Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2011
421 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24162/11]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department made 9 additional appointments to the office earlier this year.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but she will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
422 Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider whereby persons on social welfare could be offered community employment to gather off-cuts of timber from the thousands of acres of forestry here to be used for families in receipt of fuel allowance in view of the fact that such off-cuts, which are not used by the timber industry, are simply left in the woods to rot, a process which takes many years, while many low income families would be greatly helped by the availability of such low-cost renewable fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24164/11]
View answerThe number of places on the Community Employment Programme (CE) are determined by government in line with budget allocation on an annual basis. Currently, the 23,300 place allocation is fully subscribed. The process for applying for a CE project entails a sponsoring group, representing Community, Voluntary or Public Sectors, coming together and making an application to the FÁS regional office outlining the work to be undertaken, the training to be provided and the benefits to local jobseekers and the community.
The specific purpose of the Community Employment Programme is to support jobseekers and other disadvantaged groups to gain skills to access employment and this would need to be clearly outlined in any application.
