Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 March 2007
387 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the respite care grant is available to a person who is in receipt of an old age pension and is looking after an elderly person who is immobile and suffers from invalidity; if this old age pensioner, who has no other income, will be entitled to the new 50% allowance as and from September 2007 when it is introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8514/07]
View answerThe respite care grant is an annual payment for carers. Previously the grant was only available to carers in receipt of carer's allowance or benefit. However, from June 2005, the respite care grant was extended to all carers who are providing full time care and attention to a person who needs such care, regardless of their income. Those persons in receipt of other social welfare payments, such as state pensions but excluding jobseeker's allowance and benefit, are entitled to this payment subject to meeting the full time care condition. From June 2007, the level of the grant will increase by €300 to €1,500 per year.
In the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007, which is currently before the Oireachtas, I have provided for new arrangements whereby people in receipt of a social welfare payment, who are also providing ful l time care and attention, will be able to retain their main welfare payment and receive another payment, depending on their means, the maximum of which will be equivalent to a half rate carer's allowance. A person currently in receipt of a carer's allowance, who may have an underlying entitlement to another social welfare payment, will be able to transfer to that payment and receive up to a half rate carer's allowance.
These new arrangements will apply to almost all weekly social welfare payments including state pension contributory and non-contributory and to people in receipt of qualified adult allowances. Recipients of jobseeker's allowance or benefit will not be eligible for the new arrangements, given the nature of these payments. This is in line with the arrangements which currently apply to receipt of the respite care grant. It is estimated that approx imately 18,000 carers will benefit from this measure at cost of some €57 million in a full year.
"Towards 2016" commits the Government to continuing to review the scope for further development of the carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant. I am committed to working for, and with, carers to deliver increased benefits, supports, and services for them and their families.
388 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason rent support allowance was reduced from €754 per month to €84.90 per month in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if his attention has been drawn to the serious hardship this will cause to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8546/07]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.
Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that the person, after the payment of rent has an inc ome equal to the SWA basic weekly payment rate, less €13. This €13 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. In addition to the minimum contribution, applicants are required to contribute any assessable means which they have in excess of the appropriate SWA rate.
The Executive has advised that it had suspended payment of rent supplement in this case following the assessment of an overpayment of €3,912.90 in respect of undisclosed earnings. The person concerned contacted the Executive and agreed to discharge the overpayment through agreed monthly deductions from her revised rent supplement entitlement of €124.90 per month.
The Executive has further advised that as the one-parent family payment of the person concerned has now been reduced to take account of her part-time earnings, the entitlement to rent supplement will be re-assessed and that it will notify the person concerned of her revised entitlement to rent supplement shortly.
389 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of families in his estimation who are not claiming family income supplement at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8599/07]
View answerThe Family Income Supplement (FIS) provides income support for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves 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. There are currently 21,971 people in receipt of FIS. In Budget 2007, I have continued the re-focusing of income thresholds to include additional gains for larger families.
Research undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute in 1997, which was based on the Living In Ireland Survey 1994, suggested that fewer than one in three eligible claimants were actually in receipt of the payment. Since those with a higher entitlement are more likely to avail of the scheme, the take-up in expenditure terms was estimated to be somewhat higher, at between 35% and 38% of potential expenditure.
My Department is undertaking a specific research project to examine factors behind the level of take up for the scheme. Tenders to undertake this work have been received and these are being evaluated. I expect this process to be concluded shortly and the project to commence in the next few weeks.
390 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a decision will be made on a carer’s allowance application for persons (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8600/07]
View answerThe person concerned applied for Carer's Allowance on 2 January 2007. Following investigation her application was refused on 27 February 2007 on the grounds that her means exceed the statutory limit for receipt of this allowance.
She was notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right to 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.
