Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2004
478 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether the reforms introduced to the rent supplement scheme are having an adverse impact on large numbers of vulnerable persons. [23457/04]
View answerThe impact of the measures introduced in the rent supplement scheme was fully assessed and the manner of their implementation was carefully designed to ensure that the interests of vulnerable groups such as the homeless, the elderly and disabled were fully protected.
It is not possible to quantify precisely the numbers affected by the 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 with regard 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.
479 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will reconsider altering the regulations pertaining to one-parent family allowance payments, whereby if spouses have been awarded joint custody of children of their marriage by a court in separation proceedings, this precludes either of them from receiving the allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23472/04]
View answerIn 1997 the one-parent family payment was introduced to replace a number of schemes which catered for different categories of lone parent. These schemes included lone parents allowance, deserted wife's benefit and the non-contributory widow and widower's pension for those with dependent children.
The scheme is based on the contingency of lone parenthood and the need for social welfare support for parents with children where a person has not secured adequate, or any maintenance from the spouse or the other parent.
To qualify for one-parent family payment, a person must have the main care and charge of a child. Generally speaking, this means that the person must show that the child spends the greater amount of time, weekly, with the applicant. Under current legislation, one-parent family payment is not payable where a couple have joint equal custody of a child.
My Department's statement of strategy includes a commitment to review the income support arrangements for lone parents. Account will be taken in the review of the research carried out to date, along with policies and programmes pursued in other countries in this area. The appropriate arrangements to deal with joint custody cases will be considered in that context.
480 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and granted the old age non-contributory pension. [23483/04]
View answerPrior to reaching age 66, the person concerned was a qualified adult on her husband's old age non-contributory pension. She applied for an old age non-contributory pension in her own right in August 2004. Following assessment of her means she was awarded this pension at the maximum personal rate of €154 per week with effect from Friday, 1 October 2004, the first payment date following her 66th birthday. The husband of the person concerned has been requested by my Department to return his pension book for adjustment of the rate of payment so that new payable order books can be issued to each of them at their local post office.
481 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has ceased. [23484/04]
View answerTo qualify for unemployment assistance a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work. The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance from 27 June 2003 to 28 September 2004. Following a review, a deciding officer disallowed the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned from 29 September 2004 on the grounds that he is not genuinely seeking employment.
The person concerned has appealed this decision and his case is being sent to the social welfare appeals office for determination. It is open to the person concerned, if his means are insufficient to meet his needs, to contact his local community welfare officer, regarding assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
Under social welfare legislation, decisions on 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.
