerned was informed that it was proposed to make a deportation order in respect of him as he did not have permission to remain in the State. He was given the following options — to make written representations within 15 working days to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform setting out reasons as to why he should not be deported; to voluntarily leave the State or to consent to deportation. An application for leave to remain in the State was received from his legal representatives on 15 December 2003. The file will be submitted to me for decision in due course and the person concerned will be informed of the outcome accordingly. The issuing of work permits, which is also referred to in the Deputy's question, is a matter for the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
270 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made on an application for citizenship for a person (details supplied); the residency status of the person pending this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23638/04]
An application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 23 June 2004. The average processing time for such applications is currently 24 months, consequently it is anticipated that the application should be finalised around June 2006.
In the meantime, the individual concerned should ensure that he has current permission to remain in the State and in this regard he should make an application in writing to the immigration division of my Department.
271 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to the points raised by the Coalition Against the Deportation of Irish Children in a letter dated 8 July 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23640/04]
A reply to the letter from the Coalition Against the Deportation of Irish Children referred to by the Deputy has issued. In addition to responding to the points raised, the offer of a meeting with senior officials of my Department dealing with the issue was made. Arrangements have now been made for a meeting in the near future.
272 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason he is refusing to meet members of the National Association of Regional Game Council to discuss aspects of the Criminal Justice Bill 2004. [23642/04]
I and officials of my Department have previously met with representatives of holders of firearms certificates in connection with proposed amendments of the provisions of the Firearms Acts.
As the Deputy is aware, section 30 of the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, published in July 2004, amends section 4 of the Firearms Act 1925 to improve security arrangements for the storage of firearms. Additional amendments to the Firearms Acts will be brought forward during the Bill's passage through the Oireachtas to further improve and modernise the firearms code.
When the Bill was published an invitation was issued to the general public inviting views on this provision to be posted via my Department's website. My Department has received a large number of comments in response. These will be taken into account in the drafting of the other amendments which are under consideration at present. In this context, officials of my Department can again meet with representatives of the NARGC to hear their views.
273 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the arrangements which are in place for the use of bullet-proof vests by members of the Garda Síochána; the cost of each vest; his views on whether an adequate number of bullet-proof vests are available; if their availability is not endangering the lives of members of the force or hindering the pursuit of criminals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23645/04]
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that bullet-proof vests are issued to members of an Garda Síochána as required, based upon risk assessments and operational conditions. These bullet-proof vests are available in every Garda district in the country and are issued whenever members are performing high-risk duties.
Garda management is satisfied that there are an adequate number of vests available to ensure that the lives of members of an Garda Síochána are not placed in danger, or that the pursuit of criminals is not hindered. I have been informed that the approximate cost of a bullet-proof vest, including VAT, is €480.
274 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the policy changes which have taken place in relation to the response given by him in answer to Question No. 463 of 17 February 2004; the reason for such changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23646/04]
I presume the Deputy is referring to section 9 of the Immigration Act 2004 which removed the registration exemption from the female spouses of Irish nationals.
Subject to certain exemptions, article 11 of the Aliens Order 1946 imposed an obligation on non-EEA nationals to register with their local Garda registration office. One of the exempted categories was the female spouse of an Irish citizen — a category of exemption which was first introduced in 1938. No similar exemption existed in respect of the male spouses of Irish nationals or indeed other females who may for example be married to EEA nationals.
Section 9 of the aforementioned Act re-enacted with amendments the provisions of article 11. The opportunity was taken in the 2004 legislation, as indicated in the explanatory memorandum which accompanied the Bill, to remedy this inequality of treatment — an inequality which reflected the social mores of 1938 and which was not justifiable within a modern statutory framework.
It should be noted in this context that even though the spouses in question were exempt from the registration requirement they were nonetheless required by law to have permission to remain stamped in their passports. Since, save in very exceptional situations, extensions of permission to remain and registration take place at the same time the practical effects of the new requirement are not as onerous as might initially appear to be the case.
275 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the Land Registry Office will be in a position to issue a deed of rectification (details supplied) to exchange the legal ownership of these plots. [23647/04]
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for a rectification which was lodged on 21 June 2004. Dealing number D2004CK022030R refers. I am further informed that this application is receiving attention in the Land Registry and will be completed as soon as possible.
276 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has made a decision on foot of the recommendations he received in respect of the night closure of certain Garda stations; and if the suggested possible increase in gardaí on the street following such closures refers to night patrols, day patrols or a continuation of both. [23650/04]
The final report of the Garda Síochána SMI steering group makes recommendations in relation to the use of Garda stations in the Dublin metropolitan region and proposes four different types of station based on public demand. During the course of reviews it was found that between 80% and 90% of customers call to Garda stations during regular office hours. There are very few callers outside these hours, and fewer still during the night time.
The types of station being proposed range from divisional headquarters with offices, custody suites, staff facilities and a public office on a 24-hour basis, to public offices which would open between one and eight hours a day to facilitate the various requirements of the public. The objective of reduced public opening hours is to release gardaí from public counters at times when there is little demand for their services for duty on the streets of the city where they are needed.
The report estimates that these proposals to change the opening hours of public offices in about a dozen stations in the Dublin metropolitan region could release the equivalent of 240 full time gardaí and sergeants onto the streets at times when their visible presence would assist in the prevention of crime. However, I should point out that the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, is the responsibility of the Garda authorities.
I have made no decision on this or any other proposal in the report, but I intend to bring appropriate proposals to Government in the near future. In this and many other aspects of the report, the Garda Commissioner will under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Bill 2004 have enhanced responsibilities in preparing proposals for organisational reform, and I believe that this report will be of considerable assistance to him in that task.
277 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will take steps to restore order in a housing estate (details supplied) in Dublin 12; if senior Garda management will act in concert with Dublin City Council to restore law and order and to give the vast majority of decent people who live in the estate respite from this continuing ordeal of harassment and intimidation. [23706/04]
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that Crumlin Garda station and Dublin City Council work closely together in relation to the housing estate in question. They have further informed me that information has been supplied to the council by the Garda authorities under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997, and two families are currently before the courts.
I understand that the majority of calls to the estate relate to children or young persons involved in general disorder. Of the 14 calls to the estate by the Garda Síochána since 1 September 2004, eight have referred to public order offences occurring at the entrance to the estate where these youths congregate. I can inform the Deputy that a community Garda was assigned to the area and patrols the estate on a regular basis. The area is also patrolled by local uniformed and plain clothes personnel. The divisional task force and drugs units are also involved in the area.
There is also a Garda youth diversion project in the area. The project has a full time co-ordinator and works with approximately 35 young persons between the ages of 12 and 17. This project is a community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiative which seeks to divert young persons from becoming involved — or further involved — in anti-social and-or criminal behaviour by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility and improve long-term employability prospects. By doing so, the project also contributes to improving the quality of life in communities and enhancing Garda-community relations. I am assured that the estate in question will continue to receive Garda attention.
278 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made in regard to an habitual residency form application for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23707/04]
The applicant in question is a national of one of the ten states which joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.
Prior to that date, a proposal to deport had issued to the person concerned. On 19 July 2004 a notification of the revocation of the proposal to deport was issued to this person at his last known address and to his solicitor. The correspondence to the person was returned, marked "gone away". If the applicant wishes to forward his current address to my Department the notification will re-issue and his identification card will be returned.
279 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will instruct the Land Registry Office to expedite a dealing for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23781/04]
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for a transfer order which was lodged on 24 March 2004. Dealing number D2004SM002645N refers. I am further informed that this dealing was completed on 25 August 2004.
280 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will instruct the Land Registry Office to expedite dealing applications pending on a folio for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23782/04]
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that there is no record of an application pending on the folio number quoted by the Deputy at present. If the Deputy can provide me with the date of lodgment of the application and a Land Registry reference number I will make further inquiries on his behalf.
281 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will instruct the Land Registry Office to expedite a section 49 application for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23783/04]
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application under section 49 — acquisition of title by virtue of long possession — of the Registration of Title Act 1964, which was lodged on 22 June 2004 — dealing number D2004SM005209H refers. I am further informed that this application was completed on 28 September 2004.
282 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will instruct the Land Registry Office to expedite a section 49 application lodged for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23784/04]
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application under section 49 — acquisition of title by virtue of long possession — under the Registration of Title Act 1964, which was lodged on 16 June 2004. Dealing number D2004SM005024Y refers. I understand that due to their complicated nature, applications under section 49, which require detailed examination of claims for registration as owners, can take some time to process. Accordingly, it is not possible to estimate a completion date at this stage. I am further informed that the application is receiving attention in the Land Registry and will be completed as soon as possible.
283 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government , further to Question No. 16 of 30 September 2004, the EU directives and regulations regarding which the Government is still in dispute with the European Union; the status of the dispute in each case; and the level of penalty that may be incurred in each case. [23694/04]
I refer to the reply to Question No. 16 of 30 September, which set out the range of issues in which my Department is in correspondence with the European Commission in relation to possible breaches of EU environmental legislation, and the status of the sole case in which the Commission has applied to the European Court of Justice for a daily fine.
The table following provides a more detailed breakdown of these cases in terms of the relevant directives or regulations and the current stage of the process. However, as I stated in my answer of 30 September, the vast majority of issues are resolved without recourse to the European Court of Justice.
|
Number of cases at each stage |
|||||
|
Directive / Regulation |
Article 226 (i) |
Reasoned Opinion (Article 226) (ii) |
ECJ stage and beyond (iii) |
ECJ daily fines pending (iv) |
Total |
|
2000/53/EC — End of life vehicles |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
2001/80/EC — Limitation of emission from large combustion plants |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
2001/81/EC — Emissions ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
|
2002/3/EC — Ozone in ambient air |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
2003/35/EC — Public participation in drawing up certain plans and programmes |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
2003/87/EC — Greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
75/442/EC — Waste |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
76/160/EC —Bathing water quality |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
76/464/EC — Dangerous substances |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
79/409/EC — Conservation of wild birds |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
|
79/923/EC — Quality of shellfish water |
— |
1 |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
80/68/EC — Protection of groundwater |
— |
3 |
— |
— |
3 |
|
80/778 — Quality of drinking water |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
85/337/EC — Environment Impact Assessment |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
|
87/101/EC — Disposal of waste oil |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
88/540/EC— Protection of ozone layer |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
91/156/EC — Waste (amending) |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
91/271/EC — Urban waste water treatment |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
|
92/43/EC — Habitats |
9 |
4 |
2 |
— |
15 |
|
93/36/EC — Procedures for awarding public contracts |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
94/62/EC — Packaging waste |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
96/61/EC — Integrated pollution prevention and control |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
2 |
|
96/82/EC — Control of major accident hazards |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
97/11/EC — Environment impact assessment (amending) |
9 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
|
97/62/EC — Habitats — adaptation to technical and scientific progress |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
98/24/EC — Protection of health of workers from chemical agents |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
99/30/EC — limit values in ambient air |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
2002/37/EC — Regulations concerning substances depleting ozone layer |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
Conformity with Article 10 of the EC Treaty |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
31 |
24 |
9 |
1 |
65 |
Explanation of above stages
(i)Where the Commission considers that a MemberState has failed to fulfil an obligation in respect of legislation, article 226 of the Treaty establishing the European Union allows them to invite the Member State to submit observations on the case.
(ii)Where Member States fail to satisfy the Commission under article 226, a reasoned opinion is issued.
(iii)In cases where the Commission is not satisfied that Member States have met the requirements of the reasoned opinion, the case may then be referred to the European Court of Justice. If the case is proven, the Member State is obliged to implement the findings of the Court.
(iv)Failure to implement the findings of the Court can result in the Commission returning to the Court to seek imposition of a daily fine for non-compliance.
284 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of sewerage and water schemes in County Clare which have received funding in 2004. [23711/04]
Details of 22 major water and sewerage schemes, including bundled schemes, approved for funding in County Clare are set out in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library. In addition, a block grant allocation of €6.1 million has been notified to the council in respect of the devolved rural water programme.
285 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of sewerage and water schemes in County Clare awaiting approval in his Department. [23712/04]
I am forwarding to the Deputy a list of the water and sewerage schemes identified by Clare County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities in 2003 to produce updated assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. This assessment is the council's most up to date and complete statement to my Department of its current water and sewerage infrastructure proposals. Details of approved schemes in County Clare are set out in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library.
286 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the provision of a grant for a community organisation (details supplied) in County Limerick. [23713/04]
My Department has no record of any current grant application or correspondence in relation to the organisation referred to in the question.
287 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the way in which the presence of shags and cormorants is having on fish stocks in the Royal and Grand Canals. [23714/04]
The birds in question would generally be cormorants, as shags are a strictly marine species and would be found only near those parts of the canals that are adjacent to the sea.
I understand that Central Fisheries Board monitors and manages fish stocks in the Grand and Royal Canals on behalf of Waterways Ireland, and that this involves the ongoing release of wild fish in areas where numbers are down.
The Central Fisheries Board acknowledges that cormorants can cause minor local problems where new fish stocks have been released into the canals as they are attracted by the increased fish numbers. However, where natural fish populations occur, as is the case along most of the canal systems including the Grand and Royal Canals, it is considered that cormorant predation does not have any significant adverse impact. Cormorants are natural fish predators and the predation of fish by birds and animals is a part of the natural ecological cycle that supports balance and sustainability in the population of different organisms, including fish.
288 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason a consultant forum was not held in Cork despite fora having been held in Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Carrick-on-Shannon and Dublin to hear submissions from the public in relation to the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy 2001-08. [23737/04]
As the Deputy is aware, a mid-term review of the national drugs strategy is currently under way. As part of the review an extensive consultation process is being carried out, including a series of regional seminars throughout the country to which the Deputy refers.
Given that the review must be completed by late 2004 or early 2005, the consultation process must be carried out within relatively tight time parameters. This is to allow sufficient time for the steering group — which is overseeing the review — to consider the issues raised in the consultations and also to consider what re-focusing of the strategy, if any, may be necessary, for the remaining period up to 2008.
Given the overall timeframe, the Deputy will appreciate that the number of regional sessions has to be limited. However, I believe that the locations chosen provide for as wide a geographical spread as possible and are readily accessible.
289 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will reconsider the decision in relation to the withdrawal of funds and closure of the rural action project at Kilrush, County Clare. [23738/04]
I refer the Deputy to Question No. 1269 of 29 September 2004 in regard to this matter.
290 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will improve family income supplement in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23526/04]
Family income supplement, FIS, is designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families and thereby preserve the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments.
The range of improvements to the family income supplement scheme instituted in recent years, including the assessment of FIS on the basis of net rather than gross income and the progressive increases in the income limits, have made it easier for lower income households to qualify under the scheme.
Budget 2004 provided for further increases in the FIS income limits with effect from January 2004. These increases raised the weekly income limits by €28 at each point, adding an extra €16.80 to the payments of most existing FIS recipients.
The minimum FIS weekly payment was also increased by €7, from €13 to €20. The average weekly payment now stands at €76.83 per week, with a total of 14,040 families receiving a supplement under the scheme. The question of further improvements to the income thresholds is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context, having regard to available resources and Government commitments.
291 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of rent allowance refusals arising from budgetary cuts in the year to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23527/04]
It is not possible to quantify the number of applications for rent supplement which have been refused on account of the new measures. However, 27,229 applications for rent supplement were awarded since the end of January when the new measures came into effect. This figure includes first time applicants as well as people who move to new accommodation.
The impact of the measures is being closely monitored. In addition to ongoing contacts between my Department and the health boards, a working group was established under the Sustaining Progress agreement, to facilitate engagement with the social partners in relation to monitoring the impact of the changes to the scheme. The working group, which was chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, included representatives from ICTU and the community and voluntary pillar as well as my Department and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
A study of 498 randomly selected rent supplement applications which were refused since the measures came into effect in January 2004 found that only 11% of the refusals were because of the new measures and many of these cases would have been refused in any event.
The group concluded that, based on the examination of the sample cases and discussions with community welfare officers, the new measures were not having any significant, adverse impacts having regard to the design of the measures, including the operation of the appropriate levels of discretion by the community welfare officers.
292 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has satisfied himself that claims for various payments involving national and overseas contributions are processed as expeditiously as possible with particular reference to countries with which Ireland has bilateral agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23528/04]
Bilateral social security agreements are in place with seven countries, namely, Austria, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the USA and Switzerland. A bilateral understanding also exists with Quebec since 1994. By far the largest number of cases involving EU and bilateral pro rata pension entitlement are those with UK insurance. For all schemes, the time taken to process claims that fall to be examined under EU and bilateral agreements is longer than that for standard Irish entitlements reflecting the added complexity that arises in determining entitlements under these agreements. While every effort is made to minimise processing times, the overriding objective in dealing with these claims is to ensure that people receive their full entitlements.
At the present time, the EU section of my Department dealing with retirement and old age contributory pensions, which make up the bulk of EU and bilateral pensions, has a backlog of cases which is resulting in delays in processing these claims. The position is being kept under constant review and steps to further improve the situation will be taken as circumstances and other demands permit.
I would like to assure the Deputy that delays in processing applications will not result in any losses to pensioners and those who qualify for payment will have their claims backdated fully in accordance with the normal regulations for backdating pension claims.
293 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will consider improvements to the free schemes with particular reference to extending the payment to younger widows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23529/04]
The household benefits package of schemes, which comprises the electricity, gas allowances, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who fulfil a means test.
The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments such as invalidity pension and disability allowance. People aged over 70 years of age can qualify regardless of their income or household composition. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefit package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.
A range of proposals has been made to extend the free schemes to other groups. These are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources.
294 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to improve child benefit payments in the coming year with particular reference to the need to recognise cost of living requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23530/04]
The policy direction followed by successive Governments has been to concentrate resources for child income support on the child benefit scheme. Child benefit is neutral vis-à-vis the employment status of parents and therefore does not contribute to unemployment or poverty traps.
Over the period since 1997, monthly rate of child benefit has increased by between €93.51, at the lower rate of payment, and €115.78, at the higher rate. These are very substantial increases of 246% and 234% respectively, compared with inflation of 26.9% over the period.
In budget 2001, the Minister for Finance announced a multi-annual programme of increases in child benefit to the value of €1.27 billion over three years. This was subsequently extended to five years, to be completed in budget 2005. Provision for this will be a matter for consideration in a budgetary context.
295 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will give consideration to making positive improvements to the means test which is urgently in need of revision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23531/04]
Social assistance payments feature a means test which is intended to ensure that available resources are targeted at those most in need.
In recent years, considerable improvements have been made to means tests to allow persons to qualify more easily for payments, to retain more of their income before payments are withdrawn or to withdraw payments more gradually if means exceed a certain level.
The improvements have included the fact that the income disregard for carer's allowance was increased from €191 to €250 — single — and from €382 to €500 — couple — over budgets 2003 and 2004. This amounts to a €59 increase in the disregard for a single person and a €118 increase in the disregard for a couple. The assessment of benefit and privilege for unemployment assistance recipients who are living in the parental home was abolished for those aged 29 years or more, with effect from May 2003. This initiative was further developed in budget 2004 when the maximum age was reduced further to 26 years.
The past two budgets have also allocated an increase in the income disregard for the family income supplement, FIS, payment of €5, for all family sizes. In addition, budget 2004 abolished the assessment of rent supplement from the calculation of assessable income for the payment of family income supplement, thus ensuring that people in receipt of FIS and rent supplement retain the full value of their payments.
In line with the current arrangements for one parent family payment, the treatment of maintenance in the assessment of means for disability allowance, unemployment assistance, farm assist, pre-retirement allowance, old age non-contributory pension, widow's and widower's pension and blind person's pension was standardised in budget 2003. Any further changes to the current means assessment arrangements would require the allocation of additional resources and, accordingly, would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
296 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in the context of the estimates currently under consideration, he will make provision to extend the carers allowance to a wider group of persons, in view of the fact that there are vastly many more carers than those currently in receipt of a payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23532/04]
The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit.
There are currently 22,300 persons in receipt of the allowance, which is some 55% of those stated to be caring full-time in the census of 2003. The cost of the payment in 2004 is estimated to be €208.3 million.
Supporting carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced. Any further improvements to the scheme which involve additional expenditure will be considered in a budgetary context.
297 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the plans he has to restore or reinstate the various social welfare payments withdrawn in budget 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23533/04]
298 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has evaluated the hardship caused arising from social welfare cuts introduced in budget 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23534/04]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together.
The Estimates for the Department of Social and Family Affairs announced last November, included a number of provisions to better target resources within the social welfare code. As my predecessor previously indicated to the House, the implementation of all of the Estimates measures has been kept under review and there are no plans to change any of the measures currently in place.
These measures produced significant savings which, in turn, freed up resources towards a substantial budget 2004 package of €630 million. This enabled the provision of increases well ahead of inflation for all social welfare recipients of weekly payments as well as significant improvements in social welfare provisions generally.
299 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of carers allowances that have been curtailed, reduced or refused in 2004 arising from budgetary cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23535/04]
There are currently 22,300 persons in receipt of carers allowance. There have been no budgetary cuts relating to the scheme. The provision of support to carers has been a priority objective of this Government. The position of carers has been significantly enhanced each year through improvements to the scheme and this will continue to be a priority. For example, budget 2004 increased income disregards for a single person to €250 and for a married couple to €500. Additionally, increases to the respite care grant were made.
Payment has been discontinued in some cases and refused in others for a variety of reasons in the course of the ongoing administration of the scheme. There is a review mechanism in all of my Department's schemes to ensure that entitlement conditions in individual cases continue to be satisfied. This is achieved through a process of selective and periodic review of appropriate cases.
According to departmental records thus far this year 1,523 persons were disallowed carers allowance. This includes cases where appeals or re-applications may currently be in progress. My Department has received 5,655 new applications for the allowance up to 24 September this year; 5,231 have been determined of which 2,021 were refused payment as they did not satisfy the eligibility criteria.
In all such review cases resulting in disallowance or refusal, the persons concerned are informed of the decision and the reasons for it. They were also advised of their right of appeal to the social welfare appeals office. Under social welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
300 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average waiting time for new applicants per benefit; the steps he proposes to introduce to reduce this time; and the average timescale particularly for persons who have recently suffered a bereavement and await a survivor’s pension. [23467/04]
My Department aims to provide a prompt, efficient service to all our customers. Applications for social welfare payments are processed and entitlements are issued as quickly as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions which apply to each scheme.
These conditions vary from scheme to scheme. In the case of insurance-based schemes, the person's contribution record must be established. For illness or disability schemes, medical certification by the applicant's own doctor is required and it may be necessary for a medical assessor of my Department to carry out an assessment to ensure the medical conditions of the scheme are fulfilled.
Assistance schemes require, inter alia, an assessment of the person’s means to be carried out. This may involve a visit to the person’s home by an inspector of my Department.
On average, the length of time taken to award claims for disability benefit, unemployment schemes and child benefit ranges from two to three weeks. Claims for old age, invalidity pensions and family income supplement take an average of six to nine weeks to process and cases where the conditions of entitlement are more complex, such as payments for carers, one parent families and disability allowance cases, currently require between ten and 20 weeks on average to finalise. Bereavement grants and widows pension claims take three to five weeks. Once a claim is decided payment is normally made within one week.
Details of the average clearance times for new claims for the month of August 2004, and year to-date including August, on a scheme by scheme basis, are in the table which I will make available to the Deputy. The over-riding consideration in processing claims is to ensure that customers receive their correct entitlement and decisions are not taken until all appropriate information is available.
Improving customer service is a priority of my Department. In regard to clearance times, performance targets have been set for all of the main schemes and these are published and reported on. My Department has also commenced the introduction of the service delivery model, a new IT and business system which will improve customer service using the most up to date technology and business models.
The programme will also facilitate integration of services and will introduce efficiencies which will have beneficial effects on the processing of claims. The first phase of this system is already in place for child benefit. It has enabled a radical re-engineering of the child benefit application process by dovetailing with the computerised birth registration data flowing from the new civil registration system. As a result of these changes, in the case of first born children, partially completed claim forms are issued automatically to the mother for her signature and for payment instructions. For second and subsequent children an increase in child benefit is awarded and put into payment automatically.
This service delivery modernisation programme is being extended to other schemes on a progressive basis. The second phase of this programme, which covers contributory retirement and old age pensions, schemes related household benefit schemes and bereavement grants, was initiated in June 2004. It will be implemented during the second half of 2005.
301 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are new proposals in his Department to assist families of persons with disabilities; and if the Disability Bill 2004 will lead to improved services for all persons with disabilities. [23469/04]
My Department operates a number of schemes which provide income support to persons who are unfit to work because of illness or who are substantially handicapped from doing work which would otherwise be suitable for a person of that age, experience and qualifications. These schemes include disability allowance, invalidity pension, disability benefit, blind persons pension and the cost of free schemes provided to persons on illness or disability schemes. My Department also provides supports to carers of persons with disabilities through the carers allowance and benefit schemes as well as through the award of respite care grants.
In line with normal practice, improvements to these schemes will be considered in the context of the annual budget, taking into account Government commitments and the availability of resources. On 21 September, the Government launched a national disability strategy to underpin the participation of people with disabilities in society with a particular emphasis on the provision of public services. The strategy has a number of implications for my Department. These are the assignment of new responsibilities arising from the Disability Bill 2004, the publication of the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 and the publication of a sectoral plan with details of services for persons with disabilities.
The Disability Bill is designed to support the provision of disability specific services to people with disabilities and to improve access to mainstream public services for people with disabilities, in addition to the requirement to publish a sectoral plan. At the same time of the publication of the strategy, my Department published, in outline form, a sectoral plan which provides information in relation to income and employment support schemes, details in relation to claim processing times, complaints procedures and arrangements for consultation with people with disabilities. The Disability Bill also provides a statutory basis for accessible public buildings and services and positive action for the employment in the public service which will have implications for my Department.
The Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 will allow for the introduction of personal advocacy services specifically for people with disabilities. The new service will be administered by Comhairle, which is an agency under the body of my Department, and envisages the provision of a personal advocate to persons with a disability who have difficulty in obtaining, without assistance or support, a social service.
302 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will outline the guidelines issued by his Department in relation to the payment of a supplementary welfare rent allowance to a participant in a community employment scheme, having regard to the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23716/04]
Subject to certain conditions the supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of rent supplement to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs. Supplementary welfare allowance is not normally payable to people who are engaged in full-time employment. However, arrangements have been in place for a number of years which allow people to retain a portion of their rent supplement where they take up employment through approved schemes, such as community employment, subject to a weekly household income limit of €317.43.
A number of improvements in the rules governing the retention of rent supplement have been made in recent years. The period for which rent supplement may be retained has been extended to four years on a tapered basis i.e. 75% in year one, 50% in year two and 25% in years three and four. In addition, the upper limit of €317.43 per month on the amount of supplement payable was abolished for people on the approved schemes.
Furthermore, back to work allowance and family income supplement, in cases where one or both of these are in payment, are now disregarded in the assessment of the €317.43 weekly income limit. PRSI and reasonable travelling expenses are also disregarded in the means test.
A participant in community employment may opt to be assessed in accordance with the tapered withdrawal system or standard supplementary welfare allowance rules and will be entitled to whichever option is more beneficial.
Under standard assessment rules, rent supplements are calculated to ensure that an eligible person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum contribution of €13, which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources. Up to €50 in respect of additional income from part-time employment is disregarded in the means test thus ensuring that a person is better off as a result of taking up such an opportunity. Community employment is regarded as part-time employment for these purposes.
The Northern Area Health Board was contacted regarding this particular case and has advised that, following her commencement on the community employment scheme, the level of the person's household income exceeded the €317.43 limit applicable to the tapered withdrawal system and accordingly the amount of rent supplement payable was calculated in accordance with standard supplementary welfare allowance rules.
The board has confirmed that the person concerned is in receipt of the appropriate rate of rent supplement for her circumstances. She has €65.00 per week more disposable income as a result of participating in the community employment scheme.
303 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason incorrect information was given in a reply to Question No. 1305 of 29 September 2004. [23772/04]
The information given in the reply in question was not incorrect. The person in question was disallowed carer's allowance with effect from 12 May 2004. Following numerous requests for details of her husband's gross income so that her means and entitlement to carer's allowance could be determined, the Deputy submitted details of her husband's net earnings which were received by my Department on 2 September 2004. These were not sufficient to determine her entitlement to carer's allowance.
My Department has subsequently been in contact with the person concerned to provide the necessary information. On receipt of this information her entitlement will be further considered. Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
