Written Answers Nos. 394 - 410
395. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any discretion for a person to take up a community employment scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27283/13]
View answerThe eligibility criteria for the community employment scheme require that the applicant must have been receiving a jobseeker’s payment for 12 months at the time of making their application. As the person concerned finished receiving jobseeker’s payments on 26 March 2013 he does not meet the criteria, and is therefore ineligible for the community employment scheme.
396. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form on a county basis the number of community employment workers that are working in community childcare settings. [27303/13]
View answerTable 1 below details the number of Community Employment participants on designated childcare places by County in May 2013.
Table 1: CE participants on designated childcare places by County, May 2013
|
County |
Participants on Designated Childcare Places |
|
Dublin |
652 |
|
Cork |
164 |
|
Louth |
96 |
|
Kerry |
92 |
|
Westmeath |
76 |
|
Wexford |
71 |
|
Sligo |
70 |
|
Limerick |
59 |
|
Galway |
55 |
|
Longford |
54 |
|
Meath |
54 |
|
Tipperary North |
47 |
|
Mayo |
37 |
|
Monaghan |
32 |
|
Donegal |
31 |
|
Cavan |
29 |
|
Waterford |
26 |
|
Laois |
25 |
|
Clare |
22 |
|
Kildare |
22 |
|
Carlow |
19 |
|
Roscommon |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
15 |
|
Offaly |
14 |
|
Wicklow |
11 |
|
Kilkenny |
6 |
|
Total |
1,795 |
397. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for rent allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27312/13]
View answer398. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for jobseeker's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27313/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 397 and 398 together.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the supplementary welfare allowance and jobseeker’s allowance appeals, by the person concerned, were registered in that office on 30 May 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. When received, both appeals will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeals 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.
399. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made in respect of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27316/13]
View answerAs detailed to you in my response of 16 May 2013 (PQ ref. 23598/13) a deciding officer disallowed the application for carer’s allowance in this case on the grounds that the person in question failed to disclose her means. The person in question was notified on 25 April 2013 of this decision, the reason(s) for it and of her right to review or appeal within 21 days. To date, no appeal has been received by the department or by the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the time-limit for such an appeal has expired. It is open to the person in question to submit a new application for carer’s allowance and a decision will be made in due course.
400. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when a PPS number will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has made their application at their local office and supplied requested information; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27320/13]
View answerThe person concerned is an asylum seeker and has recently entered direct provision. As a result, a PPS Number has been allocated to her by the Community Welfare Officer handling her case.
401. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an Irish person born here will be asked to prove Irish nationality when applying for jobseeker's allowance or benefit. [27321/13]
View answer402. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that Irish citizens born in the Six Counties and resident in this State are entitled to equal rights as any other Irish citizens when applying for jobseeker's assistance. [27322/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together.
A person's nationality is not a factor in determining entitlement to social welfare payments and there is no specific requirement to provide such evidence. However, evidence of identity is always necessary and in this context, a passport is often furnished by customers as proof of identity. Jobseeker’s benefit is a contribution based payment made to workers who have involuntarily become unemployed. Jobseeker's allowance is a means-tested payment made to people who are unemployed and do not qualify for jobseeker's benefit. In order to qualify for jobseeker's allowance a number of conditions must be satisfied by an applicant, including that s/he be available for and genuinely seeking work, and that s/he fulfils the habitual residence condition. An Irish citizen born in the six counties who is habitually resident in this State is entitled to the same social welfare payments as an Irish citizen born in the 26 counties, providing the conditions for such payments are met.
403. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm receipt of correspondence from a person (details supplied); her views on the delay of over 20 months for invalidity pension for this applicant in view of her recent comments that no applicant has been awaiting decision for more than a year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27332/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2 April 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 7 December 2012 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer. The Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer decision on 15 February 2013.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. As the person concerned has submitted additional evidence, the Appeals Officer has agreed to set aside his decision and re-open the appeal by way of oral hearing. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements have been made. 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.
404. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an appeal for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26667/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts.
Following the submission of additional evidence the Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of her appeal has been finalised. 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.
407. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a humanitarian assistance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26800/13]
View answerIn the immediate aftermath of the severe flooding experienced in October 2011, the Government put in place a humanitarian aid scheme to assist the people affected by that flooding. Under this scheme the person concerned received payments in April 2012 for all construction contractor invoices submitted for the repair work to her residence. Earlier this year the person concerned presented at the Community Welfare Service office stating that her heating system had not been replaced and that it had been damaged in the 2011 flooding. She also stated that her wall and floor had become damaged through dampness from the house next door due to the fact that the premises next door was still in a state of disrepair. She was advised to submit quotes from the contractor for the repairs required; these were received after some time. Her application is currently under consideration and she will be informed of the outcome as soon as the decision has been made.
408. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an appeal against the disallowance of a claim for invalidity benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17. [26837/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 March 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question 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.
409. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied). [26873/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the person concerned was examined by a Medical Assessor of the Department of Social Protection who was of the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for Disability Allowance. The person concerned appealed this decision and in that context he was examined by another Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that the person concerned was unsuitable for Disability Allowance.
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. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in 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.
410. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and when they may expect a decision on their case. [26874/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 31 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.
