Written Answers Nos. 356-374
356. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is in part-time employment only but is not entitled to claim jobseeker’s benefit, that person may sign for social insurance contribution credits and, therefore, become eligible for the JobBridge scheme. [2584/14]
View answerCredited contributions (credits) are social insurance contributions which are awarded, under certain circumstances such as unemployment or illness, to an insured person without payment of a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution. Their purpose is to help protect the social insurance entitlements of insured persons during periods when paid PRSI contributions are not due.
A person engaged in employment, whether full or part-time, pays a PRSI contribution in respect of each week or part-week of employment. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate to award unemployment credits to a person who has no entitlement to a payment and who already has a paid PRSI contribution for that period.
JobBridge is the National Internship Scheme which is designed to provide work experience placements for unemployed people. The scheme is aimed at people on the Live Register who are unable to get a job without experience, either because they are new entrants to the labour market after education or training or they are unemployed workers who want to learn new skills.
If any customer wishes to make a social welfare enquiry or to submit a formal application, they should contact their social welfare local office/Intreo office.
358. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection when a payment of jobseeker's allowance will be completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick in view of the comprehensive correspondence received by her Department from the applicant. [2589/14]
View answer360. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection when payment of jobseeker's allowance will be completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick in view of the comprehensive correspondence received by her Department from the applicant. [2642/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 360 together.
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 16 January 2014 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.
359. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an entitlement to a social welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2611/14]
View answerThe entitlement of the person concerned cannot be examined until such time as the person concerned makes a claim with this Department. The Department cannot comment on any entitlement which may arise in another jurisdiction.
361. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the maximum rent limits for each county for payment of rent supplement was decided; the person who decided the limits; the consultation that took place locally to verify that the limits are realistic and would not make it difficult for persons to source or remain in accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2648/14]
View answerThe purpose of rent supplement 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 80,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.
The implementation of revised maximum rent limits under the rent supplement scheme was approved by Government on 5 June 2013, following an extensive review of the private rental market undertaken by the Department. The revised rent limits came into effect on 17 June 2013 and will remain in place until 31 December 2014. The emphasis of the review was to ensure that value for money was achieved whilst, at the same time, ensuring that people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation.
During the rent limit review, the Department used information from rental tenancies registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) to analyse actual rental costs in each county across the country. The Department also used publicly available data sources including the Central Statistics Office rental indices, the Daft.ie Rental Report and websites, advertising rental properties to ascertain both the market trends and the current asking prices for one, two and three bedroom properties. Rent limits were set to ensure that approximately 35% of available supply of housing is available to rent supplement tenancies.
The Department also sought the views of a number of stakeholders to inform the review process, including Departmental staff with responsibility for the administration of the rent supplement scheme.
There have been increases in the maximum rent limits in Dublin and Galway 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 been provided for in North Kildare and Bray areas.
Officials in the Department will continue to monitor the impact of the revised rates ensuring that the accommodation needs of rent supplement recipients are met.
362. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the refusal of every application for social welfare in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [2654/14]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance and jobseeker’s allowance claims, by the person concerned, were disallowed by a Designated/Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that she failed to disclose her means.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeals in this case were referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing of both appeals.
Every effort will be made to hear the cases 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.
363. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new community employment places that have been created in each county in 2013; the work types to which they have been allocated; and her plans to create further places. [2662/14]
View answerThe following table details the additional places that have been allocated since January 2013 either to specific Community Employment (CE) schemes within each county, or to the DSP Divisional Manager for allocation within their division. The places were divided into the main dedicated placement types of child care-related, health care-related, drugs schemes and Other (i.e. general CE). If an additional supervisor was requested this was also recorded separately. Innovatory projects were also distinguished by Supervisor and participant places allocated. The overall number of places allocated to divisions to date is 1,767. The remainder of the budgeted 2,000 additional places (233) will be utilised to back-fill places vacated under the re-organisation of childcare provision on CE into fully dedicated childcare schemes.
Place type
|
County |
Childcare |
Health |
Drugs |
Other |
Supervisor |
Innov. Supervisor |
Innov Participant |
Total |
|
Carlow Total |
18 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
41 |
|
Cavan Total |
12 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Clare Total |
5 |
29 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
|
Cork Total |
34 |
58 |
0 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
122 |
|
Donegal Total |
20 |
23 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
47 |
|
Dublin Total |
21 |
59 |
0 |
133 |
0 |
3 |
58 |
274 |
|
Galway Total |
18 |
33 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
54 |
|
Kerry Total |
11 |
20 |
0 |
35 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
66 |
|
Kildare Total |
29 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
21 |
69 |
|
Kilkenny Total |
21 |
54 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
77 |
|
Laois Total |
9 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
|
Leitrim Total |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Longford Total |
9 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Louth Total |
21 |
29 |
2 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
73 |
|
Mayo Total |
4 |
35 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
39 |
|
Meath Total |
5 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
|
Monaghan Total |
18 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
|
Offaly Total |
4 |
25 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
|
Roscommon Total |
16 |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
38 |
|
Sligo Total |
8 |
21 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
29 |
|
Tipperary Total |
9 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
24 |
39 |
|
Waterford Total |
14 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
38 |
|
Westmeath Total |
11 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
|
Wexford Total |
13 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
39 |
|
Wicklow Total |
0 |
8 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
Divisional Places allocated by Divisional Manager
|
County |
Childcare |
Health |
Drugs |
Other |
Supervisor |
Innov. Supervisor |
Innov Participant |
Total |
|
Cork Central Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50 |
|
Mid Leinster Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50 |
|
Midlands North Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
49 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
49 |
|
Midlands South Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
63 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
63 |
|
Mid-West Total |
0 |
12 |
0 |
51 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
63 |
|
North East Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
71 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
71 |
|
North West Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
|
South East Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
103 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
103 |
|
West Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
34 |
|
Grand Total |
337 |
561 |
29 |
730 |
1 |
6 |
103 |
1,767 |
|
Division |
County |
|
Cork Central Division |
Cork City and environs |
|
Mid Leinster Division |
Wicklow, Carlow, Kildare |
|
Midlands North Division |
Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon |
|
Midlands South Division |
Offaly, Laois, Tipperary, Kilkenny |
|
Mid-West Division |
Clare, Limerick |
|
North East Division |
Louth, Monaghan, Cavan |
|
North West Division |
Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim |
|
South East Division |
Waterford, Wexford |
|
South West Division |
Kerry, Cork County (excluding Cork City) |
|
West Division |
Galway, Mayo |
364. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection when the review group report on domiciliary care allowance will be published; the recommendations and implementation plan on foot of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2663/14]
View answerThe review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme (DCA) was published in April 2013 The report makes a number of recommendations in relation to the operation of the scheme. The full report, including all of the recommendations, is published on www.welfare.ie.
An implementation group, comprising of officials from the Department of Social Protection, other relevant departments/ relevant bodies and parent/representative groups has been established to action the administrative recommendations in the report. Some of these recommendations require changes to the Department’s IT systems. This work and the work on the remaining administrative changes is underway and progressing well.
It is intended to have the administrative recommendations contained in the report will be implemented in the near future.
365. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2683/14]
View answerThe Department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person in question on 26 October 2012. Under the provisions of carer’s benefit and carer’s leave legislation, a person claiming carer’s benefit may take up limited employment outside the home for up to 15 hours per week. Earnings from this limited employment cannot exceed €332.50 per week.
The employer confirmed that the person in question was working within the limited hours and earnings per week and carer’s benefit was awarded from 10 January 2013 to 7 January 2015. Following a control check, involving an investigation by a social welfare inspector (SWI) it was established that the person concerned works less than 15 hours per week apart from one week per month when the person in question works 4 consecutive nights. Both the hourly limit and earnings limit for these particular weeks are exceeded.
Carer’s benefit legislation states that a person who, having been in receipt of carer’s benefit for less than 6 weeks, ceases to be entitled to that benefit they shall be disqualified for receipt of carer’s benefit for 6 weeks from the last day for which he or she was entitled to the benefit. Therefore, where a person does not satisfy the conditions for receipt of carer’s benefit for 1 week out of every 4, they are also deemed not to satisfy the conditions for the other 3 weeks.
On 11 December 2013 a letter was issued to the person concerned outlining the circumstances as the Department sees them and the consequences of those circumstances and giving them the opportunity to present their own case in response.
On 17 January 2014 a formal decision was issued to the person concerned stating that her carer’s benefit claim has been suspended. A copy of this letter including correspondence received from the person concerned was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for an appeal to be opened. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will be in direct contact with the person concerned in due course.
366. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an invalidity pension appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2686/14]
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.
367. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance application will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2688/14]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 23rd September 2013. The application is currently with a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of the level of care being provided and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the investigative officer has completed and submitted the report a deciding officer will make a decision and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
368. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a jobseeker's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2707/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 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.
If the means of the person concerned are insufficient to meet his needs he should contact Community Welfare Services concerning his possible eligibility to supplementary welfare allowance while his appeal is pending.
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 Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in dealing with an appeal in relation to refusal of illness benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [2753/14]
View answerPayment of illness benefit to the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. An appeal was registered on 15 October 2013 and in the context of that appeal she was examined by a second Medical Assessor on 29 November 2013 who also expressed the decision that she was capable of work.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that in light of the second capable opinion it was decided to afford the person concerned an opportunity of setting out her complete and up to date grounds of her appeal and to furnish any further medical evidence that she wished to submit in support of her appeal.
The grounds of appeal were received on 7 January 2014 and at this stage and in accordance with statutory requirements the Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal have been 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.
370. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of an application for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2756/14]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 12th December 2013. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
372. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date in determination of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2762/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28 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.
374. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount she will invest in the youth guarantee in 2014 and 2015. [2767/14]
View answerYouth unemployment is being specifically targeted through our Youth Guarantee initiative.
I will be publishing details of this initiative shortly. However, the table below outlines the expected provision and indicative costs associated with the provision of training and work experience opportunities for under 25s in 2014. Projections for 2015 are not yet available, but expenditure is likely to be on a similar scale to 2014.
These costs will be funded, in the first instance, by the Irish Exchequer. However, it is expected that a number of these programmes will meet ESF eligibility criteria and will be included in the Youth Employment Initiative application for Ireland. This should permit EU funding to be drawn down in respect of expenditure in 2014 and 2015 to a level that should enable the full YEI allocation for Ireland of €68.1 million in current prices (with a further similar amount in ESF funding) to be taken up over those two years.
Expected participation, activation programmes, 2014
|
Programme |
Average participation |
Inflow of new participants |
Expected inflow of young people |
Indicative 2014 cost of youth provision (€million) |
|
Youthreach/CTC |
6,000 |
3,300 |
3,300 |
110.0 |
|
JobBridge (including planned reserve) |
7,700 |
13,300 |
5,000 |
27.0 |
|
Tus |
7,500 |
7,500 |
1,000 |
15.9 |
|
JobsPlus |
4,000 |
2,000 |
1,500 |
4.5 |
|
Momentum* |
6,500 |
6,500 |
2,000 |
6.1 |
|
BTEA (excl Momentum)** |
18,500 |
9,300 |
3,300 |
60.0 |
|
BTWEA |
11,000 |
5,500 |
200 |
4.1 |
|
VTOS |
5,600 |
2,800 |
500 |
14.3 |
|
FAS/Solas |
10,300 |
25,000 |
9,500 |
72.0 |
|
CEB youth Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring supports |
700 |
700 |
1.0 |
|
|
CEB/MFI micro-loans for young people |
150 |
150 |
2.5 |
|
|
International Work Experience and Training |
250 |
250 |
250 |
2.5 |
|
Gateway |
3,000 |
3,000 |
450 |
2.5 |
|
Community Employment |
25,300 |
12,700 |
500 |
14.0 |
|
Total |
105,650 |
92,000 |
28,350 |
336.4 |
|
Memorandum items: PLCs Apprenticeship |
35,000 8,000 |
32,000 2,500 |
22,000 2,000 |
117.0 75.0 |
|
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 |
N/A |
||
|
Overall total |
528.4 (excluding vocational third level) |
As part of the overall 2014 provision outlined above, 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.
