Written Answers Nos. 129-36
129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which means test applies to applicants for old age pension and non-contributory old age pension; the extent to which the value of savings, assets including capital affects such applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22116/13]
View answerThe personal rate of State pension contributory is a non means-tested payment based on PRSI contributions paid to the Social Insurance Fund over a working life. To qualify a person needs to:
- enter insurable employment by age 55 for State Pension (transition) and age 56 for State Pension (contributory),
- have paid 520 full rate social insurance contributions
- have a yearly average contributions of at least 10 for State pension (contributory), and at least 24 for State pension (transition).
The yearly average determines the weekly rate of payment.
An increase in the State pension for a spouse or partner (qualified adult) can be paid. This element of the State pension is means tested. Any income the qualified adult has from employment, self-employment, savings, investments and capital (for example, any property except the person’s home) is taken into account. Where there is joint savings or investments with the spouse or partner, half of that amount is taken into account. An increase for a qualified adult may be payable if the qualified adult has weekly income of less than €310. There are currently approximately 2,500 State pension transition customers and approximately 68,000 State pension contributory customers who have been awarded an increase for a qualified adult.
Where a person does not meet the qualifying conditions for State pension contributory, they may apply for the means-tested State pension non-contributory. The means test for State pension non-contributory takes into account the income and assets of both the claimant and his or her spouse or partner. Capital, property (excluding a person's home), savings and investments are assessed as capital and a formula is then used to assess the weekly means from capital. The weekly rate payable depends on the total weekly means of the person or couple.
The formula for assessing means from capital is as follows:
|
Capital |
Weekly means assessed |
|
First €20,000 |
Nil |
|
Next €10,000 |
€1 per €1,000 |
|
Next €10,000 |
€2 per €1,000 |
|
Balance |
€4 per €1,000 |
There are currently approximately 95,000 customers in receipt of State pension non-contributory.
130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a respite grant is payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22117/13]
View answerI can confirm that carer's allowance (CA) is in payment for the person in question in respect of two care recipients. One of the care recipients currently qualifies for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) which will cease when she turns 16 this month.
In order for a child under 16 years to be considered to be medically eligible for CA, DCA must be in payment for that child. Once the child reaches 16 years and is no longer entitled to DCA, a review of the continuing entitlement to CA is carried out. However, in the time-frame of this particular case, the review will not be completed until after the first Thursday in June (the date the respite care grant (RCG) becomes payable) and, consequently, the Department can confirm that RCG for 2013 will be paid in respect of both carees in this case once they are still in payment on the due date.
131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when arrears for carer's allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22123/13]
View answerThe Department would like to offer its condolences to the family of the deceased.
I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 14 June 2012. The application was awarded on 11 of January 2013 and payments issued to Post Office from 17 of January 2013 with the final payment issued on 27 of March 2013, six weeks after the death of the caree. Arrears of allowance due from 14 of June 2012 to 16 of January 2013 issued to the person in question on 11 of January 2013.
The person in question has appealed the decision not to backdate her allowance beyond the date of application. All the necessary papers have now been submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for determination. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will be in touch with the person directly regarding the progress of the appeal.
132. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of travel and subsistence both foreign and domestic claimed by each junior Minister and Secretary General in his Department for the period 2007 to date in 2013; the number of staff appointed by each Minister and junior Minister in his Department or constituency office and their relevant cost including travel and subsistence in each case for the period 2007 to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22030/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June 2011. The amount of travel and subsistence, both foreign and domestic, paid to the Minister of State and Secretary General in my Department from that date was as follows:
|
- |
June – Dec 2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Minister of State |
14,119 |
26,087 |
1,551 |
|
Secretary General |
3,933 |
4,690 |
975 |
There are 10 posts in my Department (6 in my office and 4 in the office of the Minister of State) to which appointments have been made in line with Government Guidelines on Ministerial Appointments. The salary costs of these staff in the period from June 2011 to date were €1,068,106 while travel and subsistence costs for the same period were €75,886. All travel and subsistence payments were made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on such matters.
133. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the plans there are for broadband roll out specifically for the Billinter/Bective area south east of Navan and all other rural areas in counties Meath and Westmeath. [21926/13]
View answerIreland's telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, who provide services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including Counties Meath and Westmeath, can be found on ComReg's website at www.callcosts.ie.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market has failed to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme. NBS services are available within 26 of the 106 Electoral Divisions in County Meath, including the Electoral Division of Bective, and within 18 of the 92 Electoral Divisions in County Westmeath, the list of which is set out as follows.
With basic broadband services widely available across Ireland, the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, well in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.
During the preparation of Ireland's National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
The Government is also committed in the Plan to investing in areas where high speed services are not commercially viable and will not be provided by the market. In an important milestone towards delivery of this commitment in the Plan, my Department has appointed experts to assist it in the design, planning and procurement of the State-led investment. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be on-going throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.
I would reiterate that the Government remains committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland, including the Bellinter and Bective areas as well as all rural areas in Counties Meath and Westmeath, will have at least 30Mbps connectivity, through public or private sector investment, as outlined in the National Broadband Plan.
National Broadband Scheme (NBS)
Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in Co. Meath
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No |
|
ARDBRACCAN |
ED 167002 |
|
BECTIVE |
ED 167011 |
|
CASTLEKEERAN |
ED 167016 |
|
CLOGHBRACK |
ED 167019 |
|
CLONMACDUFF |
ED 167020 |
|
CROSSKEYS |
ED 167022 |
|
DRUMCONDRA |
ED 167027 |
|
KILLALLON |
ED 167047 |
|
KILLARY |
ED 167048 |
|
KILLEAGH |
ED 167049 |
|
KILLYON |
ED 167051 |
|
KILMORE |
ED 167054 |
|
KNOCKLOUGH |
ED 167056 |
|
LOUGHAN |
ED 167058 |
|
MOYLAGH |
ED 167063 |
|
RATHKENNY |
ED 167075 |
|
RATHMORE |
ED 167076 |
|
TROHANNY |
ED 167092 |
National Broadband Scheme (NBS)
Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in Co.Westmeath
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
BALLYMORE |
ED 237013 |
|
BALLYMORIN |
ED 237009 |
|
BALLYNASKEAGH |
ED 237015 |
|
CHURCHTOWN |
ED 237026 |
|
CLONARNEY |
ED 237028 |
|
CLONLOST |
ED 237030 |
|
COLLINSTOWN |
ED 237031 |
|
COOLE |
ED 237032 |
|
COPPERALLEY |
ED 237034 |
|
DRUMRANEY |
ED 237038 |
|
FORE EAST |
ED 237044 |
|
FORE WEST |
ED 237045 |
|
GLORE |
ED 237049 |
|
HILLTOWN |
ED 237053 |
|
JAMESTOWN |
ED 237057 |
|
KILCUMNY |
ED 237060 |
|
KILLARE |
ED 237062 |
|
KILLULAGH |
ED 237066 |
|
KILPATRICK |
ED 237067 |
|
KNOCKDRIN |
ED 237071 |
|
MULTYFARNHAM |
ED 237081 |
|
RIVERDALE |
ED 237091 |
|
STONEHALL |
ED 237096 |
|
TAGHMON |
ED 237099 |
|
UMMA |
ED 237103 |
|
WOODLAND |
ED 237105 |
134. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there are any plans to include solar power in the REFIT3 tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21932/13]
View answerThe REFIT3 scheme for biomass, which was opened in February 2012, is designed to incentivise the addition of 310 Megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity capacity from biomass technologies to the Irish electricity grid. Wind energy, hydro power and electricity from landfill gas are also supported under the REFIT1 and REFIT2 schemes.
Solar power is not currently supported by way of feed-in tariffs. However, grants are available under the Better Energy Homes scheme for homeowners to apply for €800 grant aid towards a solar thermal system.
In 2009, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) initiated a pilot microgeneration programme which involved 42 installations of various microgeneration technologies including solar post voltaic (PV). A final monitoring report on the performance of the installations and learning from the programme is awaited. This will inform future policy development.
SEAI has been asked to provide my Department with analysis of other means through which the microgeneration sector including PV could be supported, apart from through a feed-in tariff funded from the Public Service Obligation.
135. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of travel and subsistence both foreign and domestic claimed by each junior Minister and Secretary General in his Department for the period 2007 to date in 2013; the number of staff appointed by each Minister and junior Minister in his Department or constituency office and their relevant cost including travel and subsistence in each case for the period 2007 to date in 2013 [22032/13]
View answerMy Department was established in June 2007. The amount of travel and subsistence claimed by each Junior Minister and Secretary General in my Department from June 2007 to date is outlined in the following Table:
|
- |
Home Travel and Subsistence € |
EU Related Travel and Subsistence € |
Other Travel and Subsistence € |
Total € |
|
Mr Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State |
3,361 |
193 |
791 |
4,345 |
|
Mr Conor Lenihan TD, Minister of State |
262 |
69 |
422 |
753 |
|
Mr Sean Power TD, Minister of State |
33,921 |
812 |
241 |
34,974 |
|
Mr Fergus O’Dowd TD, Minister of State |
32,534 |
1,034 |
1,515 |
35,083 |
|
Mr Aidan Dunning, Secretary General |
918 |
2,592 |
0 |
3,510 |
|
Mr Brendan Tuohy, Secretary General |
433 |
874 |
641 |
1,948 |
The number of full time equivalent staff appointed by each Minister and Minister of State in my Department or constituency office and their relevant cost in each case for the period June 2007 to date is outlined in the following Table:
|
- |
Term of Office |
Number of Staff |
Cost € |
|
Mr. Eamonn Ryan TD, Minister |
June 2007-Jan 2011 |
4 |
1,108,060 |
|
Mr. Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State |
June 2007-May 2008 |
1 |
75,959 |
|
Mr. Sean Power TD, Minister of State |
May 2008-April 2009 |
4 |
236,827 |
|
Mr. Conor Lenihan TD, Minister of State |
May 2009-March 2011 |
1 |
226,266 |
|
Mr. Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister |
March 2011 to date |
6 |
825,562 |
|
Mr. Fergus O’Dowd TD, Minister of State |
March 2011 to date |
4 |
344,535 |
Costs in the above Table consist of salaries, employer’s PRSI, travel and subsistence and expenses. Costs for Minister Ryan and Ministers of State Power and Lenihan also include redundancy and severance payments to individual staff. Costs and staff numbers in respect of Minister Rabbitte reflect the revised arrangements for Ministers drivers.
As Ministers of State Killeen and Lenihan were assigned to more than one Department each appointed only one member of staff in my Department during their tenure.
136. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will allow a school (details supplied) in County Galway to credit the surplus energy that is generated by their active wind turbine by selling it back to the national grid and thereby gaining income to pay other bills at the school; if they may be registered as a business if necessary for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22083/13]
View answerCurrently, electricity suppliers are not required to offer a feed-in-tariff for microgenerators. At present, Electric Ireland, on a commercial basis, is the only electricity supplier to offer a feed-in-tariff to domestic microgenerators. They offer a tariff of 9 cent per kilowatt hour for electricity exported to the grid to domestic customers under specified conditions.
The Commission for Energy Regulation, in the past, wrote to all electricity suppliers inviting them, on a voluntary and commercial basis, to introduce schemes for microgenerators. However, to date none of the suppliers, apart from Electric Ireland, has chosen to do so.
In terms of current supports for renewable electricity generation, it is noteworthy that the REFIT scheme operated by my Department does not set lower limits. There are currently some very small hydro plants operating in the scheme, as well as some small landfill gas and anaerobic digestion (AD) plants.
In order to inform further development of microgeneration policy, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) initiated a pilot microgeneration programme in 2009. This involved 42 installations of various microgeneration technologies. A final monitoring report on the performance of the installations and learning from the programme is awaited from the SEAI.
SEAI has also been asked to provide my Department with analysis of other means through which the microgeneration sector could be supported, apart from through a feed-in-tariff funded from the Public Service Obligation. In view of falling technology costs, the Department has also asked SEAI to update analysis on the costs of varying levels of support for microgeneration technologies, with a view to considering how the sector could be supported going forward.
I have no function in the categorisation of electricity market participants which is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), the independent regulator.
