Written Answers Nos. 119-130
119. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for invalidity pension will be determined in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who is now one year without payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53404/12]
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 an application for invalidity pension for the person concerned on 27 September 2011. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of his claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that the person concerned is not eligible for invalidity pension as he does not satisfy the medical criteria. The application for invalidity pension was, accordingly, disallowed by a deciding officer. The applicant was notified of this decision and the reason for it on 09 December 2011.The person concerned subsequently submitted further medical evidence in support of his claim. This evidence was forwarded to a different medical assessor for evaluation and following this review the claimant was found medically suitable for invalidity pension.
The case was then referred to a social welfare inspector on 29 June 2012 for investigation as there was evidence that the claimant may be engaged in self-employment. This investigation is now complete and the report from the social welfare inspector is on its way back to the deciding officer.
On receipt of the report together with further information requested from the customer today, a decision will be made on this claim without further delay and he will be notified directly of same.
120. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding jobseekers allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [53425/12]
View answerThe person concerned had €20 deducted from two of her recent jobseeker’s allowance payments in order to recover an overpayment of Illness Benefit. When it came to light that the person concerned had not agreed to this recovery rate the amount was reduced to €2 per week.
Question No. 121 withdrawn.
122. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53449/12]
View answerI confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 12th March 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
Question No. 123 withdrawn.
124. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53477/12]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 19th July 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the caree in question was not medically eligible for carer’s allowance. A letter issued on the 17th of May 2012 refusing the allowance. The person in question subsequently submitted further medical evidence for review on 16th July 2012. This medical evidence is awaiting medical assessment by a medical assessor. On completion of all the necessary investigations as part of this review, a decision will be made and the person in question will be contacted directly with the outcome.
125. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for domiciliary care allowance will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53480/12]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 14th May 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for DCA. A letter issued on the 13th July 2012 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision.
As part of the appeal process, the case has been forwarded to another of the Department’s Medical Assessors for further consideration, including a review of any new information supplied. Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined and will be forwarded for consideration by the Appeals Office, if necessary.
126. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding persons engaged as part time workers in a local authority fire service and the impact this has on qualification for jobseeker's with reference to the availability for work clause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53481/12]
View answerSocial welfare legislation provides that a person must satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work in order to be entitled to jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Any person who fails to satisfy these conditions is not entitled to a jobseeker’s payment.
Part-time fire-fighters are entitled to a jobseeker’s payment in respect of days that they are engaged in fire-fighting or training. They are, however, required to satisfy the statutory conditions for the receipt of a jobseeker’s payment of being available for and genuinely seeking work. In this respect, Deciding Officers do not treat them differently to any other jobseeker’s benefit or allowance claimant.
The requirement that retained fire-fighters reside and work within a 1.5 mile radius and within a 5 minute response time of the fire station of their brigade may, subject to the circumstances of an individual case, unreasonably restrict the location where s/he can accept work and limit his/her prospects of obtaining work. It is a matter for Deciding Officers to make a decision based on the circumstances of each case.
My Department is currently examining the position of these workers vis-à-vis the jobseeker’s schemes and the unusual circumstances of retained fire brigade personnel. As part of this process officials in my Department are also in discussions with their counterparts from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government concerning this issue. Deliberations in relation to the position of these workers are on-going and final decisions have not been made with regard to potential changes to existing arrangements.
127. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite the appeal for carer's allowance made in respect of a person (details supplied). [53490/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 06th November 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.
128. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the value and number of families paid arrears to date in 2012 under the family income supplement scheme; the steps she is taking to ensure that all renewal applications are cleared immediately and that new applications in the system for months receive a determination before Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53497/12]
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. Currently there are 28,295 families in receipt of FIS, getting an average payment of €106.34 per week. The estimated scheme expenditure for 2012 is €199.46 million. It is not possible to differentiate the amount representing arrears payments from the amount representing normal weekly payments in the total scheme expenditure. When cases are decided customers are awarded arrears back to the date of application. Deductions are made for any overlapping Social Welfare payments that may have been made in the period concerned. I can confirm that almost all FIS claims, both new and renewal, which were awarded during 2012, approximately 32,560 cases up to the end of October, will have received some payment of arrears.
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.
The 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.
129. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be expedited; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53524/12]
View answerI confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 28th February 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
130. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange for an urgent oral hearing in respect of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare following a refusal of an application for an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53536/12]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence allowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer 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.
