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Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Written Answers Nos. 145-153

Social Welfare Overpayments

Questions (145)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which overpayments have been monitored by her Department in each of the past five years to date; the number of such overpayments identified in each year; if this was caused by oversight on the part of the applicant or her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26269/13]

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Written answers

The Department's debt management strategy is set out in the Fraud Initiative which I published in September 2011. It outlines that every effort must be made to prevent overpayments, but, if they occur, they should be regarded as a debt to the Exchequer, and every effort will be made to recover the amounts through all available means. Overpayments are generally defined as money obtained contrary to - or in excess of - a valid decision. Most overpayments arise as a result of a revised decision regarding entitlement. Deciding officers decide the effective date of a revised decision having regard to the new facts or new evidence and the circumstances of the case. An overpayment is assessed for the period that a person was not entitled to a payment and the recovery of the overpayment is followed up by the relevant section of the Department.

The Department categorises overpayments as fraud, non-fraud and estate cases. Fraud cases arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income or family status while non-fraud cases are primarily due to customer, third party or departmental error. Estate cases arise where undisclosed means by customers (usually pensioners) come to light after their deaths. The total number of cases of overpayment in each of the past five years, and the number caused by departmental error, is outlined in the following table.

Year

Total number of cases

Departmental error cases

2007

46,400

3,483

2008

49,100

3,768

2009

42,500

4,375

2010

52,600

7,204

2011

63,330

6,062

The Department is not in a position to publicly report overpayments recorded in 2012 as these figures form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Department endeavours to seek the maximum level of repayments from customers in order to encourage full and prompt repayment of all debts. We are fully committed to recovering 100% of all overpayments and an overpayment will remain on a customer's record until fully recovered. This will result in a reduction of all future entitlements up to and including state pension and potentially a claim on any estate after death.

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (146)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which her Department continues to have available the necessary staffing levels to meet the ongoing requirements in the course of the on-going economic situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26270/13]

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Written answers

The staffing needs for all offices within my Department are continuously reviewed, having regard to workloads, management priorities and the competing demands arising, taking account of the Employment Control Framework (ECF) target, as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Vacancies across the Department are prioritised according to their criticality.

I can assure the Deputy that the HR Division of my Department will continue to source available staff to fill the priority vacancies, in line with the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, by way of redeployment, or transfer from within the Department and other Government Departments. This will 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.

Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Payments

Questions (147)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

147. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects mortgage interest support to remain in place in support of qualifying applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26271/13]

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Written answers

Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 13,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €42 million for in 2013. The Department's review of the administrative, policy and legal aspects of the mortgage interest supplement scheme was published in July 2010 in conjunction with the interim report of the Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt Review Group. The final report of the Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt Review Group was published in November 2010. The overarching theme was that mortgage interest supplement is not an appropriate long term support and should become a time-bound payment. The Inter-Departmental Mortgage Arrears Working Group (Keane Group) recommended that an appropriate exit strategy should be formulated for the mortgage interest supplement recipient.

In terms of exit strategy, the Group recommended the establishment of two "mortgage to rent" schemes for eligible households to access social housing supports. Both of these schemes are to be established using the two principal sources of housing finance streams in operation within the State, approved housing bodies (voluntary housing associations) and mortgage service providers. The Department is engaging with officials in the Housing Agency regarding the mortgage-to-rent scheme, introduced in 2012, in regards to suitable exit strategies for customers experiencing mortgage difficulties who are in receipt of mortgage interest supplement. Any decision to time-bound the mortgage interest supplement must be taken within a budgetary context and within the wider context of mortgage resolution policy.

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Questions (148)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which previously the self-employed continue to be eligible for social welfare payment and support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26272/13]

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Written answers

Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Self-employed workers may establish eligibility to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker's allowance. They can apply for the means-tested jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in demand for their services. In general, their means will take account of the level of earnings in the last twelve months in determining their expected income for the following year and, in the current climate, account is taken of the downward trend in the economy. As in the case of a non-self-employed unemployed claimant of jobseeker's allowance, the means of husband/wife, civil partner or co-habitant will be taken into account in deciding on entitlement to a payment.

Recipients of jobseeker's allowance can, subject to satisfying the requisite qualifying conditions, access a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. Supports available include the back to education programmes and back to work schemes. In addition, a fully integrated range of services and supports is available to jobseekers and employers through Intreo, a new service from the Department of Social Protection.

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Questions (149)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

149. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if separate medical examinations in respect of various forms of health-related payments such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and disability benefit are necessary in respect of the same applicant in view of the fact that the health condition qualifications remain the same and that only the expected duration can affect qualification for payment. [26273/13]

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Written answers

There are significant differences between the qualification criteria for illness benefit (formerly known as disability benefit), disability allowance and invalidity pension. These differences include both medical and non-medical criteria. Illness benefit is a payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness. A person may qualify if they are unable to work due to illness, satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) conditions, and are under age 66. Illness benefit claims are medically certified initially by the customer's own general practitioner. Departmental Medical Assessors are used to as part of subsequent review processes for ongoing illness benefit claims.

Invalidity pension is intended for customers with more severe and longer term incapacities/illnesses with less likelihood of returning to any form of work in the immediate future. To qualify medically for invalidity pension the person must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months or be permanently incapable of work. When an application for invalidity pension is made, an assessment is carried out to establish medical suitability, based upon the medical and other evidence supplied in support of the claim by the applicant and his/her treating physician. In addition the non-medical criteria include a social insurance contributions requirement.

Disability allowance is a means-tested allowance paid to people with a disability who meet the medical and other qualification criteria which include a means test and a habitual residence condition. To qualify medically for disability allowance, the person must be suffering from a specified disability, illness or injury which is expected to last for at least 12 months and be substantially restricted in obtaining employment suitable to a person of the same age, experience and qualifications. When an application for disability allowance is made, an assessment is carried out to establish medical suitability, based upon the medical and other evidence supplied in support of the claim by the applicant and his/her treating physician.

Medical conditions can also change over time and evidence provided in support of a claim made previously for one scheme may not be appropriate at a later date in connection with an application for a different scheme. It is important therefore for the customer to provide the best and most up to date evidence for consideration by a Medical Assessor at the earliest possible stage during any claim application process. The Department continuously reviews its processes both within and across scheme and medical areas with a view to providing the best possible customer service and the best value for money for the taxpayer in relation to the administration of schemes.

Community Services Programme

Questions (150)

Dara Murphy

Question:

150. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department's plans for a person (details supplied) in County Cork with impaired mobility who uses the services of Cork Accessible Transport when these will cease operation on 30 June; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26278/13]

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Written answers

Access to transport services for persons with mobility impairments is primarily as matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sports and the Health Services Executive. In a number of instances nationally, the Department, through the Community Services Programme (CSP), has been able to support the provision of services by community companies. Cork Accessible Transport Limited has provided services to people with mobility impairment for a number of years and has been supported under the CSP. .

The Department has recently been informed that the company plans to terminate the provision of services in Cork City from the middle of 2013 due to its board's concerns around the continued viability of the service and other operational challenges. The Department is prepared to consider proposals from an alternative community-based provider to deliver this service. As with all such proposals, questions of capacity to deliver, eligibility, financial viability and a range of other factors, including compliance with the evolving regulatory requirements, will need to be determined before any new service provider could receive funding support under the CSP.

Commemorative Events

Questions (151)

John Deasy

Question:

151. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of money being set aside to fund commemorations of World War 1, the War of Independence, the 1916 Easter Rising and the Civil War. [26088/13]

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Written answers

The commemorative programme embraces the totality of our history in the years from the 3rd Home Rule Bill to the emergence of the Irish State. Proceeding on the centenary timeline, the series of historic events will be addressed in a comprehensive, authentic and inclusive way oriented towards enhanced understanding and public participation. The capital and current needs of the commemorative programme to date have been met from within the approved allocations of several Departments and Offices. Funding arrangements are addressed on an individual basis for each project brought forward in the context of the commemorative programme.

European Council Meetings

Questions (152)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

152. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Minister or Minister of State that represented Ireland at the Ministerial Council meetings of the European Union during the Irish Presidency of the Council to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26207/13]

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Written answers

As Ireland holds the Presidency of the European Council, I chaired the Culture component of the EYCS configuration of the European Council on 17 May 2013 and the elements of the Council of Environment Ministers for which I am responsible on 21 March 2013. As I was in the Chair on both occasions, Ireland was represented by senior officials of my Department.

Parliamentary Questions Data

Questions (153)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

153. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of parliamentary replies issued by him to this Deputy in 2013 containing an undertaking to provide extra information requested; the date of the question in each case; the date on which the information was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26222/13]

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Written answers

I issued one such reply on 14 May 2013. A response providing extra information on the matter raised by the Deputy issued on 27 May 2013.

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