Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Written Answers Nos. 383-403

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Questions (383)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

383. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for job seeker's allowance will be determined in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the progress made to date in determining the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25434/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The jobseeker’s allowance claim of the person concerned has been awarded. The person concerned is employed on a casual basis and any payment due is determined by days of unemployment.

Disability Allowance Data

Questions (384)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

384. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide figures relating to the number of applications for disability benefit in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013 broken down by successful and unsuccessful applications; if she will indicate for each year the proportion of refusals which were made for applicants suffering from a mental health related disability and a physical disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25543/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Illness benefit claims are submitted to the Department following the customer’s consultation with their doctor. These claims are then processed by deciding officers of illness benefit branch. The question of the nature of the incapacity does not arise at the application stage of an illness benefit claim. Applications are allowed or refused primarily based on the contribution record of the customer concerned. Details of illness benefit claims registered, allowed and disallowed for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 (to 30/4/13) follow.

Illness Benefit Claim data for years 2011, 2012, 2013 (up to 30/04/2013)

Year	Claims Registered	Claims Allowed	Claims Disallowed
2011	296,730	259,008	33,934
2012	286,534	245,319	36,855
2013 (To 30/04/2013)	108,343	93,174	13,379

Note on Table - It should be noted that the number of claims registered in a year will not equal the number of claims allowed + disallowed in the same year as a number of claims will cross annual boundaries and also a number of claims may be withdrawn.

In relation to distinguishing between physical and mental health incapacities, this is statistically difficult. Illness benefit claims on the Department’s ISTS IT system hold a single “certified cause of incapacity” as reported by the customer’s general practitioner. This is the primary condition which is initially diagnosed by the primary health care provider. However, a significant number of patients may have associated co-morbidities where whilst the certified cause of incapacity may well be the primary condition, it is the associated co-morbid conditions put together that render the person incapable of work. For example, patients with chronic physical disabilities associated with pain and physical ailments, may well go on to develop mental health conditions of anxiety and depression, and while they may well be physically able for a degree of functioning capacity, their mental health condition may now be the incapacitating factor. As a result it is not possible to prepare statistics which distinguish between mental health and physical conditions as the two can be and are interlinked.

Departmental Staff Grades

Questions (385)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

385. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm if the medical assessors employed in her Department to assess certain social welfare benefit applications are adequately qualified to adjudicate on applications for disability benefit when the applicant is suffering from a mental health related disability; if she will detail the way many such assessors are appropriately qualified at present; if it is her intention to recruit more such assessors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25544/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Illness benefit is a payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance conditions. The benefit is paid weekly, in arrears, on receipt of required medical certification signed by the customer’s general practitioner. Medical Assessors are fully qualified and experienced practitioners who provide a second opinion to that of the person’s own doctor. Their assessments conform to the ethical conduct and behaviour guidelines of the Irish Medical Council.

They are required to be medical practitioners who are on the general register of medical practitioners while holding an appointment. They must have at least six years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration. Many of the Medical Assessors have specialist post-graduate qualifications and all have received special training in human disability evaluation. They also have special training in eligibility assessment.

There are currently twenty two Medical Assessors, including the Chief Medical Advisor and Deputy Chief Medical Advisor, who conduct medical assessments across a wide range of the Department's schemes including Illness Benefit. Of these, six have post-graduate qualifications in the area of mental health, such as MRCPscyh and Dip Clinical Psychiatry. They also have extensive clinical training and experience in psychiatry together with membership of recognised professional bodies such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists London and the College of Psychiatry Ireland.

The Medical Assessors have an on-going commitment to continuing medical education to ensure that standards are maintained and enhanced. The Medical Assessors also work in a collegiate way to ensure that best practice and professional expertise is shared and applied across all of the cases that are reviewed by them. This includes daily case conference meetings and a medical research unit has been established to actively engage in the update of the body of medical knowledge and evidence based practice. As a result of a recent recruitment campaign for Medical Assessors, seven were recruited of which two have mental health qualifications - MRCPsych. Further recruitment of Medical Assessors is underway.

Social Welfare Appeals Status

Questions (386)

Seán Fleming

Question:

386. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for invalidity pension will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25548/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the evidence, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. 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.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Questions (387)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

387. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied with the results achieved by the State in 2012 in achieving its targets under the Europe 2020 Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23667/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

As one of its five headline targets, the EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy sets a target in relation to poverty, namely to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and exclusion by 2020. The EU target population is defined by the combination of three indicators: at-risk-of-poverty, severe material deprivation and jobless households. As part of this process member states set national poverty targets, using appropriate national indicators, in support of the EU target. Ireland’s contribution to the Europe 2020 poverty target is to reduce by a minimum of 200,000 (4.4 per cent) the combined population in consistent poverty, at-risk-of-poverty or in basic deprivation, from the 2010 baseline of 31 per cent. Progress towards reaching the national target is set out in the national reform programme 2013 update within the broader context of reaching the national social target for poverty reduction to reduce consistent poverty to 4 per cent by 2016 and to 2 per cent or less by 2020, from the 2010 baseline rate of 6.3 per cent. This progress is then reviewed annually as part of the EU’s semester process.

According to the 2011 results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions, published by the Central Statistics Office, 6.9 per cent of the population are in consistent poverty, which in the words of the CSO ‘is not a statistically significant change on the 2010 figure of 6.3 per cent’. Nonetheless, meeting the national social target and by extension the Europe 2020 targets will of course be a challenge over the remaining years of the decade. The Government is committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable are enabled to benefit from economic recovery through activation programmes and services. Targeting policies and resources at the groups which carry the greatest burden of poverty, notably jobless households and children, will continue to be a policy priority as is reflected in the commitment to set sub-targets for these groups.

Pension Provisions

Questions (388)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

388. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the grounds on which workers, on an individual basis, can be moved from a defined benefit pension system to another system without their agreement. [25561/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Occupational pension schemes in Ireland are normally set up on a voluntary basis by a sponsoring employer. The pension scheme would generally be established under Trust. The trustees of such scheme have duties under trust law to carry out the trust in accordance with the law and terms of the trust deed and rules and at all times to act in the best interests of scheme members. In addition, the trustees are required to comply with their duties as set out in Part VI of the Pensions Act. These duties include a requirement to satisfy the Funding Standard as set out in the Pensions Act. The nature of the pension scheme to which the employer/employee subscribes is such that if it is experiencing difficulties in meeting its liabilities, the employer may restructure a scheme or change the vehicle used to provide pension benefits. Examples of this type of change may be from a defined benefit model to a defined contribution scheme or perhaps a form of hybrid scheme. Section 59E of the Pensions Act outlines, in relation to the bulk transfer of money or resources for a group of members, the responsibilities of trustees in relation to the provision of information and communication. It is generally expected that any change to pension provision would be carried out in consultation with the trustees of a scheme and representatives of scheme members and have regard to any employment contract that might exist for employees of the sponsoring employer. Any concerns that the scheme may be contravening the Pensions Act should be raised with the Pensions Board.

Jobseeker's Allowance Applications

Questions (389)

Colm Keaveney

Question:

389. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 14 February 2013, of those persons currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance that have not, to date, made any PRSI contributions, the number broken down by administrative division and by age group, are claiming an increase for a qualified adult and an increase for a qualified child or children; the number of such persons, broken down by administrative division and by age group who have been established as having a housing need and are in receipt of rent allowance; the way such persons, broken down by administrative division and by age group are in receipt of fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25564/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The response given to the Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 14 May 2013 outlined that, as of 27 April 2013, a total of 43,375 persons are in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance who have not, to date, made any PRSI contribution. It is important to note, however, that while no PRSI contributions have been made, this does not necessarily mean the person has never worked. The system of PRSI contributions is complex with various thresholds and exemptions, and an absence of insurable contributions does not necessarily indicate that a person has been entirely without employment or entirely dependent on social welfare throughout his/her working life.

The information now requested by the Deputy regarding the payment of increases in respect of a qualified adult, a qualified child or children and rent supplement for the group reported in Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 14 May 2013 is detailed in the attached tabular statement.

The National Fuel Scheme for 2012/2013 ended in April 2013. As the statistics contained in this reply have been compiled outside the fuel season it is not possible to supply the information in relation to those with an underlying entitlement to fuel.

Jobseeker’s Assistance recipients at 27 April reported in Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 14 May 2013

-	Age Group
Administrative District	Under 20	20-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-59	60-64	Grand Total

Cork Central

-	Age Group
Recipients	367	905	374	282	193	99	128	2,348
Qualified Adult Increase	7	50	85	114	61	32	24	373
Qualified Child Increase	9	75	110	136	67	15	5	417
Rent Supplement	14	90	109	103	47	18	16	397

Dublin Central

-	Age Group
Recipients	518	1,154	631	588	288	86	118	3,383
Qualified Adult Increase	7	91	201	256	107	19	30	711
Qualified Child Increase	10	93	222	322	110	14	4	775
Rent Supplement	17	148	282	312	115	26	28	928

Dublin North

-	Age Group
Recipients	849	1,314	470	402	178	50	79	3,342
Qualified Adult Increase	15	106	122	157	57	16	18	491
Qualified Child Increase	13	107	152	202	64	8	1	547
Rent Supplement	16	135	143	154	52	16	12	528

Dublin South

-	Age Group
Recipients	872	1,420	562	447	225	61	65	3,652
Qualified Adult Increase	23	129	231	257	124	20	19	803
Qualified Child Increase	21	142	255	313	138	13	7	889
Rent Supplement	11	107	167	162	67	13	12	539

Mid Leinster

-	Age Group
Recipients	591	1,174	396	236	176	78	114	2,765
Qualified Adult Increase	14	84	129	103	62	22	37	451
Qualified Child Increase	12	110	159	135	61	14	10	501
Rent Supplement	11	97	84	52	21	14	6	285

-	Age Group
Administrative District	Under 20	20-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-59	60-64	Grand Total

Mid West

-	Age Group
Recipients	532	1,204	470	322	257	144	218	3,147
Qualified Adult Increase	11	103	116	122	86	37	56	531
Qualified Child Increase	15	129	152	162	84	30	20	592
Rent Supplement	15	112	104	90	36	12	8	377

Midlands North

-	Age Group
Recipients	676	1,613	615	336	346	151	241	3,978
Qualified Adult Increase	28	157	193	142	105	43	71	739
Qualified Child Increase	24	175	240	189	131	21	23	803
Rent Supplement	18	113	111	75	39	8	11	375

Midlands South

-	Age Group
Recipients	715	1,370	503	288	292	139	190	3,497
Qualified Adult Increase	21	113	153	107	99	50	58	601
Qualified Child Increase	31	140	195	153	123	27	16	685
Rent Supplement	23	92	88	53	38	11	6	311

North East

-	Age Group
Recipients	660	1,417	526	334	285	132	214	3,568
Qualified Adult Increase	18	106	124	129	95	45	66	583
Qualified Child Increase	20	130	154	173	113	31	23	644
Rent Supplement	13	94	98	65	27	14	2	313

North West

-	Age Group
Recipients	517	1,264	596	498	518	286	395	4,074
Qualified Adult Increase	9	74	154	210	202	82	156	887
Qualified Child Increase	9	106	189	263	204	41	43	855
Rent Supplement	6	47	84	65	59	21	17	299

-	Age Group
Administrative District	Under 20	20-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-59	60-64	Grand Total

South East

-	Age Group
Recipients	607	1,313	528	410	315	137	201	3,511
Qualified Adult Increase	12	113	153	163	109	39	62	651
Qualified Child Increase	15	124	183	214	105	26	21	688
Rent Supplement	19	96	89	71	41	11	14	341

South West

-	Age Group
Recipients	315	809	317	313	370	185	322	2,631
Qualified Adult Increase	4	50	68	113	130	60	91	516
Qualified Child Increase	6	69	97	156	122	36	27	513
Rent Supplement	5	55	58	55	35	14	20	242

West

-	Age Group
Recipients	373	1,087	529	416	432	250	392	3,479
Qualified Adult Increase	17	115	157	151	152	67	116	775
Qualified Child Increase	11	129	175	202	161	34	25	737
Rent Supplement	12	121	123	71	48	16	18	409

Grand Totals

-	Age Group
Total Recipients (all regions)	7,592	16,044	6,517	4,872	3,875	1,798	2,677	43,375
Qualified Adult Increase	186	1,291	1,886	2,024	1,389	532	804	8,112
Qualified Child Increase	196	1,529	2,283	2,620	1,483	310	225	8,646
Rent Supplement	180	1,307	1,540	1,328	625	194	170	5,344

Illness Benefit Appeals

Questions (390)

Pat Breen

Question:

390. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an illness benefit appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25565/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 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 29 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.

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Questions (391)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

391. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25571/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 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 23 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.

Live Register Numbers

Questions (392)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

392. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons formerly employed in the construction trade categories who are on the live register; if she will provide a breakdown of these persons by category; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25582/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The total number of persons on the live register at the end of April 2013 was 417,593; of this total, 76,282 had occupations in construction-related trade categories. When other trades are added which may include some people who had worked in the construction industry the total increases to 104,754. I attach a table detailing the breakdown of this number by category for the Deputy’s information.

Category	Number
Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors	971
Construction Trades	51,715
Draughtspersons, Quantity and Other Surveyors	415
Other Occupations in Construction	15,716
Woodworking Trades	7,465
Sub-Total	76,282
Electrical/Electronic Trades	4,730
Engineers and Technologists	4,134
Metal Forming, Welding and Related Trades	3,158
Metal Machining, Fitting and Instrument Making Trades	3,123
Metal Making and Treating Workers	130
Metal Working Process Workers	347
Other Craft and Related Occupations not elsewhere classified	5,192
Other Occupations in Mining and Manufacturing	202
Road Transport Workers	7,456
Overall Total	104,754

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (393)

Seán Fleming

Question:

393. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for invalidity pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25586/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 October 2012. 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 10 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.

Job Initiatives

Questions (394)

Colm Keaveney

Question:

394. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the job activation procedures being implemented by her Department in terms of those on jobseeker’s allowance and if she will identify each step of that process; the number of persons that have been invited to engage with that procedure up to the year ending April 2013; the number that have actively engaged to her Department’s satisfaction; the number of persons that have had their payments reduced following failure to engage with those procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25597/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Government’s Pathways to Work policy statement sets out how the State will engage with and support the unemployed to get back into the workforce. Through the rollout of Intreo offices nationwide, the aim is to engage with every unemployed individual to make sure that their first day out of work is also their first step on the pathway back to work.

Activation is defined as the engagement with customers of the Department of Social Protection, of working age, who are in receipt of specified social welfare payments/ benefits in order to support them and their families in progressing into employment and / or other appropriate progression. Such engagement shall be on the basis of the articulation of the supports to be offered to the customer to assist him / her to return to the workforce or otherwise progress. In accepting payment of benefit, assistance and / or support, the customer shall agree to avail him or herself of the appropriate support measures offered during the course of the activation process, including employment, education, training and / or placement in employment schemes.

Under the new Intreo approach, the process of engagement starts immediately when a client registers for a Jobseeker's Allowance payment, and is informed by a personal profile captured in respect of each individual. In the past no such profiles were captured and clients had to wait at least three months before being invited to a Group Engagement under the National Action Plan (NAP process).

As part of the registration process the client completes a profile questionnaire to enable the case worker assess the client’s Probability of Exit (PEX) from unemployment. Depending on the outcome of this assessment the elements of further engagement with the client will vary. While all clients are referred for a group engagement session, the content of the session varies depending on the client's PEX score. Clients with a low to mid-point PEX rating participate in Group Engagement sessions where they are provided with guidance on how to improve their job search activities and also on the training and development opportunities available to them to improve their employment prospects. Clients with a high-PEX are invited to a Group Engagement Session tailored to their needs, including a networking component, where they are encouraged and helped to search for and secure employment.

Following the group engagement, clients with a low PEX rating are immediately referred for a one-to-one session with an Employment Services Officer, where they agree a personal progression plan. These clients receive intensive one-to-one support from an experienced employment services advisor and may be directed to particular work experience and training programmes. Clients with high PEX scores also receive one to one guidance if they remain on the live register.

The first twelve Intreo offices are now live and it is intended to convert 40 offices to full Intreo working by the end of this year and to complete the full roll-out to all 63 offices of the Department in 2014. It is to be noted that key elements of the Intreo model are being rolled-out in advance of the physical modification of offices. Personal profiling is already in place in all offices while individual progression planning and the accelerated integrated decision process will be operational in all offices by the end of this year. Where the Intreo model has yet to be rolled out, the existing National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process continues, whereby referral to employment services takes place after 3 months on the live register.

Taking both the Intreo offices and those still operating the older NEAP approach together, there were just over 41,100 initial referrals either to group engagement or one-to-one interviews in the period January-April of this year. Some 28,900 people attended these appointments; of those who did not attend, almost 4,000 had already closed their job-seekers’ claims by the date of their appointment. Over the same period, almost 9,300 people who had failed to attend an initial appointment were re-referred for interview or group engagement. Some 5,700 attended on re-referral, and 1,100 of those who failed to do so had already closed their job-seekers’ claims by the date of their appointment.

Reduced payment rates (penalty rates) for jobseekers were introduced in April 2011 as a means of achieving the engagement of jobseekers with activation measures. A penalty of up to €44 per week applies to an individual’s jobseeker payment where there is a failure to engage with this process.

The total number of penalty rates applied up to the end of 2012 was just over 1,800. A further 800 penalty rates were applied in the period from the beginning of January up to the end of April 2013.

Question No. 395 answered with Question No. 370.

Departmental Funding

Questions (396)

Brendan Smith

Question:

396. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if funding will be restored for a project (details supplied); if this request will be given urgent consideration in view of the fact that this project has assisted many homeless persons to gain work experience and the many benefits that follow from such work placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25630/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that funding for the Ready for Work Programme operated by Business in the Community has been approved for the current year.

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (397)

Michael McGrath

Question:

397. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [25644/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 February 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 have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office 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.

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (398)

Pat Breen

Question:

398. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update in an application for invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25645/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 13 May 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.

Question No. 399 withdrawn.

Social Welfare Schemes

Questions (400)

Jim Daly

Question:

400. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any circumstances in which her Department will consider assisting persons leaving the country with the cost of doing so bearing in mind that they would be signing off from claiming benefits thus saving the Exchequer cost in the long term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25682/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

An unemployed person may qualify for jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Jobseeker’s benefit is based on a person’s social insurance record and jobseeker’s allowance is based on weekly means. A fundamental qualifying condition for a jobseeker’s payment is that a person must be available for full-time work.

Under EU Regulations, in certain circumstances a person on jobseeker’s benefit may retain payment for a period of up to 13 weeks, while seeking work in another EU Member State. However, it is not possible to transfer jobseeker’s allowance in the same way. Jobseeker’s allowance is listed by EU Regulation 883/2004 as a special non-contributory cash benefit and, as a result, it is paid “exclusively in the Member State in which the persons concerned reside, in accordance with its legislation”. A jobseeker’s allowance customer, to retain his or her payment, is therefore required to remain in the State.

Locally, however, arrangements may be made between a local office and a person on jobseeker’s allowance, permitting the person to travel abroad for a job interview or a short holiday. There are no plans to introduce a scheme of assistance for persons leaving the country.

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Questions (401)

Noel Coonan

Question:

401. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25696/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 26 April 2013 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been determined. 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.

Questions Nos. 402 and 403 withdrawn.