Tuesday, 19 Nov 2013

Written Answers Nos. 344-365

Rent Supplement Scheme Applications

Questions (344)

John McGuinness

Question:

344. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if rent allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if arrears will be paid. [49215/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The client was awarded rent supplement on the 12th November to his full entitlement based on his household composition. All arrears will issue accordingly at the end of the month.

Community Work Initiatives

Questions (345)

Michael Creed

Question:

345. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the terms and conditions of the Tús scheme to allow for the extension of contracts beyond the 12 month limit; if she has received representations from Oireachtas Members and community groups on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49272/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment, and maintain work readiness thereby improving a person’s opportunities in returning to the labour market.

I have received representations from community groups and Oireachtas members on the length of contracts for participants as well as replying to a number of Parliamentary Questions on this matter. The duration of the Tús contract was set to reflect a number of inter-related elements. These include the need to ensure that limited numbers of placement available are opened to those on the live register, that weaknesses identified in other work programmes resulting from longer duration placements are not replicated in Tús, optimisation of the resources available, and how Tús fits with the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies in Pathways to Work. I consider the existing 12-month period on Tús to be adequate to meet the programme’s objectives. It also ensures that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit from the initiative. There are no circumstances under which a person’s term on Tús will be extended beyond 12 months. Opportunities are available on community employment where a person is interested in pursuing a work placement that may have a longer duration in order to completed certified training. Time spend on Tús is considered eligible for accessing community employment. As of the week ending 8th November 2013, 6,961 participants were working and in receipt of a payment on Tús. An additional 359 full-time supervisory/team leader personnel had been engaged by the implementing bodies for Tús. Since its inception in July 2011, some 14,200 participants have completed 12 months on Tús.

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Questions (346)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

346. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects to review the caps for rent supplement in view of the increase in market rental prices which has become evident in the State, particularly in the Dublin area and surrounding commuter belt counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49308/13]

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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 81,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €403 million in 2013.

Revised rent limits under the rent supplement scheme have come into force with effect from Monday 17 June 2013 and will be in place until 31 December 2014. The new rent limits have been determined following an extensive review of the private rental market based on the most up-to-date data available. The Department currently funds up to 30% of the private rented sector so it is essential that the rent limits are kept under review. The new rent limits have been set using the 35th percentile ensuring that sufficient housing is available for recipients of the scheme.

Under the revised rent limits, there have been increases in the maximum rent limits in Dublin while there have been some reductions across a number of rural counties reflecting the conditions in the rental markets in those counties. Separate to the county limits, higher rent limits have also been provided for in the commuter areas of North Kildare and Bray.

There are properties available within the maximum rent limits for rent supplement recipients. Almost 30,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement reside in Dublin. When the commuter counties of Meath, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth are also included then a total of 41,000 persons are in receipt of rent supplement in this region.

Officials in the Department continue to examine the impact of the rent limits on those who claim rent supplement. It is planned that the next review of rent limits will take place before December 2014.

Question No. 347 withdrawn.

Youth Guarantee

Questions (348, 349, 357)

Clare Daly

Question:

348. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the proposed €200 million (details supplied) for the youth jobs guarantee fund over the next two years is certain to be implemented; and the way funding will be obtained. [49372/13]

Clare Daly

Question:

349. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobs and training places that will be created from the proposed €200 million for the youth jobs guarantee. [49373/13]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

357. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided for youth programmes in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49463/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 348, 349 and 357 together.

The Department of Social Protection has set up an interdepartmental group with officials and programme managers from the Department of Education and Skills, Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, to review the current range of youth employment policies in Ireland to assess what measures will need to be taken to commence the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. The Department of Social Protection has also engaged the assistance of the OECD in developing the Youth Guarantee Policy.

It is intended to produce a concrete plan for the implementation of the Guarantee for consideration by the Government in December before being transmitted to the European Commission by the end of 2013. Development of the implementation plan will include identification of the costs of implementation, and how it is envisaged that these will be met. (how much can be provided from domestic sources, and what is the likely support from EU funds, e.g. European Social Fund (ESF) and Youth Employment Initiative (ESF)).

For Ireland this plan will likely require:

- Earmarking a quota of additional places/opportunities for young people on existing schemes.

- Varying the eligibility conditions for access to certain schemes by young people - for example reduce the eligibility criteria so that young people can access places/opportunities after shorter spell of unemployment rather than the general requirement of 12 months unemployment.

- Expanding the range of opportunities currently on offer to young people in the form of further education and training, internships, subsidised private-sector recruitment, and supports for self-employment.

In 2012, we spent an estimated €170m on participation in employment, training and further education programmes for jobless young people. Significant further amounts were expended on mainstream provision of further and higher education preparing young people for entry to working life. 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.

As an initial step towards preparing for implementation of the guarantee, provision was made in the 2014 Budget for:

- reducing the threshold (in terms of duration of unemployment) for JobsPlus eligibility from 12 months – to 6 months or less – in the case of persons aged less than 25 years

- an additional intake of 1,500 young people on to the very successful JobBridge scheme

- ensuring that 1,000 places on the Tús scheme are targeted at young people

- developing a pilot programme to support young unemployed people to take up opportunities under schemes such as Your First EURES Job

- ring-fencing a minimum of 2,000 training places for under-25s by the Department of Education and Skills, under a follow-up to the successful Momentum programme that operated in 2013, with income support for participants being provided by my department

- the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation making funds available to young entrepreneurs via Micro finance Ireland and other business start-up schemes.

In total, the provision across these headings in the 2014 Budget comes to about €46 million. The final amount of expenditure on youth programmes for 2014 cannot be predicted with certainty as it will in part be determined by the level of take-up by young people and the level of funding secured from the EU and on the mix of programmes involved. It is however likely to be significantly up on 2012 levels.

Given the scale of existing and future provision it is clear that the bulk of funding for labour market programmes for young people will continue to come from domestic exchequer sources. We will however endeavour to maximise Ireland’s share of the additional funding available from the EU.

It is estimated that EU funding (ESF and YEI) for these programmes will be of the order of €64 million in respect of each of the years 2014 and 2015. Given the way the funding is structured, in order to recoup these amounts from the EU in due course, it will be necessary that we spend, in the first instance, close to €100 million on relevant programmes each year, or close to €200 million in 2014-2015 overall. As will be clear from the above, it is anticipated that actual expenditure will be significantly in excess of that amount over the period concerned.

Child Benefit Payments

Questions (350)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

350. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason child benefit has ceased in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49384/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Child benefit is paid up to and including the month of a child’s 16th birthday and continues to the month of the 18th birthday provided the child is in full-time education. In order for payment to continue after the age of 16, it is necessary for the school or college to certify that the child is in full-time education and will be until the age of 18.

In the case of the person concerned, a completed application form was received and child benefit was awarded to March 2014, the month of the 18th birthday. The child subsequently left full-time education in October 2013 and as a result payment ceased from November 2013. If the child returns to full-time-education before reaching 18 another application form should be completed.

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Questions (351)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

351. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the increase awarded to pensioners when they turn 80 only applies to the primary recipient and not to the payments made to qualified adults. [49396/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The over 80 allowance is an additional payment of €10 per week automatically paid to recipients of State pension on attaining 80 years of age. It is a benefit paid on the basis of the qualification of the primary person in receipt of the pension payment.

An increase for a qualified adult is normally paid where the qualified adult does not have enough contributions to claim a pension in their own right and it is usually paid on the basis of the contribution history of the primary pension recipient. Any additional benefits attaching to State pension are only paid in respect of the primary contributor.

Youth Guarantee

Questions (352)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

352. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the interdepartmental youth guarantee implementation group is demonstrating the required transparent planning process in the construction of the youth guarantee implementation plan as defined by the European Commission; if she will furnish details regarding the formal consultation process between each of the sectors and the interdepartmental youth guarantee implementation group, in view of the fact that the Commission states that each youth guarantee implementation plan should set out the roles of public education and employment authorities, youth organisations, employees' and employers' representatives; the amount of funding that is being applied for from the the €6 billion youth unemployment initiative funding stream by 31 December 2013; if she will detail any matched funding at national level; the amount of funding being applied for from the provisional €10 billion European Social Fund for 2014; if she will detail any matched funding at national level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49403/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection has set up an interdepartmental Youth Guarantee Implementation Group with officials and programme managers from the Department of Education and Skills, Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The terms of reference for this group are to review the current range of youth employment policies in Ireland to assess what measures will need to be taken to commence the implementation of the Guarantee.

The Department held a stakeholders’ consultation forum in relation to the Guarantee on October 14, and has also invited further submissions from the bodies that attended.

The Department of Social Protection has also requested the assistance of the OECD in developing the implementation plan. In particular the OECD has been asked to identify best international practice and how it might best be applied to implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ireland. A delegation from the OECD has already met with stakeholders at the forum mentioned above as well as with a range of relevant public bodies.

The development of the plan will also draw on expert work already carried out by the European Commission over the last few years, and in particular the Commission Staff Working Document (SWD) accompanying the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Establishing a Youth Guarantee, published in December 2012.

The Department recently (November 6th ) appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee (JOC) on Education and Social Protection in order to provide a comprehensive update on the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan. Also present at the JOC were representatives of various Youth Guarantee Stakeholders including the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Union of Students of Ireland. The session was streamed live on the RTE website.

It is intended to produce a concrete plan for the implementation of the Guarantee for consideration by the Government in December before being transmitted to the European Commission by the end of 2013.

The implementation plan will include estimates of expected take-up of places on a national basis and of the funding costs of that provision. Funding costs will depend on the take up of places by individual young people.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments

Questions (353)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

353. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claimants who obtain a payment from community welfare officers due to lack of PRSI contributions who are ineligible to claim for illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49414/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

There are currently over 3,700 clients who have been awarded a weekly SWA payment on the basis that they are ill and are ineligible to claim other social welfare illness related payments. Statistics are not maintained in respect of those customers ineligible for illness benefit due to insufficient PRSI contributions.

Question No. 354 withdrawn.

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Questions (355)

Seán Fleming

Question:

355. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection in respect of community employment schemes, if she allows applicants who require Garda clearance to work on a community employment scheme (details supplied) use the statutory declaration form, Appendix 2: to Recruitment Policy R6 Statutory Declaration Act 1938 until they are cleared for the CE scheme until they secure Garda clearance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49439/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Approval to work, or train to work, with children and/or vulnerable adults is granted upon successful completion of the recruitment and selection process which includes appropriate vetting checks with the Garda Central Vetting Unit. No community employment participant may work or train with children and/or vulnerable adults pending the outcome of the Garda vetting process. Applicants already sign a declaration of good character as part of the application process.

Community Welfare Services

Questions (356)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

356. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the future of community welfare services in the Cabra area, Dublin; the length of time for which the four remaining community welfare officers will operate from the centre in Quarry Road; the way local people will engage with community welfare officers in the future; and the amount that has been spent on this service in Cabra in the past five years. [49454/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department is in the process of major organisational change following the transfer of responsibility for Community Welfare Services and FÁS employment and community employment services. In implementing this challenging programme of change, the objective is to ensure that all services provided are co-ordinated and support customers through the development of improved processes and the concentration of staff and resources in integrated units.

The Department is committed to developing and implementing a case management approach, across the full range of its services, with a focus on working with the person rather than the scheme. Skilled and knowledgeable case managers will work with individuals in need, to ensure that they not only receive the appropriate income supports but are also helped to find a way in which they can participate to the fullest extent possible in their community, economy and workforce. A case management approach with a focus on the individual, and the development of a tailored plan for each person, produces better outcomes than the traditional transaction focussed delivery of scheme services.

It is in this context that the services provided in Dublin 7 are being reviewed. The office referred to by this question is located in Quarry Road, Dublin 7 and the hours during which the services are provided are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10.00 am to 11.00 am and Friday 10 am to 11 am for emergencies. It is also important to note that this review is ongoing and that no final decision has yet been made on the location and nature of services to be provided. The Deputy can be assured that the overall priority is better customer service and that members of the public and public representatives will be fully informed of the changes being proposed. The intention is to provide service continuity and to utilise available staff to provide a more efficient and streamlined service, and to be in a position to fully align services with the new national employment and entitlement service, Intreo, as it rolls out in the region.

There are no statistics are currently available for the amount that has been spent on the service delivered by Quarry Road Health Centre in the last 5 years. Compiling this will involve co-ordination between various organisations due the transferral of responsibility for the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to this Department, and a response will issue in when this information is to hand.

Question No. 357 answered with Question No. 348.

Question No. 358 withdrawn.

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Questions (359)

Seán Fleming

Question:

359. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse her decision to request people at 65 years of age to go on jobseeker's allowance before they are eligible for the State pension; and the arrangements she has in place to ensure that persons of that age who worked all their lives are not put in a difficult position. [49481/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Increasing State pension age and the abolition of the State pension (transition) are steps that have been taken to ensure the sustainability of pensions into the future. The decision to reform State pension was taken in the context of changing demographics and the fact that people are living longer and healthier lives.

These changes are already provided for in legislation. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This will begin in 2014 with the standardising of State pension age for all at 66 years and the cessation of State pension transition. The State pension age will then increase to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028.

It should be noted that until the 1970s, the standard age for receipt of State pension was 70 years of age. This applied at a time when longevity was much lower and working patterns were more likely to be physically demanding. State pension (transition) was introduced in 1970 when it was known as the retirement pension and was designed to bridge the gap between the standard social welfare pension age, which at that time was 70 years of age, and retirement age. Over time, the age for State pension contributory was reduced to 66 years.

The Deputy may wish to note that a significant number of people coming on to State pension (transition) in 2012 did not come from work as many were already on other social welfare schemes. In December 2012 there were approximately 14,400 State pension (transition) claims in payment and of those, just 12.5 per cent came from work with over 50 per cent coming from other social welfare schemes such as illness benefit, jobseekers benefit and assistance, invalidity and carers, indicating that significant numbers of people are leaving the workforce for a variety of reasons well in advance of State pension age.

In terms of social welfare supports available to those at age 65, all short term social welfare schemes are payable to age 66. The main social welfare payment available to those who leave employment before pension age is jobseeker’s benefit. Persons who qualify for a jobseeker’s benefit who are aged between 65 and 66 years are generally entitled to receive payment up to the date on which they reach pensionable age (66 years). Each application for any social welfare scheme is assessed on its own merit in terms of qualifying criteria and contribution history.

There are two other related provisions; one provides that in the case of a job seeker’s benefit recipient aged under 65 whose claim spans from one benefit year into another, a new relevant tax year requirement is not applied in the case of the job seekers entitlement relating to the second benefit year. A further provision states that 3 waiting days do not have to be served for jobseekers assistance in the case of certain people aged between 65 and 66 years who have been in receipt of job seekers benefit within the past year

In addition, as part of Budget 2014, I was happy to be able to introduce new arrangements for older jobseekers, i.e. those aged 62 and over who have left work before reaching the State pension age of 66 and who wish to claim a jobseeker’s payment.

With effect from 1 January 2014, fully unemployed jobseekers aged 62 or over will be placed on yearly signing and will be given the option of transferring to EFT payments. Furthermore, they will not be subject to mandatory activation measures but may avail of employment supports which will continue to be available to them and they will not be subject to activation-related sanctions.

Finally social welfare supports will continue to be available to those who need it most and where a person fails to meet the qualifying conditions of an insurance based scheme, a means tested assistance payment may be available provided they satisfy the qualifying conditions including a means test.

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Questions (360)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a different provision made available for part-time firemen when it comes to the issue of drawing their stamps; if she will explain exactly what this is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49485/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Over 2,000 persons are employed as retained (part-time) fire-fighters, providing services which are vitally important to their communities. Typically, these workers provide services in rural and less densely populated areas but larger urban centres may also have a cohort of part-time workers.

Retained fire-fighters who are otherwise unemployed are entitled to a jobseeker’s payment in respect of days that they are engaged in fire-fighting or training. They are, however, required to satisfy the statutory conditions for the receipt of a jobseeker’s payment of being available for and genuinely seeking work. Any person who fails to satisfy these conditions is not entitled to a jobseeker’s payment.

Taking account of the unusual circumstances of retained fire personnel the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 carried amendments to both jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance that put the treatment of retained fire fighters on a legislative basis. In bringing these amendments forward I was particularly mindful of the vital service provided by this group, particularly in rural communities where the fire service is almost exclusively staffed by retained personnel.

The legislation and associated regulations will allow retained fire-fighters a reasonable and fair level of access to the schemes.

This legislative package exempts retained fire fighters from having to satisfy the substantial loss of employment condition under jobseeker’s benefit. In addition, retained fire fighters will be exempt from suffering a loss of a day of jobseeker’s payment for every day of fire fighting employment. Finally the legislation also provides that when a retained fire fighter is on call this will not result in a disallowance on grounds of availability.

Question No. 361 withdrawn.

Departmental Offices

Questions (362)

Michael McGrath

Question:

362. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the locations at which the Intreo integrated jobseeker service is currently available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49509/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The delivery of the Intreo service comprises a number of elements. The main elements being:

1. The integration of the various welfare decision making processes to speed up decision making and minimise recourse to supplementary welfare payments.

2. The introduction of a profiling process to capture the unique characteristics and service requirements of each jobseeker.

3. The implementation of a systematic group activation engagement and one to one process based on clients’ profiles.

4. The delivery of a ‘one-stop-shop’ service from an integrated office location.

Elements 1 to 3 are being rolled out, are already in place in many offices and will be in place in nearly all offices by the end of the year.

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-accomodation 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 Intreo service is fully operational in sixteen offices to date. The sixteen offices are: Achill, Arklow, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Buncrana, Clifden, Coolock, Dundalk, Finglas, Killarney, Kings Inn Street (Dublin), Loughrea, Manorhamilton, Newcastlewest, Sligo, and Tallaght.

The Department is working with the OPW towards a target of completing the roll-out of the Intreo service to all offices by the end of 2014.

Question No. 363 withdrawn.

Question No. 364 answered with Question No. 300.

Question No. 365 withdrawn.