Pearse Doherty
Question:115. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason financial brokers are excluded from the Mortgage Advisory Services she has announced. [21907/13]
View answerMortgage Arrears Proposals
Questions (115, 116)
Pearse Doherty
Question:116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has had a request from the Professional Insurance Brokers' Association to meet her regarding their exclusion from the Mortgage Advisory Service; and when this meeting will take place. [21908/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 116 together.
The Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to assist people in mortgage distress. The approach differentiates between mortgage information and mortgage advice. The first two elements involve the enhancement of the website www.keepingyourhome.ie and the establishment of a Mortgage Arrears Information Helpline within the Citizens Information Board both of which focus on the provision of comprehensive mortgage arrears information in particular to people in arrears or pre-arrears.
The third element of the service is the provision of independent financial advice to mortgage holders who are being presented with long term mortgage resolution proposals by their lenders. This advice is provided by a panel of accountants drawn from members of the main accountancy institutes in Ireland who have agreed to participate and support this independent service. This panel is available on a county by county basis on the website www.keepingyourhome.ie.
When a lender is proposing longer-term mortgage resolutions, the lender advises the borrower to obtain independent financial advice on the proposed arrangement and that, if the borrower wishes to avail of this option, that the lender will pay €250 to an accountant of the borrower’s choosing for the provision of this advice. The advisory framework has commenced with practising accountants because they already operate within a regulatory regime which includes qualitative oversight by their regulating bodies and in these circumstances it was possible to establish the advisory framework for people with mortgage distress within a relatively short timeframe.
There is nothing to inhibit other financial intermediaries from continuing to give advice on mortgages as required by borrowers. The advisory framework is being monitored on an on-going basis and a full review of the service will be undertaken in June 2013. The review will be undertaken to ensure that it is meeting its objectives and will encompass all aspects of the service including if participation is extended to other interested parties, the criteria that would be required in terms of relevant qualifications, experience, independence, professional indemnity insurance, etc. All interested organisations will have an opportunity to input to the review of the service. I have had no meetings on this issue with the Professional Insurance Brokers Association and I am arranging for officials of my Department to meet with this organisation in the coming weeks.
Invalidity Pension Applications
Questions (117)
Pat Breen
Question:117. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of numbers of persons who applied for invalidity pension in County Clare for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; the numbers of those who were refused and granted and of those who were refused the numbers who appealed the decision and the numbers who were successful and unsuccessful in those appeals; of those applications which were successful before and after Appeal, the number of cases that were decided solely on the condition of being incapable of work for at least 12 months and likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21955/13]
View answerWritten answers
In 2012, there were 230 claims for invalidity pension received from persons with an address in County Clare and there were 350 claims decided. Of the 350 claims decided, 131 were awarded and 219 were disallowed. Full year statistics for invalidity pension claims received from persons with an address in County Clare are not available prior to 2012. Social Welfare Appeals Office statistics are not maintained on a county by county basis and the Chief Appeals Officer is not in a position, therefore, to supply the specific information sought in relation to appellants with addresses in County Clare. However, the table below gives information in relation to the total number of appeals in the years in question.
Invalidity Pension Appeals – 2010 -2012
|
Year |
Appeals Lodged |
Revised Deciding Officer Decision(*) |
Total Decided by Appeals Office |
Appeals Allowed |
Appeals Partly Allowed |
Appeals Disallowed |
Appeals Withdrawn |
|
2010 |
1,024 |
185 |
694 |
341 |
6 |
314 |
33 |
|
2011 |
2,285 |
345 |
970 |
408 |
6 |
489 |
67 |
|
2012 |
4,765 |
474 |
1,517 |
1,031 |
4 |
430 |
52 |
(*) Where a person has received a decision to disallow a payment, it is open to them to ask for a review by a deciding officer. These figures reflect those cases where a disallowed claim was revised on review by a deciding officer prior to determination by an Appeals Officer. Generally these cases arise where a person submits additional information, not already considered, in support of their claim following a decision to disallow.
In order to qualify for invalidity pension, claimants must satisfy both medical and contribution criteria. All awarded invalidity pension claims are deemed by either a deciding officer or an appeals officer to have satisfied all the eligibility criteria. In respect of the disallowed claims, statistics are not kept on the specific reason(s) for the disallowance. However, it is safe to say that the vast majority of disallowances are on medical grounds.
Fuel Allowance Payments
Questions (118)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:118. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans, due to the cold weather, to extend the free fuel allowance to the end of April 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21957/13]
View answerWritten answers
My Department will spend €211 million on the fuel allowance scheme this year, helping approximately 410,000 recipients with their heating costs. A similar number (approximately 410,000 people) receive the household benefits package, the electricity and gas element of which is worth €420 per year at a cost of €284 million in 2013.
The fuel allowance is paid for 26 weeks over the coldest months of the year, from October to April, and final payments for the 2012/2013 season were due to be paid in the first week of April. Because of the cold weather conditions being experienced at that time, I extended the fuel allowance season by one week to further assist recipients.
The 2012/2013 fuel allowance season has now ended and I have no plans to make further payments under the scheme. The 2013/2014 fuel allowance season will commence in October 2013.
Question No. 119 withdrawn.
Invalidity Pension Appeals
Questions (120)
John McGuinness
Question:120. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for invalidly pension now under appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be expedited and approved. [21988/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 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 the 13 April 2013 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.