Written Answers Nos. 289-306
289. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of take up to date on the loan guarantee scheme as announced by the Government; the sectors of industry that have benefitted; the average size of loans approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14170/13]
View answerThe Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) began operations on 24th October 2012 and as of the 31st December 2012 six CGS facilities were approved. €582,000 of lending was approved with the average loan of €97,000. It is expected that 33 new jobs will be created and 5 jobs will be maintained as a result of the guaranteed lending. Two CGS facilities were granted in each of the following industry sectors, business & administrative, manufacturing and wholesale/retail trade and repairs.
Quarterly progress reports will be published on my Department’s website www.enterprise.gov.ie. The progress report detailing the analysis and performance of the CGS for the quarterly period ending 31st December 2012 is now available on my Department’s website. The progress report for quarter 1 of 2013 is due to be published in mid-April.
290. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the industrial dispute between a company (details supplied) in County Kerry and seven employees, members of SIPTU, whereby the employees are informed by the company that they are to be made redundant, the company refuses to engage with them, their union and the Labour Relations Commission over the terms of the redundancy and explore the possibility of saving some of the jobs and furthermore the company has threatened the workers with instant dismissal with no redundancy payment if they exercise their legal right to engage in strike action as a result of the company's approach. [14178/13]
View answer292. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that workers were threatened with immediate dismissal and non-payment of redundancy entitlements if they chose to exercise their right to take industrial action (details supplied). [13877/13]
View answer293. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the threat of dismissal of workers engaging in industrial action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13905/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 290, 292 and 293 together.
I understand that the dispute arose following a decision by the company to restructure its operations in Ireland, resulting in the closure of its office in Tralee with the loss of eight jobs.
I understand also that the workers have been trying to negotiate terms with the company, including in relation to the retention of two home-based positions in Tralee.
The company has said that all employees based in Tralee were offered relocation to Dublin, the company’s only other office in Ireland and that the possibilities of home working for two employees to support the company’s operations in the UK and Europe were also explored. The company has also said that when staff were not prepared to accept alternatives, including an offer of enhanced health insurance cover for those staff who would not be retained, it arranged for a third party consultant to meet with them and give them support with CV writing and interview techniques.
I have been advised that the Labour Relations Commission has been in touch with both parties offering assistance. In this context, I understand that the parties have agreed to meet under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission at an early date.
I very much welcome this development and I would urge both parties to engage constructively in the process. In my opinion, engagement with the State's industrial relations machinery offers the best way whereby the parties involved in this dispute can hope to resolve their differences.
291. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures he has in place to ensure that components for weapons manufactured here do not get used in weapons manufactured in countries where EU arms exports bans apply, for example, in the case of components manufactured by a company (details supplied) in County Kerry which were found in an Iranian drone which landed in Sudan, both of which countries are subject to an EU arms export ban. [14206/13]
View answerMy Department is responsible for issuing licenses, for exports of Dual Use items outside the EU, and certain military products both within and outside of the EU, in accordance with EU-wide export control regulations.
My Department is also responsible for implementing EU trade related sanctions and embargoes. Ireland fully subscribes to its international obligations in this regard.
From an export control perspective, my Department monitors trade flows to embargoed and sanctioned countries in close co-operation with Revenue’s Customs Service.
This co-operation with Customs is an essential aspect of the effective implementation of our export control regime and especially in connection with exports of controlled technology to sanctioned or embargoed countries.
In addition, prior to issuing any export licence for goods intended for a country where there is civil or military unrest, my Department consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is important that the export of sensitive technology is properly controlled and the licensing procedures operated by my Department take into account Irish foreign policy considerations, the EU Common Position on Military Exports, international sanctions policies, as well as obligations stemming from Ireland’s membership of the international export control regimes.
As part of the licensing process my Department requires extensive information from companies including detailed information in respect of the end-use and the end-user of the product to ensure the ultimate use of a licensed export conforms with national and international law.
Furthermore, as part of wider outreach activities, my Department recently met with the industrial development agencies so that their officials who advise client companies on export opportunities can inform these companies of their responsibilities in relation to export controls and embargoes.
In relation to the specific instance raised by the Deputy, I am satisfied that the product involved was not an item covered by the EU’s military list.
I can assure the Deputy that the security, regional stability and human rights concerns which underpin export controls are of paramount importance to my Department. My Department takes its responsibilities in this regard very seriously.
294. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a farm assist appeal application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13945/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 15th March 2013, 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.
299. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when jobseeker's benefit will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is currently on Stamp 4 on foot of a pending work permit application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14154/13]
View answerThe person concerned should present himself to the Social Welfare Local Office, Eyre Street, Newbridge with his current GNIB card to re-apply for jobseeker’s benefit.
300. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [14174/13]
View answerThe person concerned incurred a disability allowance overpayment of €42,673.80 over the period 2 January 2002 to 3 September 2007. She has been repaying this debt by agreed weekly deductions of €30.00 from her one-parent family payment. To date, a total of €8,035 has been repaid.
Article 245(i) of S.I. 142 of 2007 provides for withholding of all or part of any benefit or assistance arrears due to a person, as a method of recovering or part-recovering an outstanding overpayment liability. Arrears can be withheld without the agreement of the person concerned, but in all cases, a notification of the intention to withhold arrears is issued and the person concerned is offered the opportunity to give their views on the proposal, within 21 days.
The person concerned applied for domiciliary care allowance in April 2012. Her application was initially disallowed, but granted, on appeal, in February 2013. It is proposed that the arrears of this payment due to her for the period May 2012 to March 2013 be retained and offset against her overpayment debt. This would leave an outstanding balance of €31,254.80 for repayment by on-going weekly deduction.
The person concerned was notified by letter on 13 March 2013 of the proposal to retain the arrears as outlined, and subsequently contacted the Department by phone to discuss this. She was advised that in order to give this matter full consideration, she should write to the Department, giving details of her financial circumstances and her envisaged costs in adapting her home for her child’s needs.
This information has just been received by the Department (on 19th March) and, consequently, her case is being reviewed and she will be notified of the outcome without delay.
301. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct status and eligibility for payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14177/13]
View answerIn order to determine if a person has an entitlement to a jobseeker’s payment an application form must be completed. According to the records of this Department, the person concerned has not recently applied for a jobseeker’s payment.
Question No. 302 withdrawn.
303. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the proposed new community employment scheme for workers in the child care sector and the proposed budget for this initiative. [14229/13]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection is improving the provision of training and work experience for CE participants on Community Employment overall. Recent developments have focused on CE schemes involved in supporting community child-care services and on CE participants who wish to pursue a career in child-care while on CE. These developments reflect the findings of a number of recent reviews - the “CE Financial Review of Schemes” (2012) and the “Review of Department of Social Protection Employment Support Schemes” (2012). In response, the Department is planning a number of improvements which will provide a clear career progression path and a structure for CE participants in Early Years Services.
These improvements will provide a more tailored and valuable support to the provision of community child-care and achieve greater coherence between CE participation and the job market. The Department has engaged with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DYCA) regarding the qualification requirements and progression path for CE participants.
In addition to engagement with the DCYA, there has been consultation with the representatives of the Child-care Sector including County Childcare Committees, and schemes currently involved in child-care provision.
As the programme is in the early stages of design, it is too early to provide a definitive budget statement. However, the current arrangements for allocation of the CE budget will apply to this initiative.
Question No. 304 withdrawn.
305. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any circumstances under which the fuel allowance can be retained on medical grounds beyond the current qualifying period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13669/13]
View answerIn 2013 my Department will spend an estimated €211 million on the fuel allowance scheme providing some 410,000 customers with an additional €20 per week paid in addition to their social welfare payment for 26 weeks. In addition, an estimated €284 million will be spent on the household benefits scheme, providing some 410,000 customers with a package worth almost €700 per year. This scheme incorporates the electricity and gas allowances, the telephone allowance and the free television licence.
The aim of the fuel allowance scheme is to provide additional support for those on long-term welfare payments during the winter season. The duration of the fuel allowance is for 26 weeks or half of the year and covers the coldest months from October to April. The allowance is not paid beyond 26 weeks in any circumstances. The household benefits package is paid all year round.
While there is no provision to extend the fuel allowance beyond the qualifying period, under my Department’s supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a special heating supplement may be paid to assist people who have special heating needs. A person may qualify for a heating supplement, if they can show that they have extra heating needs because of their age, medical condition or disability, are living alone or only with a dependent adult or dependent children and satisfy a means test. Approximately 3,200 people are currently in receipt of this supplement.
In addition, exceptional needs payments (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his or her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is decided on the particular circumstances of the case. The provision for exceptional needs payments in 2013 is €47.6 million, with an additional €11.4 million for supplements.
306. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding eligibility for community employment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13686/13]
View answerThe Community Employment Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The person concerned has been a participant in the Blanchardstown Centre for the Unemployed Community Employment Scheme from 19th September 2011 to the present date, and has a current contract to engage as a participant in the scheme until 14th June 2013. Previously she was a participant on the City Centre Voluntary Groups Community Employment Scheme from 4th July 2011 until 16th September 2011.
