Written Answers Nos. 466-488
466. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 33, 17 October 2013, if she will detail each scheme; the number of persons under 25 years on each scheme; the budget allocation for each scheme constituting the overall spend of €170 million supports to young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45818/13]
View answerAt present, budget allocations for individual schemes do not specify the amounts to be spent on different age groups.
The estimate of current expenditure on relevant programmes was based on estimated uptake by unemployed young people in 2012 on:- FÁS full-time training for unemployed people – 10,000;- The Back-to Education Allowance – 5,000;- JobBridge – 2,600;- Other schemes – 1,500.
Based on typical unit costs on each of these programmes overall, the aggregate cost of this level of participation by young people in 2012 was estimated at €170 million. It should be noted that this amount excludes expenditure on Youthreach and Community Training Workshops (aimed primarily at early school-leavers aged under 18 years). In addition, the expenditure estimate for the Back-to-Education allowance includes only the income-maintenance element funded by the Department of Social Protection – it excludes the actual cost of provision of the courses taken up by young BTEA participants.
Final estimates of cost and participants for 2013 will be produced at the end of this year when full-year cost and participant estimates (including age-breakdowns) will be available.
467. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the Your First EURES job pilot programme announced in Budget 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45819/13]
View answer‘Your First EURES job’ is an initiative funded by the EU Commission, the scheme assists young people throughout Europe who wish to take up work in another EU/EEA country. The support provided includes financial assistance to both the employee and the employer. The support includes a contribution to the employee towards the cost of travelling to another EU/EEA country to attend interviews and to meet accommodation costs in the first few weeks. The employer may receive funding towards cost of integrating the employee and for language training. Under this EU funded programme the combined maximum amount payable is €3,000. Plans for implementation of the Youth Guarantee are being developed for submission to Government. As part of this process, the Department is considering how Ireland can make best use of “Your First EURES job”. Full details have yet to be finalised or approved by Government but are likely to take the form of a pilot programme of a supported period of overseas work experience and training for jobseekers.
469. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the way many of the 3,000 places announced in December 2012 under the new local authority social employment scheme have been filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45821/13]
View answerGateway aims to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. In line with Pathways to Work, Gateway will help to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. The process of identifying work opportunities has been underway in each county and city council, including the necessary consultation with stakeholders, for some months. Participants are being selected by a random process conducted by the Department of Social Protection from those persons in receipt of a jobseekers allowance payment for 24 month or more. The selected jobseekers are informed that they have been selected and, if they agree, have their contact details passed to the relevant county and city council. The council is responsible for the recruitment of the persons referred by the Department having regard to general suitability and skill set and the objectives of Gateway in providing opportunities to those will benefit most from such an intervention.
Progress on the roll-out has been slower than anticipated with delays in the main related to the on-going staff restructuring processes of county and city councils, the need to engage with stakeholders, particularly staff representative bodies and trade unions, and operational matters relating to securing resources, identifying work and supervisory cover. The Deputy will appreciate that my Department has no role in determining the positions that might be made available or of internal operational matters within each council area.
Recruitment processes are at varying degrees of roll-out in 22 county and city council areas and I am hopeful that the first participants will be on the payroll shortly once Garda Vetting procedures have been completed.
472. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to her decision to centralise community welfare officers to larger towns and close rural services, her plans to monitor the service; if the public will be asked to fill out a questionnaire at CWO clinics; her plans to receive feedback from the public who use these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45837/13]
View answer526. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the centralisation of community welfare officers in Intreo offices, if the new offices will provide space for private discussion between a local resident and a community welfare officer. [46374/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 472 and 526 together.
A key objective of the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1st October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to the customer. As part of this process and to support the Department’s activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme and the development of Intreo services nationally, it has been necessary to review the administration of all its services across its remit including the community welfare service (CWS)
Overall, this is resulting in a rebalancing of resources across the Department’s range of activities including the relocation of some staff to main centres, primarily Intreo offices, which will provide a full range of services, including the CWS and these will, in general, be available in one location. Each Intreo office will have dedicated space provided for private discussion including a privacy booth and/or interview room.
Where the CWS has been re-structured, alternative arrangements have been put in place to ensure that customers are provided with on-going access to the supports provided by the community welfare service. In general, this means that the frequency of available public clinics has increased, an improved phone service is available and alternative arrangements are in place for those who cannot travel, for example due to illness, including arranging a visit to the client’s home if necessary.
The Department’s services are continually monitored and kept under review by management taking account of the views of staff, public representatives and users of the service to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service and that these services provided are reconstituted, where necessary, to meet the changing needs of Irish society.
473. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which means of €102 prevents qualification for the non-contributory Irish State pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45844/13]
View answerAs the Deputy has been informed, it is not possible to assess and determine a person’s entitlement to a State pension (non-contributory) until a fully completed application is received in my Department from the person concerned. I understand that the person concerned in already in receipt of a State Pension (contributory). However, if they wish to apply for a non-contributory pension, an application form has been sent directly to the person concerned to the address provided by the Deputy.
Items which count as means and which should be detailed in any application include cash income, including British pensions, the value of any property (excluding a person’s own home) and the value of any savings and investments, which a person may have. In order to qualify for the State pension (non-contributory) a customer must also be resident in the State.
475. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45849/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22nd August 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.
477. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the implementation of DSP's new programme JobPath will impact the current funding of the existing local employment service, LES, and the continued employment of existing staff that deliver this vital service; the timeframe in which LES contracts with the partnership companies will run in 2014 and 2015; and if the Department's position on the LES is becoming aligned with city councils and county councils under the area partnership companies. [45868/13]
View answerJobPath is the working title assigned to the Government’s proposed new programme of labour market activation aimed specifically at the long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. JobPath will be delivered by third party providers of employment services under contract to the Department. It is intended to publish a contract notice for the procurement of JobPath services at the end of this month. JobPath will supplement and complement existing departmental and Local Employment Service (LES) capacity. It is intended to contract for the LES service as heretofore and staffing arrangements will remain the responsibility of the contractors as employers. The process for 2014 contracts will be finalised over the coming weeks and the contract process for 2015 will be finalised towards the end of next year. The funding for 2014 will remain at the same level as the current year.
The alignment process that is being overseen by the Department of the Environment Community and Local Government and the potential implications for the delivery of Local Employment Services are currently being considered by an Inter-Departmental Group on which the Department is represented. It is the Department’s intention to continue contracting for Local Employment Services under the new structural arrangements.
478. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) may take up a place on a community employment scheme; her plans to revise the rules surrounding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45885/13]
View answerThe current referral rules for applicants to Community Employment (CE) positions state that their eligibility to apply for the position is established at the time of referral for interview to the CE employer by a DSP Employment Services or Intreo office. If the eligible person is successful at interview and is offered and accepts the position pending the outcome of Garda vetting (where it is required), the eligibility established at the time of referral is retained pending the return of the Garda disclosure, even if their Jobseeker’s Benefit payment should cease prior to their CE commencement date. They can commence on CE once their Garda vetting has returned and is satisfactory for the employer.
Normally a person applying for a CE position has to be in receipt of a qualifying payment on the Friday before their CE commencement date (which is always a Monday); however this rule was amended when the Garda vetting processing times increased, so as not to penalise those in receipt of benefit payments whose payment period exhausted after being successful at interview.
480. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that applicants for back to education allowance who deferred an offer of a place in 2012 will be assessed according to 2012 and not 2013 criteria; if exceptional circumstances may apply in case of a person (details supplied) who deferred, so that this person may avail of back to education allowance this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45907/13]
View answerThis Department provides a wide range of second chance educational opportunities for unemployed people, lone parents and persons with disabilities.
New entrants to the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme are subject to the prevailing qualifying conditions and rates of payment at the time of their inclusion on the scheme. A person who defers an offer of a place on a new course of education for a year, and then applies for a BTEA is defined as a new entrant for the purposes of the scheme.
The person concerned did not qualify for BTEA in 2012 as he did not meet the qualifying criteria. Accordingly he is defined as a new entrant and therefore will be subject to the current qualifying conditions and rates of payments of the scheme.
481. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider replacing the Department's LoCall numbers with a free phone number to assist members in contacting each Department. [45922/13]
View answerThe Department provides a range of contact channels for its customers including LoCall telephone numbers, face to face, e-mail, SMS (text) and through our website www.welfare.ie.
The Department receives in excess of six million telephone calls a year across its network of local offices and headquarters buildings. LoCall numbers have been in operation across the Department’s scheme areas for many years. This system has worked successfully in conjunction with the Interactive Voice Response technology to facilitate customers making contact with the appropriate section of the Department, at a low cost to the caller.
There are no plans to provide a single free phone number across the Department at this time.
In line with the principles of Quality Customer Service, the Department keeps its contact channels options under review in order to make full use of new and emerging technologies to broaden the choice of service delivery channels for customers.
482. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the abolition of mortgage interest supplement, announced as part of Budget 2014, if she will explain, and release to Dáil Éireann, the analysis that was undertaken to determine the impact of abolishing the measure on mortgage holders, that is, the number of mortgages forced into default, number of existing agreements between banks and borrowers affected, resultant cost benefit ratio, and so on, the results of that analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45932/13]
View answerThe original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme was to provide short term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only. There are currently approximately 10,500 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement. The Government has provided €41.8 million for the scheme in 2013. The Government wants to provide an environment where mortgage holders can pay for and stay in their home but, where people have a genuine difficulty in meeting their financial commitments, they will have a framework to address and resolve that difficulty in an appropriate and fair way having regard to the particular circumstances of the case. The Government’s strategy to assist those in mortgage difficulty is built around the following measures, as recommended in the 2011 Interdepartmental Mortgage Arrears Working Group (Keane Group), in four main distinct areas:- Lenders providing sustainable and durable resolution options to their borrowers;- A social housing response (Mortgage to Rent);- Comprehensive advice to borrowers;- Personal Insolvency Reform.
In the context of the overall strategy, the continued payment of mortgage interest supplement does little to assist recipients in improving the long term difficulty in addressing their mortgage problem and provides little incentive for the lender to provide sustainable solutions. The Keane Group’s over-arching theme was that the mortgage interest supplement scheme is not an appropriate long term support and should become a time bound payment with an appropriate exit strategy to be formulated for the recipient.
As part of the fiscal adjustment required for Budget 2014, provision was made for the discontinuation of entitlement to mortgage interest supplement for all new applicants from 1 January 2014. Existing customers are not affected by this measure and may retain entitlement to the scheme over the next four year period. However, it would be expected that during this four year period, existing customers would no longer require this support through sustainable solutions being put in place, securing employment or exit strategies sponsored by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, namely the Mortgage to Rent scheme.
Under the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears, lenders are obliged to put in place Arrears Support Units to deal with borrowers under the MARP. The most appropriate way in which customers experiencing short term mortgage difficulties can be supported is through engagement with their lender under this process. Lenders must explore all options for repayment arrangements in order to determine which options are viable for each particular case. These options include interest only arrangements and deferring payment of all or part of the instalment repayment for a period.
Budget 2012 provided an amendment to the scheme that from mid June 2012 mortgage interest supplement is not payable until applicants have agreed with their lender and complied with an alternative payment arrangement for a cumulative period of not less than 12 months. The numbers on the scheme has continued to reduce since the introduction of this condition which indicates that the MARP process has succeeded in addressing customers’ short term financial difficulties.
I am satisfied that the range of supports implemented by this Government, including the range of information and guidance resources available, are appropriate in assisting those facing mortgage difficulties following the discontinuance of the mortgage interest supplement scheme. Further data along the lines requested by the Deputy are not available.
483. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of full-time and part-time jobs which were created directly as a result of the reduction in employers' PRSI for lower paid workers from 8.5% to 4.25% since it came into effect and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45945/13]
View answerOverall policy in relation to the level of taxation and other costs imposed on business (including employers’ social contributions) and their impact on the level of employment in the economy is a matter for the Ministers for Finance and Jobs Enterprise and Innovation.
487. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will be expedited; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45983/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 16th October 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
