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Thursday, 18 Jul 2013

Written Answers Nos. 340-354

Disability Allowance Appeals

Questions (340)

Robert Troy

Question:

340. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied). [36553/13]

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Written answers

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 09th July 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.

Disability Allowance Appeals

Questions (341)

Robert Troy

Question:

341. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied). [36556/13]

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Written answers

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.

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.

Homelessness Strategy

Questions (342)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

342. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the resources she has committed to ensuring that families do not experience homelessness in the cases where no properties are advertised as available to take rent supplement support and where no vacancies are available through the local authority either through social housing units or emergency accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36571/13]

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Written answers

The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short-term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are approximately 84,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for the scheme in 2013.

New revised rent limits came into force on Monday 17 June 2013 and will be in place until 31 December 2014. The new rent limits were determined following an extensive review of the private rental market which showed rising rents for urban centres, particularly Dublin and Galway and reduction in rents for the majority of counties. The new limits continue to ensure that value for money is achieved while, at the same time, people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation.

Officials in the Department continue to examine the impact of the rent limits on those who claim rent supplement and ensure that their accommodation needs are met. If the Deputy has a concern in relation to a specific case, she can provide the details to the Department for follow-up.

Policy in relation to the availability of social housing and emergency accommodation is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Job Initiatives

Questions (343, 355)

Brendan Smith

Question:

343. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide additional placements for Tús for counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36585/13]

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Brendan Smith

Question:

355. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide additional placements for the rural social scheme for Counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36669/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 355 together.

The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013 announced a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for those currently unemployed. A key element of this package was to add an additional 2,500 places to Tús – the community work placement initiative.

The current position is that the extra 2,500 Tús placements have been committed nationally with an extra allocation of 60 placements for Cavan and 40 placements for Monaghan. There are currently no resources available to allocate any extra places and any additional allocation of places to Cavan or Monaghan would result in a reduction of places to another county. Your request for additional places has been noted and will be considered if more placements become available.

The purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff of which 120 participants and 6 supervisors are engaged in Counties Cavan and Monaghan.

All places nationally are currently allocated with funding for 2013 amounting to €45m. This does not allow for the recruitment of additional participants above the numbers stated above. I have no plans to increase the number of places available on this scheme.

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Questions (344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 352, 353, 354)

Seán Fleming

Question:

344. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost that would be incurred from increasing the personal weekly jobseeker's benefit rate of payment for persons under 66 years by €5 per week with a proportionate increase for qualified adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36618/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

345. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing the personal weekly social protection rates of payment for persons under 66 years by €5 per week with a proportionate reduction for qualified adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36619/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

346. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing jobseeker's allowance by €10 per week for new and existing claimants, with a duration of 12 months, and with a proportionate reduction for qualified adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36620/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

347. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing jobseeker's allowance by €10 per week for new and existing claimants with a duration of 18 months with proportionate reduction for qualified adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36621/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

348. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing jobseeker's allowance by €10 per week for new and existing claimants with a duration of 24 months with proportionate reduction for qualified adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36622/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

349. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing the duration for which jobseeker's benefit is paid from 12 months to nine months for those with more than 260 contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36623/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

350. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing the duration for which jobseeker's benefit is paid from nine months to six months for those with less than 260 contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36624/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

352. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from reducing the maximum age for the qualified child increase to 19 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36626/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

353. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from increasing the minimum number of hours worked for family income supplement from 19 to 24 hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36627/13]

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Seán Fleming

Question:

354. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the saving that would be achieved from increasing the minimum contribution for rent supplement by €4 weekly and €8 for couples; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36628/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 344 to 350, inclusive, and 352 354, inclusive, together.

An increase of €5 in the weekly personal rate of jobseeker's benefit with a proportionate increase for a qualified adult would cost an estimated €13.7 million in a full year. A reduction of €5 in the weekly personal rate of all social protection payments made to persons aged under 66 years of age would save € 226 million in a full year. A reduction of €10 per week in the personal rate of jobseeker's allowance for new and existing claimants with a duration of 12 months or more with a proportionate reduction for a qualified adult would save an estimated €102 million in a full year. A reduction of €10 per week in the personal rate of jobseeker's allowance for new and existing claimants with a duration of 18 months or more with a proportionate reduction for a qualified adult would save an estimated €77 million in a full year. A reduction of €10 per week in the personal rate of jobseeker's allowance for new and existing claimants with a duration of 24 months with a proportionate reduction for a qualified adult would save an estimated €75 million in a full year.

In Budget 2013, the duration for which jobseeker's benefit is paid was reduced from twelve months to nine for those with more than 260 contributions and reduced from nine months to six for those with less than 260 contributions. The estimated savings for these measures as announced on Budget day were €33 million in 2013 and €81 million in a full year.

Reducing the maximum age for the qualified child increase to 18 years would save €13 million in a full year. Reducing the maximum age for the qualified child increase to 19 years would save €7 million in a full year.

The saving that would be achieved from increasing the minimum number of hours worked for family income supplement from 19 to 24 hours is currently being updated and will be made available to the Deputy when available.

An increase of €4 for single people and €8 for couples in the minimum contribution for rent supplement would save €22 million in a full year.

Question No. 351 withdrawn.
Questions Nos. 352 to 354, inclusive, answered with Question No. 344.
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