Written Answers Nos. 608-630
608. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of people in receipt of the special funeral grant; the current number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and the estimated total costs in 2013; her plans for the future of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34887/13]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to such a payment. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme. In making decisions, these officers take taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. The Government has provided over €47 million for the scheme in 2013.
Application can be made under the scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses. A table detailing the available statistics in relation to assistance for these expenses is included for the Deputy’s information. Statistics are not collated on a county basis by the Department. Any person who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme should contact the local officials administering the scheme. With regard to my future plans for these payments, any changes to the scheme will be considered in a budgetary context.
Expenditure and Payments on Funeral and Burial Expenses under Exceptional Needs Payment 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013
|
Year |
Number of Payments |
€000 |
Number of Payments |
€000 |
Number of Payments |
€000 |
|
2010 |
N/A |
4,790 |
N/A |
560 |
N/A |
5,350 |
|
2011 |
3,740 |
5,120 |
230 |
370 |
3,970 |
5,490 |
|
2012 |
3,530 |
4,840 |
230 |
330 |
3,760 |
5,170 |
|
2013* |
1,720 |
2,230 |
90 |
140 |
1,810 |
2,380 |
*As at 5 July 2013
618. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of the smokeless fuel allowance in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the current number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and the estimated total costs in 2013; her plans for the future of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34901/13]
View answerThe Smokeless Fuel Allowance was an extra allowance paid by my Department to low-income households to help them meet the extra costs of using smokeless or low smoke fuels in certain parts of the country. This allowance was abolished from 1 September 2011. Information regarding the recipients of this allowance or its cost was not segregated from the statistics of the schemes under which it was paid prior to its abolition.
623. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of the diet and heating supplements in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the current number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and the estimated total costs in 2013; her plans for the future of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34906/13]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, miscellaneous supplements may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances. The main types of miscellaneous supplements are: diet supplement; heating supplement; travel supplement; and crèche supplement. The budget provision for miscellaneous supplements in 2013 is €11.4 million. The detailed information requested by the Deputy is not held by the Department. However, the number of recipients of miscellaneous supplementary welfare supplements, including diet and heating supplements, is collated annually for inclusion in the Department’s Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report. A table detailing the available statistics is included for the Deputy’s information.
With regard to my future plans for these supplements, a review of the diet supplement scheme is currently underway and a report will be completed in the coming months.
Miscellaneous Supplementary Welfare Supplements (Including Diet and Heating Supplements)
|
Recipients by County |
31st December 2010 |
31st December 2011 |
- |
28th December 2012 |
5th July 2013 |
|
Carlow |
188 |
170 |
162 |
146 |
|
|
Cavan |
162 |
144 |
122 |
119 |
|
|
Clare |
336 |
306 |
290 |
258 |
|
|
Cork |
2,112 |
1,839 |
1,588 |
1,391 |
|
|
Donegal |
145 |
139 |
144 |
139 |
|
|
Dublin |
5,353 |
5,320 |
4,936 |
4,579 |
|
|
Galway |
361 |
365 |
338 |
295 |
|
|
Kerry |
399 |
310 |
230 |
226 |
|
|
Kildare |
387 |
365 |
361 |
352 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
189 |
167 |
166 |
152 |
|
|
Laois |
255 |
232 |
226 |
217 |
|
|
Leitrim |
28 |
28 |
29 |
24 |
|
|
Limerick |
1,741 |
1,638 |
1,460 |
1,358 |
|
|
Longford |
119 |
108 |
103 |
102 |
|
|
Louth |
195 |
188 |
187 |
180 |
|
|
Mayo |
284 |
267 |
242 |
183 |
|
|
Meath |
176 |
166 |
176 |
161 |
|
|
Monaghan |
111 |
101 |
96 |
84 |
|
|
Offaly |
256 |
235 |
229 |
226 |
|
|
Roscommon |
231 |
207 |
174 |
156 |
|
|
Sligo |
42 |
42 |
46 |
50 |
|
|
Tipperary |
903 |
787 |
730 |
642 |
|
|
Waterford |
368 |
326 |
219 |
176 |
|
|
Westmeath |
150 |
140 |
142 |
151 |
|
|
Wexford |
372 |
357 |
327 |
285 |
|
|
Wicklow |
343 |
297 |
286 |
259 |
|
|
Totals |
15,206 |
14,244 |
13,009 |
11,911 |
|
|
- |
- |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
- |
Expenditure €000 |
13,400 |
12,800 |
11,200 |
11,400* |
*Provisional
624. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of the humanitarian assistance scheme payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the current number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and the estimated total costs in 2013; her plans for the future of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34907/13]
View answerThe Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, this Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events, such as the flooding of November 2009, October 2011 and June 2012.
A humanitarian aid scheme was approved by Government in response to these floods. The aid scheme, which is means tested, is available to people whose homes were damaged in the flooding and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair as a result of the flooding damage. Payments issued to householders affected by these floods are as follows:
- in 2010, approximately €1million was paid out to 2,100 householders mainly in Galway and Roscommon who suffered damage to their homes following the flooding in November 2009;
- in 2011, a total of €359,000 was paid out to householders mainly in Dublin and Monaghan who suffered damage to their homes following the flooding in autumn 2011;
- -n 2012, a total of €714,000 was paid out to householders mainly in Dublin, Monaghan and Cork who suffered damage to their homes following the flooding in autumn 2011 and June 2012;
- the recipients of Humanitarian Aid in 2011 and 2012 were mainly based in Dublin (978 claims to the value of €916,000), Monaghan (46 claims to the value of €28,000) and Cork (119 claims to the value of €129,000); and
- to date in 2013, approximately €99,000 was paid under the scheme in respect of 109 claims, of which €44,000 was paid in Dublin and €45,000 in Galway.
The Government decided in December 2010 that this Department could hold a provision of up to €4 million to assist a number of households in Galway, Roscommon and Offaly who experienced severe flooding in November 2009 toward relocation costs. To date in 2013, payments totalling €762,500 has been paid to a small number of Galway based applicants who are eligible for relocation costs under the scheme and have fully complied with the conditions of the scheme.
With regard to my future plans for this scheme, the Department has received sanction, up to a maximum allocation of €10 million, to provide for the activation of the scheme in any future cases affected by severe flooding, thereby ensuring immediate supports.
626. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the current delays in processing applications for travel passes on medical grounds; the total number of applications in hand; the corresponding figures for companion passes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34953/13]
View answerThe Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. Cases are dealt with by the Medical Assessors on a clinical priority basis. The delay in processing applications for companion free travel passes on medical grounds is due to a number of factors such as the increase in volume of customer claims to the Disability and Illness related schemes and the time involved in assessing cases where there is lengthy medical evidence to be assessed. A recent campaign to reduce the number of claims and appeals awaiting assessment by the Medical Assessors has successfully reduced the backlog considerably. The present focus is on free travel and two Medical Assessors have been assigned to work full time on reducing the backlog of 1,714 free travel referrals awaiting medical assessment. It is expected that this figure will reduce considerably in the near future. Avenues are also being explored in conjunction with the scheme area to expedite decisions on these claims in the future.
627. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when payment of a domiciliary allowance will issue to persons (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34970/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 11 March 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 20th May 2013 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision and supplied additional information on the child’s condition. As part of the appeal process, the application along with the additional information provided was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who found the child to be medically eligible for the allowance. The person concerned was notified of the decision on 4 July 2013. Payment of the allowance, along with arrears due will issue on 16 July 2013.
628. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has sought and received legal advice outside the Office of the Attorney General; the number of times advice was sought per year in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the costs of outside legal advice per year in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34988/13]
View answerThe information requested is currently being completed within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
629. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of former self-employed persons now receiving benefits or jobseeker's allowance. [35013/13]
View answerThe figures for the number of former self-employed persons now receiving benefits or jobseekers allowance are not available. However, a person who is currently self-employed may receive jobseekers allowance, subject to a means assessment, where the estimated income from self-employment is below the relevant jobseekers allowance threshold. At end of June 2013, there were over 11,500 persons classified as self-employed who were also in receipt of a weekly jobseekers allowance payment.
630. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position on domiciliary care allowance and other benefits in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [35015/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received in respect of the child concerned on 27 May 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on 11 July 2013 advising of the decision. In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant is notified that they may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed by another medical assessor. Alternatively, they may also appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
