Written Answers Nos. 121 - 127
121. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49744/13]
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.
122. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an invalidity pension will be made in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49755/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 October 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 13 November 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.
123. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons participating in the job activation measures (details supplied) on 30 June 2011. [49777/13]
View answerData on participation on most activation programmes are now published each month as part of the official CSO Live Register Statement. Information for the month to which the question refers was included in the annexe, page 13, of the monthly Live Register Statement for July 2012. The statement can be accessed on the CSO website at: http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/labourmarket/archive/releasearchive2012/. Data for the specific programmes mentioned in the question are set out in the table.
|
Programme/Scheme |
Numbers, June 2011 |
|
Community Employment (excl. Supervisors) |
21,937 |
|
Tús |
0 |
|
Part-time Job Incentive |
161 |
|
Internship |
0 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
9,601 |
|
Short-term Enterprise Allowance |
1,229 |
|
Rural Social Scheme* (excl. Supervisors) |
2,552 |
|
Job Initiative Scheme* |
1,270 |
*figures from DSP
124. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the youth guarantee funding from the EU will be subject to macroeconomic conditionality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49778/13]
View answerThe Deputy appears to be referring to the €6 billion Youth Employment Initiative. The detailed regulations for this Initiative are still under negotiation as part of the overall negotiations on the EU Structural Funds for 2014-2020. These negotiations are being led overall for Ireland by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with the Department of Education and Skills taking the lead in relation to the Youth Employment Initiative because of its links to the European Social Fund.
I am advised that Macro-economic conditionality will be a feature of the next round of Structural Funds, including the European Social Fund on which the Youth Employment Initiative is based. The relevant provisions of the Common Provisions Regulation governing the Structural Funds will provide that the Commission may request a Member State to review and propose amendments to its Partnership Agreement and relevant programmes, where this is necessary to support the implementation of relevant Council recommendations or to maximise the growth impact of European Structural and Investment Funds in Member States receiving financial assistance from the EU.
125. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of further medical evidence to support an appeal of a decision on a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49779/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. 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.
