Tuesday, 19 Nov 2013

Written Answers Nos. 322-343

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Questions (322)

John McGuinness

Question:

322. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal for carer's allowance will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [49061/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 5th July 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.

Defined Benefit Pension Schemes

Questions (323, 324)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

323. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of defined benefit pension schemes which were required to submit funding proposals to the Pensions Board by or since 30 June 2013 and which have submitted such proposals; the number of such schemes which have not submitted such proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49102/13]

Willie O'Dea

Question:

324. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the numbers of defined benefit pension schemes which have started or completed the process of wind-up to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49103/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together.

The number of defined benefit schemes that were due to submit funding proposals to the Pensions Board by June 2013 was 217, of which 82 are currently outstanding. The 135 schemes that have responded fall into one of the following categories:

1. Submitted a funding proposal

2. Submitted a positive Actuarial Funding Certificate

3. Have wound up, or have stated that they are going to wind up or that the employer has indicated that the scheme will wind up.

Defined benefit schemes are required to notify the Pensions Board when a scheme enters wind up. The duration for the disbursement of scheme assets in a wind up can vary and the Pensions Board monitors the process. Since 1 January 2013, 96 schemes have commenced wind up or have wound up.

The Pensions Board is in contact with all schemes to ensure compliance. Where schemes that are in deficit have failed to submit a funding proposal, the Pensions Board is assessing on a case by case basis whether to make use of its powers under the Pensions Act. These powers include prosecution of the trustees for non-compliance, issuing a unilateral Section 50 order (reduction in benefits) or ultimately ordering the trustees to wind-up the scheme.

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Questions (325)

Pat Breen

Question:

325. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a domiciliary care allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49105/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned was informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 20th May 2013 that her appeals in respect of applications for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) for both children had been disallowed. The person concerned submitted new applications for DCA for both children on the 25th September 2013. These applications have been forwarded to the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion in relation to eligibility. Upon receipt of a medical assessor’s opinion, a decision will issue in relation to each application. It can currently take up to 8 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Fuel Allowance Eligibility

Questions (326)

Áine Collins

Question:

326. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that persons on jobseeker's allowance are losing fuel allowance because they take up a place on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49111/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

A Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating a person’s home. It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to a household at a standard rate of €20 per week.

There are various qualifying conditions to be eligible to receive fuel allowance (detailed in full on the Department’s website), e.g. long term receipt of jobseeker’s payments (390 days minimum). The person must also satisfy a household income test, and the household must be unable to provide for their own heating needs.

If the applicant and members of his/her household have a combined income of more than €100.00 per week or savings/investments of €58,000 in addition to a Social Welfare Pension, the allowance is not payable.

Persons employed under the Community Employment (CE) scheme who meet the qualifying criteria for receipt of fuel allowance will receive the extra €20 per week during the fuel season while employed on CE. Time spent on CE does not count towards the 390 day qualifying period, so a person must have qualified for fuel allowance in advance of commencing CE.

The person in question did not qualify for fuel allowance because his wife’s income from employment puts their household income over the €100 weekly income threshold.

Question No. 327 withdrawn.

Pension Provisions

Questions (328, 337, 340)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

328. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a pensions framework in place for the next 30 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49119/13]

Terence Flanagan

Question:

337. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm when there will be a White Paper on pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49169/13]

Terence Flanagan

Question:

340. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the Kiwisaver programme currently operating in New Zealand; her plans to introduce a similar programme here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49176/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 328, 337 and 340 together.

Over the past number of years, pension provision in all its forms in Ireland has experienced considerable challenges and change. The sustainability of the wider system is a particular concern because of the demographic issues Ireland faces and the associated increases in pension (and other age related) costs, and due to investment losses and the deterioration in the public finances since the recession.

Key drivers of reform have included the need to achieve sustainability of our systems over the longer term whilst also striving for adequacy in those systems. This has included reforms to the State pension and public sector pensions and effort to increased supplementary pension coverage whilst working to ensure the continued viability of defined benefit pension schemes.

The National Pensions Framework was published in March 2010 and provided a framework for long term pension reform. It encompassed consideration of all aspects of pension reform including the State pension, supplementary occupational and private pensions and public sector pensions.

Development of the framework was informed by the range of views raised during the Green Paper consultation process. A number of the reforms set out in the National Pensions Framework have been implemented recently, including the increase in the State pension age, and more will be implemented in the coming years. These reforms are designed to enhance the sustainability of the system overall and ensure that people’s income in retirement is protected.

Since the publication of the Framework, it became necessary to further consider pension reform given the economic difficulties and deterioration in the public finances. In this regard, and at my request, in 2012 the Government engaged the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to conduct an independent review of long term pensions policy in Ireland.

This review was published in April 2013 and encompasses the totality of pension provision in Ireland – State, private, occupational and public sector. The issues of sustainability; adequacy; modernity; and equity were central to this review. Whilst endorsing pension policy reforms undertaken to date, the report makes a number of recommendations for future reform. The OECD’s key recommendation is to improve the adequacy of pensions by increasing coverage in the funded part of the pensions system through a universal mandatory or quasi-mandatory employment based pension system.

In this regard, you will be aware the Programme for Government includes a commitment to reforming the pension system to progressively achieve universal coverage, with particular focus on lower-paid workers. I have previously stated that a soft-mandatory approach such as that envisaged by an auto-enrolment scheme, using scale to achieve greater cost efficiencies for the member, is a very proactive way in which we can increase supplementary pension coverage, though it is recognised that introduction of such an initiative would be best supported by a more favourable economic environment than is currently the case.

The Kiwisaver Programme currently operating in New Zealand is an example of such an auto-enrolment scheme. Studies of this scheme, and others internationally, have shown that significant increases in pensions coverage can be obtained from such systems. In addition, the significantly larger economies of scale that result from such schemes have the capacity to achieve more competitive charging structures, which in turn would lead to improved returns for consumer members. As was highlighted in the Pensions Charges Report 2012, this type of arrangement could assist in resolving the difficulties inherent in the current Irish scheme structure of a proliferation of small schemes paying considerably higher charges than larger schemes, ultimately eroding the value of the pension received by the member.

While it is not planned to publish a white paper on pensions in the near future, analysis of the options available is on-going in my Department and I will be bringing proposals to Government as to how the OECD review will inform further developments in the area of pension policy.

FÁS Training Programmes Provision

Questions (329)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

329. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when a place on the Naas technology project FÁS course will be offered in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49122/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned has been interviewed and is awaiting a place on the next available course which is scheduled for May 2014. Priority on such courses is afforded to people under 35 years of age who have no leaving certificate The person concerned has already achieved a leaving certificate (level 5), therefore there is no guarantee of placement depending on the demands for this course. In the interim, the person concerned may contact her local case officer to discuss other options.

Household Benefits Scheme

Questions (330)

Tom Barry

Question:

330. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider an amendment to the decision regarding the removal of the telephone allowance to allow persons on the senior alert scheme to retain this allowance. [49124/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The overall concern of the Government in this and previous budgets has been to protect the primary weekly social welfare rates. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is critical in relation to protecting people from poverty. To allow us to protect these core payments, we have had to look very carefully at other additional payments. The cost of the telephone allowance scheme had risen each year with the number of eligible customers also increasing significantly. In 2007 there were some 316,000 people receiving the telephone allowance compared to almost 396,000 at the end of September this year, an increase of 25%. Each year almost 10,000 extra customers become eligible for the allowance because of the increased number of pension recipients.

I am keenly aware of the impact on the Department’s customers and particularly those who are living alone. While we are ending the telephone allowance the savings that this will provide means that we have been able to keep at the same rates the other elements of the household benefits package, including the free electricity/gas allowance and the free television licence. We have also retained the fuel allowance, free travel and the living alone increase.

Of course it is important to be aware that Ireland’s pensioners as a group have the lowest consistent poverty rate and, as a group compared to the rest of the population, are least likely to be at risk of poverty - pointing to the adequacy and importance of the State pension. Between 2004 and 2011, consistent poverty for older people (those over 65) fell from 3.3% to 1.9%. The ‘at risk of poverty’ rate for people in that age group also reduced from 27.1% to 9.7% over the same period.

The monthly allowances under the household benefits package are a contribution towards the cost of services; they are not intended to meet those costs in full. The ending of the telephone allowance of €9.50 per month (or about €2.20 per week) will not result in the automatic removal of any landline service linked to a personal alarm. Indeed, since the Budget announcement, I am aware that one telephone company has advertised that they will cover the value of the allowance. I would hope that other telephone companies will consider this.

The telephone allowance was introduced at a time when telephones were expensive and uncommon and a landline service was the only option available to the customer. The market has changed enormously since the introduction of the allowance, with several companies providing a range of services and rates with bundled services including television, telephone and broadband and pay-as-you-go mobiles. There are also personal security services that use mobile technology rather than land lines.

The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government operates the seniors alert scheme which provides grant support for the supply of equipment such as personal alarms, smoke detectors and security lighting to enable older people without sufficient means to continue to live securely in their homes. The budget allocation for 2013 was €2.35 million. There has been no reduction in this funding in Budget 2014.

Question No. 331 withdrawn.

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (332)

Michael Creed

Question:

332. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason it took from May until October 2013 for the relevant papers to be forwarded to the independent appeals office; if this decision will be reviewed in view of additional medical evidence; if an oral hearing will be organised in respect of this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49130/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 24 May 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 Department informs me that backlog clearance activity in the Invalidity pension area has increased the number of appeals being dealt with on that scheme. Consequently, there are still some delays occurring there in having papers sent to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for processing. Every effort is being made to ensure that the relevant papers are prepared and submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office as quickly as possible.

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.

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Questions (333)

Noel Coonan

Question:

333. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a domiciliary care allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49143/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The 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.

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (334)

Noel Coonan

Question:

334. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an invalidity pension appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary. [49144/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The 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.

Question No. 335 withdrawn.

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Questions (336)

Noel Coonan

Question:

336. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49153/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The 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.

Question No. 337 answered with Question No. 328.

Social Insurance

Questions (338)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

338. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount in the current account of the social insurance fund for each of the past five years; the projection for the fund for the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49171/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Social Insurance spending has traditionally been funded on a tripartite basis – with contributions coming from the Exchequer, employers and employees. Legally, the Exchequer is the residual financier of the SIF and Exchequer contributions were the norm from 1952 up to 1997. No Exchequer funding was required over the period 1997 to 2009 inclusive, as the Fund was in surplus. Since 2010, the SIF has been in deficit and a subvention from the Exchequer has been required each year since then. The first table summarises the funding position of the Social Insurance Fund over the period 2009 to 2012 inclusive as well as the relevant estimates in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2013.

-	2009 Outturn	2010 Outturn	2011 Outturn	2012 Outturn	2013 REV Estimate
-	€000	€000	€000	€000	€000
Income	7,279,601	6,709,681	7,543,883	6,772,286	7,099,840
Expenditure	9,784,225	9,460,835	9,004,245	8,859,686	8,590,416
Operating surplus / Deficit	-2,504,624	-2,751,154	-1,460,362	-2,087,400	-1,490,577
Surplus carried forward from previous year	3,376,969	872,345	-	-	-
Cumulative Surplus/ deficit at end of year	872,345	-1,878,809	-1,460,362	-2,087,400	-1,490,577
Exchequer Subvention to Social Insurance Fund from Vote 37	0	1,878,809	1,460,362	2,087,400	1,490,577

The following table summarises the estimated funding position of the Social Insurance Fund for the period 2014 to 2017, inclusive. The estimate for 2014 is subject to change in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2014 due to be published next month while the estimates of income and expenditure for the period 2015 to 2017 inclusive are provisional and will be subject to change in the years ahead.

-	2014 Budget Estimate	2015 Estimate	2016 Estimate	2017 Estimate
-	€000	€000	€000	€000
Income	7,681,860	7,925,360	8,217,460	8,317,460
Expenditure	8,417,430	8,497,311	8,783,700	8,881,099
Operating surplus / Deficit	-735,570	-571,951	-566,240	-563,639
Surplus carried forward from previous year	-	-	-	-
Cumulative Surplus/ deficit at end of year	-735,570	-571,951	-566,240	-563,639
Exchequer Subvention to Social Insurance Fund from Vote 37	735,570	571,951	566,240	563,639

Defined Benefit Pension Schemes

Questions (339)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

339. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update regarding a new priority order for defined benefit pensions, in view of events at Waterford Crystal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49173/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I am very aware of the difficulties facing many defined benefit pension schemes at this time. A range of both legislative and administrative measures have been put in place in recent years to help employers and the trustees of pension scheme respond to the funding challenge. The issue of how the assets of a scheme are distributed on the wind up of a scheme is a sensitive and complex issue. This issue has been examined in some depth and is under consideration at present, along with other defined benefit issues. It is my intention to report to Government on this and related issues with a view to presenting a wider package of legislative proposals and additional reforms for consideration.

Question No. 340 answered with Question No. 328.

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Questions (341)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

341. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Meath in receipt of rent supplement, the number in each rate category and their place of residence. [49187/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

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. There are approximately 81,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. There are currently 1,981 recipients of rent supplement in County Meath. Information on rate categories is not available. A breakdown of recipients by area is provided in the following tabular statement.

Rent Supplement recipients in County Meath by location (October 2013):

Location	Recipients
Navan	701
Kells	293
Trim	154
Ashbourne	138
Athboy	116
Bettystown	95
Ratoath	55
Ballivor	39
Laytown	35
Dunboyne	35
Dunshaughlin	34
Enfield	22
Other Areas	264
Total	1,981

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Questions (342)

Jack Wall

Question:

342. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a review of a decision to refuse an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49192/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 11th June 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 13th August 2013 advising of the decision. A review of this decision has been requested and additional information on this child’s condition/care needs has been supplied. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed.

Question No. 343 withdrawn.