Written Answers Nos. 309-326
309. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has an entitlement to a grant for a hearing aid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53962/13]
View answerThe person concerned is qualified and entitled to a grant towards the cost of purchasing hearing aids. The grant covers half the cost, up to a maximum of €500 per device.
Application forms are available at audiology clinics, so the person concerned will be able to get one in the clinic that he attends for his hearing test.
310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is expected that full jobseeker's allowance will be payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53965/13]
View answerThe person concerned is in receipt of a reduced jobseeker's allowance payment, which has been awarded having regard to his means. The person concerned was advised that if there was a change in his circumstances he could request a review of the application. According to the records of this Department there has been no recent request received to review the application.
311. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect a decision regarding a jobseeker's appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53972/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 November 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.
312. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline what offices relevant to her Department are located or have been decentralised outside of Dublin; if she will provide the total number of staff in her Department and the number of staff based outside County Dublin as of 2013; the annual cost incurred in 2012 and 2013, respectively, for decentralised staff travelling to meetings in Dublin; the number of times staff travelled to individual meetings in Dublin in each of those years; the costs those staff will be reimbursed for; and if her Department has procedures or mechanisms in place such as video conferencing to reduce the cost of travelling for each unit based outside Dublin. [54000/13]
View answerMy Department delivers its front-line services to clients through a network of locally based offices which are dispersed across the country. In addition, 7 of the Department’s headquarter offices are located outside Dublin in Buncrana, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Longford, Sligo and Waterford.
There are over 7,000 staff serving in my Department of which just over 4,500 are based outside County Dublin.
All payments made to staff in respect of travel and subsistence expenses are paid in strict accordance with the relevant regulations as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The manner in which claims for travel and subsistence expenses are recorded does not allow for the specific breakdown of attendance at meetings in Dublin requested by the Deputy. Travel and subsistence expenses can be payable in respect of reasons other than attending meetings, for example, participating in required training courses, attending as a witness at court or at appeal hearings, attending at interview or representing the Department at various types of working groups.
The Department uses video conferencing where possible, however, attendance in person can be required at certain meetings.
315. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was refused one-parent family payment. [54061/13]
View answerThe application for one parent family payment, by the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that she has failed to demonstrate any appropriate efforts to get maintenance for herself and her children from her husband.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 9 December 2013 and that the case 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 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.
316. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will recognise and vindicate the exceptional welfare needs of women and children who experience domestic abuse, as the system currently creates several barriers to women moving on from domestic abuse situations (details supplied); if she is aware that delays in processing social welfare payments such as jobseeker’s payment and one-parent family payment, can result in families remaining in refuge, thereby blocking the service from other clients or the family returning to the abuser; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54074/13]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it 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. SWA can consist of a basic primary weekly payment and/or a weekly/monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses a person may not be able to meet (e.g. rent supplement). It can also consist of a once-off payment to help with the cost of any exceptional needs of a once-off nature. The Government has provided approximately €718 million for the various SWA schemes in 2013.
Basic weekly SWA may be payable to anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residence condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove unemployment, or anyone who is awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare or Health Service Executive payment. The Government has provided €161.4 million for the basic SWA scheme in 2013.
The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income 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 Government has provided over €403 million for rent supplement in 2013.
In order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by the relevant local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.
In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the local housing authority in the area where claim to rent supplement is made (and the person intends to reside). Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement. Policy in relation to the assessment of housing need is a matter for the Minister for the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. It is expected that the expenditure on the ENP scheme in 2013 will be in excess of €35 million.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENP’s are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. ENPs are not subject to the habitual residence condition.
Where a claimant’s safety and wellbeing are at risk due to domestic violence Department officials administering the SWA scheme have discretionary powers to expedite the award of a payment to the person in question. I am satisfied that the discretionary powers available to Department officials administering the SWA scheme are appropriate to assist those affected by domestic violence.
318. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made with the recruitment process of personnel under the Gateway scheme at Cork County Council; the number of persons that have been identified and interviewed to date; the date on which the selected persons will commence work under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54104/13]
View answerGateway is a County and City Council work placement scheme designed to provide short-term working opportunities for unemployed people. The scheme is intended to assist the personal and social development of participants by providing short-term work opportunities with the objective of bridging the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with individual County and City Councils.
Cork County Council has indicated to the Department of Social Protection that it has identified approximately 110 placements throughout the county. The Department has randomly selected 140 jobseekers who have been on unemployed for 24 month or more and will begin the recruitment process in early January. Responsibility for the recruitment process rests entirely with Cork County Council.
319. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of an application for mortgage interest relief in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54145/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 15 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 18 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.
320. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of further medical evidence sent in support of a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54182/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal of the person concerned was referred back to the Appeals Officer for a review of his decision on 11th December 2013. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his appeal has been finalised.
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.
322. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for jobseeker's allowance will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54201/13]
View answerThe person concerned made a claim for jobseeker’s allowance on 10 September 2013. At his interview on 19 September 2013 he was requested to provide documentary evidence in support of his application. As this was not forthcoming it was requested again on 9 October 2013. He neither responded nor contacted the Intreo Office, and as a result his claim was closed on 4 November 2013. He was notified of this decision in writing. Should he wish to re-open his claim, he can attend the office at any time.
324. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the Tús scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54258/13]
View answerTús was introduced by the Department of Social Protection to deliver on the policy objectives set out in Pathways to Work and to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. Participants on are required to work in their placement for an average of 19.5 hours per week which allows for participation in part-time work or education. Participants are encouraged to engage in part-time work or education outside the time spent working on Tús. Part-time work or training must not interfere with the participant’s work on Tús. Implementing Bodies are required to provide flexible arrangements to accommodate the participant. In general, it is not possible for a participant to terminate their engagement on Tús to move to part-time work.
Participants are encouraged to engage in work search whilst engaged on Tús and will be supported to pursue a full time job option. Under certain circumstances Tús participants can move directly to community employment where this is deemed to be a suitable progression opportunity and the person is not job ready or where provisions not available with Tús are determined to be a better option to support a person back to the labour market. In general, community employment is not considered a suitable option for a person who is job ready.
325. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the file pertaining to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 has not been forwarded to the social welfare appeals office by her Department; the date her Department received a request for the file from the appeals office; when the file will be provided to that office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54279/13]
View answerThe request from the Social Welfare Appeals Office for the file for the person concerned was originally sent to the incorrect location and was received by the appropriate Rents Unit on 23 August 2013. Due to a reorganisation of the Rents Units in Dublin 15 which was taking place at that time, the request was not processed in the normal timeframe. A review has now been carried out in light of all the available information and the original decision to disallow the claim has been reversed. Both the person concerned and the Appeals Office will be notified immediately.
326. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when jobseeker's allowance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose appeal was allowed some weeks ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54432/13]
View answerThe jobseeker’s allowance claim of the person concerned has been awarded, and the first payment will issue this week.
