Written Answers Nos. 150-157
150. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a State non-contributory pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31107/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 27th 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.
151. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 71 of 16 April 2013, if an application for invalidity pension now under appeal will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [31136/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 19th June 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.
152. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has a facility to track the switch over of direct employees in the construction sector to C2 operators; if she is satisfied that all C2 operators are compliant with the regulations and that the increased number is not a reflection on the reluctance of employers to pay the appropriate PRSI contributions for their employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31138/13]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the reply to his previous question on this matter (Reference No. 30220/13) which was issued on 25 June 2013. The position remains unchanged.
153. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 421 of 28 May and 442 of 11 June 2013, the progress made to date on the specific targets that were published in the Government's Pathways to Work strategy (details supplied); if she will report on performance against these targets for quarter 1 and for quarter 2 of 2013; and if she cannot outline the progress made to date on these specific targets, the reason for same. [31146/13]
View answerAs the Deputy has previously been advised with respect to plans for 2013 I have published a comprehensive set of performance targets, set out on a quarter by quarter basis, on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie.
I intend to publish my Department’s performance against these targets starting in July of this year with the results of the first quarter available before close of business on 28 June 2013. Performance against quarter two targets will be measured at the end of quarter two.
It is not proposed to publish selectively on performance against the Pathways to Work targets prior to the formal publication of the relevant data.
154. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the proposals to centralise the community welfare service from some of our smaller villages into larger towns and centres of population (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31168/13]
View answerA key objective of the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1st October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to the customer.
As part of this process and to support the Department’s activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme, it has been necessary to review the administration of the community welfare service with the result that a number of clinics have been re-structured. Where the service has been re-structured, alternative arrangements have been put in place to ensure that customers are provided with on-going access to the supports provided by the community welfare service.
In the event that a customer has difficulty attending a clinic, for example due to illness, there is a facility to telephone local Departmental staff and discuss their case and, if required, the officer may arrange a visit to the client’s home.
155. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form the number of publications referred to the Censorship of Publications Board per annum since 2000; the number of publications prohibited per annum since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30893/13]
View answer156. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of members on the board of the Censorship of Publications Board in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and the total costs of the board per annum in those years. [30894/13]
View answer157. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of members on the board of the Censorship of Publications Appeals Board in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and the total costs of the board per annum in those years. [30895/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 157, inclusive, together.
The Deputy may wish to note that by way of the Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2013, the Government has transferred the functions of the Minister for Justice and Equality, in relation to the Censorship of Publications Board and the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board, to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The number of books and periodical publications referred to the Censorship of Publications Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946, in each year since 2000, including the number of such publications prohibited in each of those years, is set out in the Table below.
Section 2 of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946 provides that the Censorship of Publications Board shall have five members (inclusive of the Chairman). The five year term of office of the last Board expired on 9 November 2011. The new Board has not yet been appointed. Accordingly, the Board had five members during 2010 and 2011. Members of the Board do not receive any remuneration and there were no travel and subsistence expenses paid to Board members in 2010 and 2011.
Section 3 of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946 provides that the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board shall have five members (inclusive of the Chairman). The three year term of office of the last Appeal Board expired on 11 February 2012. The new Board has not yet been appointed. Accordingly, the Appeal Board had five members during 2010, 2011 and 2012 (i.e. until 11 February 2012). Members of the Appeal Board do not receive any remuneration and there were no travel and subsistence expenses paid to Appeal Board members in 2010, 2011 or 2012.
Table: Number of Books and Periodical Publications Referred to the Censorship of Publications Board in the years 2000 to 2013
|
- |
Books |
Books |
Periodical Publications |
Periodical Publications |
|
Year |
Referred |
Prohibited |
Referred |
Prohibited |
|
2000 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
2001 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
2002 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2003 |
1 |
0 |
15 |
9 |
|
2004 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
2005 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2006 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
2007 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2008 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2010 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2011 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013 (as at 25 June 2013) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
