Written Answers Nos. 485-503
485. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34174/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 March 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the case 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
486. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite and award an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34181/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30t April 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The additional papers which have been provided by the Deputy will be brought to the attention of the Appeals Officer.
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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
487. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position on a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [34195/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12 November 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the case 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
488. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will set out, in tabular form, the number of defined benefit pension schemes the closure of which has been notified to the pensions board in each year since 2008 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34221/13]
View answerDefined benefit (DB) pension schemes are required to notify the Pensions Board when a scheme enters into a wind-up. The duration for the disbursement of scheme assets in a wind-up can vary and the Pensions Board monitors the process. The total number of DB pension schemes that have completed the wind-up process and whose closure has been notified to the Pensions Board since 2008 is 333. The breakdown by year is as follows:
|
Year |
No of DB schemes wound up |
|
2008 |
62 |
|
2009 |
85 |
|
2010 |
67 |
|
2011 |
65 |
|
2012 |
44 |
|
2013 |
10 |
The number of DB schemes has been reducing over many years: at December 2012, there were 933 DB pension schemes, down from 1,200 schemes in 2009, 1,500 in 2003 and just over 2,500 schemes in 1991.
The persistent funding difficulties of defined benefit (DB) schemes, due to increasing life expectancy and the financial downturn, have been well recognised and employers, unions and trustees have been making strenuous efforts to protect the viability of their schemes. This decline in numbers of DB schemes in Ireland is replicated in many other OECD countries.
Numerous measures have been taken to assist the sustainability of DB schemes over the last number of years.
The Funding Standard for DB schemes was suspended in 2008 following the downturn in the financial markets to give trustees and sponsoring employers adequate time to assess their schemes and consider a response to improve the funding position. The reintroduction of the Funding Standard was then delayed on a number of occasions, pending changes to legislation which were designed to help trustees respond to these challenges.
The changes introduced over a number of successive years, included making provision for trustees to restructure their schemes, introduced measures such as the sovereign annuity to assist schemes improve their funding position and gave increased regulatory powers to the Pensions Board.
489. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the State pension - transition which is currently payable to claimants aged 65 years beyond the proposed cut-off date of 1 January 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34227/13]
View answerIncreasing State pension age and the abolition of the State pension (transition) are steps that have been taken to ensure the sustainability of pensions into the future. The decision to reform State pension was taken in the context of changing demographics and the fact that people are living longer and healthier lives.
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This will begin in 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. The State pension age will be further increased to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028.
It should be noted that until the 1970s, the standard age for receipt of State pension was 70 years of age. State pension transition was introduced in 1970 when it was known as the retirement pension. It was designed to bridge the gap between the standard social welfare pension age, which at that time was 70 years of age, and retirement age. Overtime, the age for State pension contributory was reduced to 66 years.
In terms of social welfare supports available to those at age 65 who are unable to remain in the workforce, the main social welfare payment available to those who leave employment before pension age is jobseeker’s benefit. Persons who qualify for a jobseeker’s benefit who are aged between 65 and 66 years are generally entitled to receive payment up to the date on which they reach pensionable age (66 years).
Consideration is under way of reviewing the needs of older workers who wish to work longer and in terms of the supports available within the social welfare system.
The recently published OECD report on the Review of the Irish Pension System confirms that reforms are necessary if we are to continue to put pension provision on a sustainable footing given the changes in demographics, the deficit in the Social Insurance Fund, and the difficult fiscal situation.
490. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal on a farm assist application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [34287/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 12 July 2013 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been determined.
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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
491. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the amount that was spent on the core weekly social protection rates for each of the past five years; the amount projected to be spent in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34294/13]
View answerThe following table details the expenditure on weekly income support payments by programme made by the Department from 2008 to date. The 2013 data relate to the relevant expenditure included in the 2013 Revised Estimates Volume.
|
Programme |
2008 Outturn |
2009 Outturn |
2010 Outturn |
2011 Outturn |
2012 Outturn |
2013 REV Estimate |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
|
Pensions |
5,489,783 |
5,834,853 |
5,880,350 |
6,072,755 |
6,259,412 |
6,447,170 |
|
Working Age Income Supports |
3,999,404 |
5,754,073 |
6,043,560 |
5,757,915 |
5,591,989 |
5,288,599 |
|
Working Age Employment Supports |
150,304 |
183,746 |
289,880 |
825,350 |
916,119 |
1,007,369 |
|
Illness Disability and Carers |
3,194,619 |
3,427,986 |
3,428,594 |
3,312,412 |
3,207,899 |
3,216,600 |
|
Children |
189,802 |
181,679 |
202,156 |
221,092 |
239,114 |
245,750 |
|
Total Expenditure on weekly payments |
13,023,912 |
15,382,337 |
15,844,540 |
16,189,524 |
16,214,532 |
16,205,489 |
Some regular monthly payments are also made by the Department of which the most significant (€1.91 billion) is child benefit.
Expenditure on the working age employment supports programme has increased over the period in question. This increase is mainly due to the transfer of responsibility from FÁS to the Department for Community Employment, the Jobs Initiative, the Wage Subsidy scheme and associated schemes from 1 January 2011. In addition, responsibility for the Rural Social Scheme and the Community Services Programme transferred from the former Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the Department of Social Protection in late September 2010.
The Department also incurs expenditure on a range of supplementary payments which are not included in the table. These include rent supplement, fuel allowance, free travel and the household benefits package.
492. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected spend respectively on jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance for the first six months of the year to end of June; the projected amount for each for the full year 2013; if she will indicate the outturn to end of June 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34295/13]
View answer493. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the projected number of claimants for both jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance for the first six months of 2013 and the year as a whole; and what the outturn for each was; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34296/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 493 together.
The following table details the information requested by the Deputy.
|
- |
YTD End June 2013 |
2013 REV Estimate |
|
Expenditure Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Benefit |
€m 1,528 312 |
€m 3098 564 |
|
Total |
1,840 |
3,662 |
|
Average Live Register Average number of recipients paid each week Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Benefit |
425,000- 291,980 69,410 |
431,000- 288,400 81,450 |
|
Total |
361,390 |
369,850 |
The 2013 REV Estimate as published provides the basis for the projected outturn for 2013 as a whole for both Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit.
494. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected amount of PRSI to be paid to the State for the first six months of the year to end of June and the projected amount for the full year 2013; the outturn to end of June 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34297/13]
View answerSocial Insurance Fund (SIF) income to the end of June was €3,516 million or €45 million (1.3%) in excess of the profile of €3,471 million. The 2013 Revised Estimates for my Department provide for an estimated SIF income of €7,100 million over the entire year.
495. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the fuel budget for six weeks. [34307/13]
View answerThe cost of increasing the duration of the fuel allowance season by six weeks is estimated at €48.5 million in a full year.
496. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare they can transfer from jobseeker's allowance to the back to education allowance to coincide with the start of their course at the end of August next; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34319/13]
View answerIt is open to the person concerned to make an application for a back to education allowance at her local office in order to determine if she has an entitlement to the allowance.
497. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a decision on a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34332/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 June 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 these have been received from the Department, the case 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 appeal 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
498. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the introduction of a system of collateral benefit reimbursement; if she will provide details on the total savings envisaged in her Department if such a measure was introduced in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34334/13]
View answerSocial welfare legislation does not currently provide for reimbursement to the Department by insurance companies in cases where adjustments may have been made to special damages awards on foot of social welfare payments received by plaintiffs.
The Department has undertaken a considerable amount of background work on this matter, including direct engagement with the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and the State Claims Agency, as well as extensive discussions with counterparts in Northern Ireland where a system of benefits reimbursement is in operation. Work in this area is continuing within the Department.
On the basis of an exercise undertaken in conjunction with the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, it is tentatively estimated that programme savings of the order of €21 million per annum could potentially be secured.
499. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will list the waiting times a person may expect for an appointment with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service in each county-office area. [34335/13]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides a high quality personal service to assist people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service is made up of a network of 53 companies which includes 51 local companies and 2 national companies, MABS ndl and National Traveller MABS. In addition, the MABS National Telephone Helpline is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and the MABS website can be accessed 24 hours a day at www.mabs.ie. In 2013 funding of some €19 million has been provided to MABS.
Information and immediate support on all aspects of money management and personal debt is available from the MABS Helpline. In many cases the Helpline can provide the help and support people need. However, if a caller needs to avail of the face-to-face service provided by a MABS money adviser, they will be directed to a local MABS office.
MABS operate an appointment scheduling system and this means that in some cases clients may have to wait a number of weeks for the next available appointment. While waiting for an appointment, clients can use MABS free self-help materials to take holding action and to begin the process of assessing their situation. The MABS Helpline can also support clients while they are awaiting their first appointment with a MABS money adviser.
The Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has responsibility for MABS, compiles information on the waiting times in each MABS office on a quarterly basis and posts it to the www.mabs.ie website. The most recent statistics available, compiled to end of June 2013, record that the average waiting time from first point of contact to first appointment with a money adviser is some 4.4 weeks. This is the average nationally and there are fluctuations between offices. Details are provided by county-office area in the following table.
Over half of MABS services have a waiting time of 4 weeks or less, 13 MABS services have a waiting time of above 4 weeks but no more than 6 weeks and eight have a waiting time greater than 6 weeks. MABS has dealt with over 2,000 emergency clients since the beginning of the year. These clients are seen immediately without any waiting period. MABS is currently working with over 24,000 clients.
I am satisfied that MABS provides a high quality personal service to assist people in overcoming their indebtedness and managing their finances.
Client Waiting Times and Numbers at 30 June 2013
|
MABS Company |
Waiting time Average |
Number awaiting first appointment |
|
|
Weeks |
|
|
Arklow & District |
2.4 |
12 |
|
Athlone |
1.6 |
7 |
|
Ballymun |
5.4 |
32 |
|
Blanchardstown |
5.8 |
62 |
|
Bray |
1.6 |
25 |
|
Carlow |
5.4 |
30 |
|
Cavan |
2.4 |
19 |
|
Charleville |
2.8 |
7 |
|
Clare |
2 |
6 |
|
Clondalkin |
4 |
27 |
|
Cork City |
4.2 |
74 |
|
Cork North |
2.8 |
23 |
|
Cork West |
2.8 |
19 |
|
Donegal North |
20.2 |
160 |
|
Donegal South |
6.2 |
4 |
|
Drogheda |
5.6 |
95 |
|
Dublin 10 + 20 (Comac) |
1.8 |
6 |
|
Dublin 12 Area |
3.2 |
16 |
|
Dublin North City |
6 |
42 |
|
Dublin North East |
7.4 |
53 |
|
Dublin South East |
1.8 |
20 |
|
Dún Laoghaire |
4.4 |
28 |
|
Dún na nGall Iarthar (Derrybeg) |
2.2 |
1 |
|
Dundalk |
0.8 |
4 |
|
Dundrum/Rathfarnham |
4.4 |
33 |
|
Fingal |
5.8 |
45 |
|
Finglas Cabra |
2 |
14 |
|
Galway North |
5 |
22 |
|
Galway South |
6 |
75 |
|
Kerry |
2.4 |
40 |
|
Kildare |
6.8 |
119 |
|
Kilkenny |
1.8 |
15 |
|
Laois |
2 |
13 |
|
Leitrim |
3.8 |
9 |
|
Liffey South West |
2.6 |
16 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
61 |
|
Longford |
2.2 |
16 |
|
Mayo North |
5 |
6 |
|
Mayo South |
16 |
52 |
|
Meath |
13.6 |
117 |
|
Monaghan |
4.2 |
21 |
|
Mullingar |
1.2 |
13 |
|
Offaly |
8.6 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
4.6 |
12 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
16 |
|
Tallaght |
3.2 |
10 |
|
Tipperary North |
3.2 |
18 |
|
Tipperary South |
1.6 |
20 |
|
Waterford |
0.8 |
13 |
|
Waterford West |
0.6 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
1.2 |
12 |
Question No. 500 withdrawn.
501. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position on an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [34341/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2 May 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 these have been received from the Department, the case 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 appeal 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
502. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a domiciliary care allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if she will confirm the amount of arrears due and the amount of the weekly payment. [34342/13]
View answerThe person concerned was notified on 11 July 2013 that her domiciliary care allowance appeal was successful. Domiciliary care allowance is a monthly payment of €309.50. Arrears of payment due to the person concerned, amounting to €3,714, has issued by cheque.
503. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review of a decision on a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34343/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 June 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
