Written Answers Nos. 457-476
458. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has conducted or intends to conduct, a review of the effectiveness of the TÚS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4382/13]
View answerTús - the community work placement initiative - came into operation in mid-2011 and to date some 7,200 participants have completed or are currently serving in work placements provided by community organisations. As part of the budget measures to provide 10,000 additional work placement, internship and training programmes places, a further 2,500 placements will be made available under Tús over the coming months. As a new initiative, Tús continues to be monitored and developed by my Department. While the Department has no firm proposal to conduct a review of the effectiveness of this initiative as yet, it is likely that an evaluation of the initiative will be undertaken beginning later in 2013. Separately, the Department recently published a review of employment support, activation and work schemes, including Tús. This review is available to download from the Departments website - www.welfare.ie.
459. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for disability benefit/allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4386/13]
View answerAn application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on 5 April 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the person was not medically eligible for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and refused the claim and the person was notified in writing of this decision on the 12 July 2012. The person concerned subsequently forwarded further medical evidence which was referred to a medical assessor. When the opinion of the medical assessor is received a decision will be made on the review of the person’s application and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
462. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal in relation to means assessed and backdating of claim to November 2011 is likely to be dealt with in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [4411/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 22nd November 2012, 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.
463. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for old age pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [4418/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officers 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.
464. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 190 of 8 November 2012, if she will outline the results of the fraud and error survey on the child benefit scheme; when the report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4432/13]
View answerThe Department has undertaken a fraud and error survey on Child Benefit and the results will be published on the Department’s website in the next few weeks. The findings from the survey confirm the Department's view that Child Benefit is very low risk in terms of fraud and error and that the scheme’s existing control policy is effective.
465. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the total control savings under each scheme in 2012; the corresponding target figure for 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4433/13]
View answerControl savings are an estimate of the value of the various control activities across the schemes in payment. They represent an estimate of the value of prevented expenditure on fraudulent claims over a future period. Control savings refer to future expenditure that would have been incurred but for this control work. Without this control work the social welfare expenditure would over time increase by this amount. Control savings are used as a performance indicator for year-on-year activities. In 2012, the overall control savings target was €645 million. The 2012 outturn of control savings is currently being finalised and will be available shortly. Further details will be provided to the Deputy when the figures are finalised. There is a commitment to increase savings from control activity by €40m in 2013.
466. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for domiciliary care allowance now under appeal will be expedited and approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [4450/13]
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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 14th December 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.
467. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for invalidity pension will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4525/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6th November 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.
468. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which it was determined that an overpayment of disability allowance was made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; when the decision was conveyed to the applicant; when the notice of appeal was received by her Department; the reason the appeal was refused and the date of same; the way notice of appeal refusal was conveyed to the applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4532/13]
View answerIn August 2012, following a review of the person’s disability allowance claim it was found that the person had failed to disclose his means from self-employment. As a result it was decided that the person had no entitlement to disability allowance from 8 April 2009 to 2 May 2012. His payment was stopped and he was assessed with an overpayment of €63,206.30. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 14 August 2012 and of his right of appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The person did not submit an appeal.
A letter issued to the person advising him of the amount due to the Department and enclosing an information leaflet on the recovery of social welfare overpayments and the method proposed to recover the debt. The person was given the right to comment on the method of recovery. A representation was received from you on 18 October 2012 stating that the person in question now wished to question the basis of the revised decision to disallow his disability allowance from April 2009. Although the statutory time limit for an appeal has, in this case, expired, the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) has agreed to open an appeal on the person’s behalf. The SWAO will be in touch with the person in question regarding the appeal.
469. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will review the decision to refuse mortgage interest support in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4533/13]
View answerThe decision to refuse mortgage interest supplement in December 2011 was upheld by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in July 2012. It is open to the person concerned to re-apply for mortgage interest supplement if her circumstances have changed.
470. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she might be prepared to review the maximum rent her Department is prepared to pay in rent support throughout the Eastern region with particular reference to areas experiencing an extreme local authority housing shortage thereby making it impossible for families on local authority housing lists to source private rented property in lieu of local authority housing; if her attention has been drawn to the extreme hardship now being caused to some families arising from this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4534/13]
View answerThe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are approximately 88,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided a sum of €403 million for 2013. Revised rent limits are in place since January 2012 and are applicable to all new rent supplement tenancies from this date and existing tenancies on review. These limits were set after an analysis of the most up to date market data available. The emphasis of the rent limit review was to ensure that maximum value for money was obtained whilst at the same time ensuring that people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation. Approximately 48,700 rent supplement claims were awarded during 2012, showing that accommodation can be secured within the new limits.
As part of the rent limit review, all major urban population centres were tested to ensure that rent supplement applicants can access temporary housing arrangements whilst seeking employment opportunities. On-going analysis shows that for the eastern counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow there are properties available within the maximum rent limits for rent supplement recipients. Over 41,500 persons in receipt of rent supplement, representing almost half of the customer base, reside in these counties. Officials in the Department continue to examine the impact of the rent limits on those who claim rent supplement and continue to ensure that accommodation needs for recipients can be met. The next review of rent limits will take place before June 2013 and any changes to the existing limits will be considered as part of this review.
On 27 March 2012, the Government approved, in principle, to transfer responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to persons with a long-term housing need from this Department to housing authorities using a new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The Department has been advised that pilot testing of HAP will commence in selected counties during the second half of 2013 and a general roll out of HAP from early January 2014. This initiative, along with the on-going rental accommodation scheme, should reduce the numbers of persons who are in receipt of long term rent supplement as they are transferred to local authority housing sponsored solutions.
472. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the qualification limitations that have taken place in respect of contribution or other requirements for contributory old age pension including that of the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4536/13]
View answerSocial structures in Ireland are changing rapidly and the structures of our social support need to change to accommodate this. Addressing the demographic challenges of more people living longer and the impact on the cost of pensions lies behind the current pension reform measures. It is a fundamental principle of our social insurance system that those qualifying for benefits must satisfy a range of contribution and other conditions. The recent State pension reform measures, outlined below, support the direct link between contributions made and the rate of pension received which underpins State pension policy. Aligning the rate of pension with the contribution made by the person ensures that those who contribute more during a working life benefit more in retirement.
Recent State pension reform measures are as follows:
- As provided for in legislation in 1997, the number of paid contributions required for State pension increased from 260 paid contributions to 520 paid contributions with effect from April 2012.
- As provided for in legislation in 2011, State pension transition will cease from 2014, standardising pension age at 66.
- As provided for in legislation in 2011, State pension age will be increased to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.
- New rate bands for State pension were introduced in September 2012, aligning rate of pension paid with contributions paid. The new rates are available at www.welfare.ie.
- A further planned change in 2020 is a move to a ‘total contributions approach’. This will be adopted to replace the current averaging system. The level of pension paid will be directly proportionate to the number of social insurance contributions made by a person over his or her working life. This will remove the current anomaly whereby some people qualify for higher pension payments even though they have fewer contributions (but a higher average) than others who do not qualify, or qualify for a lower pension, due to the average contributions test. It is also planned to cap the number of credits that an individual can avail of to 10 years. Again, it will more directly reflect the number of contributions.
Reforms to pension provision are necessary if we are to continue to maintain pensions on a sustainable and adequate level. The State pension is a valuable benefit and the conditions are designed to ensure that those qualifying have had a sufficient and on-going attachment to the social insurance system.
473. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which persons who gave up employment to care for a relative have been credited with contributions for old age pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4537/13]
View answerThose who leave the workplace for homemaking/caring purposes can, if eligible, avail of the homemakers scheme which helps to provide a higher rate of pension for those who meet the qualifying conditions. The Homemaker scheme comprises a period of disregard when calculating eligibility for a State pension so time taken out of the work, for those who qualify for the scheme, can be disregarded when assessment is being made for State pension. The scheme was introduced in and took effect from 1994 and allows up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. It impacts on women in particular as it assists them to qualify for a State pension (contributory) by recognising periods spent caring for children or incapacitated persons.
The homemaker disregard will not, of itself, qualify a person for a pension. Eligibility for the homemaker’s scheme is conditional on firstly meeting the standard qualifying conditions for State pension, which require a person to enter insurance ten years before pension age, pay a minimum of 520 contributions at the correct rate and achieve a yearly average of at least 10 contributions on their record from the time they enter insurance until they reach pension age, must also be satisfied.
The State pension is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. The Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund published in 2012 examines the extent to which individuals receive value for money from the Fund in respect of their own and their employer’s contributions. The Review finds that those with short contribution histories fare better than those with full contribution histories and also that the Fund provides better value to female rather than male contributors.
475. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of instances of overpayment in respect of various social welfare entitlements in each of the past two years to date; the degree to which overpayment was discovered by her Department or brought to her attention by recipients who were not aware of the conditions which caused the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4540/13]
View answerEnsuring that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department of Social Protection. The Department has comprehensive control strategies in place across its various scheme areas which are designed to control fraud and abuse and to minimise overpayments. Where overpayments do occur, it is the Department’s policy is to actively pursue the recovery of debt in order to maximise overall recovery levels, with due regard to value for money. The number and value of overpayments across the various social welfare payments in 2010 and 2011 are as follows:
|
Year |
Number of cases |
Value of overpayment |
|
2010 |
52,600 |
€83.4m |
|
2011 |
63,330 |
€92.4m |
Overpayments raised by the Department are categorised as ‘Fraud’, ‘Non-Fraud’ or ‘Estate’ cases. Estate cases arise where undisclosed means by customers (usually pensioners) come to light after their deaths. Non-fraud cases are primarily due to customer or third party error, with some due to departmental error. Fraud cases arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income and/or family status. The 2011 overpayments raised were categorised as follows:
|
- |
Suspected Fraud |
Customer Error |
Departmental Error |
Estate |
Total |
|
2011 overpayments |
€34.9m |
€40.5m |
€5.5m |
€11.5m |
€92.4m |
The Department is not in a position to publicly report on overpayments recorded in 2012 as these figures form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are currently subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
476. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current total number of persons engaged in community employment or related training or education schemes throughout County Kildare; the extent to which she expects to be in a position to ensure the retention of all such places in view of the particularly high degree of professional management and occupational skills encompassed in the programme within the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4541/13]
View answerThe following are the numbers for Co. Kildare as at 31 December 2012.
|
County |
CE |
Tús |
RSS |
BTW |
BTEA |
STEA |
Total |
|
Places |
Places |
Places |
Places |
Places |
Places |
Places |
|
|
Kildare |
562 |
173 |
23 |
399 |
765 |
48 |
1,970 |
Key:
CE – Community Employment
RSS – Rural Social Scheme
BTW – Back to Work Allowance
BTEA – Back to Education Allowance
STEA – Short Term Enterprise Allowance
The Community Employment and Tús programmes are being expanded in 2013 by 2,000 and 2,500 places respectively on a national basis.
479. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she is investigating a method whereby it would possible to simplify the application forms and procedures for any of the social protection entitlements in view of the length of time taken to process voluminous application forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4544/13]
View answerThe Department has a continuous programme of process improvement initiatives underway aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology. The simplification and reduction of application forms complements the introduction of more streamlined processes. The key principles underpinning the design of the Department’s application forms are the use of clear and simple language, with consistent layout and presentation across both online and paper forms. All primary application forms are designed to facilitate the use of scanning and automated processing. This ensures that the application is processed as efficiently as possible and that customers receive their entitlement in a timely manner. Primary application forms are regularly reviewed to ensure they request only the information required to establish the customer’s entitlement, in a clear and easy to understand manner.
Staff in the Department’s local and branch offices and Intreo centres provide information and guidance to customers on the completion of application forms when required. In addition, the Citizens Information Board, through its network of offices around the State provides information, advice and advocacy services to members of the public on a wide range of public and social services, including assistance in completing application forms. All primary application forms are also available on the Department's website, www.welfare.ie. Applications for a number of schemes, i.e. child benefit, State pension (contributory), widow(er)’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, household benefits and, in certain cases, jobseeker’s payments, can be completed and submitted online.
The objective is to enable people to access services at a time and place that best suits their needs. The use of online application forms reduces the administrative burden for the customer and facilitates efficient processing of claims by the Department. I am satisfied that the ongoing initiatives underway in the Department, the improvements to processes and procedures supported by the redesign of application forms, and the Department’s use of modern technology will continue to deliver an improved and efficient service to customers.
482. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to extend the hedge cutting season this year in view of the extremely wet winter months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3742/13]
View answer483. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if consideration will be given to extend the season for hedge cutting into April in view of due of the inclement weather and wet land,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3797/13]
View answer484. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are any plans to extend the deadline for hedge cutting until April; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3799/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 482 to 484, inclusive, together.
I refer the Deputies to my previous reply to Questions Nos. 157, 158, 160 and 161 of 23 January 2013.
485. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail the policies being implemented by his Department on which he wrote to the EU / ECB / IMF troika; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3876/13]
View answerI would like to advise the Deputy that no such policies arise in relation to my Department.
486. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the environment impact study on the future development of the Moore Street site in Dublin associated with the 1916 Rising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3954/13]
View answerThe Environmental Impact Statement was submitted to my Department on 25 January 2013. It is available for public examination and interested parties have five weeks from the submission date to provide their comments to me, as Minister, for consideration as part of my assessment of it.
