Written Answers Nos. 121-136
122. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will take the legislative or other necessary steps to ensure people who are parenting alone and continue to satisfy the means test requirement for one-parent family payment will not be transferred from that payment to the back to education allowance with the resultant loss of the maintenance portion of their student grant for the duration of their course. [3524/14]
View answerThe Department has been working to ensure that all customers who are affected by the age change reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme have a suitable route through this change from both an income support and activation perspective.
Given that there is no work conditionality attached to the OFP scheme, recipients of the payment can participate in training and education programmes and are not obliged to inform the Department of this fact. In some cases, OFP recipients inform the Department and, where relevant, they can transfer to the back-to-education allowance (BTEA) scheme at the start of a course. Where entitlement to the OFP payment ceases for these recipients at any point during the course, they can continue to participate in the BTEA scheme until the course is completed.
In the case of customers who have not informed the Department of their study commitments, and whose entitlement to the OFP payment ceases mid-course, the main income support option available to them is the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) scheme. However, the JA conditionality that requires recipients to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work would preclude individuals from participating in a full time education course. Therefore the likeliest course for these customers would be to leave their course in order to qualify for a JA payment. Such an outcome would be counter-productive and would not serve the activation objectives of the Department. As a result, the relevant BTEA provisions have been amended to allow former OFP recipients to avail of the BTEA scheme where they are midway through a course, assuming that all of the relevant qualifying criteria are met. This approach is the only way which enables these customers to continue to receive income support from the Department while enabling them to continue their education.
Students may get financial support through the means-tested student grant scheme, which is administered by the Department of Education and Skills. Grant rates for qualifying students vary according to a number of factors, including household income, family size, and whether the student's college is close to their permanent residence. The scheme is made up of a maintenance grant for living costs and of a fee grant that covers the student contribution charge, tuition fees, and the cost of essential field trips, as well as of a post-graduate grant in some instances.
Since September, 2010, students who are in receipt of the BTEA allowance can no longer avail concurrently of the maintenance grant component of the student grant scheme. This provision was introduced by the Department of Education and Skills in Budget 2010. Students may retain eligibility for the fee grant component of the scheme, if applicable.
Any changes to the eligibility and operation of the student grant scheme is an issue for my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills in the first instance.
123. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the crisis in rent supplement, including an update on claim processing times; and the total number of rent supplement recipients who will be transferred to the new housing assistance programme by the end of 2014. [3523/14]
View answer134. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding reforms to rent supplement payments; and when the housing assistance payment system will be in place. [3519/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 134 together.
The 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 timescale for determining applications for rent supplement is dependent, among other things, on the availability of the required information, such as details of the applicant’s income and bank statements. Some aspects of the application are inevitably time consuming and delays can occur where investigations such as home visits or third party evidence are required. Delays can also arise if the applicant is slow to respond to requests for additional information. In cases where all the necessary information is provided at initial application stage, rent supplement claims are generally processed between two and five working days.
The provision of a prompt service is a major objective for the Department’s staff dealing with rent supplement applications. This is tempered by the necessity to ensure that every case is fully investigated and dealt with in a consistent and fair manner.
The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of a short-term income support. Approximately 50,000 of recipients are in receipt of the supplement for over 18 months. In July 2013 the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Under HAP, responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from the Department of Social Protection to local authorities using HAP.
Officials in the Department are working with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in developing proposals to give effect to this transfer. It is intended that the scheme will be piloted in Limerick local authority in early 2014 with further roll out to selected authorities during the year. The total number of rent supplement recipients that will be transferred to HAP by the end of 2014 is not known at this time.
125. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she has taken to ensure, in the guidance notes for the Pensions Board relating to the recently enacted Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013, that a scale of protection to recognise length of service, age, duration and varying contributions made is included to protect members with long pensionable service and contributions; and that the Pensions Board is required to not just notify pensioners about reductions but to provide for negotiations and appeals. [3527/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare and Pensions (No.2) Act provides for the issue of guidance in relation to the drawdown of State funding in the event of the wind up of an underfunded scheme, where the employer is insolvent and the scheme does not have sufficient resources to meet 50% of scheme benefits or benefits up to a maximum of €12,000. This guidance is being advanced at present.
The use of age and length of service in the calculation and determination of pension benefits in a situation of scheme wind up was considered in some depth during the deliberation process. With regard to length of service, it can be argued that the approach currently in place in relation to the calculation of scheme benefits is in fact a service related approach as greater benefits are accrued by those with longer service. However, an age related approach would raise risks in relation to age discrimination.
Any consideration of a restructure of pension scheme benefits under section 50 of the Pensions Act must comply with the provisions in the Act and with guidance issued by the Pensions Board. The current guidance makes provision for the notification of all pensioners in advance of any application to the Pensions Board to restructure scheme benefits. In such circumstances a pensioner will have at least one month to make a submission to the trustees of the scheme in relation to such a proposal. The Pensions Board must be satisfied that all the provisions in the guidance are complied with before the Board will consider issuing a notice to restructure scheme benefits.
The matter of representation by pensioner groups in the situation of a change to scheme benefits needs to be considered in a broader industrial relations context. In this regard, I have asked my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to examine this matter.
126. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection the activation measures she has in place for 2014 to help persons with a disability to find employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3677/14]
View answerThe Department provides a wide range of income and work-related supports for people with disabilities. Work-related supports include the EmployAbility service (formerly the Supported Employment Programme) which facilitates the integration of people with disabilities into paid employment in the open labour market; and a number of other supports specifically for employers (the Wage Subsidy Scheme - which pays an employer a subsidy for employing a person with a disability – the Work Equipment Adaptation Grant, the Employee Retention Grant, and the Disability Awareness Scheme). Furthermore, participation in Community Employment (CE) schemes is also open to people with disabilities.
I would also point out that I launched the Disability Activation Project (DACT) at the end of 2012. The DACT Project is jointly funded by the European Social Fund and the Department of Social Protection and is targeted at projects in the Borders, Midlands and Western (BMW) region. €7 million is being provided to 14 projects (which will run until early 2015) across the BMW region to address four specific strands around the employment of people with disabilities.
The four strands are as follows:-
(a) improving access to employment,
(b) progression programmes for young people,
(c) support for progression and retention of people with an acquired disability, and
(d) innovative employer initiatives.
The outcomes of these projects will be crucial in determining the optimum approaches to be taken in relation to mainstreaming activation measures generally for people with disabilities.
In addition, the Department fund the WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) project the objective of which is to bring graduates and employers together to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities.
In the meantime, the specific activation service managed by the Department - Intreo – is being extended nationwide in 2014 and is available to any person with a disability who wishes to avail of the service.
The Department is committed to supporting people with disabilities to participate more fully in society and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers they may encounter in finding work and at work.
127. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to approve more places on the rural social scheme to help with coastal rehabilitation works following the recent storms; whether she is willing to provide additional materials and-or money for the existing schemes along the coast for this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3518/14]
View answerWork undertaken by participants on the rural social scheme supports the provision of services of benefit to rural communities. Day-to-day operational responsibility rests with each of the Implementing Bodies contracted by the Department to deliver the scheme. These bodies comprise local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In general, participants on the scheme are required to work on a range of service provisions within an overall framework developed and delivered by the Implementing Bodies in response to demand from the communities they serve. This framework takes account of movements in work requirements, new opportunities, completion of existing tasks, emerging pressures and priorities, weather and other matters that impact on the tasks undertaken.
Primary responsibility for determining works in respect of clean-up operations and remedial tasks resulting from recent storm damage rests with county councils. I am confident that Implementing Bodies will respond to providing whatever assistance is determined by county councils and/or other statutory agencies on weather related remedial work. In addition to the RSS, implementing bodies have recourse to additional resources from Tús should such be required to support remedial works. Funding of remedial works is primarily a matter for each county council and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and I have no proposals to divert funds from the RSS for such works.
128. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the community welfare service walk-in service to the public health centre in Athy, County Kildare, thereby ensuring residents in this RAPID town continue to have direct access to community welfare officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3681/14]
View answerThe Department is examining the operation of all its services, including the Community Welfare Service, in the context of the Pathways to Work commitments and the development of Intreo services nationally. A significant reform programme to ensure appropriate resources are focused in the provision of opportunities, supports and assistance for unemployed persons is well advanced. The re-balancing of resources across the Department’s range of activities – payment processing, control and activation has resulted in changes in the way CWS services are delivered and the rationalisation of some Community Welfare Service clinics.
In Co. Kildare, in preparation for these changes, the Department contacted all affected customers directly, advising them of the changes in the services. The Community Welfare Service in Athy which was formerly available two mornings per week at a walk-in clinic is now available Monday to Friday through initial telephone contact, which means the service can be delivered without the need to attend a clinic. Telephone calls are followed by appointments if necessary, home visit or application by post for non-urgent claims.
All calls are returned within one working day and emergency calls are prioritised. Where any customers are not able by reason of illness or disability to attend an appointment arrangements will be made to see them in their home. A fast referral service has now also been put in place with a standard referral form issued to local organisations and representatives.
Prior to the restructuring, several changes to the operation of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme (SWA) in South Kildare/West Wicklow had already been made. All claims for Rent Supplement were centralised to a dedicated unit. All claims for Mortgage Interest Supplement were centralised to one office within the area. A system of Integrated Decisions was put in place in Newbridge Local Office in order to expedite claims for Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit and One Parent Family payment and thus minimise the recourse to SWA in these cases.
The result of these initiatives has been to greatly reduce the dependence on SWA, and the local Community Welfare Service, in local areas. The main business now transacted locally is applications for Exceptional Needs Payments.
All changes will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure adequate services continue to be available.
Contact details for the Athy service are as follows:
|
Area |
Telephone |
|
Athy - Castledermot |
045 - 887831 |
|
Dunlavin – Ballitore – Baltinglass |
045 - 887829 |
|
Rent Supplement Claims |
1890 - 800698 |
|
Mortgage Interest Supplement claims |
045 - 887833 |
|
Fax Number for Referrals |
045 - 887845 |
|
Postal Address for all Referrals |
P.O. Box 700, Naas, Co. Kildare. |
132. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has submitted her Department's plan for the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ireland; the actions in this plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2194/14]
View answerThe EU Council Recommendation on The Youth Guarantee is that member states should:
“Ensure that all young people under the age of 25 years receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.”
In agreeing this recommendation, the EU accepted that the Guarantee would need to be implemented over a period of time on a phased basis in countries such as Ireland facing very significant fiscal constraints.
The development of an implementation plan for the guarantee was led by the Department working with the support of an interdepartmental group of senior officials from the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of the Tánaiste. In developing the plan the interdepartmental group took account of submissions received as part of a consultative process with stakeholders, and the outputs from various EU meetings, including meetings of EU Heads of State. The Group also consulted with the OECD.
After getting approval from Cabinet late last year, the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan was finalised and forwarded to the EU Commission at the end of December. The Minister for Education and Skills and I are publishing this plan today. The OECD report on the development of a Youth Guarantee for Ireland will be published at the same time.
The plan brings together all Government measures in 2014 across a range of Departments that contribute to the transition of young people from education to work, and from unemployment to work.
In keeping with the Government’s broader focus on tackling long-term unemployment, the plan will in the first instance target interventions at those young people most at risk of long-term unemployment as the Guarantee is introduced on a phased basis.
Ireland already has most of the key elements of a Youth Guarantee, as identified by the EU, in place including:
- A quality offer of second level education for all young people under 18.
- Second chance education/training options for early school leavers via Youthreach and Community Training Centres.
- Access to free third-level and further education programmes.
- Apprenticeship and work-focussed training initiatives such as Momentum.
- State supported Internships such as JobBridge.
- Targeted employment subsidies such as JobsPlus.
- Work experience options such as TÚS and Gateway.
- Reformed employment services which combine the delivery of welfare with job search/guidance services and employer engagement (at Intreo centres and via JobsIreland).
In order to maximise the return from structures already in place, the Youth Guarantee will build on existing programmes and:
- Reserve places on existing programmes for young people who are already long-term unemployed.
- Develop variants of these programmes/offers tailored specifically for unemployed young people. These tailored offers will include:
- Earlier and faster engagement for young people under Intreo.
- New options under JobBridge for the most disadvantaged cohort of young people.
- New options under the JobsPlus recruitment subsidy scheme to accelerate the entry to work of young people.
- Enterprise supports to help young people start their own businesses.
It is estimated that expenditure on programmes providing employment, training and further education opportunities for young people will be in excess of €500m in 2014. This refers to both existing and new funding, including the EU funding that is expected to be drawn down.
As part of this overall 2014 provision and as an initial step towards preparing for implementation of the Guarantee, specific provision was made in the 2014 Budget for:
- Reducing the threshold (in terms of duration of unemployment) for JobsPlus eligibility from 12 months to 4 months 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 specific headings in the 2014 Budget comes to €46 million.
133. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reinstate her Department's pension forecast service, which was available to PRSI contributors in the past, in view of the great uncertainty and anxiety that has arisen from impending changes to the State pension, and the unreliability of the private pension system to provide adequate retirement income more generally. [3522/14]
View answerState pension entitlements can only be assessed on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an applicant reaches pension age. A person’s State pension (contributory) pension entitlement depends on the accuracy of their social security record to date, their future employment patterns, and their ongoing contributions to the social insurance fund until they reach the age of eligibility for pension, which is currently 66 years. Therefore, the Department is not in a position to provide information on possible future State pension (contributory) entitlements.
To assist people in calculating what their future State pension entitlements may be, the Department will provide individuals with details of their social insurance record to date, which should be used in conjunction with the detailed information available on the Department’s website, www.welfare.ie, in Frequently Asked Questions format. Information officers of the Department and the staff of the Citizen’s Information Services are also available to assist anyone who has a difficulty. Requests for a copy of their insurance record can be made through a variety of channels:
- online, via www.welfare.ie
- by telephoning LoCall 1890 690 690 (or + 353 1 471 5898, if living outside Ireland) or
- by writing to
The Department of Social Protection
Client Eligibility Services
McCarter’s Road
Ardarvan
Buncrana
Co. Donegal.
Should a person identify gaps or omissions in their social insurance record, they should contact the Department at the above address in order to have this rectified.
135. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a person (details supplied) who has recently received notification that they are ineligible for rent supplement allowance as they are in full-time education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3683/14]
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.
Persons in receipt of the one-parent family payment who are attending a full time course of education but not availing of the back to education allowance (BTEA) do not have an entitlement to rent supplement. During the course of a review of their entitlement in January of this year it came to light that the person is attending a full time course of education and is not in receipt of BTEA. The person was asked to clarify their circumstances. Rent supplement was paid up to 4 January 2014, but has now ceased on the grounds that the person is attending a full time course of education. A letter issued to the person concerned formally advising them of the decision that they no longer have an entitlement to rent supplement. The course of education being pursued by the person concerned is at postgraduate (MA) level and would not ordinarily be eligible for the BTEA scheme. There is no record of the person concerned having applied for BTEA approval in respect of this course. An officer from the Department will contact the person concerned to establish whether there may be an underlying entitlement to BTEA in this case.
