Written Answers Nos. 109-117
109. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to indicate if and when an appeal in respect of an application for invalidity pension will be determined in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46777/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 03rd September 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.
110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application in respect of carer’s allowance will be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46778/12]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 17th January 2012. Further medical evidence in support of the application was received from the person concerned on the 23rd August 2012. This information has been forwarded to one of the Department’s medical assessors and is awaiting assessment. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an appeal for disability allowance will be determined in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46779/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 28th September 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the Deciding Officer on the matter raised in the appeal have been sought. In that context, an assessment by another Medical Assessor will be carried out. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
112. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to defined benefit pensions schemes if he will reconsider the minimum funding standard and the changes proposed to deal with pension matters by her Department in view of the fact that any change in the rules could contribute to the winding up of pension funds rather than providing long term security for those funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46781/12]
View answerThe Funding Standard provides a benchmark against which the “health” of a scheme can be tested. The existence of the Funding Standard itself is not the central issue in relation to whether a scheme is properly funded. Rather the responsibility rests with the employer and the trustees for ensuring that the scheme is properly funded and managed. However, the Funding Standard does provide the regulatory mechanism for ensuring that a scheme can live up to the “promised” level of pension benefits.
The Pensions Regulator suspended the Funding Standard four years ago, following the downturn in the financial market, to give trustees/employers an opportunity to assess the impact on pension funds and to enable them time to develop responses to the challenge. The re-introduction of the Funding Standard was delayed on a number of occasions pending changes to legislation which were designed to help trustees respond to the funding challenges facing pension schemes. Among the measures introduced during that time was provision for sovereign annuities and a requirement for schemes to hold a risk reserve A sovereign annuity provides an option to trustees to purchase annuities at less cost than traditional annuities. Sovereign annuity products are now available and it is expected that the range of products will grow over the coming months.
The requirement for a risk reserve is being introduced from 2016, to provide a level of protection for scheme members against future volatility in financial markets. It is accepted that the requirement for a risk reserve presents an added challenge for schemes. However, guidance issued by the regulator identifies options which the scheme can consider in meeting this requirement by 2023. It is estimated that the requirement for a risk reserve will add 8% to the liabilities of a scheme.
The Pensions Board recently announced that the timeframe for pension schemes to submit funding proposals has been extended to 30 June 2013. This extension will give schemes additional time to help them address the issues they are facing. It should be noted that the changes to the Funding Standard are being implemented over the next 11 years, not immediately. This is the longest recovery period generally allowed in any European country. The fundamental problem facing pension schemes is that pensions have become significantly more expensive, because of increasing life expectancy and lower than expected investment returns which are reflected in increased annuity rates. The recent facility to purchase sovereign annuities will enable a higher rate of return to apply, but only in the case of those schemes which actually purchase the bonds/annuities.
While it is acknowledged that increased annuity rates are causing significant problems for pension schemes, this reflects the real cost of benefits. If the Funding Standard is changed in such a way that understates the cost of the benefits (by using prescribed non-market rates, or by using sovereign bond rates without a corresponding commitment to buying sovereign annuities on wind-up), then the members may be misled about the ability of the scheme to meet its obligations, and the on-going funding of the scheme will not be enough to close the deficit. This would be likely to make things worse, as future benefits would accrue at a faster rate than they were being paid for. Overall, the changes made to the regulatory structure for defined benefit schemes are intended to bring increased stability to pension promises in the future and lessen schemes’ exposure to risks.
113. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount of persons participating in the rural social scheme countryside; the number of participants in each county by year since the introduction of the scheme; the numbers of eligible applicants currently on the waiting list in each county for the scheme; and due to the continuing success of the scheme if he will extend the number of places to cater for those on the waiting lists. [46787/12]
View answerThe purpose of the rural social scheme is to provide income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff. The funds allocated for 2012 amount to €45.66m, which should enable the scheme to continue as in previous years but does not allow for the recruitment of additional participants above the numbers stated above. I have no plans to increase the number of places available on this scheme.
Overall responsibility for the RSS rests with the Department of Social Protection with responsibility for its day-to-day operations resting with 34 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta which is responsible for delivery in Gaeltacht areas, collectively referred to as Implementing Bodies. Implementing bodies are free to recruit to any vacant position without reference to the Department. Accordingly, the Department does not maintain a list of persons who may have been successful in a recruitment process but for whom a vacancy does not arise. Since its inception in 2004, the number of placements allocated to implementing bodies has been increased from 851 participants and 48 supervisor positions to the current level of 2,600 participants and 130 supervisors. This level has remained constant since September 2006.
TABLE – Allocation of RSS Placements -2006-2012
|
Implementing Body |
County |
Participant Quota |
Supervisor Quota |
|
Breffni Integrated Limited |
Cavan |
80 |
4 |
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd. |
Carlow |
18 |
1 |
|
Clare Local Development Co. Ltd. |
Clare |
117 |
6 |
|
Avondhu/Blackwater Partnership Ltd. |
Cork |
17 |
1 |
|
South and East Cork Area Development |
Cork |
8 |
1 |
|
West Cork Development Partnership Ltd. |
Cork |
68 |
3 |
|
Ballyhoura Development Limited |
Cork/Limerick |
47 |
2 |
|
IRD Duhallow Ltd. |
Cork/Limerick/Kerry |
58 |
3 |
|
Donegal Local Development Company Ltd |
Donegal |
76 |
4 |
|
Inishowen Development Partnership |
Donegal |
30 |
2 |
|
Comhar na nOileán Teoranta |
Islands |
20 |
0 |
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd. |
Galway |
14 |
1 |
|
Galway Rural Development Co. Ltd. |
Galway |
156 |
8 |
|
North and East Kerry LEADER Partnership Teoranta |
Kerry |
89 |
5 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. |
Kerry |
138 |
7 |
|
Cill Dara ar Aghaidh Teoranta |
Kildare |
22 |
1 |
|
County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Company Limited |
Kilkenny |
19 |
1 |
|
Laois Community and Enterprise Development Co. Ltd. |
Laois |
25 |
1 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company Ltd. |
Leitrim |
100 |
5 |
|
West Limerick Resources |
Limerick |
36 |
2 |
|
Longford Community Resources |
Longford |
55 |
3 |
|
Louth LEADER Partnership |
Louth |
10 |
0 |
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Co. Teo. |
Mayo |
221 |
11 |
|
South West Mayo Development Company Ltd. |
Mayo |
191 |
10 |
|
Meath Community Rural & Social Development Partnership |
Meath |
16 |
1 |
|
Monaghan Integrated Development Limited |
Monaghan |
40 |
2 |
|
Offaly Integrated Local Development Company Ltd. |
Offaly |
52 |
3 |
|
Roscommon Integrated Development Company Ltd. |
Roscommon |
149 |
7 |
|
County Sligo LEADER Partnership Co. Ltd. |
Sligo |
124 |
6 |
|
North Tipperary LEADER Partnership |
Tipperary |
37 |
2 |
|
South Tipperary Development Company Limited |
Tipperary |
26 |
1 |
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership Ltd. |
Waterford |
12 |
0 |
|
Westmeath Community Development Ltd. |
Westmeath |
33 |
2 |
|
Wexford Local Development |
Wexford |
39 |
2 |
|
Co. Wicklow Community Partnership |
Wicklow |
20 |
1 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
Mayo/Kerry/ Galway/Donegal |
437 |
21 |
|
Totals |
2600 |
130 |
114. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) and if she will review same. [46815/12]
View answerInvalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. This department received a claim for invalidity pension for the person concerned on 5 January 2012. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of her claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that the person concerned is not eligible for invalidity pension as she does not satisfy the medical criteria. The application for invalidity pension was disallowed by a deciding officer. The person in question was notified of this decision and the reason for it on 11 May 2012.
Further medical evidence was subsequently submitted by the claimant. This additional evidence, along with the original information, was evaluated by a different medical assessor who also expressed the opinion that the person concerned does not satisfy the medical criteria. Accordingly, the deciding officer has confirmed the original decision and the claimant was notified of the outcome on 11 June 2012.
The person concerned appealed the decision and submitted further medical evidence which was forwarded to a different medical assessor for evaluation. Having evaluated this new medical evidence and all the previous medical evidence available, the medical assessor again expressed the opinion that the claimant did not satisfy the medical criteria for invalidity pension. All relevant papers have now been forwarded to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office for a determination.
116. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal on a invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46818/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27th September 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question 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.
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which it was concluded that an overpayment has occurred in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the reason the person was not informed regarding the outcome of an alleged review of this overpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46836/12]
View answerAn overpayment of jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance has been assessed in this case. A review of the overpayment is due to be completed shortly and the person concerned will be informed of the outcome.
