Written Answers Nos. 125 - 133
125. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of executives of private or multinational companies that have offered to serve on State boards; and members of the Irish diaspora that have been appointed to State boards under the remit of his Department [53384/12]
View answerIn line with Government policy to introduce greater transparency in the appointment process and in an effort to broaden the pool of suitable candidates for consideration for appointment to State Boards, my Department has, since mid 2011, requested the Public Appointments Service to seek expressions of interest from suitably qualified people for appointment to the boards of agencies under my Department’s remit as vacancies arise.
In the time available it has not been possible to analyse the expressions of interest received in order to provide the full information requested by the Deputy. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information has been gathered.
126. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection her method of determining up to date figures on unemployment hotspots around the country; the measures she has introduced to target these areas specifically; the proposals in place to target these areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53166/12]
View answerThe Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment.
Up to the recent past, this has been based on identifying all persons who remain on the Live Register for three months after first signing on, and referring them for more intensive job-search assistance and guidance. Increasingly, referral is now based on profiling people at the beginning of a spell of unemployment, so as to focus resources on those most in need at an even earlier stage.
By definition, such an approach focuses resources on those areas where unemployment is highest and of longest duration. The roll-out of the profiling system at my Department’s ‘one-stop-shop’ Intreo offices will further enhance this effect as one of the main variables in the profiling system is geographical location. In other words, if someone comes from an area of high unemployment, s/he will, all other things being equal, receive more targeted assistance.
In addition, the geographical distribution of places on employment programmes such as CE and Tús & training programmes has been highly correlated with unemployment rates for each region. Within the Tús programme there is a specific area-based approach to the allocation of places. The 5,000 places on the scheme are allocated to community and voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of local services in urban and rural areas. The allocation is based on the numbers of eligible unemployed people in each local development company or Údarás na Gaeltachta area.
Other than through administrative mechanisms like those described, it is difficult to identify and target specific unemployment black spots at a very local level. The most frequent unemployment data come from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS); as a sample survey, the QNHS provides reliable data at a regional, but not at a local level. Small-area statistics are collected in the Census, but these are available only at five-year intervals, and the unemployment concept underlying them does not correspond exactly with that used in the QNHS.
However, the Government’s policy of targeting resources at those most at risk of long-term unemployment overcomes this statistical deficit and ensures those areas that are most in need of assistance are prioritised. My Department works primarily at a local level and is acutely aware of the differentiated impact of unemployment across local areas. The Department has 59 local offices, 63 branch offices and newly incorporated employment offices. The Live Register figures by office are closely monitored and are an important consideration for the provision of our activation services.
127. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when a rent supplement will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53099/12]
View answerThe person concerned has yet to make an application to the Department for rent supplement. However, she is currently in receipt of Mortgage Interest Supplement and would not be in a position to receive both entitlements simultaneously.
128. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53141/12]
View answerThe person concerned has made an application for Jobseeker’s Allowance. The payment of Jobseeker’s Allowance is subject to a means test. His application has been forwarded to a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation. The Inspector has been in contact with him and is currently awaiting clarification regarding the disposal of monies previously held by the applicant following an award of compensation and other means. A further interview has been scheduled with him for today.
Following the completion of the Social Welfare Inspector’s investigation a decision will be made regarding his entitlement and he will be notified of the outcome.
129. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53146/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2nd October 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.
130. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason applicants for family income supplement made in June and July 2012 are been told that their applications will not be dealt with until in some cases as far as April 2013 while applications submitted in October this year have already been dealt with. [53187/12]
View answerThe Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers.
FIS claims, both new and renewal, received on or after the 5th November 2012 are currently being processed on receipt.
An in-depth business process improvement (BPI) project has recently been completed for the FIS scheme. This project focused on optimising output, improving customer service and the elimination of backlogs. Part of the project was a detailed examination of workloads and a full assessment of existing capacity within the area and what capacity is needed in order to process the volumes of claims, both new and renewal, being received on a weekly basis.
The outcome of this review is a detailed plan outlining the process required to manage both the continuous weekly intake and backlog claims clearance. This plan sees the current weekly new claim and renewal intake processed by one team, while the backlog is ring-fenced and a focused team assigned to this work with a clear plan for its elimination.
This team including additional temporary resources has been identified and is already assigned and working on the backlog claims. In order to reduce the time it will take to eliminate the backlog, some claims are being processed outside of Longford Social Welfare Services Office. This team is fully focussed on the elimination of the backlog of claims in the shortest possible timeframe, concentrating in the first instance on those claims which were previously in payment but where payment has expired and continuing on to first-time new claims. Within those categories, those waiting the longest will be processed first.
While it is not possible to clear all claims in the backlog before Christmas, every effort will be made to pay as many eligible claims as possible in that timeframe. It is expected that the backlog will be fully eliminated by the end of March 2013. Claims which are approved by the backlog team will be backdated to the date of claim or the date of expiry of the previous claim, as appropriate, and all arrears due will be paid.
131. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53193/12]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, allowed the appeal of the person concerned who has been notified of the decision.
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.
133. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53206/12]
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 19th October 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.
