Written Answers Nos. 329-351
329. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo and if she will expedite the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45850/12]
View answerI confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 10th February 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
330. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an application for rent supplement in respect of person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45857/12]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded rent supplement from the commencement date of her tenancy and arrears have been paid in full.
331. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; and when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45858/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 23rd July 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
332. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will abstain from enforcing further cuts on senior citizens in Budget 2013; if she will protect the free travel pass as many senior citizens use this to travel to hospital appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45862/12]
View answerExpenditure on pensions in my Department amounts to nearly €6.26 billion in 2012 or 30.4% of total expenditure. As regards free travel, the cost of the scheme has risen substantially in recent years, from almost €46 million for 608,000 customers in 2001 to over €75 million for 726,000 customers in 2011. Expenditure on the scheme has been frozen since 2010. The Comprehensive Expenditure Report, 2012 – 2014, published last December, provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €1,033 million over the next two years in the Department of Social Protection’s budget. This includes €540 million of new savings to be achieved in Budget 2013. Reducing overall expenditure in 2013 and beyond in line with these targets will be very challenging. The Government has not yet finalised its consideration of these matters. The level of expenditure on pensions and other schemes within my Department in 2013 will be announced on Budget Day.
333. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) was to move home to live with their parents, if their back to education allowance which currently involves a zero payment be reassessed and a payment be instituted. [45870/12]
View answerThe person concerned has appealed the decision that he is not entitled to a weekly payment of back to education allowance following the reassessment of his means due to his partner’s income. This will be decided upon by the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. It is not for my Department to suggest that the person concerned should change his domestic circumstances in order to avail of a social welfare payment at a higher rate than which he is entitled to; indeed there are grounds for disallowance in such circumstances.
335. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for children's allowance and guardian allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will expedite a positive response. [45908/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a guardians payment (contributory) appeal, by the person concerned, was received in that office on 21st September 2012 and will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence or, if required, hold an oral hearing. No appeal has been received in relation to Child Benefit from the person. 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.
337. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a jobseeker's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [45929/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11th May 2012 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
338. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will update Dáil Éireann on her reforms of community employment schemes; if she envisages any criteria changes that would facilitate participation of persons who are currently in receipt of PRSI credits including persons who took voluntary redundancy from the public sector in line with the Croke Park Agreement in 2010 and 2011 in CE schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45946/12]
View answerThe core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as defined on the Department’s website. This requirement is based on Government policy and Departmental guidelines and has been the rule since CE commenced in 1994. At present persons signing for credits or otherwise ineligible for a social welfare payment, do not meet the current eligibility requirements for participation on the CE Scheme. They may, however, be eligible for participation on other programmes, although they may not qualify for payment of an allowance e.g. FÁS training courses. Such persons are advised to contact their local Employment Services Office or Intreo office (where available) where an Employment Services Officer will be happy to discuss the employment and training options that are open to them.
There are no proposals currently under consideration in regard to making changes to the national operation of the Community Employment Programme. Within the current very difficult budgetary constraints, the number of places on Community Employment has been maintained at 23,300 in 2012. In delivering these places, the Department will continue to operate flexibly in the management of this allocation in order to maximise progression to the labour market, while at the same time facilitating the support of community services.
339. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when carer's allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46025/12]
View answerThis application for carer's allowance has been in payment since the 3rd July 2012 and all arrears have issued.
340. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for supplementary welfare allowance will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46029/12]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 19th September 2012 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been determined. 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.
341. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46031/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 24th July 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
342. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carer's allowance applications processed by her Department per month over the past six months; the number of applications received, granted and refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46040/12]
View answer343. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that her Department are currently processing carer's allowance applications submitted in November 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46041/12]
View answer344. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carer's allowance applications received in her Department for the six months preceding November 2011; and the number of applications received, granted and refused. [46042/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 342 to 344, inclusive, together.
Please find the information requested is the tables below. The first table outlines the number of carer’s allowance applications registered, decided, awarded, disallowed and refused for the past six months. The second table shows the same information for the six months preceding November 2011.
|
Month 2012 |
Applications Registered |
Applications Decided |
Applications Awarded |
Applications Disallowed |
Applications Withdrawn |
|
May |
1869 |
1252 |
666 |
440 |
146 |
|
June |
740 |
1318 |
646 |
536 |
136 |
|
July |
2302 |
1676 |
764 |
771 |
141 |
|
August |
2112 |
1600 |
792 |
651 |
157 |
|
September |
1147 |
1317 |
724 |
480 |
113 |
|
October* |
672* |
1804* |
900* |
727* |
177* |
*Up to week ending 21/10/12
|
Month 2011 |
Applications Registered |
Applications Decided |
Applications Awarded |
Applications Disallowed |
Applications Withdrawn |
|
May |
1374 |
1021 |
589 |
306 |
126 |
|
June |
1074 |
698 |
411 |
234 |
53 |
|
July |
1482 |
1618 |
900 |
568 |
150 |
|
August |
793 |
982 |
564 |
368 |
50 |
|
September |
2710 |
1195 |
631 |
481 |
83 |
|
October |
2232 |
1185 |
634 |
440 |
111 |
I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer’s allowance claims at present is not satisfactory but I am satisfied that the Department is taking appropriate action to resolve the situation.
Carer’s allowance section has recently completed a major service delivery modernisation project to improve the efficiency with which it processes applications from clients for carer’s allowance. The project involved the development of IT functionality and associated business process re-organisation. Full deployment of the new system for Carer’s Allowance was completed in June 2012.
Following the completion of the modernisation project, an in-depth business process improvement (BPI) project was completed for the carer’s allowance scheme. This project focused on optimising output and customer service and the reduction of backlogs. The outcome of the review is the division of work into two streams. One concentrates on dealing with new claim intake and processes these without delay and the other on the backlog which is ring-fenced with a clear and targeted plan for its elimination. Implementation of the plan commenced on Monday 3 September and will be closely monitored and managed to ensure it achieves its objectives. A noted increase in the number of new claims processed was achieved in September, where claims processed substantially exceeded claim intake, and this increase continues into October. However, it will take a number of months before the backlog is reduced to an acceptable level. The allocation of available resources to this task continues to be monitored.
345. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a community employment scheme status has been reduced in respect of a (details attached) in Dublin 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46059/12]
View answerThe termination date for the person concerned as a participant in her Community Employment scheme has been extended from December 7th 2012 to 31st May 2013. This is the maximum duration allowable for a participant in a Community Employment scheme under the entry criteria for which the person concerned was accepted as a participant.
347. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding social welfare recipients may access towards courses that are not provided to them for free but that will lead them to be better skilled and or qualified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46089/12]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to course fees in this question. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, is responsible for the administration of the student grant scheme which covers the cost of fees and maintenance grant.
This Department provides support to job seekers who are seeking to commence a course of education or training under a number of schemes. Under the technical employment support grant (TESG), training interventions funds can be provided for courses that lead to a qualification of up to and including FETAC level 6 or an equivalent qualification provided it is aligned to the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). To qualify, a job seeker must be in receipt of certain DSP payments and registered with my Department’s Employment Services. Up to €500 per job seeker can be made available where the required assessment has been undertaken.
The technical assistance and training scheme (TATS) is a discretionary fund which provides supports towards certain business start-up expenses for back to work enterprise allowance recipients who are engaging in self-employment projects and have received prior approval from a Department facilitator. This fund may also support courses of study relevant to their self-employment leading to an award up to and including FETAC level 6 or the equivalent award provided it is aligned to the NFQ. The job seeker must make a minimum contribution of 25% towards the total cost of any course of study. TATS funding cannot not be used to fund either full time or part time third level fees (course or registration) including PLC courses. Payments of up to €1,000 per job seeker are available.
The Activation and Family Support Programme (AFSP) provides for funding to enable the development of training and education initiatives, mainly in conjunction with other organisations and agencies, to assist people who are in receipt of social welfare payments to enhance their employability through education, training and personal development opportunities. Department Facilitators work with social welfare recipients and other agencies and service providers to identify the most appropriate courses for funding. Only courses up to level 6 on the NFQ are eligible for funding. AFSP funding cannot not be used to fund either full time or part time third level fees (course or registration) including PLC courses.
350. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a review of an application for invalidity pension will be completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46116/12]
View answerInvalidity pension is a payment for persons who are permanently incapable of work and who satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions. Invalidity pension was stopped from 02 August 2012 for the person in question following a routine review of continued entitlement. Based on the up-to-date medical evidence provided for the purposes of the review, the medical assessor was of the opinion that the claimant was no longer eligible for invalidity pension as he no longer satisfied the medical criteria.
The person concerned has requested a review of this decision and has submitted further medical evidence in support of his application. A medical assessment has been scheduled in order for a medical assessor to further review the person’s medical eligibility for invalidity pension. When the medical assessor’s opinion is received by the deciding officer a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified. If the person concerned is not satisfied with the outcome of this review, he will have the right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
351. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46140/12]
View answerI confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 6th December 2011. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
