Written Answers Nos. 530 - 546
530. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to have the Pensions Board renamed the pensions authority and its chief executive renamed the pensions regulator; the person she intends to appoint to act as her representative on the authority; the process by which a chairperson will be appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37375/13]
View answerThe recommendations arising the Critical Review on the Pensions Board under the Public Service Reform Plan were approved by Government in April 2013 and were provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013.
The governance structure of the Pensions Board is being restructured with two distinct arms as follows:
- Oversight of the Pensions Board will be undertaken by a three person body called the Pensions Authority, and
- A separate unpaid Pensions Council, with a majority of members representing consumer interests, will advise the Minister on pensions policy.
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act also provides for the change of name from the Pensions Board to the Pensions Authority and from the Chief Executive Officer to Pensions Regulator.
Under existing provision in the Pensions Act, the Chair and members are appointed by the Minister and the appointment of the members of the Pensions Authority is being considered at present. Following this, the relevant provisions in the Act will be commenced to give effect to the name change of the Pensions Board to the Pensions Authority and to change the title of the Chief Executive Officer to the Pensions Regulator.
532. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [37556/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 23rd May 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 30th July 2013 advising of the decision.
A review of this decision was requested on 4th August 2013 and additional information was supplied on this child’s condition/care needs. The review upheld the original decision and the customer was notified of this on the 12th September 2013.
An appeal against the decision has been submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The application file will now be passed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for their consideration.
533. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a dietary supplement allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37670/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence has disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the 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 on social welfare entitlements.
534. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reinstate preventive and restorative care under the dental treatment benefit scheme for PRSI payers and introduce a new voucher system for eligible patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37767/13]
View answerThe dental benefit scheme is paid from the Social Insurance Fund. The fund has been under substantial pressure for the last few years due to the current economic circumstances and has required substantial subvention from the exchequer. As part of the cost-saving measures intended to ease this pressure, the range of treatments available under the treatment benefit scheme was reduced in Budget 2010.
As the social insurance fund continues to operate a deficit, there are no plans to introduce a new scheme for PRSI payers. Any changes to the treatment benefit scheme in future must reflect the economic realities of available funding and competing priorities.
535. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of teaching posts and other educational positions that will be filled in the 2013/14 academic year through the JobBridge programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37980/13]
View answerJobBridge delivers valuable internship opportunities for jobseekers and independent research has demonstrated it is an effective and efficient scheme. The independent evaluation, by Indecon Economic Consultants, demonstrated that 61% of interns who completed their placements subsequently progressed to paid employment. The 61% progression rate for JobBridge is among the best in Europe, where progression rates for similar internship schemes average just 34%.
As at 22nd August, 2013, 19,954 internships had commenced since JobBridge came into operation, 5,338 individuals were actually on internships and 2,149 internship opportunities were advertised on the JobBridge website (www.jobbridge.ie ).
It is a matter for each individual Host Organisation to seek to advertise an internship opportunity. All applications are reviewed by the Department in accordance with established quality criteria. Clearly, the Department are not in a position to forsee the number of internship opportunities that individual companies (including those in the Education sector) intend offering throughout 2013/14.
However, I would point out that the recent Indecon evaluation found that 41.2% of interns who undertook their internship in a public sector organisation (including the education sector) progressed into paid employment. The progressions outcomes into employment from these placements are very encouraging.
The high rate of progression into employment among public sector interns shows that the experience that interns gain in public sector host organizations facilitate them in gaining employment with other employers.
536. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the introduction of a third band of employers PRSI contributions on the balance of all salaries exceeding €100,000 as a revenue generating measure; if not, the reason for her decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38524/13]
View answerThe introduction of a third band of employers’ PRSI contribution rate payable on the balance of all salaries exceeding €100,000 could only be considered in a Budgetary context and would have to take account of the Programme for Government commitment to maintain the standard 10.75% rate of employer PRSI.
537. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost of doubling the school meal programme. [38644/13]
View answer700. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost of doubling the school meal programme. [38674/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 700 together.
The school meals programme operated by the Department provides funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by this Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects. Expenditure on the school meals programme in 2012 was €35 million. The Government has provided an additional €2 million for the programme for 2013, increasing the allocation to €37 million.
The full year cost of doubling the cost of the school meals programme would amount to an additional €37 million.
538. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost to the Exchequer of increasing the respite care grant by €325 to €1,700 per annum. [38655/13]
View answer699. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost to the Exchequer of increasing the fuel allowance by six weeks. [38673/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 699 together.
The cost of increasing the respite care grant by €325 to €1,700 per annum is estimated at €28 million in 2014.
The cost of increasing the fuel allowance by six weeks is estimated at €47.7 million in 2014.
539. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any additional financial support available to a person who received a bereavement grant to assist them with the costs of a headstone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36813/13]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013.
ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme 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. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment.
The payment of a bereavement grant would not necessarily preclude payment of an ENP towards funeral or burial expenses if the circumstances so warrant. Persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP should contact the local officials administering the scheme.
540. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures taken by her Department to allow those who avail of temporary work opportunities to return to social welfare protection in a timely manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36819/13]
View answerWhere a person states that they have found work, it is normal practice for a jobseeker claim to be closed. However, in cases where the customer is taking up a short period of temporary work or training (up to 8 weeks), arrangements are now in place to simplify the process of returning to the live register at the end of this period.
In these cases, instead of closing the claim, payment is suspended temporarily for the duration of the work or training course. When the person signs on again after the period of work or training, the claim can be reactivated without delay and payment restored.
Where a person accepts an offer of short term temporary work or training it is important that they advise the local office in advance of the expected duration so that the process I describe is put in place.
541. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an overpayment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36825/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned was scheduled to take place on 17th September 2013. The Appeals Officer will consider the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing, and the person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer 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 on social welfare entitlements.
542. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a State non-contributory pension will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36826/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 4th September 2013.
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.
543. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on one parent family payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36829/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the 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 on social welfare entitlements.
544. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36831/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3rd September 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.
545. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36832/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3rd September 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.
546. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36834/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3rd September 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.
