Written Answers Nos. 278-94
278. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the amount paid to private landlords through rent allowance for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; broken down by local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19935/13]
View answerThe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently over 86,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. The Department does not maintain statistics of the amount of rent supplement paid by local authority area. The total spend on rent supplement for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and the estimate for 2013 are provided in the following tabular statement. Details of the number of recipients of rent supplement by county at the end of 2010, 2011, 2012 and end March 2013 are also provided in the tabular statement.
Tabular Statement
|
Year |
Expenditure on Rent Supplement ('000) |
|
2010 |
€516,538 |
|
2011 |
€502,748 |
|
2012 (Provisional Outturn) |
€422,717 |
|
2013 (Estimate) |
€403,400 |
Tabular Statement
Number of Rent Supplement Recipients by County, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, (End March)
|
- |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 End March |
|
Carlow |
1,484 |
1,440 |
1,239 |
1,194 |
|
Cavan |
1,029 |
843 |
519 |
513 |
|
Clare |
1,937 |
1,961 |
1,722 |
1,701 |
|
Cork |
10,988 |
10,732 |
9,878 |
9,664 |
|
Donegal |
3,194 |
2,977 |
2,411 |
2,333 |
|
Dublin |
33,818 |
34,423 |
32,584 |
32,114 |
|
Galway |
4,829 |
4,615 |
4,134 |
4,151 |
|
Kerry |
2,339 |
2,278 |
2,037 |
1,995 |
|
Kildare |
4,409 |
4,447 |
4,338 |
4,420 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,577 |
1,619 |
1,365 |
1,322 |
|
Laois |
1,151 |
1,178 |
1,097 |
1,042 |
|
Leitrim |
530 |
440 |
374 |
378 |
|
Limerick |
3,896 |
3,833 |
3,323 |
3,252 |
|
Longford |
715 |
623 |
511 |
522 |
|
Louth |
2,563 |
2,734 |
2,549 |
2,509 |
|
Mayo |
3,012 |
2,928 |
2,435 |
2,338 |
|
Meath |
2,552 |
2,723 |
2,143 |
2,169 |
|
Monaghan |
598 |
488 |
438 |
432 |
|
Offaly |
1,273 |
1,349 |
1,240 |
1,225 |
|
Roscommon |
1,276 |
1,275 |
997 |
943 |
|
Sligo |
787 |
698 |
591 |
564 |
|
Tipperary |
2,680 |
2,609 |
2,199 |
2,175 |
|
Waterford |
2,332 |
2,098 |
1,773 |
1,689 |
|
Westmeath |
1,623 |
1,671 |
1,592 |
1,590 |
|
Wexford |
4,055 |
4,102 |
3,700 |
3,618 |
|
Wicklow |
2,613 |
2,719 |
2,495 |
2,522 |
|
Total |
97,260 |
96,803 |
87,684 |
86,375 |
279. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the budget and headcount for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service for 2013, 2014 and 2015. [20025/13]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments.
In 2013, the Citizens Information Board has been allocated a budget of approximately €47.5 million of which some €19 million has been assigned to MABS. The Board is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate governance arrangements are in place in relation to the expenditure of these public funds. Budget allocations for 2014 and 2015 are not available.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service is made up of a network of 53 companies, which includes 51 local companies and 2 national companies MABS National Development Limited and National Traveller MABS. There are some 277 money advice staff employed across the MABS network. Sanction has been given for the recruitment of 16 temporary additional staff to be assigned to MABS for up to two years, to establish an Approved Intermediary Service for the purposes of processing Debt Relief Notices as part of the arrangements under the new Insolvency Service.
280. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual cost to the Exchequer of reinstating the PRSI exemption. [20056/13]
View answerThe Employee’s PRSI free allowance, to which I presume the Deputy is referring, amounted to €127 per week (for those paying PRSI Class A, E and H) and €26 per week (for those paying PRSI Class B, C, and D). The allowance was abolished as part of Budget 2014, with effect from 1 January 2013. The PRSI free allowance was available to those with weekly earnings over €352 and who pay employee PRSI.
The annual reduction in income to the Social Insurance Fund of reinstating the PRSI-Free Allowance would be €289m in a full year.
281. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason parents can only receive a death certificate for a stillborn child if the baby weighed at least 500 grammes or had a gestational age of at least 24 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20129/13]
View answer282. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing parents to register a death of a stillborn child weighing less than 500 grammes or with a gestational age of less than 24 weeks in order that they can have a death certificate for their child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20130/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together.
Provision for the voluntary registration of stillbirths is contained in section 28 of the Civil Registration Act 2004. The definition of a "stillborn child" is contained in section 2(1) of that Act and provides that a stillborn child means a child who, at birth, weighs not less than 500 grammes or has a gestational age of not less than 24 weeks. In addition to either of these two criteria the child must show no sign of life.
Registration of stillbirths was first provided for in the Stillbirths Registration Act 1994. The definition of a stillbirth contained in that Act was carried forward to the 2004 Act. When the 1994 Act was passed by the Oireachtas, detailed consideration was given as to what the most appropriate definition of a stillbirth should be. The position varies from country to country. Some countries use gestational age only, while others use weight, or a combination of both. The preferred criterion of the World Health Organisation is weight, as it is more objectively determined than gestational age. At the time, it was considered that the definition of a stillbirth should be as wide as possible, consistent with accepted medical norms, and it is on this basis that the criteria described above were decided upon.
It is very distressing for families trying to deal with tragic circumstances such as these. Should clarification be required in relation to the registration of births, deaths or still births the local registrar should be contacted.
283. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 365 of 23 April 2013, if she has considered instituting a communication procedure in the Courts Service which would allow her Department to immediately stop payments to those sentenced to custody, and avoid repeating the €2 million overpayments made to prisoners in 2011 and to also avoid the cost of clawing back overpayments. [20292/13]
View answer323. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 365 of 23 April 2013, if she is confident the response given is complete; and if she will confirm that no rent assistance or mortgage interest payments were made to prisoners in 2010 and 2011. [20293/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 323 together.
As outlined in the previous reply referred to by the Deputy, in general a person that is detained in prison is disqualified for payment throughout the period of detention subject to a small number of limited exemptions. Included in the ‘other scheme’ category, there were two rent supplement overpayments recorded in 2011 as a result of a person being in prison.
In order to ensure that payments do not continue when a person is imprisoned, data-matching between the Irish Prison Service (IPS) and this Department is undertaken. This data is currently exchanged on a weekly basis and any social welfare claims in payment are stopped as soon as possible after the person is imprisoned. In this manner, overpayments are minimised and the opportunity to continue to receive a payment while in prison is virtually eliminated.
The data provided by the IPS relates to the date a person actually goes into prison, as opposed to a sentence date given in court, which may not always correspond to the date of entry into prison. Therefore, I am happy that the data provided by the IPS is more appropriate for determining social welfare entitlement.
284. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the pay cuts experienced by community employment supervisors over the past four years. [19739/13]
View answerThis department provides grant aid to Community Employment Schemes for the employment of supervisors. There has been no reduction in the level of funding made available for these purposes in the past four years. Previous adjustments in this grant aid related to pay increases covering Phase III (2.5%, March 2008) and Phase IV (2.5%, September 2008) of Towards 2016 in late 2008/early 2009 and backdated accordingly.
285. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the procedures for appeals made on decisions regarding family income supplement; if she will clarify the procedure if there is a decrease in a family's earnings following an initial decision on application or review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19752/13]
View answerThe Family Income Supplement (FIS) payment is designed to provide cash income for employees with families who are on low earnings
Once the level of FIS payment is determined, it continues to be payable at that rate for a period of 52 weeks, provided that the person remains in full-time employment. The rate of payment may be increased if an additional child is born in the course of the 52 weeks. However, the rate of payment will not change if there is an increase or decrease in the recipient’s income during this period.
When the 52 week period has expired, customers are invited to re-apply. If at that stage they continue to satisfy the basic qualifying conditions their up-to-date family income is assessed for FIS purposes and a change in rate is then approved if appropriate.
Customers have the right to appeal against any decision made on their FIS entitlement, if they are dissatisfied with it, to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will arrange to have their case re-examined and they will be informed directly of the outcome.
286. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to an application for one parent family payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin, if she will confirm the deductions that will be made from the arrears payment; if an explanation will be provided for any deductions made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19755/13]
View answerThe application for one parent family payment from the person concerned was approved on 9 April 2013, backdated to 25 October 2012. While she awaited this claim to be processed, she received payments of maternity benefit totalling €1301.40 followed by supplementary welfare allowance payments totalling €1361.80. These monies were recovered from the arrears payment of €5132.50, leaving a balance due of €2469.30 which was issued to her on 18 April 2013.
287. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to review qualifying conditions when examining entitlement to State pension transition in respect of PRSI contributions paid by self-employed persons and if any alternative supports exist for those deemed ineligible owing to PRSI contributions not being taken into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19810/13]
View answerThe State pension (transition) applies for one year for persons age 65 who qualify for the scheme. It will cease from 1 January 2014 and State pension age will be standardised at age 66. Thereafter, pension age will increase to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. These are part of the pension reform measures aimed at increasing the sustainability of the Irish pension system.
In relation to the self-employed, people who pay class S PRSI contributions do not qualify for State pension (transition). I have no plans to review or to change the qualifying conditions for this scheme.
The State pension is a very valuable asset and it is important, therefore, that those who claim a State pension have paid sufficient PRSI contributions over a working life to benefit from State pension. The recently published Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund found that self-employed persons enjoy greater value from the payment of social insurance than employed persons, in particular, due to the lower rate of PRSI paid.
288. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an appeal for disability allowance. [19825/13]
View answerPayment of disability allowance, to the person concerned, was refused by a Deciding Officer following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for disability allowance. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal his case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in the light of this second medical opinion, the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal have been 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.
289. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an appeal for invalidity pension. [19827/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence has 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.
290. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on a review of domiciliary care allowance. [19840/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 15 November 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on 8 February 2013 advising of the decision.
The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision. As part of the appeal process, the case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor on 23 April 2013 who confirmed the opinion that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. The file was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 24 April 2013 for the appeal to be processed.
291. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Laois may expect a decision on their appeal for disability allowance. [19845/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 27 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.
292. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an appeal for illness benefit. [19847/13]
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, disallowed 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.
293. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an appeal for invalidity pension. [19848/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer's 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.
294. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on an appeal for invalidity pension. [19850/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 19 April 2013 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.
