Written Answers Nos. 163-173
163. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to a person in receipt of a disability payment from the UK who has passed away but did not qualify for the bereavement grant as they did not pay contributions here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15445/13]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection operate a bereavement grant scheme. The payment is a once-off payment paid to the next of kin or the individual responsible for payment of the funeral bill of the deceased. Eligibility is based on social insurance contributions paid by the deceased (or his/her spouse).
For the Deputy’s information, I would point out that there is a dedicated website - https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-allowance/how-to-claim – dealing with payments of such grants in the U.K. which may be of assistance.
165. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 141 and 142 of 28 February 2013, the reason a person (details supplied) is not in receipt of a rural social scheme payment of €208 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15484/13]
View answerMy understanding is that the person concerned has made an application for a position on the rural social scheme but has not yet taken up commenced employment. Should the person be selected, the rate of payment will be calculated on the basis of their existing rate of social welfare payment plus €20 per week. The basis of calculation differs from the position prior to the 17thSeptember 2012 under which the rate of RSS payment was calculated on the basis of a personal payment of €188 per week, adjusted for dependant circumstances and with €20 per week added. The methodology now in place means that pay is not now calculated on the basis of a personal payment but on the basis of the value of the social welfare payment prior to joining the scheme, as with community employment and Tús. According to information held by my department, the person referred to is currently in receipt of a jobseeker's payment of €220.90 per week, including provision for dependants. On this basis, the RSS payment will be €240.90 per week.
166. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding carer's allowance in respect of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15488/13]
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 a summary decision.
Following the submission of additional evidence the Appeals Officer has agreed to set aside her original decision and has re-opened the appeal by way of granting an oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.
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.
167. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reappraise the refusal of an appeal, made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork for invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15492/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 19th March 2013. 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.
168. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received for mortgage interest supplement on a county basis for the periods 1 July to 31 September 2012 and 1 January 2013 to date; the number of these applications approved and granted payment on a county basis; the total estimated annual cost of these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15494/13]
View answerMortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 14,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €42 million for in 2013.
Information is not available on the number of mortgage interest supplement applications received during the periods specified. However, of the 14,000 mortgage interest supplement claims in payment at the end of February 2013, some 590 claims were awarded between 1 July 2012 and 30 September 2012 and 320 claims were awarded between 1 January 2013 and 28 February 2013. It is estimated that the 12 month cost for these claims would be €2.8 million.
A breakdown by county of the claims decided during the periods specified is set out in the following tabular statement.
Mortgage Interest Supplement Claims – By County
Claims Awarded from July 2012 to September 2012 & January 2013 to February 2013
|
COUNTY |
Jul 2012 to Sep 2012 |
Jan 2013 to Feb 2913 |
Total |
|
CARLOW |
9 |
6 |
15 |
|
CAVAN |
5 |
5 |
10 |
|
CLARE |
7 |
3 |
10 |
|
CORK |
51 |
21 |
72 |
|
DONEGAL |
21 |
6 |
27 |
|
DUBLIN |
138 |
91 |
229 |
|
GALWAY |
20 |
8 |
28 |
|
KERRY |
5 |
3 |
8 |
|
KILDARE |
69 |
29 |
98 |
|
KILKENNY |
7 |
3 |
10 |
|
LAOIS |
15 |
14 |
29 |
|
LEITRIM |
8 |
2 |
10 |
|
LIMERICK |
13 |
10 |
23 |
|
LONGFORD |
12 |
3 |
15 |
|
LOUTH |
22 |
13 |
35 |
|
MAYO |
16 |
2 |
18 |
|
MEATH |
39 |
20 |
59 |
|
MONAGHAN |
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
OFFALY |
20 |
7 |
27 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
TIPPERARY |
16 |
7 |
23 |
|
WATERFORD |
19 |
17 |
36 |
|
WESTMEATH |
14 |
11 |
25 |
|
WEXFORD |
33 |
25 |
58 |
|
WICKLOW |
22 |
7 |
29 |
|
TOTAL |
589 |
316 |
905 |
169. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection if any precedent of civil liability has attached to her Department or the community welfare service, for loss or damages arising from tenancy contracts as a result of rent supplement issues; if any legal advice has been provided to her Department suggesting or indicating that direct payment to landlords should cease, barring very extreme and extenuating circumstances; if any legal advice was given that direct payments to landlords should not be a routine practice; if she will define what could be considered as very extreme or extenuating circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15498/13]
View answer170. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection if circulars issued by her Department regarding payment of rent supplement direct to a landlord, where the tenant so requests, can be described as merely internal guidelines; the status of such guidelines in regard to decisions of the community welfare service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15499/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 170 together.
The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term 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 overall 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 currently approximately 87,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €403 million for 2013.
Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant; the tenant makes the application for rent supplement and payment is made to the tenant. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme. However, Social Welfare legislation provides for the payment of a rent supplement payment to a nominated payee such a landlord on behalf of the tenant. This arrangement is entered at the tenant’s request and subject to the consent of the Department. The department official dealing with the request will take into account all the relevant circumstances of the particular case and the tenant’s preference will be accommodated where possible.
Within the timeframe available, I have not been able to ascertain whether any Court decisions have imposed a civil liability on this Department for loss or damage arising from tenancy contracts as a result of rent supplement issues or whether any associated legal advice has been received. The Department will advise the Deputy further on the matter in due course.
It is open to the landlord to bring to the attention of the Department any instance where they suspect that a tenant is receiving rent supplement and is not paying their rent. Where the Department becomes aware that a person is not using rent supplement to meet the accommodation costs, payment of the supplement is suspended and the matter investigated. Where a landlord has a grievance in relation to the non-payment of rent by a tenant, s/he may apply to the Private Residential Tenancies Board to have the dispute resolved through the Board’s dispute resolution process.
The Department’s circulars regarding rent supplement do not place any legal obligation in relation to decisions on the payment of rent supplement but are designed to provide guidance to departmental staff in the exercise of their powers having regard to the requirements of the legislation.
171. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the mortgage supplement relief was reduced in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; if she will review this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15563/13]
View answerThe minimum contribution that the person concerned must make towards their Mortgage Interest is €32 per week.
As the minimum contribution payable by the person, exceeds the current weekly amount of mortgage interest payable, I regret to advise you that the person concerned has no entitlement to the Mortgage Interest Supplement at this point in time.
172. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection if an offer for employees of FÁS to transfer to her Department was made; if so, if it is still on the table; the current situation in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15636/13]
View answerIn March 2010 the Government decided that the employment and community services programmes of FÁS should transfer to the Department of Social Protection.
All staff in FÁS assigned to the transferring activities transferred to the Department. In relation to central and regional support staff, FÁS invited staff from these functional areas to express an interest in transferring to the Department. Staff who expressed an interest in transferring were considered and then selected on the basis of Seniority/geographic location/business needs.
173. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to tackle the large number of non-Irish citizens on the live register in view of the fact that nearly one in five persons on the live register are non-Irish citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15641/13]
View answerNon-Irish citizens made up 18% of the Live Register in February 2013 (76,829 persons). The absolute numbers of non-Irish citizens on the Live Register has declined from a peak of 81,266 in February 2010 (a fall of 5% compared to a fall of 1% of Irish citizens on the Live Register over the same period). Non-Irish citizens made up 18% of the total persons at work, according to the Census in 2011.
The Government’s primary strategy with regard to tackling the numbers on the live register, regardless of nationality, is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth.
While the main approach of Government is the alleviation of long-term unemployment through the Pathways to Work initiative (the details of which have been set out in response to previous parliamentary questions), EURES Ireland also takes an active role in the support and integration of immigrant workers and helps create relevant networks to address any labour market related issues facing non-Irish job-seekers in Ireland. For instance, the DIALOG platform hosted an event in Dublin in February for Polish job-seekers.
It should also be noted that freedom of movement is one of the fundamental rights of the EU and benefits Irish workers as well as foreign-nationals. Also, from the perspective of benefit entitlement, the majority of foreign nationals on the Live Register would have contributed to tax and social insurance systems here.
