Written Answers Nos. 358 - 373
358. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55532/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 4 December 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.
359. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal of a domiciliary care allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55552/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 2 January 2014.
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.
360. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite and award a domiciliary care allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55556/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 5 December 2013, who has decided to convene an oral hearing on 23 January 2013 to consider the matter. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the 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.
361. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal against the decision not to grant carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55589/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 December 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.
362. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for assistance to the Money Advice Budgeting Service for each of the past three years in Athy and Newbridge in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1026/14]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides a high quality personal service to assist people who are over indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments.
The following table provides details of the number of applications for assistance in Newbridge and Athy offices for each of the years 2011, 2012, 2013. In order to meet the increased demand since 2011, additional resources were allocated to Kildare MABS. I am satisfied that local management is monitoring demand for MABS services in Kildare and Carlow and keeping the level of service provided under ongoing review in line with available resources.
|
- |
2011 |
2011 |
2011 |
2012 |
2012 |
2012 |
2013 |
2013 |
2013 |
|
MABS service |
New Clients |
Other Info Requests |
Total |
New Clients |
Other Info Requests |
Total |
New Clients |
Other Info Requests |
Total |
|
Newbridge |
261 |
36 |
297 |
399 |
220 |
619 |
361 |
190 |
551 |
|
Athy Outreach* |
68 |
0 |
68 |
101 |
22 |
123 |
85 |
13 |
98 |
*Athy is an outreach of Carlow MABS
364. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection when she envisages the administration of the rent supplement allowance transferring from her Department to local authorities; if she is satisfied that local authorities will have sufficient staff resources to oversee this transfer and administer this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1048/14]
View answerThe 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 currently approximately 80,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.
The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of a short-term income support. To this end, in July 2013, the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) under which responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from this Department to local authorities.
Officials in the Department are continuing to work with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, who are leading the project, in developing the necessary legal, policy and operational requirements to give effect to this transfer. The Department is advised that HAP testing will be carried out in selected local authorities during 2014.
The issue of staffing resources to oversee this transfer and administer HAP in local authorities is a matter for the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
365. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a report she received on domiciliary care allowance and disability allowance; if she intends to implement the recommendations of this report; if she will outline the timeframe for implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1050/14]
View answerThe review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme (DCA), which was published in April 2013, makes a number of recommendations in relation to the operation of the scheme.
An implementation group, comprising officials from the Department of Social Protection, other relevant departments/ relevant bodies and parent/representative groups was established to action the administrative recommendations in the report. Some of these recommendations require changes to the Department’s IT systems. This work along with work on the remaining administrative changes recommended is progressing well. It is intended to have the administrative recommendations contained in the report implemented early in 2014.
The policy recommendations contained in the report, a matter for Government decision.
367. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is attending a part-time education course is eligible for jobseeker's allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1122/14]
View answerTo qualify for jobseeker’s allowance a person must satisfy certain conditions which include being available for full-time work and looking for work.
Under the Department’s back to education programme, the part-time education option provides that a jobseeker allowance customer may participate in a part-time course of education provided that such participation does not compromise their efforts to seek work or ability to accept a suitable offer of work.
Where a conflict arises between taking up a suitable offer of work and course attendance, the offer of work must take precedence.
368. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal 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. [1135/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 17th December 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.
369. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Social Protection the European Union's definition of a migrant worker. [1190/14]
View answerAs outlined in reply to Question No. 101 [25014/13] on the 23 May 2013, there is no legal definition of a migrant worker in EU law relating to the coordination of social security schemes. However, any national of a Member State has, irrespective of their place of residence, the right to take up an activity as an employed person, and to pursue such activity, within the territory of another Member State in accordance with the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action governing the employment of nationals of that State.
The Court of Justice of the EU has defined a worker as a person who pursues an activity which is effective and genuine, with the exclusion of activities on such a small scale as to be regarded as purely marginal and ancillary. The essential characteristic of the employment relationship is that for a certain period of time a person performs services for and under the direction of another person in return for which he/she receives remuneration.
Separately to the EU provisions, the Council of Europe, in the European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers defines a migrant worker as “a national of a contracting party who has been authorised by another contracting party to reside in its territory in order to take up paid employment”.
370. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of the local population on the live register in towns (details supplied) for each of the past six years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1269/14]
View answerInformation relating to a claimant’s address is not currently coded to the geographical location of the address. As such it is not possible to accurately report persons on the live register living in a particular area at present.
The towns of Clane and Dunboyne are in the catchment area of the Maynooth Social Welfare Branch Office while Lusk is in the catchment area of the Balbriggan Social Welfare Local Office. Following, for the Deputy’s information, is a tabular statement detailing the live register for each of these offices in the last week of December in each of the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Maynooth and Balbriggan Social Welfare Offices Live Register 2008 – 2013
|
Social Welfare Offices |
Maynooth SWBO |
Balbriggan SWLO |
|
Towns included |
Clane & Dunboyne |
Lusk |
|
December 2013 |
5,743 |
4,500 |
|
December 2012 |
6,095 |
4,899 |
|
December 2011 |
5,924 |
5,059 |
|
December 2010 |
5,831 |
4,989 |
|
December 2009 |
5,760 |
4,898 |
|
December 2008 |
3,585 |
2,757 |
371. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason behind the decision to exclude recipients of partial capacity benefit from receiving family income supplement; and if she intends revising the scheme. [1274/14]
View answerThe partial capacity benefit (PCB) scheme provides an opportunity for people with disabilities who are assessed as having an employment capacity which is restricted compared to the norm, to avail of employment opportunities while continuing to receive an income support payment.
Participation in the scheme is voluntary and the scheme is designed in particular to respond to the needs of people who have sought to avail of ‘exemptions’ in order to take up employment opportunities. The limitations on hours worked which applied under the ‘exemptions’ arrangements do not apply to PCB. There is no earnings limit in place either.
Family Income Supplement provides extra financial support to people on low pay with children, but as PCB recipients while working already retain at least 50% of their personal income support payment (based on the assessment of their restriction on capacity) and retain additional payments for qualified adults and children at the same rate where applicable, there is no case for revising the scheme along the lines suggested by the Deputy.
372. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection following reductions in the budget to those unemployed under 25 years of age, the opportunities being provided to this category of welfare dependant persons to enable them to receive uptraining and training for job placement; the total number on reduced payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1275/14]
View answerThe reduced Jobseeker Allowance payments for under 25s apply to new registrants – existing claimants on a higher rate will not see their rate change. Currently, approximately 22,000 recipients are on the reduced rate of €100 for 18-21 year-olds and a further 14,200 on the reduced rate of €144 for 22-25 year-olds. It is estimated that approximately 13,750 new recipients will be affected by the new rates of €100 for 18-24 year-olds in 2014.
Youth unemployment is being specifically targeted through our Youth Guarantee initiative. Under the initiative, it is intended that young people aged 18-24 years who become unemployed (whether on loss of a job or while seeking a first employment) and register with the benefits/employment service, and who subsequently remain unemployed for four months, will be provided with assistance to secure work or alternatively with a quality offer of training, education or work experience.
In terms of the training and work experience opportunities being provided to the under 25s, the following table taken from the Youth Guarantee Implementation plan outlines the expected provision and associated costs for 2014.
Expected participation, activation programmes, 2014
|
Programme |
Average participation |
Inflow of new participants |
Expected inflow of young people |
|
Training/Education |
|||
|
Youthreach/Community Training Centres |
6,000 |
3,300 |
3,300 |
|
Momentum* |
6,500 |
6,500 |
2,000 |
|
Back to Education Allowance (excl. Momentum)** |
18,500 |
9,300 |
3,300 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
11,000 |
5,500 |
200 |
|
Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme |
5,600 |
2,800 |
500 |
|
FÁS/Solas |
10,300 |
25,000 |
9,500 |
|
Work Experience/Enterprise supports |
- |
- |
- |
|
JobBridge (including planned reserve) |
7,700 |
13,300 |
5,000 |
|
Tús |
7,500 |
7,500 |
1,000 |
|
JobsPlus |
4,000 |
2,000 |
1,500 |
|
Count Enterprise Boards/MFI micro-loans for young people |
150 |
150 |
|
|
International Work Experience and Training |
250 |
250 |
250 |
|
Gateway |
3,000 |
3,000 |
450 |
|
Community Employment |
25,300 |
12,700 |
500 |
|
Total |
105,650 |
92,000 |
28,350 |
|
Memorandum items: PLCs Apprenticeship |
35,000 8,000 |
32,000 2,500 |
22,000 2,000 |
|
Vocational Third Level |
It is estimated that at least 50% of the 41,000 entrants to third level each year are entering courses leading towards defined occupations |
As part of tis overall provision for 2014, and 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 the Department of Social Protection
- The Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation making €2.5m 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 €46 million.
373. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons participating in community employment schemes up to the end of 2013; if she will provide details on a county basis and in tabular form and due to the demand by communities for the scheme and huge waiting list of potential participants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1292/14]
View answerThe number of person's participating in Community Employment (CE) schemes as at the end of 2013 is 23,943. The following table has the provisional year-end 2013 figures by county for CE.
|
County |
Total |
|
Carlow |
399 |
|
Cavan |
284 |
|
Clare |
605 |
|
Cork |
2,198 |
|
Donegal |
1,169 |
|
Dublin |
5,997 |
|
Galway |
1,538 |
|
Kerry |
1,014 |
|
Kildare |
817 |
|
Kilkenny |
443 |
|
Laois |
282 |
|
Leitrim |
172 |
|
Limerick |
1,196 |
|
Longford |
305 |
|
Louth |
845 |
|
Mayo |
796 |
|
Meath |
488 |
|
Monaghan |
358 |
|
Offaly |
372 |
|
Roscommon |
320 |
|
Sligo |
442 |
|
Tipperary |
992 |
|
Waterford |
766 |
|
Westmeath |
590 |
|
Wexford |
933 |
|
Wicklow |
622 |
|
Grand Total |
23,943 |
2,000 additional CE places were added to the capacity of the scheme during 2013. The supply of places is being matched to the demand requirements, based on feedback from the CE projects.
All Community Employment vacancies are advertised on the Department’s JobsIreland.ie public website. As vacancies arise, clients who have expressed an interest in CE and who meet the eligibility criteria are referred for interview by the Intreo Offices to CE employers.
