Written Answers Nos. 350-372
351. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22514/13]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 18th May 2012. The application was awarded on 10th of May 2013. The first payment will issue to the Post Office on 16th of May 2013 and arrears of allowance due from 24th of May 2012 to 15th of May 2013 less any other payments made to the person in question will issue shortly.
352. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a PPS number will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22531/13]
View answerThe Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number) is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies.
A PPS Number is automatically issued in the case of children born in Ireland. In other cases PPS Numbers are issued following a controlled allocation procedure which takes approximately 20 minutes and involves personal attendance at one of the Department's PPS Number allocation centres, the completion of a written application form, the submission of appropriate identity documents and the proving of identity.
In circumstances where a person is not resident in the State, but requires a PPS Number, s/he, or someone acting on his or her behalf, must apply by post to the Department submitting the required documentation. The Department processes some 17,000 of these applications annually. The application referred to was received in my Department on the 2nd of May.
It normally takes between 3-4 weeks to finalise the allocation of such PPS Numbers. The vast majority of such requests are for reasons such as probate or property purchase. However some requests are from individuals who are employed outside of the State by an Irish employer and require a PPS Number in that context. Where these requests are identified, they are given priority by the Department. Apart from these, requests are dealt with in the date order in which they are received.
353. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she has taken, or intends to take, to address the fact, now confirmed in her Department's report, that households with children, and in particular, lone parent families, have been the worst affected by the measures contained in budget 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21768/13]
View answerIn 2013, my Department will spend over €2.8 billion on supports to families and children.
The Social Impact Assessment of Budget 2013, which was published this March, examines the impact of the main welfare and direct tax measures in Budget 2013.
Social impact assessment is an evidence-based methodology which uses a tax/welfare simulation model developed by the Economic and Social Research Institute to estimate the likely distributive effects of budgetary measures on income and social inequalities.
The main finding of the assessment is that Budget 2013 led to no significant change in the at-risk-of-poverty rate, including the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children, and that the strong poverty reduction performance of social transfers was maintained. To illustrate this, in 2011, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children from 51 per cent to 16 per cent; this is amongst the best performance of all member states in the EU.
The assessment finds that households with children lost around 1 per cent of disposable income, slightly more than the average loss of 0.8 per cent. This reflected the reduction in child income supports (child benefit and back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance) and the impact of the reduction of the earnings threshold for recipients of the One Parent Family Payment (OFP) from €130 per week to €110 per week (which was announced in a previous Budget).
However, the analysis did not, for technical reasons, take into account the additional €20.75 million which was provided for services for low income children, including an Area Based Approach to Child Poverty, school meals and after-school child care.
In this regard, Budget 2013 contained a measure to provide 6,000 additional after-school child care places to people who have been long-term unemployed or were former recipients of OFP and who have received a job offer or significantly increased their part-time hours. The provision of good quality, affordable child care is one of the most important ways in which we help people get back to work. In the first phase, up to 500 child care places are being made available in seven local offices: Tralee, Mullingar, Dundalk, Cork City, Finglas, King’s Inn and Limerick City (Dominic Street).
The Government’s priority in Budget 2013 was to maintain the basic weekly rates of social welfare income support payments including the personal weekly rate OFP and this was achieved. In addition, there were no changes to the family income supplement, fuel allowance and the level of weekly increase payable for qualified children.
355. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [22695/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 21st September 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 the 17th October 2012 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision and supplied additional information on the child’s condition. As part of the appeal process, the application along with the additional information provided was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who found the child to be medically eligible for the allowance.
The person concerned was notified of the decision on the 10th May 2013. Payment of the allowance, along with arrears due will issue on the 21st May 2013.
356. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a disability allowance which has been awarded in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22700/13]
View answerFollowing his successful medical appeal, weekly means (if any) will now be determined and a final decision on his application will be issued shortly to the person concerned.
357. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Waterford will be allowed to appeal their illness benefit application decision by way of oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22707/13]
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 summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer decision.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of new evidence or new facts. The legislation also provides that an Appeals Officer may decide a case before him/her on the basis of the documentary evidence available. This course of action was taken in this case as it was considered that an oral hearing was not warranted.
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.
358. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will re-examine entitlement to social welfare assistance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, who wishes to take up a position with JobBridge but who is only currently receiving credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22725/13]
View answerThe Department’s records show that the person referred to by the Deputy made a claim for credits on 18th December, 2012 and is still signing. I am advised that, taking into account the earnings of her spouse, she would not satisfy the means test for a Jobseeker payment and accordingly is signing for credits. However, the person meets the eligibility requirements for JobBridge by virtue of the fact that she has been signing on for credits for a period of 78 days or 3 months in the last six months.
The Department has contacted the company which has advised that it has selected the person concerned for this internship. The company further indicated that the person concerned is considering whether to take up this internship as she would only have an entitlement to the €50 weekly top-up allowance as she is not in receipt of a Jobseeker payment. The company stated that it informed the person concerned that it would keep this internship open for her until 14th May and is currently awaiting confirmation as to whether she wishes to take up this internship.
359. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason retained fire fighters are not allowed to claim jobseeker's benefit; her plans to change the criteria of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22778/13]
View answerRetained fire-fighters are entitled to a jobseeker’s payment in respect of days that they are engaged in fire-fighting or training. They are, however, required to satisfy the statutory conditions for the receipt of a jobseeker’s payment of being available for and genuinely seeking work.
Taking account of the unusual circumstances of retained fire personnel, a departmental group was established to examine the position of these workers vis-à-vis jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance. I would hope to be able to advance proposals to address the issues arising shortly.
360. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she has plans to close the community welfare office in Tramore, County Waterford; if so, how she can justify this closure; her plans to move this office to the Waterford city office; how she proposes people with lack of financial support and no transport make the journey to visit these offices; and her plans to provide more resources to the community welfare office in Waterford city (details supplied) to alleviate delays in the processing of applications. [22779/13]
View answerI am very conscious of the need to provide efficient and effective customer facing services at a local level for clients of the Department.
As part of the relocation of community welfare services to Waterford, the frequency of clinics is being increased from 3 to 4 days per week and the number of staff available to these clinics will be increased, giving clients improved access to services there.
The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.
This includes meeting commitments under the Pathways to Work programme to provide opportunities, support and assistance to the approximately 415,000 people on the live register by intensifying the Department’s level of engagement with people who are unemployed and in particular those who are, or become, long term unemployed.
It was in this context that a decision was made to relocate community welfare services from Tramore to Waterford following the retirement of a staff member. The relocation will take effect from 17 June 2013. In the interim, services in Tramore will continue to operate as heretofore. A key factor influencing the decision is the objective of ensuring continuity of service in the event of any future staff absences which would otherwise negatively impact on the quality of service.
An important factor taken into account in the reconfiguration of services was the good public transport services from Tramore to Waterford, with a frequent bus service passing the existing community welfare service offices in Waterford and the main offices of the Department.
There is also the facility for clients who are unable to travel to Waterford, for example due to illness, to phone the community welfare service in Waterford and discuss their case and, if required, the officer may arrange a visit to the client’s home
The relocation of services coincides with greater integration between the community welfare service and other locally based staff of the Department. This process will be further enhanced by the roll-out of a full Intreo service to Waterford later this year. It should be noted that currently claims for supplementary welfare allowance are generally processed within a number of days where all the required documentation is in place.
361. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of personnel in whole-time equivalent terms in her Department and in bodies under the aegis of her Department in each of the following earnings brackets: less than €20,000, €20,001 to €30,000, €30,001 to €40,000, €40,001 to €50,000, €50,001 to €60,000, €60,001 to €70,000, €70,001 to €80,000, €80,001 to €90,000, €90,001 to €100,000, €100,000 to €125,000, €125,001 to €150,000, €150,001 to €175,000, €175,001 to €200,000, €200,001 to €250,000, €250,001 to €300,000, €300,001 to €350,000, €350,001 to €400,000, €400,001 to €450,000, €450,001 to €500,000, and more than €500,000. [22795/13]
View answerThe following table shows the number of staff in the Department within each of the salary ranges as at week ending 16 March 2013. Current details for the bodies under the aegis of the Department are also provided.
|
Salary Band |
Number of Staff in band |
|||
|
Dept of Social Protection |
Citizens Information Board |
Pensions Board |
Pensions Ombudsman |
|
|
Over €200,001 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
€175,001 - €200,000 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
€150,001 - €175,000 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
€125,001 - €150,000 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
€100,001 - €125,000 |
14 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
|
€90,001 - €100,000 |
42 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
€80,001 - €90,000 |
68 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
|
€70,001 - €80,000 |
176 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
€60,001 - €70,000 |
136 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
€50,001 - €60,000 |
1213 |
39 |
5 |
1 |
|
€40,001 - €50,000 |
1529 |
19 |
11 |
0 |
|
€30,001 - €40,000 |
2052 |
12 |
12 |
0 |
|
€20,001 - €30,000 |
1345 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
|
Less than €20,000 |
461 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
These figures include persons who are on reduced wages due to work sharing patterns.
The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The Social Welfare Tribunal does not have any permanent staff assigned to it.
363. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the contents of the new service level agreement that has been issued to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service companies and in particular the concerns raised by MABS officials in relation to the restrictive nature of the agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22814/13]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides a high quality personal service to assist 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 some €47.4 million from the exchequer of which some €19 million has been assigned to MABS and €14.6 million has been assigned to the Citizens Information Services. The corresponding allocation to the Citizens Information Board in 2012 was €46.8 million of which some €18.3 million was allocated to MABS and €14.6 million for the Citizens Information Services.
The Citizens Information Board is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate governance arrangements are in place in relation to the expenditure of these public funds. It is essential that this significant amount of public monies is carefully monitored and properly accounted for, in terms of financial accountability, effective performance and excellent delivery of quality services to the customer and taxpayer, who ultimately funds these services. The Board is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate governance arrangements are in place in relation to the expenditure of these public funds.
An important element of assessing accountability is through the formal arrangement of Service Level Agreements. These are annual contracts between the CIB and the 96 separate companies, which provide the services for which the Citizens information Board has responsibility, including the 42 local Citizens Information Services and the 53 MABS companies. These contracts are agreed by the governing board of the Citizens Information Board and cover standard items such as service delivery, governance, financial controls, HR practices, reporting, evaluation, monitoring etc. This enables the Board to ensure that excellent service and best value is achieved across the wide range of services it provides.
With regard to the 2013 Agreement the CIB met with the representative forums of MABS and CIS to discuss issues raised. To date, some 40 CIS companies and 19 MABS companies have signed the contract and are fully compliant with the governance and accountability requirements.
The Citizens Information Board is engaging with the remaining companies to resolve outstanding matters and following consultation with the MABS and CIS network is bringing forward a longer term contract to govern the period to end 2016. I am confident this will secure the agreement of all and would like to assure the Deputy that there is no risk to service delivery and all parties are fully engaged in ensuring that the excellent service to those most in need continues as required.
365. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the individual amount of overtime paid in the case of each political or ministerial appointee for the period 2007 to date in 2013 relative to her office and the office of the Minister of State; if such payments were made to the Secretary General and advisers, and if so, the amounts for the same period. [22881/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to the individual amount of overtime paid in the case of each political/Ministerial appointee for the period 2007 to date in 2013 relative to my Department, is set out in the following table.
No overtime has been paid to the Special Advisers or the Secretary Generals within the Department of Social Protection during the period 2007 to date in 2013 as these posts are not overtime grades.
All overtime, travel and subsistence payments are subject to the general regulations governing the payment of overtime, travel and subsistence.
MINISTER JOAN BURTON,T.D. FROM MARCH 2011 TO DATE-
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS:
OVERTIME PAYMENTS
|
TITLE |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
|
PERSONAL ASSISTANT |
€4,660 |
€9,202 |
€4,195 |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY (commenced 12/5/2012) |
€2,315 |
€303 |
N/A |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY (from 03/2011 to 12/5/2012) |
N/A |
€2,453 |
€3,134 |
MINISTER EAMON O’ CUÍV, T.D FROM MARCH 2010 TO MARCH 2011
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS:
OVERTIME PAYMENTS
|
TITLE |
2011 |
2010 |
|
PERSONAL ASSISTANT |
Nil |
Nil |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY |
Nil |
Nil |
MINISTER MARY HANAFIN, T.D., FROM 2008 TO MARCH 2010-
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS:
OVERTIME PAYMENTS
|
TITLE |
2010 |
2009 |
2008 |
|
PERSONAL ASSISTANT |
€3,983 |
€16,065 |
€3,442 |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY |
€3,240 |
€10,875 |
Nil |
MINISTER MARTIN CULLEN, T.D., FROM JUNE 2007 TO MAY 2008 -
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS:
OVERTIME PAYMENTS
|
TITLE |
2008 |
2007 |
|
PERSONAL ASSISTANT |
Nil |
Nil |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY |
Nil |
Nil |
|
PERSONAL ADMIN ASSIST. |
Nil |
Nil |
MINISTER SEAMUS BRENNAN, T.D.,FROM JANUARY 2007 TO JUNE 2007-
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS:
OVERTIME PAYMENTS
|
TITLE |
2007 |
|
PERSONAL ASSISTANT |
Nil |
|
PERSONAL SECRETARY |
€1,873 |
367. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a State non-contributory pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22917/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 15th April 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 9th May 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.
368. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the payment of a scholarship to a recipient of a one-parent family benefit is considered as cash income and deducted from their weekly payment when that same person can retain their full benefit payment and earn up to €110.00 per week; if she considers this to be an anomaly; and if she will address the matter as it is an obstacle to those attempting to improve their qualifications for employment. [22925/13]
View answerThe Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of nearly €935 million on the one parent family payment scheme in 2013.
When assessing means for the one parent family payment, account is taken of all cash income which the person is receiving. Where a recipient has earnings from employment, the first €110 per week is disregarded and the balance is assessed at 50%.
There is no similar disregard in place where a recipient has income from a scholarship. Any changes to the current arrangements would have to be considered in a Budgetary context and have regard to the on-going requirement to contain public expenditure.
369. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobseekers who have been called to interviews as part of her Department's strategy of having more regular and ongoing engagement with jobseekers as set out in the Pathways to Work document. [22931/13]
View answerThe Department has significantly increased the volume and efficiency of activation referrals in recent years by bringing groups of customers to information sessions prior to one-to-one engagement.
Through this Group Engagement process, referrals in the first four months of 2013 were 38,100, as compared with 18,500 in 2012. One-to-one referrals (including direct referrals and post-Group Engagement) in the first four months of 2013 were 37,800. This represented a small increase on the 2012 figure of 36,700. However, because of the increased attendance rates at one-to-one interviews achieved as a result of the group engagement initiative, the actual number of interviews achieved through the referral process rose from 29,000 in the first four months in 2012 to 32,000 in first four months in 2013.
371. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has carried out a review of the decision to cease payment of a carer's allowance claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; when a revised decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23009/13]
View answerIn order for a child under 16 years to be deemed eligible for carer's allowance, domiciliary care allowance must be in payment for that child. In those circumstances, the child is deemed to be automatically medically eligible for carer’s allowance. Once the child reaches 16 years and is no longer entitled to domiciliary care allowance, a review of the continuing entitlement to carer’s allowance is carried out.
In this case domiciliary care allowance ceased when the care recipient turned 16 on the 22nd of October 2012. The person in question was informed that the entitlement to carer’s allowance would be reviewed and further medical evidence was requested. The person concerned submitted this medical evidence and having examined this the medical assessor was of the opinion that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. A deciding officer reviewed the case and decided that the carer’s allowance payments would be stopped. The person in question was informed of this decision on the 28th of March 2013, and of his right to review or appeal. There is no record of any review or appeal being requested and the last payment issued to the person concerned on the 18th of April 2013.
If the person in question is not satisfied with the decision to stop his carer’s allowance, he may request a review or may submit an appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
372. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons on the live register at Bandon, County Cork for each of the past five years. [23028/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not routinely collated by my Department. However the Central Statistics Office (CSO) publishes breakdowns in respect of the live register on their website each month. The following table details the number of persons on the live register in the Bandon social welfare branch office which has been extracted from the CSO’s website and collated by my Department for the Deputy’s convenience.
Persons on the Live Register, Bandon, Cork
|
- |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
January |
660 |
1,191 |
1,548 |
1,559 |
1,524 |
1,449 |
|
February |
693 |
1,266 |
1,554 |
1,573 |
1,545 |
1,466 |
|
March |
710 |
1,340 |
1,563 |
1,520 |
1,515 |
1,463 |
|
April |
697 |
1,387 |
1,554 |
1,504 |
1,506 |
1,428 |
|
May |
725 |
1,450 |
1,513 |
1,468 |
1,528 |
|
|
June |
811 |
1,490 |
1,573 |
1,544 |
1,581 |
|
|
July |
878 |
1,571 |
1,624 |
1,606 |
1,578 |
|
|
August |
901 |
1,573 |
1,591 |
1,569 |
1,511 |
|
|
September |
881 |
1,498 |
1,527 |
1,441 |
1,459 |
|
|
October |
936 |
1,517 |
1,521 |
1,410 |
1,438 |
|
|
November |
992 |
1,481 |
1,495 |
1,453 |
1,417 |
|
|
December |
1,041 |
1,543 |
1,516 |
1,506 |
1,458 |
Source: WWW.CSO.ie
