Written Answers Nos. 347-362
347. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which various forms for social welfare payments may be simplified to reduce administrative backlogs and excessive time-consuming procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33534/13]
View answerThe Department has a continuous programme of process improvement initiatives underway aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology. The simplification and reduction of application forms complements the introduction of more streamlined processes.
The key principles underpinning the design of the Department’s application forms are the use of clear and simple language, with consistent layout and presentation across both online and paper forms. All primary application forms are designed to facilitate the use of scanning and automated processing. This ensures that the application is processed as efficiently as possible and that customers receive their entitlement in a timely manner. Primary application forms are regularly reviewed to ensure they request only the information required to establish the customer’s entitlement, in a clear and easy to understand manner.
Staff in the Department’s local and branch offices and Intreo centres provide information and guidance to customers on the completion of application forms when required. In addition, the Citizens Information Board, through its network of offices around the State provides information, advice and advocacy services to members of the public on a wide range of public and social services, including assistance in completing application forms.
All primary application forms are also available on the Department's website, www.welfare.ie. Applications for a number of schemes, including the new JobsPlus incentive, child benefit, State pension (contributory), widow(er)’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, household benefits and, in certain cases, jobseeker’s payments, can be completed and submitted online.
The use of online application forms reduces the administrative burden for the customer and facilitates efficient processing of claims by the Department. I am satisfied that the ongoing initiatives underway in the Department, the improvements to processes and procedures supported by the redesign of application forms, and the Department’s use of modern technology will continue to deliver an improved and efficient service to customers.
348. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she continues to take to ensure against the occurrence of overpayments which result in recovery and consequent hardship with particular reference to cases where the overpayment was not as a result of an oversight or negligence on the part of the applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33535/13]
View answerEnsuring that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. It is the Department’s policy that every effort is made to prevent overpayments but, where they occur, they should be regarded as a debt to the Exchequer and every effort must be made to recover the amounts through all available means.
Those clients who are aware that they are being - or have been - overpaid by my Department should contact their local social welfare office immediately. An overpayment recovery plan, acceptable both to the customer and to the Department, will then be agreed. The general approach is that the recovery amount proposed will be the maximum repayment that the debtor can afford in order to recover the overpayment as quickly as possible.
My Department is fully committed to recovering 100% of overpayments. Debt holders should be aware that a departmental debt will remain on their records until fully recovered and will result in a reduction of all future entitlements up to and including state pension. Following the death of a customer who owes a debt, the Department will have a claim on any estate remaining.
In the context of the Fraud Initiative 2011 – 2013, the Department is reviewing its overall approach to debt recovery. Effective debt recovery is seen as an integral part of the deterrent to fraudulent claiming.
In this regard, section 13 of the Social Welfare Act, 2012, allows for a deduction of up to 15% from a person’s weekly personal rate to be deducted for the purposes of recovering an overpayment. It is not the Department’s intention to make deductions that are likely to visit hardship on beneficiaries. The new provisions preserve a minimum entitlement of up to 85% of a beneficiary’s personal payment in all cases of overpayment, leaving increases for dependants intact.
It is envisaged that this measure, along with a range of other options that are currently being considered by the Department, will serve to minimise overpayments in the future, as well as increasing the rate of recoveries where overpayments arise.
349. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to continue to be in position to provide the necessary resources to retain the maximum number of places on a community employment or related schemes throughout County Kildare having particular regard to the ongoing success of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33536/13]
View answerThe Department is continuing its commitment to getting people back to work as set out in the Programme for Government and the Pathways to Work documents. Following my announcement at budget time, the number of Community Employment and Tús programmes are being expanded in 2013 by 2,000 and 2,500 places respectively on a national basis. Applications from Schemes in Kildare for these additional places will be considered in the normal manner. These places will be filled throughout 2013.
350. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications for invalidity pension currently on hand, the likely timescale within which it is expected that a decision will be made, the degree, if any, to which she can speed up the processing of such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33537/13]
View answerI am pleased to confirm that the backlog of claims awaiting action and decision, which stood at just over 7,000 in May 2012, has been cleared.
As at the end of June 2013 there are 1973 Invalidity Pension (IP) claims registered, actioned and awaiting information to finalise a decision. This includes approximately 579 cases which are being investigated under EU regulations or bilateral agreements. These cases are more complex and take longer to decide.
Where a claim is disallowed and the customer requests a review of the decision or appeals the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, this requires an additional amount of time to finalise.
Following such a high volume of claim clearance in the second half of 2012, the resulting volume of appeals is similarly high. The time these appeal claims take to clear negatively affects the overall average time taken to award a claim. The average time taken to award claims in these schemes will continue to improve as appeals are worked through the system and cleared.
Excluding the current effect of the increased level of appeals in the system, the average time to decide a new invalidity pension claim is now 6 weeks.
351. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views that the criteria that eligibility for community employment schemes is only based on receiving a jobseeker's payment for 12 months at the time of making his or her application and that persons who are signing on for credits due to the fact that their partner is working is discriminatory on family grounds; and if she will consider changing the eligibility to include those persons signing on for credits. [33548/13]
View answerThe core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as defined on the Department’s website. This requirement is based on Government policy and Departmental guidelines and has been the rule since CE commenced in 1994.
At present persons signing for credits or otherwise ineligible for a social welfare payment, do not meet the current eligibility requirements for participation on the CE Scheme. They may, however, be eligible for participation on other programmes, although they may not qualify for payment of an allowance e.g. FÁS training courses.
Such persons are advised to contact their local Employment Services Office or Intreo office (where available) where an Employment Services Officer will be happy to discuss the employment and training options that are open to them.
There are no proposals currently under consideration in regard to making changes to the national operation of the Community Employment Programme. Within the current very difficult budgetary constraints, the number of places on Community Employment is being increased up to 25,300 by year-end 2013. In delivering these places, the Department will continue to operate flexibly in the management of this allocation in order to maximise progression to the labour market, while at the same time facilitating the support of community services.
352. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total spend on artworks in each of the past seven years by his Department and bodies under his aegis. [33000/13]
View answerThe three main collecting institutions under the auspices of my Department are the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Crawford Art Gallery.
Whilst my Department provides funding to the National Cultural Institutions, the Board of each institution is responsible for all operational matters, including acquisitions of artworks, and I do not have a statutory function in respect of such day-to-day matters.
However, I am having the position regarding the total spend on artworks by my Department directly over the last seven years clarified and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.
353. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated value of artworks owned by the State, under the aegis of his Department, that are currently in storage. [33001/13]
View answerThe three main collecting institutions under the auspices of my Department are the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Crawford Art Gallery.
Whilst my Department provides funding to the National Cultural Institutions, the Board of each institution is responsible for all operational matters, including storage of artworks, and I do not have a statutory function in respect of such day-to-day matters.
I am having the position regarding the estimated value of artworks owned by the State under the aegis of this Department clarified and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.
354. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding a sale of bog and turbary rights in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33054/13]
View answerThe land referred to by the Deputy is located in a natural heritage area designated in 2004.
In 2010, the then Government decided that turf-cutting should come to an end on raised bog natural heritage areas at the end of 2013. However, the current Programme for Government contains an undertaking to review the situation with regard to turf cutting on natural heritage areas.
On 15 April 2011, the Government made a number of decisions in relation to turf cutting, including the putting in place of a compensation package for those who have been required to cease cutting, the establishment of a Peatlands Council and the drawing up of a national strategy on peatland conservation and management. In the context of the national strategy, the position regarding raised bog natural heritage areas, which are designated under national legislation, is being examined in advance of the 2014 cutting season in accordance with the Programme for Government.
My Department is giving priority to the compensation requirements in relation to the cessation of cutting on the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation. In the circumstances, and in light of the decision to review the approach to these areas more generally, the issue of any further purchase of land/rights in natural heritage area bogs, including the land referred to, is being kept under review.
355. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a person in receipt of UK fuel allowance through a UK pension is entitled to apply for a better energy warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32940/13]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is delivered through a combination of SEAI appointed Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors in order to ensure national coverage. Measures available include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation and are free of charge to the customer.
Eligibility for the scheme is determined with reference to the following criteria:
- Owner occupied, non-Local Authority homes;
- Constructed before 2002.
The owner is in receipt of one of the following:
- Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme (means tested);
- Job Seekers Allowance for over six months and with a child under seven years of age;
- Family Income Supplement.
The UK Winter Fuel Payment is available to pensioners who currently or previously resided in the UK. This payment is available to all over 60s regardless of their means. The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has confirmed that persons in receipt of the UK Winter Fuel Payment are not precluded from applying for the Fuel Allowance. However, as the Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment, receipt of the UK Fuel Payment would have to be taken into account in assessing eligibility. Assuming an applicant who was in receipt of the UK Winter Fuel Payment was deemed eligible for the Fuel Allowance, there should be no impediment to them making an application for the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme, subject to the other eligibility criteria being met.
356. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a progress report on the roll-out of broadband and high speed broadband in the various areas (details supplied) of counties Wicklow and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33025/13]
View answerIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each county, including Counties Wicklow and Carlow, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market has failed to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme. Broadband services under the NBS are available since October 2010 from the NBS service provider, “3”, to persons with a fixed residence or fixed business in all of the designated NBS Electoral Divisions. In County Carlow, 6 of the 54 EDs are covered under the NBS while in County Wicklow, 37 of the 82 EDs are included in the NBS, details of which are shown in the tables below. The combination of private investment and State interventions means that Ireland has met the EU Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe target of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013.
With basic broadband services widely available across Ireland, the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.
During the preparation of Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
In tandem with these commercial developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access.
In order to progress the State-led investment, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My officials have just commenced a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector to identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband services over the coming years.
The results of this mapping exercise will inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment so as to deliver on the targets for high speed broadband contained in the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be ongoing throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.
National Broadband Scheme (NBS) - Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in County Carlow
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
CLONMORE ED |
17014 |
|
COONOGUE ED |
17015 |
|
HACKETSTOWN ED |
17022 |
|
HAROLDSTOWN ED |
17023 |
|
RIDGE ED |
17043 |
|
TIKNOCK ED |
17048 |
National Broadband Scheme (NBS) - Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in County Wicklow
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
ARKLOW RURAL ED |
257003 |
|
BALLINACOR ED |
257007 |
|
BALLINDERRY ED |
257008 |
|
BALLINGLEN ED |
257010 |
|
BALLINGUILE ED |
257011 |
|
BALLYARTHUR ED |
257012 |
|
BALLYBEG ED |
257013 |
|
COOLBALLINTAGGART ED |
257023 |
|
COOLBOY ED |
257024 |
|
CRONELEA ED |
257026 |
|
DONAGHMORE ED |
257028 |
|
DUNGANSTOWN EAST ED |
257030 |
|
DUNGANSTOWN SOUTH ED |
257031 |
|
DUNGANSTOWN WEST ED |
257032 |
|
EADESTOWN ED |
257034 |
|
ENNEREILLY ED |
257035 |
|
GLENDALOUGH ED |
257037 |
|
GLENEALY ED |
257038 |
|
HARTSTOWN ED |
257040 |
|
HOLLYWOOD ED |
257041 |
|
HUMEWOOD ED |
257042 |
|
IMAEL NORTH ED |
257043 |
|
IMAEL SOUTH ED |
257044 |
|
KILBALLYOWEN ED |
257045 |
|
KILBRIDE ED |
257046 |
|
KILLINURE ED |
257049 |
|
KILPIPE ED |
257052 |
|
KNOCKRATH ED |
257053 |
|
LUGGLASS ED |
257055 |
|
MONEYSTOWN ED |
257057 |
|
OLDTOWN ED |
257060 |
|
RATH ED |
257063 |
|
RATHDANGAN ED |
257064 |
|
TALBOTSTOWN ED |
257069 |
|
THE GRANGE ED |
257070 |
|
TOGHER ED |
257073 |
|
TROOPERSTOWN ED |
257075 |
357. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on representations from the Irish Postmasters' Union seeking an increase in the threshold where anti-money laundering identification is needed in order to facilitate the sale of low value prize bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33101/13]
View answerI understand my colleague the Minister for Finance is exploring with the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) and the Minister for Justice and Equality whether or not exemptions available under the EU Directives may be applied to small value purchases of prize bonds facilitated on behalf of the State by An Post and the Prize Bond Company. I am supportive of this course of action.
358. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a comprehensive economic and technical analysis of all costs and subsidies has been or will be undertaken in respect of the export of electricity to Britain generated by means of wind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33127/13]
View answerOn 24 January 2013, I signed a Memorandum of Understanding on energy co-operation with the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Edward Davey. Detailed work is now underway to consider how Ireland’s renewable energy resources, both onshore and offshore, might be developed to the mutual benefit of Ireland and the United Kingdom. This will determine whether it is beneficial for both countries to enter into an Inter-Governmental Agreement under the Renewable Energy Directive to provide for renewable energy trading. This work includes analysis of the economic and technical aspects of the proposal. The mechanism for remunerating any wind farms that may in the future export renewable energy from Ireland to the United Kingdom has yet to be decided but will not involve any subsidy costs being imposed on the Irish State or consumer. Any Inter-Governmental Agreement will also have to ensure an adequate return to the Irish Exchequer.
359. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress report for counties that were selected to participate in the better energy warmer homes scheme by the Sustainable Energy Authority, Longford County Council being one of them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33135/13]
View answerThe Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is delivered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to homes in private ownership experiencing energy poverty. As part of the implementation of the Affordable Energy Strategy, the SEAI is undertaking a pilot programme of delivering energy efficiency upgrades to local authority owned homes, where the tenants are experiencing energy poverty.
The Department and the SEAI met with the County and City Managers Association (CCMA) Housing Sub Committee and it was agreed that a pilot programme should be undertaken in 2013. Longford County Council and South Dublin County Council volunteered to participate in the proposed pilot. Each of the Local Authorities submitted a batch of 20-30 homes to the SEAI in the period May to June 2013.
The expected number of homes to be addressed in the pilot is approximately 50, and these will be surveyed and upgraded by the SEAI over the coming months. The measures that will be provided include attic insulation, draught proofing, low energy light bulbs, lagging jackets for hot water tanks and cavity wall insulation, where appropriate. A Building Energy Rating (BER) will also be undertaken after the works are completed in each home.
360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on correspondence regarding cost saving and the post office network (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33330/13]
View answerOperational matters including cost savings in relation to the post office network are a matter for the Board and management of An Post and not one in which I have a statutory function.
I am, however, conscious that An Post faces a difficult financial position and cost containment is part of its strategy to operate in a financially sustainable manner. I fully support all measures taken by the Company to place it on a sustainable long-term financial footing. This includes the identification of new business opportunities which can make a commercial return as well as necessary cost containment.
361. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to upgrade broadband connectivity throughout County Monaghan with particular reference to the need to extend the national broadband scheme to those electoral divisions in the county where such service is not available at present; the likely timescale for the proposed roll-out of this particular scheme to the remaining electoral divisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33470/13]
View answerThe objective of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), which was launched in 2008 following a competitive tendering process, was to provide access to affordable, scalable broadband services to rural areas, where operators had been unable to offer services on a commercial basis.
In designing the Scheme, which was approved under EU State Aid rules, my Department undertook a comprehensive mapping exercise to assess the extent of broadband coverage available in the State in 2008. Following completion of the exercise a separate map based on electoral divisions (EDs), which are the smallest administrative areas used for statistical purposes in the country, was developed. Where an ED was completely or substantially served by existing service providers it was excluded from the NBS. Broadband services under the NBS are available since October 2010 from the NBS service provider, “3”, to persons with a fixed residence or fixed business in all of the designated NBS Electoral Divisions. In County Monaghan 29 out of the 70 EDs were identified as eligible for inclusion in the NBS, which are shown in the table below.
In May 2011, the Government launched a separate broadband initiative, namely the Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS). The RBS was established to enable a basic broadband service to be provided to individual rural premises, which were not capable of obtaining a broadband service from existing Internet service providers. 119 applicants from County Monaghan received offers from service providers participating in this Scheme of which 25 accepted an offer of service.
With basic broadband services widely available across Ireland, the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.
During the preparation of Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
In tandem with these commercial developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access.
In order to progress the State-led investment, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My officials have just commenced a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector to identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband services over the coming years.
The results of this mapping exercise will inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment so as to deliver on the targets for high speed broadband contained in the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be ongoing throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.
National Broadband Scheme (NBS) - Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in County Monaghan
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
AGHABOG |
ED 177001 |
|
ANNAYALLA |
ED 177003 |
|
BELLATRAIN |
ED 177009 |
|
BOCKS |
ED 177010 |
|
BROOMFIELD |
ED 177012 |
|
CARRICKASLANE |
ED 177014 |
|
CARRICKATEE |
ED 177015 |
|
CHURCH HILL |
ED 177021 |
|
CORMEEN |
ED 177026 |
|
CREEVE |
ED 177028 |
|
CREMARTIN |
ED 177029 |
|
CROSSALARE |
ED 177030 |
|
CURRIN |
ED 177031 |
|
DERRYGORRY |
ED 177033 |
|
DRUM |
ED 177035 |
|
DRUMCARROW |
ED 177037 |
|
DRUMGURRA |
ED 177038 |
|
DRUMMULLY |
ED 177040 |
|
GLASLOUGH |
ED 177046 |
|
GREAGH |
ED 177047 |
|
KILLEEVAN |
ED 177049 |
|
KILLYNENAGH |
ED 177051 |
|
KILMURRY |
ED 177053 |
|
LARAGH |
ED 177055 |
|
MULLYASH |
ED 177060 |
|
NEWBLISS |
ED 177061 |
|
SHANMULLAGH |
ED 177065 |
|
SHESKIN |
ED 177066 |
|
TEHALLEN |
ED 177069 |
362. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider rectifying the substantial additional cost which motorists who tax their vehicles on a quarterly basis must pay as opposed to those who tax their car annually, particularly in view of the fact that many persons find themselves not in a financial position to pay the full amount in one lump sum and the fact that administrative costs in relation to motor taxation are lessened in view of the fact that motorists now apply for their tax disk online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32982/13]
View answerI have no plans to change the basis for the charging of motor tax for three or six month discs. Tax rates for these discs are set at a higher rate than the annual fee to take account of the extra workload for the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) and motor tax offices, and the resultant higher administrative and printing costs. In addition, reminders are issued on each renewal. While costs have reduced in respect of those paying on-line, they are not negligible.
The annual income from the increased charges for three and six month discs in 2012 was over €50m. Were changes to be introduced to charge for these discs on a pro-rata basis, the loss in income would have to be compensated for elsewhere in the motor tax system, or through the taxation system generally.
