Written Answers Nos. 98 - 106
98. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as there is undue delay in the processing of their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43986/12]
View answerAn application for carer’s allowance was received from the person concerned on the 26th of April 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
99. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43988/12]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 10th September 2012. The application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will issue to the customer.
It can currently take up to 8 weeks to process a DCA application.
100. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the situation whereby trades persons who formerly worked in the construction industry and who need to re-skill on FETAC courses and maximise opportunities to gain alternative employment are excluded form qualifying for the back to education allowance due to previous FÁS training which is classified as level 6 (details supplied). [43990/12]
View answerA person wishing to pursue the back to education allowance (BTEA) will have to satisfy a number of conditions such as being a certain age, in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and progressing in the level of education held by the client with reference to the national framework of qualifications among others.
Progression in education is a condition which is not unique to BTEA, indeed State support for education purposes is grounded on a student progressing from one qualification level to a higher one. This is necessary to ensure displacement does not occur, in that courses could be offered to students who are not progressing at the cost of students progressing from a lower education level. BTEA guidelines are, in the main, in line with the mechanisms in place for similar student supports administered by the Department of Education and Skills and require student progression from one qualification level to a higher one. Furthermore, the BTEA scheme is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system.
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland has responsibility for the development and implementation of the National Framework of Qualifications.
My Department is currently reviewing a wide range of activation supports available to DSP customers, including BTEA, and it is my intention to canvass the views of stakeholders as part of the implementation process resulting from the review.
101. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for carer’s allowance will be determined in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who was recently awarded domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43992/12]
View answerAn application for carer’s allowance was received from the person concerned on the 8th of June 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
102. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a redundancy payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44005/12]
View answerAn application for a redundancy lump sum payment in relation to the person concerned has recently been awarded. Payment will shortly issue to the person’s chosen bank account.
104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct level of rent supplement payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44048/12]
View answerThe person concerned is in receipt of his full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on his household circumstances as described in his application.
105. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason social welfare payment ceased in respect of an entire family during the period of the absence of one member of the family, if she will facilitate immediate reinstatement and payment of any arrears due in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44049/12]
View answerThe person concerned left the State on 1st August 2012 without notifying his Social Welfare Local Office, and as a result payments of his jobseekers allowance were stopped. The absence continued until 13th September 2012 whereupon his jobseekers allowance was reinstated from 14th September 2012. He was not entitled to payments for his dependants while he was absent from the State.
106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the application for carers allowance will be reviewed or appealed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44050/12]
View answerThe application from the person in question for carer’s allowance was refused on medical grounds. A social welfare appeals officer, having fully considered all the available evidence allowed the appeal of the person concerned against the refusal on medical grounds and the relevant papers were received back in carer’s allowance section on the 10th of October 2012. The claim is now with a deciding officer for a revised decision and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
