Written Answers Nos. 364-87
364. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will reconsider the requirements contained in the new form issued by her Department to allow those who are unemployed on certain days to claim jobseeker's benefit by indicating the days which they were not at work in view of the fact that it is causing difficulties for certain categories of workers (details supplied). [50395/13]
View answerIn the case of casual/part-time employment, the practice of having the weekly signing docket verified in advance by the employer was discontinued in 2009 in order to ensure the timely issue of payments to jobseeker customers who worked on a casual/part-time basis. At that time, the numbers of such workers had risen significantly and there was insufficient time available following the receipt of employer verified data to manually enter the weekly employment details onto the system. In order to eliminate delays in the generation of payments, the employer input was removed from the process at that time.
The situation has been monitored in the period since then by the Department and fraudulent claiming has been detected in a number of instances. The most common cases involved over-claiming by adding additional days to the docket, failure to notify the Department of a return to full-time employment, or of leaving employment, and a lack of facility on the docket to advise the Department where an employee had refused an offer of additional work.
In order to address this situation, the Department has utilised recent improvements in scanning technologies to produce a new docket, which can be scanned into the system and will deliver improvements in the following areas:
- improved control through re-introducing advance employer verification of work patterns;
- improved information on customer circumstances through the provision of a mechanism to notify the Department where an offer of additional work has been made by the employer;
- Improved administrative efficiency as weekly employment details are scanned in rather than manually entered.
It is expected that the use of the new form and scanning process will be extended to all local offices by mid-2014.
I recognise these arrangements can cause difficulties in a small number of cases and, in these circumstances, alternative arrangements can be put in place such as the acceptance of a signature from the employer’s local representative (e.g. a local supervisor or manager). Any customer experiencing such difficulties should contact their Intreo/social welfare local office where alternative arrangements can be discussed.
365. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for half-rate carer's allowance will be decided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50400/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 30 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.
367. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the breakdown of the percentage of young persons under 25 in the low, medium and high PEX probability of exit category since the introduction of the Intreo registration process arising from Pathways to Work in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50414/13]
View answerPersons joining the Live Register, including young persons under 25, are profiled in Intreo and other offices in the Department. The number of young persons currently under 25 who have been profiled since its introduction to 10 November 2013, is 36,155. Of these, 19% had a PEX value which indicated a low probability of exit from the live register, 71% had a medium PEX, and 10% had a high probability of exit.
368. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria and circumstances her Department uses to determine if a jobseeker should be subject to a sanction in the form of a reduced welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50416/13]
View answerTo qualify for a Jobseeker payment, a person must meet certain conditions, including the requirement to be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking full-time work. A range of sanctions, including suspension, disqualification, closure or disallowance of the jobseeker claim, may be imposed where a client fails to meet the stated conditions. In relation to activation, further sanctions in the form of reduced welfare payments may be imposed by a Deciding Officer where clients fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group, or individual meetings and/or avail of suitable education, training or development opportunities, or specified employment programmes, which are considered appropriate to a person’s circumstances.
369. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reduced payment which applies to young persons under 25 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit who have been subject to sanctions in the form of reduced welfare payments since the introduction of Pathways to Work in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50417/13]
View answerIn 2013 my Department will spend €3.66bn on jobseeker's benefit and allowance, down €130m on 2012 expenditure. Receiving the full adult rate of a jobseeker's payment at a young age can lead to welfare dependency from an early age. If they do not improve their skills, young jobseekers are at risk of becoming long term unemployed. Therefore, it is considered necessary to provide young jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training or to take up employment. Consequently in 2009 changes were made to jobseeker's allowance so reduced rates of payment were paid to jobseekers under 25 years of age. Currently jobseekers aged 18-21 years of age receive €100 per week, while jobseekers aged 22-24 years of age receive €144 per week. Where these individuals engage in education or training they will receive €160 per week.
A key priority for the Government's labour market activation strategy is engaging with and providing supports to unemployed persons. A key strand in this process is to ensure that each person in receipt of a jobseeker payment fulfils their personal responsibility to engage fully with the employment and training supports provided by the State, as a precondition for receipt of their welfare payments.
Sanctions in the form of reduced payment rates for jobseekers were introduced in April 2011 as a means of achieving the engagement of jobseekers with activation measures. These rates reduce the amount of personal rate payable under the jobseeker’s schemes where a person fails, without just cause, to engage with activation processes. Table 1 depicts the current rate of jobseeker’s allowance weekly payments for different age cohorts of jobseeker allowance recipients. It also depicts the amount of jobseeker allowance payment each cohort would receive if they are subject to penalty rates being applied.
Table 1: Jobseeker's Allowance Weekly Rates and Penalty Rates
|
- |
Weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance 18-21 years of age |
Weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance 22-24 years of age |
Weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance for recipients aged 25 and over |
|
Full personal JA rate |
€100 |
€144 |
€188 |
|
Reduced Jobseeker’s Allowance due to penalty rates being imposed |
€75 |
€111 |
€144 |
Table 2 depicts the amount of jobseeker's benefit an individual can receive and the reduced rate they will receive if penalty rates are imposed on them. It should be noted that under jobseeker's benefit rates are graduated according to an individual’s earnings in the relevant tax year.
Table 2 Jobseeker's Benefit Weekly Rates and Penalty Rates
|
Previous average weekly earnings |
Jobseeker’s Benefit Personal rate |
Penalty Rates |
|
Less than €150 |
€84.50 |
€65 |
|
€150 - €219.99 |
€121.40 |
€93 |
|
€220 - €299.99 |
€147.30 |
€113 |
|
€300 or more |
€188 |
€144 |
There is also provision for further sanctions, in the form of a disqualification for a period of up to 9 weeks, in circumstances where a customer who has had such a rate imposed for 21 days and continues to fail to engage with activation measures.
370. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to outsource tasks such as jobseeker case management, employment engagement, job activation, job matching and placement to external private contractors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50418/13]
View answerThe Pathways to Work initiative signalled the potential of contracting with third party providers to supplement and complement existing employment activation services provided by the Department and Local Employment Service (LES), thereby increasing our capacity to serve unemployed people. The potential contribution of such contracting and the design of a contracting approach have since been under consideration by the Department. JobPath is the working title for this new service.
During the summer the Department issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to formally notify the market of the State’s intention to procure employment services. Such services may include the provision of advice and assistance regarding job searching; employment and career options; personal action plans; personal skills; work experience; training/further education; preparation of CVs as well as recruitment services to employers and ‘in-work’ advice/coaching to jobseekers. The Department also held two JobPath information sessions at which it outlined its current thinking in relation to how the new service might operate. On 7 November 2013, Enterprise Ireland hosted a capacity building and networking event for interested parties of JobPath. It is the Department’s intention to issue a contract notice for the procurement of JobPath services in the near future.
371. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the number of young persons under 25 who are currently in receipt of the back-to-education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50419/13]
View answer372. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the number of young persons under 25 who are currently in receipt of the back-to-education allowance in each of the following categories: undertaking a second level course, a third level access course, a third level undergraduate course and a postgraduate course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50420/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 372 together.
The number of persons aged 25 or below in receipt of back to education allowance at the end of October was 7,948. A breakdown of the number of recipients by age and education level is contained in the following tabular statement.
Number of Recipients of Back to Education Allowance by Age and education level at end of October, 2013
|
Age |
Second Level Option |
Third Level Option |
Back to Education |
|
18 |
67 |
1 |
68 |
|
19 |
308 |
54 |
362 |
|
20 |
684 |
130 |
814 |
|
21 |
853 |
406 |
1,259 |
|
22 |
748 |
591 |
1,339 |
|
23 |
636 |
736 |
1,372 |
|
24 |
487 |
875 |
1,362 |
|
25 |
390 |
982 |
1,372 |
|
Total |
4,173 |
3,775 |
7,948 |
373. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the number and percentage of young persons under 25 who are in employment, unemployed, pursuing further education and training, emigrated, etc., who completed a course of education under the back-to-education allowance scheme in 2011 and 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50421/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. I am however informed that at the end of December in each of the years 2011 and 2012 there were 24,666 and 25,033, respectively, recipients of the back to education allowance.
377. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the 14 projects funded under the disability activation project including the participants on each scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50425/13]
View answerThe Disability Activation (DACT) Project is jointly funded by the European Social Fund and the Department of Social Protection and it is targeted at the Borders, Midlands and Western regions. There are four strands to the overall Project as follows:
Strand 1 – Improving Access to Employment
Strand 2 – Progression Programmes for Young People
Strand 3 – Support for Progression and Retention of People with an Acquired Disability
Strand 4 – Innovative Employer Initiatives.
It is envisaged that some 2,750 people with disabilities will participate across the 14 individual projects being funded. Details in relation to the 14 projects are as follows.
My Department is committed to supporting people with disability to participate more fully in society and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers that they may face. The range of innovative projects which are being financed with the support of the European Social Fund will enable us to learn how best to address some of these barriers.
DACT Projects
|
Applicant & Project Title |
Project Summary |
Strand |
Projected Participant numbers |
Location |
|
ICTU – Options programme |
Individual progression plan mentoring – FETAC training and work placement |
1,2 & 3 |
390 |
BMW region (in ICTU centres) |
|
National Learning Network |
Comprehensive Transition Plan for adolescents with autism/learning disabilities |
2 |
101 |
Donegal |
|
Walkinstown Association for people with an Intellectual Disability – Providing Equal Progression routes (PEER) |
Building capacity, competence and potential through person centred planning for 16-24 year olds, using local community networks and trained volunteers (buddy system). |
2 |
380 |
Louth |
|
Monaghan Integrated Development Ltd. – Ability Activation North East |
Awareness raising with employers (training w/shops, engagement with local authorities, business sector identification etc.) |
4 |
60 |
Cavan, Monaghan, Louth |
|
Peter Bradley Foundation/Acquired Brain Injury Ireland – Work4You |
Establish 3 vocational assessment to support people with acquired brain injuries to remain in or re-enter the workforce |
3 |
540 |
BMW region |
|
University of Limerick/Arthritis Ireland – Working with Arthritis – Solutions & Strategies |
Developing individualised occupational therapy programmes to overcome barriers faced by people with arthritis in accessing, remaining in or returning to work. |
3 |
250 |
BMW region |
|
National Learning Network – Linking In |
Developing early supportive interventions for people on Illness Benefit to promote reintegration specifically in the SME sector |
4 |
320 |
Galway, Mayo & Roscommon |
|
Brothers of Charity Roscommon – Open to Work Opportunities |
Building relationships between (rural) employers and people with disabilities to ensure appropriate job placements which match needs of both |
1 |
50 |
Roscommon |
|
National Learning Network – Personal Employment Pathway |
Develop personalised integration strategy for participants below FETAC 3 level – case managed, community based, job tasters etc. |
1, 2 & 3 |
180 |
Laois, Offaly, Westmeath |
|
Irish Association of Supported Employment – Open Door |
Awareness raising with employers – targeted employer events, supports to ‘new’ employers, develop online support materials etc. |
4 |
60 |
BMW region |
|
Drumlin House - Step Right to Work |
Providing enhanced personalised service to people with disability who currently receive personal development and work-skills training in Drumlin House & develop relationships with local employers |
1,2 & 4 |
30 |
Cavan & Monaghan |
|
Sligo LEADER partnership – SEED |
Community based mentoring and employment supports service (personalised progression plans and case management) for and by people with disability. |
1 |
230 |
Sligo |
|
Brothers of Charity Galway – Access to Work, Let’s Get to Work, Supported Employment Intensive |
Targeting people with disability with very high support needs with person-centred planning, securing employment or developing business enterprise with local business people as mentors. |
1,2 |
40 |
Galway |
|
Co. Roscommon Disability Support group - Disability Activation for Work Nutrition (DAWN) |
One-stop shop for training and business incubation – case managed approach with groups of 15, personal development plans, education, work-placement, self-employment supports |
1,2,3 |
120 |
Roscommon |
378. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of the one parent family payment; the number in receipt of the one parent family payment who are under 25 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50426/13]
View answerThere were 78,516 persons in receipt of the one-parent family payment at the end of October 2013; of these 9,997 are under 25 years of age. A breakdown of these recipients by age is detailed in the following tabular statement.
Recipients of one-parent family payment aged under 25 years
|
Age |
Recipients of One-Parent Family Payment |
|
15 |
8 |
|
16 |
38 |
|
17 |
114 |
|
18 |
310 |
|
19 |
526 |
|
20 |
916 |
|
21 |
1,390 |
|
22 |
1,900 |
|
23 |
2,295 |
|
24 |
2,500 |
|
Total |
9,997 |
380. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of registered users of her Department's Career Directions website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50428/13]
View answerCareer Directions is an interactive service focused on providing jobseekers with information to enable them to make informed career choices and to assist them in developing an action plan to progress their career pathway. In addition, jobseekers may generate a list of careers which are based on their interest by responding to a series of questions. It also offers access to information on training and education, job opportunities and labour market information linked to career options. The service is also used by those engaged in career advice and guidance services.
Peak interaction with Career Directions occurs around the commencement of the educational semester in the autumn. Registration is only required by users who wish to access the detailed questionnaire to identify career options based on their interests. Since October 2010 there are a total of 161,260 users who have registered for this facility.
Questions Nos. 381 to 383, inclusive, answered with Question No. 324.
