Written Answers Nos. 548-570
549. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and percentage of persons on the live register who are non-Irish citizens; the number and percentage of persons on the live register who are EU migrants; if she will provide, in tabular form, the number and percentage of non-Irish citizens on the live register by country of origin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46677/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is contained in the attached tabular statement based on the nationality of Live Register claimants.
EU Nationals on the live register at 31 October 2013
|
Country |
Number |
Percentage of Live Register |
|
United Kingdom |
10,997 |
2.77% |
|
England |
3,222 |
0.81% |
|
Scotland |
431 |
0.11% |
|
Northern Ireland |
404 |
0.10% |
|
Wales |
91 |
0.02% |
|
Poland |
19,163 |
4.83% |
|
Lithuania |
7,015 |
1.77% |
|
Latvia |
3,737 |
0.94% |
|
Romania |
2,512 |
0.63% |
|
Slovakia |
1,870 |
0.47% |
|
Czech Republic |
1,063 |
0.27% |
|
Germany |
685 |
0.17% |
|
Hungary |
1,040 |
0.26% |
|
Spain |
588 |
0.15% |
|
Italy |
553 |
0.14% |
|
France |
540 |
0.14% |
|
Estonia |
421 |
0.11% |
|
Portugal |
416 |
0.10% |
|
Netherlands |
303 |
0.08% |
|
Bulgaria |
287 |
0.07% |
|
Croatia |
116 |
0.03% |
|
Sweden |
92 |
0.02% |
|
Belgium |
89 |
0.02% |
|
Austria |
71 |
0.02% |
|
Greece |
55 |
0.01% |
|
Denmark |
47 |
0.01% |
|
Finland |
45 |
0.01% |
|
Malta |
28 |
0.01% |
|
Slovenia |
17 |
0.00% |
|
Cyprus |
6 |
0.00% |
|
Luxembourg |
6 |
0.00% |
|
Non-EU Nationals on the live register at 31 October 2013Country |
Number |
Percentage of Live Register |
|
Nigeria |
2,554 |
0.64% |
|
Congo |
589 |
0.14% |
|
USA |
573 |
0.14% |
|
Ukraine |
442 |
0.11% |
|
South Africa |
420 |
0.11% |
|
Pakistan |
388 |
0.10% |
|
Philippines |
376 |
0.09% |
|
Somalia |
365 |
0.09% |
|
Brazil |
348 |
0.09% |
|
Moldova |
312 |
0.08% |
|
Russia |
299 |
0.08% |
|
Algeria |
249 |
0.06% |
|
India |
221 |
0.06% |
|
Sudan |
215 |
0.05% |
|
Ghana |
202 |
0.05% |
|
China |
197 |
0.05% |
|
Bangladesh |
195 |
0.05% |
|
Iraq |
195 |
0.05% |
|
Angola |
188 |
0.05% |
|
Iran |
173 |
0.04% |
|
Zimbabwe |
165 |
0.04% |
|
Cameroon |
152 |
0.04% |
|
Turkey |
133 |
0.03% |
|
Afghanistan |
128 |
0.03% |
|
Albania |
126 |
0.03% |
|
Belarus |
114 |
0.03% |
|
Georgia |
107 |
0.03% |
|
Australia |
99 |
0.02% |
|
Thailand |
92 |
0.02% |
|
Egypt |
89 |
0.02% |
|
Canada |
87 |
0.02% |
|
Malaysia |
79 |
0.02% |
|
Kosovo |
69 |
0.02% |
|
Kenya |
68 |
0.02% |
|
Other |
1,618 |
0.41% |
551. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46691/13]
View answerI 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.
553. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any discretion applied to applicants who do not meet the strict criteria for fuel allowance. [46700/13]
View answerAll social welfare schemes, including the fuel allowance, are operated on the basis of publically available guidelines, which ensure fairness and consistency in determining eligibility. The fuel allowance is paid to those in receipt of long-term jobseekers, one-parent family payment, disability allowance, invalidity pension and some people in receipt of the State pension. The allowance is subject to a means test and is paid only to those who live alone or with certain exempted people. Full details on the criteria for the scheme are available on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie. Deciding officers have no discretion to set aside the published criteria.
Some 410,000 customers will receive the fuel allowance of €20 per week for six months of the year (26 weeks) from October to April, at a cost of €223 million. In April 2013, the Department paid an additional week of fuel allowance. This arrangement was specific to the 2012/2013 fuel season due to the particularly cold weather being experienced at the time.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Department staff have some discretion in issuing exceptional needs payments to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources; this may include exceptional heating costs. This discretion must be exercised in a reasonable way, having regard to all the circumstances of the case. In 2012, more than €2 million was issued for exceptional needs payments related to electricity and gas bills.
In addition, more than 3,000 customers received a special heating supplement, paid to assist people with special heating needs because of ill health or infirmity.
554. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the setting up of an Intreo office in Balbriggan, County Dublin; if she will expedite the matter in view of the need for job supports in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46705/13]
View answer555. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the setting up of an Intreo office in Swords, County Dublin; if she will expedite the matter in view of the need for job supports in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46706/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 554 and 555 together.
The delivery of over 60 One-Stop-Shop Intreo Offices is a major property project for the Office of Public Works which is responsible for the provision of the Department’s property requirements, including refurbishment and fit out works.
The Intreo Project requires the acquisition and development of some new properties and the re-modelling and refurbishment of others. All of this also entails the re-accommodation of staff including the transfer and set-up of IT, furniture and other utilities across multiple locations.
Notwithstanding the complexity of such a large property programme, the OPW and the Department are committed to having 43 offices open by the end of the year. The remaining offices, including Balbriggan and Swords, will open before the end of 2014.
559. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their carer's allowance appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46760/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who following, examination of the case, referred the appeal back to the Deciding Officer on 25th October 2013 for clarification on certain issues.
On receipt of the Departments response the appeal will be returned to the 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.
Question No. 560 withdrawn.
561. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the support available from her Department to a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who wishes to retrain but does not qualify for the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46772/13]
View answerGiven the scale of the unemployment crisis, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people. In this context, the major elements of the Government’s response are set out in the Pathways to Work policy which is aimed at ensuring that as many as possible of the re-training programmes are filled by people who have been on the Live Register who are either unemployed or at high risk of long-term unemployment. The Government must also take account of the fact that many people who sign on to the Live Register will exit it again within a short-time frame, without any recourse to employment schemes or intensive activation measures. For example, in 2012, of those who signed on to the Live Register, 43% had left the Register within 3 months of first signing on. Given these high exit rates, it is appropriate to apply a qualifying duration on the Live Register as a criterion to allocate scarce resources, including places on employment and training/educational schemes, to those most in need of support.
Of course, some services (for example assistance with job-search activities, use of online job search tools, participation in part-time/evening and on-line training courses) are available to all unemployed persons, regardless of their duration of unemployment, if they register with the Department’s employment services offices.
Without knowing the specific reason why a person is not eligible for Back to Education Allowance it is not possible to say what other re-training options, if any, are available over and above those available to all unemployed persons.
562. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal against the disallowance of their disability benefit claim will be dealt with in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13. [46773/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22nd October 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 papers 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.
Question No. 563 withdrawn.
564. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46797/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21st August 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 were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 21st October 2013 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.
Question No. 565 withdrawn.
566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason back to education allowance was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; if she will review the application with a view to granting the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46813/13]
View answerThe person concerned applied for a back to education allowance in respect of a FETAC level 5 course. The person concerned advised that she had already completed two FETAC level 5 courses. The application was refused on the grounds that she was not progressing her qualifications, which is one of the qualifying criteria. The claim was reviewed on 23 September 2013 and the decision was upheld.
567. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46818/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 30th 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.
568. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons participating in internship schemes and self-employment support schemes on 30 June 2012; and the number of persons participating in the same schemes on 30 June 30 2013. [46874/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is published by the Central Statistics Office on their web site www.cso.ie. I am informed that at the end of June 2012 there were 17,136 persons participating in internship schemes and self-employment support schemes compared to 17,257 at the end of June 2013. A breakdown of the participants by scheme and year is detailed in the tabular statement.
|
Scheme |
June 2012 |
June 2013 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme -self employed strand |
11,062 |
10,325 |
|
Short-term Enterprise Allowance |
1,175 |
998 |
|
Jobbridge (Internship) |
4,899 |
5,934 |
|
Totals |
17,136 |
17,257 |
569. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated number of women affected by the reduction of maternity benefit in budget 2014. [46913/13]
View answerMaternity benefit is an income maintenance payment awarded to eligible women for a 26-week period on foot of a confinement. Entitlement to this benefit for employees is contingent on entitlement to statutory maternity leave.
In 2013 my Department will spend €297.4 million on Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit, in respect of a weekly average of 21,800 recipients. Budget 2014 provided that, from January 2014, a standard weekly rate of €230 will be paid to persons qualifying for maternity benefit. It is estimated that the number of persons who will be affected in 2014 as result of the Budget 2014 change will be a weekly average of 16,500. Persons currently in receipt and those receiving benefit before 6th January 2014 will not be affected by the change – they will continue to receive between €217.80 and €262 per week for the duration of their leave.
570. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Working with Arthritis programme is open to persons who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment; if not, if she will consider making this programme available to all those suffering with arthritis, not in receipt of a social welfare payment, but who may wish to take part in this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46934/13]
View answerThe ‘Working with arthritis: Strategies and Solutions' program is one of 14 separate projects being funded by my Department under the Disability Activation Project (DACT) with the support of the European Social Fund. The objective of these projects, which will run until the first quarter of 2015, is to explore a variety of routes towards ensuring that people with disabilities are enabled to avail of progression, education and development opportunities within the world of work.
More than €7 million is being provided until early 2015 under the DACT to support projects throughout the Border, Midlands and West (BMW) region which address the four specific strands of the project.
The four strands of the project are
(1) Improving Access to Employment;
(2) Progression Programmes for Young People;
(3) Support for Progression and Retention of People with an Acquired Disability; and
(4) Innovative Employer Initiatives.
The ‘Working with arthritis: Strategies and Solutions' program is a Strand 3 project and aims to overcome the barriers people with arthritis face when accessing, remaining in, or returning to work. The project targets people with arthritis (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Fibromyalgia) across the BMW region.
It is a condition of a project receiving funding under the European Social Fund that the participants are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. It is not open to the Department to amend that condition.
