Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Written Answers Nos. 15-23

Social Welfare Code Review

Questions (15, 39)

John Halligan

Question:

15. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the benefits of the jobseeker's transition payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25870/13]

Mick Wallace

Question:

39. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason she is proceeding with plans to transfer lone parents to the new jobseeker's transition payment in view of the fact that a safe, affordable and accessible child care system similar to that found in Scandinavian countries is not yet in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25865/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Question Nos. 15 and 39 together.

As part of the forthcoming Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, 2013, I am introducing reforms to the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) scheme to ease the transition of former recipients of the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme with young children to the JA scheme. These reforms will create a transitional arrangement specifically for former OFP recipients with children under 14 years of age who are awarded a JA payment. This arrangement will operate for a transitional period and give these individuals an exemption from the JA conditionality that requires them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work. This transitional period is required as lone parents with young children have caring responsibilities which may have prevented them from being available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work.

This arrangement will enable lone parents to work part time, provided they satisfy the JA means test, and will therefore offer them the continued security of income support from my Department. Lone parents on JA under this arrangement will also be able to access the new afterschool child care scheme, which provides subsidised afterschool childcare if they secure employment or engage on a CE scheme.

The aim of introducing these OFP reforms and creating this arrangement is to improve outcomes for lone parents. As a result of these measures lone parents will now be able to access the Department’s activation supports and services. As part of this process, all lone parents on JA will be profiled, have a group engagement, and be encouraged to develop a personal development plan in conjunction with their case officer. This personal development plan will identify suitable education, training, and employment programmes that will enable them to improve their skills set and increase their prospects of securing employment.

The exemptions from the full JA conditionality will remain in place until the lone parent’s youngest child reaches the age of 14 years. At this point, should the customer continue to claim the JA payment, he or she will be subjected to the full JA conditionality.

Social Welfare Code Review

Questions (16)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

16. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that the current social protection system possesses sufficient flexibility for the fluid movement of people between employment and unemployment in view of the fact that many retailers have expressed frustration that they cannot fill temporary seasonal staff positions because of the difficulties and delays that they would encounter re-registering for social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25861/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Where a person states that they have found work, it is normal practice for a jobseeker claim to be closed. However, in cases where the customer is taking up a short period of temporary work or training (up to 8 weeks), arrangements are now in place to simplify the process of returning to the live register at the end of this period. In these cases, instead of closing the claim, payment is suspended temporarily for the duration of the work or training course. When the person signs on again after the period of work or training, the claim can be reactivated without delay and payment restored. Where a person accepts an offer of short term temporary work or training it is important to advise the local office in advance of the expected duration so that the process I describe is put in place.

Maternity Benefit

Questions (17)

Robert Troy

Question:

17. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent on maternity benefit in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25815/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The total expenditure on maternity benefit in each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and to date in 2013 is set out in the following table:

Year	Expenditure
2010	€323,938,363
2011	€309,140,618
2012	€303,139,000
2013 (01.01.2013 to 19/05/2013)	€107,242,779

Domiciliary Care Allowance Review

Questions (18)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

18. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has for changes to the domiciliary care allowance and disability allowance; and the date on which she intends to make any changes. [25714/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Government fully recognises that the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) scheme represents a very important support to parents and guardians who live with, and care for, children with a disability. Likewise, the disability allowance (DA) represents an important income support to people who are unfit for work.

DCA is now in payment in respect of over 26,500 children, an increase of over 3,500 since the Department took over responsibility for the scheme from the HSE in April 2009. Spending on the scheme and the respite care grant, which is automatically paid to all recipients, has increased from €138 million to €145 million between 2010 and 2012. In 2012, DA was in payment in respect of 102,000 customers at a cost of €1.09 billion.

The second report of the Advisory group on Tax and Social Welfare on the issue of the Budget 2012 proposals regarding DA and DCA was published on 10 April 2013. At the same time, the report of the Review Group on the operation of the DCA scheme was also published. These reports make a number of policy recommendations, which make a valuable contribution to the policy debate in relation to young people with disabilities. My colleagues in Government and I will consider these findings, taking into account future developments in terms of the budgetary and fiscal situation as well as other work underway.

The administrative recommendations made in the report of the Review Group on the operation of the DCA scheme will result in an improvement in the level of service provided to our customers and will assist in ensuring that those people who meet the qualifying conditions for the payment receive it in a timely manner. Some of these recommendations are already implemented and it is my intention that the remaining recommendations will be implemented quickly, to this end an implementation group, representing those groups and Departments who contributed to the review, is in the process of being established.

Habitual Residency Conditions

Questions (19)

Sandra McLellan

Question:

19. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will direct her Department to catalogue information on the number of returning Irish emigrants who applied for but were refused a social welfare payment on the basis of not fulfilling the habitual residency condition. [25719/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is not available and there are no plans to capture these data. Habitual residence is just one element of social welfare claim conditions that must be satisfied and applicants must also satisfy the other conditions to receive a payment. Each case received for a determination on the HRC is dealt with in its own right and a decision is based on application of the legislation and guidelines to the particular individual circumstances of each case. An Irish national returning to live here on a permanent basis should experience no difficulty in demonstrating that they satisfy the requirements of the HRC.

European Court of Justice Rulings

Questions (20)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

20. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the way she proposes to respond to the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union on 25 April 2013 which found that the State is liable for the shortfall in pension funds for the Waterford Crystal workers; the estimated cost to the State of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25834/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The ruling by the European Court of Justice was in response to a reference by the High Court seeking clarification of the interpretation of European law emanating from EU Directive 2008/94EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. Following the ECJ ruling, the matter will now revert to the High Court for consideration. Given this matter remains before the courts it would not be appropriate that I comment further on any aspects of or possible issues arising from the case at this time. Careful and detailed consideration will of course be given to the ruling of the European Court of Justice and of the outcomes of the case before the High Court.

Property Tax Collection

Questions (21)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

21. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection in the event of money being deducted from social welfare payments for the local property tax, as provided for in the Act, the maximum amount that could be deducted from each of the social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25867/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 allows for a person who is liable for the local property tax, and who is in receipt of certain social protection payments, to have local property tax deducted from their payments. The Revenue Commissioners have agreed with the Department of Social Protection the schemes to be included in the deduction at source facility for local property tax as follows: State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Widow/er’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Widow/er’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension, State Pension (Transition), Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, One-Parent Family Payment, Carer’s Allowance, and Disability Allowance.

The deduction at source facility applies to the individual’s personal rate of payment only. The Finance (LPT) Act 2012 also provides that the amount that can be deducted from the personal rate is calculated after any deduction is made for recovery of social protection overpayments and after any amounts required to be deducted by an order of a court. In order to maintain statutory minimum incomes, the Department will not make deductions of local property tax that will bring a personal rate payment below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance personal rate - currently set at €186 per week.

The maximum amount that can be deducted is subject to these conditions, and the Department will act on instructions received from the Revenue Commissioners. Customers should satisfy themselves that the amount deducted each week from their social protection personal rate of payment will meet their local property tax liability.

Invalidity Pension Application Numbers

Questions (22)

Gerry Adams

Question:

22. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the numbers of persons who applied for invalidity pension in each county for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; the numbers of those who were refused and granted and, of those who were refused, the number that appealed the decision and the number that were successful and unsuccessful in those appeals; of those applications which were successful before and after appeal, the number of cases that were decided solely on the condition of being incapable of work for at least 12 months and likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25709/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables.

Invalidity Pension Claims

Year	Received	Awarded	Disallowed	Total decided
2010	8774	3445*	3411*	7614
2011	14621	2107#	4697#	12829
2012	11510	6352	11423	17775

A breakdown of Invalidity claims awarded and disallowed is not available from December 2010-June 2011. A dual payments system was in operation from December 2010 until all claims were migrated onto a new computer platform in May 2011.

* Breakdown for period January 2010 - November 2010 only included

# Breakdown for period June 2011 - December 2011 only included

A full year breakdown of decisions by County is not available prior to 2012. Figures for 2012 are shown in the table and relate to current address.

Invalidity Pension Claims 2012

County	Received	Awarded	Refused	Withdrawn	Total Decisions
Antrim	1	3	1	1	5
Armagh	0	2	1	0	3
Tyrone	0	0	1	0	1
Cork	1357	758	1,305	101	2,164
Clare	230	131	217	19	367
Cavan	195	72	178	9	259
Carlow	217	114	189	13	316
Dublin	2735	1524	2567	158	4249
Donegal	335	190	323	12	525
Down	3	7	3	1	11
Derry	0	1	0	0	1
Fermanagh	4	1	4	1	6
Galway	403	242	350	23	615
Kildare	538	318	496	35	849
Kilkenny	213	122	183	14	319
Kerry	311	204	285	31	520
Limerick	618	374	572	36	982
Longford	130	67	119	7	193
Louth	366	184	355	19	558
Leitrim	100	65	83	5	153
Laois	189	101	206	13	320
Meath	439	205	405	27	637
Monaghan	133	54	134	9	197
Mayo	274	155	278	15	448
Offaly	238	120	253	15	388
Roscommon	151	103	139	11	253
Sligo	175	115	153	12	280
Tipperary	408	256	398	23	677
Waterford	323	208	296	13	517
Westmeath	207	126	212	12	350
Wicklow	286	177	260	13	450
Wexford	447	219	426	24	669
No entry*	484	134	329	30	493
Total	11510	6,352	10,721	702	17,775

*Claims with no entry for county may be resident abroad.

Social Welfare Appeals Office statistics are not maintained on a County by County basis and the Chief Appeals Officer is not in a position, therefore, to supply the specific information sought. However, the table gives information in relation to the total number of appeals in the years in question.

Invalidity Pension Appeals - 2008 - 2012

Year	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Revised Deciding Officer Decision(*)	Total with Favourable Outcome
2008	233	1	78	312
2009	243	1	82	326
2010	341	6	185	532
2011	408	6	345	759
2012	1,031	4	474	1,509

(*) Where a person has received a decision to disallow a payment, it is open to them to ask for a review by a deciding officer. These figures reflect those cases where a disallowed claim was revised on review by a deciding officer prior to determination by an Appeals Officer. Generally these cases arise where a person submits additional information, not already considered, in support of their claim following a decision to disallow.

Decisions in relation to Invalidity Pension encompass all aspects of the conditionality e.g. PRSI contributions and medical conditions. For those claims refused, it is not possible to say whether it was on PRSI conditions, medical conditions or both. However, it is safe to say that the majority of claims are refused on medical grounds.

Youth Guarantee

Questions (23)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

23. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made in implementing the youth guarantee scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25807/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The EU Council Recommendation on a Youth Guarantee received political agreement at the EPSCO Council meeting on 28 February and was adopted formally last month. The Recommendation is that Member States should ensure that all young people under the age of 25 years receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.

While it is recommended that the guarantee should be implemented as soon as possible, it is recognised that implementation will be more gradual in the Member States experiencing the most severe budgetary difficulties and higher rates of youth unemployment. The Government will now review the current range of youth employment policies in Ireland to assess what measures will need to be taken to commence the gradual implementation of the guarantee. This will include the identification of what would be the appropriate timescale for implementation in Ireland's current employment and budgetary circumstances. In this context, the Government intends to work with all relevant stakeholders to maximise the impact of a youth guarantee in Ireland. We have sought funding from the European Commission for a the proposed pilot Youth Guarantee project in the Ballymun area of north Dublin, and numerous organisations (e.g. IBEC, Ballymun Job Centre, National Youth Council of Ireland) have agreed to participate in this pilot.

The scale and nature of any additional measures required for the gradual implementation of a guarantee at national level will depend on the trend in youth unemployment, and in particular the number of young people likely to experience periods of unemployment of more than four months under current policies. In this context, it is a welcome development that the official labour market figures published by the CSO recently indicated that the number of young unemployed at the end of 2012, at 59,000, a reduction of almost 9,000 on the same time a year earlier. It is to be hoped that this is the beginning of a sustained downward movement in youth unemployment as the economy recovers. Even so, the implementation of a guarantee will, almost certainly, require an expansion in the range of opportunities currently on offer to young people in the form of further education and training, internships, subsidised private-sector recruitment, and supports for self-employment.

In this regard the State already provides a significant number of initiatives which are of relevance to young people and the Department of Social Protection took steps in Budget 2013 to increase funding and places for schemes such as JobBridge, Community Employment, TÚS and a new state employment scheme in the local Government sector. In total an additional 10,000 places will be provided. Other relevant provision is made through the training and education programmes delivered through FÁS and the further education sector. The size and the timescale for any additional provision that is both desirable and feasible, over and above that outlined above, will be established over the coming months.