Written Answers Nos. 76-81
76. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Post, Fiontar agus Nuálaíochta an bhfuil aon dlí fostaíochta ann a chuireann dualgas ar fhostóirí príobháideacha, atá ag fáil deontais reatha stáit, poist lánaimseartha nó páirtaimseartha a fhógairt go poiblí; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [47302/13]
View answerCuimsítear na hAchtanna Caidrimh Thionscail 1946 go 2012 agus cion suntasach de chorpas na reachtaíochta um chearta fostaíochta go príomha sa dlí fostaíochta a thagann faoi mo shainchúram. Ní dhéantar foráil ann i leith coinníollacha maidir le deontais Stáit a íoc.
Is é is cuspóir le dlí fostaíochta an caidreamh idir fostaithe agus fostóirí a leagan amach, ag soláthar sraith chuimsitheach cearta fostaíochta agus creat maidir le feidhmiú na gceart sin agus réiteach díospóidí. Dá bhrí sin, ní bheadh reachtaíocht ina bhforchuirtear coinníollacha a bhaineann le hearcaíocht ag cuideachtaí ar bhonn deontais Stáit a fháil nó gan deontais Stáit a fháil oiriúnach do reachtaíocht um chearta fostaíochta.
De réir ghníomhartha 36 – 41 de ‘Pathways to Work ,’ bhunaigh mo Roinn, ag obair go dlúth leis an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí, Prótacail le Gníomhaireachtaí Forbartha Fiontar chun dlúthshocruithe oibre a chinntiú lena n-áirítear comhroinnt faisnéise maidir le deiseanna oibre a thagann chun cinn i gcliantchuideachtaí Gníomhaireachtaí. Is é an cuspóir ná go n-uasmhéadóidh na cuideachtaí sin earcaíocht daoine cuí-oillte ón gclár beo.
79. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlements available to a person as a single, separated parent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47239/13]
View answerIn addition to child benefit, there are a number of social insurance and social assistance payments for which a single separated parent may qualify, depending on their circumstances.
One-parent family payment may be payable, subject to a means assessment, to a parent with a qualified child or children where the person is parenting alone. Family income supplement may be payable to a person with a qualified child or children if that person is working at least 19 hours per week and where their income is within the relevant threshold, which is dependent on the family size.
Jobseeker’s benefit, which is a social insurance based scheme, or jobseeker’s allowance, which is subject to a means assessment, may be payable where an unemployed or part-time person is seeking full-time work.
Applications for one-parent family payment or jobseeker's payments may be made through the Department’s local office network, where all application forms can be accessed. Applications for family income supplement should be forwarded to the Department’s Longford office. Application forms can also be accessed on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie .
80. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal of a domiciliary care allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47257/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 15th 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.
81. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection in respect of one parent families, if she will support implementing 10 Solutions for Smarter Futures (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47272/13]
View answerThe Government is committed to supporting one-parent families to become economically independent. The Department is in the process of introducing a series of reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme. These reforms are predicated on activation and on getting people back into the workforce once their children have reached an appropriate age. A wide range of supports and services are presently available to lone parents who are clients of the Department and who pro-actively engage with the Department’s activation process. As part of the supports that are available to lone parents my Department has provided funding to One Family for its ‘New Futures’ programme for the 2011-2012 period. In 2012, One Family obtained further funding from my Department for its ‘New Futures – Securing A Career’ programme for the 2012-2013 period. The recently introduced jobseeker’s allowance (JA) transitional arrangement caters for OFP recipients who lose their entitlement to the OFP payment from July, 2013, onwards, who have a youngest child aged under 14 years, and who are entitled to the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) payment. These customers are exempt from the JA conditionality that requires them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work. They are also exempt from having to prove unemployment and can work part-time without restrictions and still receive the JA transitional arrangement payment – subject to a means test. The exemptions from the full JA conditionality will remain in place until a recipient’s youngest child reaches the age of 14 years. At this point, should they continue to claim the JA payment, they will be subjected to the full JA conditionality.
Recipients of either the JA payment or the JA transitional arrangement payment may qualify for other social welfare income support benefits at the same time as their primary payment. They can also avail of a wide range of education, training, and employment supports, and are entitled to apply, subject to qualifying conditions, for subsidised child care through both the community child care subvention (CCS) programme and the child care education and training support (CETS) scheme that are administered by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (D/CYA). In addition, they can apply for the after-school child care scheme in the event that they take up employment, increase their days of employment, or commence certain employment programmes. This scheme, which was announced in Budget 2013, and which is also funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs but jointly administered by my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will continue to provide subsidised after-school child care places into 2014.
I have also secured the agreement of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on a new strand of child care support for customers of the Department, including lone parents, who are participating in the community employment scheme. This new child care support will be provided via the CETS scheme.
Lone parents can also qualify for the family income supplement (FIS). FIS is an income support payment for families on low income that incentivises them to retain or increase their hours of employment.
