Patrick Nulty
Question:180. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if the present rates of child benefit will be maintained in Budget 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23334/13]
View answerChild Benefit Rates
Questions (180)
Written answers
The importance of child and family income supports is underlined by the fact that in 2013 my Department will spend over €2.8 billion on supports to families and children through payments such as Child Benefit, the Family Income Supplement, qualified child increases on weekly social welfare payments, and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. This accounts for approximately 14 per cent of expenditure on social protection.
The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of €1.912 billion on child benefit in 2013 or 9.4% of total expenditure.
The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Expenditure Report 2013 published last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €440 million to be achieved in 2014 in the Department of Social Protection budget.
The Government have not made any decisions to date in relation to measures to be introduced in 2014, including measures relating to child and family income supports such as Child Benefit.
Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility
Questions (181)
Catherine Murphy
Question:181. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23367/13]
View answerWritten answers
The application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 8 February 2013.
The person submitted further medical evidence in support of her claim and a review of her application is underway. Once a decision is made on this review the person will be notified of the outcome.
Seirbhísí Aeir
Questions (182)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:182. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil i gceist aige Staidéar Socheacnamaíoch a thionscnamh le tábhacht na seirbhísí aeir go dtí Oileáin Árann a scrúdú; má tá cén uair a cheapfar comhairleoirí leis an staidéar a dhéanamh; cén uair a bheadh súil an staidéar a bheith críochnaithe; cé na téarmaí tagartha a bhainfidh leis an staidéar; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [23289/13]
View answerWritten answers
Táthar i mbun ullmhúcháin faoi láthair chun téarmaí tagartha don staidéar a réiteach agus chun comhairleoirí a cheapadh chun tabhairt faoin staidéar. Tá súil tús a chur leis an staidéar go luath.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (183)
Andrew Doyle
Question:183. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown on a yearly basis of the legal and travel costs his Department has incurred as a result of litigation in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the General Court in Luxembourg and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from the years 2005 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23307/13]
View answerWritten answers
Since the formation of my Department in June 2011, expenditure of €769.58 has been incurred as a result of travel and subsistence expenses relating to litigation in the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg. No costs have been incurred in relation to the General Court in Luxembourg or the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This information is, as requested, set out in tabular form below.
Legal costs arising were met by the Office of the Attorney General.
|
Year |
Date |
Court attended |
Travel and Accommodation |
Legal |
Total |
|
2011 |
- |
- |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
2012 |
11 September |
Court of Justice of the European Union |
€ 769.58 |
Nil |
€769.58 |
|
2013 |
- |
- |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Broadband Services Speeds
Questions (184)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:184. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23269/13]
View answerWritten answers
The broadband service contracted under National Broadband Scheme (NBS) was designed as a basic, affordable, scalable product in keeping with EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme. Under the terms of the contract which my Department has in place with 3, the NBS service provider, the NBS mobile wireless service is required to offer minimum download and upload speeds of 2.3Mbps and 1.4Mbps respectively, subject to a maximum contention ratio of 18:1. The NBS satellite service, which is utilised in a small number of cases for technical reasons associated with the location of the premises, offers minimum download and upload speeds of 3.6Mbps and 384 kbps respectively, subject to a maximum contention ratio of 48:1.
As regards service quality, my Department has well-established monitoring arrangements in place to ensure that the NBS delivers the minimum specified service or better to all users. The NBS contract guarantees service levels and imposes a service credit regime on 3, with significant financial consequences in the event that minimum specification service levels are not met. The NBS contract also provides that where NBS customers do not receive the minimum guaranteed service, as set out in the terms and conditions of their contract, they are entitled to service rebates.
Should any NBS customer experience problems with the NBS service, they are advised to contact 3’s customer care centre, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, by phone at 1913 (free of charge), via email to nbssupport@three.ie or by post to 3 Customer Services, Hutchison 3G Ireland Limited, PO Box 333, Dublin 2. I note that the customer in question has contacted the customer care centre, but is not satisfied with the response received.
My Department has a role where customers have fully utilised the established complaints process and consider that their complaint has not been resolved. My officials operate a dedicated NBS mailbox, which NBS customers can contact by email at nationalbroadbandscheme@dcenr.gov.ie, with any comments or complaints they may have about their NBS service. My Department will then liaise with 3 personnel at its Head Office in Dublin to remedy any service performance issues. In this instance, my officials had, directly upon receipt of the correspondence from the person referred to in the Question contacted this NBS customer on Thursday, 9 May. The details of the complaint were forwarded to 3, which advises that they have contacted the customer and commenced a thorough investigation of the issues raised. My officials will remain in touch with 3 and the customer until such time as the service issues are resolved.