Written Answers Nos. 84-90
84. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an appeal relating to an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4481/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has been 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.
85. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the advertising of jobs under the JobBridge scheme whose minimum criteria include the attainment of a PhD; if this is in keeping with the spirit of the scheme; her plans to review such activities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4485/14]
View answerJobBridge is giving opportunities to jobseekers across the spectrum of qualifications. Participation on the scheme is voluntary. Given the numbers of unemployed jobseekers holding graduate and post-graduate qualifications, it is obviously necessary that JobBridge is in a position to offer them an internship that reflects their abilities, aspirations and qualifications. In this regard a previous criticism directed at the Department was that the terms of its jobseeker payments prevented jobseekers, including graduate jobseekers, from taking up internship opportunities as a route into employment. JobBridge addresses this issue and I am satisfied that it is appropriate to do so.
The Department has a number of controls in place to prevent abuse of the scheme. These include requirements on host organisations to provide a mentor to the intern, to sign and operate a standard agreement, to submit regular monitoring reports to the Department and to co-operate with random monitoring visits. Over 4,400 monitoring visits have been conducted to date, 98% of which were found to be satisfactory. There are also limits placed on the number of internships that can be offered by any one organisation related to the number of staff employed by the company and there are restrictions on the repeat or sequential use of internships. I am satisfied based on the Department’s own monitoring visits and the report of the independent evaluation that these controls are working effectively.
86. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for the domiciliary care allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4525/14]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received on the 28th August 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance and a letter issued on the 23rd September 2013 advising of the decision.
A review of this decision has been requested and additional information on this child’s condition/care needs has been supplied. The review requires that the case be looked at by a further medical assessor. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed.
87. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection the moneys that were paid out to persons in County Galway relating to the flooding incident in 2009; the number of persons who applied for such funding; the number who were eventually successful; the amount of the funding that was allocated to the areas of Ballinasloe and Claregalway, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4528/14]
View answerThe Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as the flooding of November 2009, October 2011, June 2012 and that experienced during recent weeks.
A humanitarian assistance scheme was approved by Government in response to these floods. The scheme, which is means tested, is available to people whose homes were damaged in the flooding and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair as a result of the flooding damage.
To date a total of €2.2 million has been paid out under the humanitarian assistance scheme of which €660,000 has been paid in respect of some 1,200 claims in County Galway. Statistics are not available in relation to specific locations within the county, such as Ballinasloe or Claregalway, or in relation to the number of applicants who were unsuccessful with their claim.
The Government decided in December 2010 that this Department could hold a provision of up to €4 million to assist up to 20 households (in Galway, Roscommon and Offaly) who experienced severe flooding in November 2009 toward relocation costs. Contracts have been issued to the 20 customers who are eligible for relocation costs under the scheme and to date compensation totalling €1.5 million has been paid to 10 of these applicants who have complied with the conditions of the scheme. Nine of these customers live in Co. Galway.
Any person experiencing hardship as a result of flooding should contact their local DSP staff administering the supplementary welfare allowance scheme who may be able to offer assistance.
88. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on the relocation process from the special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4339/14]
View answerA total of 2,853 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme have been received and acknowledged by my Department. Of these, 800 applicants have expressed an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs.
Relocation is a very complex process, in terms of investigating suitable sites for turf quality and quantity, the infrastructure/drainage works required, establishing the number that can be accommodated on the site, the cost and feasibility of land purchase or lease, and possible planning and Environmental Impact Assessment requirements. In that regard, Bord na Móna has assessed in the region of 100 potential relocation sites at the request of my Department. Bord na Móna has also commenced negotiations with landowners in relation to the purchase or long-term lease of sites.
Notwithstanding this complexity, progress in relocating turf cutters to non-designated bogs is being achieved in a number of cases.
Arrangements for the relocation of turf cutters to non-designated bogs have been made as regards a group from Clara Bog special area of conservation in County Offaly and a group from Carrownagappul Bog and Curraghlehanagh Bog special areas of conservation in County Galway. The group from Clara Bog commenced turf cutting at the relocation site in Killeranny, County Offaly, in June 2012, where 23 qualifying turf cutters have now been accommodated. Turf cutting for the 2013 season took place on this site in April last. My Department envisages that qualifying turf cutters from the group from Carrownagappul Bog and Curraghlehanagh Bog will be able to commence turf cutting in a relocation site from the 2014 turf cutting season.
Progress has been made with a view to the relocation of qualifying turf cutters from Ballynafagh Bog special area of conservation in County Kildare to Timahoe North, County Kildare, which is in the ownership of Bord na Móna. My Department envisages that qualifying turf cutters from Ballynafagh Bog will be able to commence cutting in the relocation site during the 2014 turf cutting season, provided that final agreement is reached with them.
Progress has also been made with a view to the relocation of a small group of qualifying turf cutters from Ballynamona Bog and Corkip Lough special area of conservation in County Roscommon to Togher, County Roscommon, which is in the ownership of Bord na Móna. My Department envisages that this group of qualifying turf cutters will be able to commence cutting in the relocation site during the 2014 turf cutting season, provided that final agreement is reached with them.
I am advised that of the remaining 49 raised bog special areas of conservation, potential relocation sites have been identified for a further 33 bogs and work is ongoing on identifying and investigating sites. Relocation is unlikely to be required, or is likely to be small-scale, for another 16 raised bog special areas of conservation due, for example, to the small number that had been cutting turf on these sites during the relevant five year period and would qualify for the relocation option available under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme.
A payment of €1,500, index-linked, or a supply of 15 tonnes of cut turf per annum is available under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme to applicants while awaiting relocation to non-designated bogs.
89. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in respect of capital building projects under the remit of his Department and the building programmes planned for 2014, if he will outline the impact the new building control regulations 2013, that come into effect on 1 March, will have on the costs of each specific project; if he will list the projects under way; the extra costs that will be incurred on each project due to increased professional fees and increased supervision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4360/14]
View answerThe capital allocation to my Department's Vote Group encompasses a small number of building projects. A number of these projects are delivered by bodies/agencies within my Department's ambit, including the National Cultural Institutions, the Heritage Council, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Waterways Ireland or by the Office of Public Works on behalf of the Department or its agencies. As the Deputy is aware, the Regulations in question, which come into effect on 1 March, do not apply to projects which have already commenced. The impact of the Regulations on the costs of projects to commence after that date will be determined by market forces and the normal public procurement rules and cannot easily be anticipated at this time.
90. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén uair a líonfaidh sé an folúntas do Phríomh-Oifigeach sa Bhrainse Logaimneacha le duine ag a mbeidh na cáilíochtaí cuí mar thaighdeoir, ionas gur féidir leis an gCoiste Logaimneacha tuairiscí cruinne a fháil uaidh nó uaithi chun oibriú dá réir. [4376/14]
View answerOibríonn an Brainse Logainmneacha laistigh de Rannóg Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta mo Roinne. Tá beirt Ardoifigeach Logainmneacha agus Oifigeach Logainmneacha amháin fostaithe ar an bhfoireann taighde sa Roinn faoi láthair agus iad ag plé le clár oibre ar leith.
Mar is eol don Teachta, níl Príomhoifigeach Logaimneacha fostaithe ag an Roinn faoi láthair, ós rud é go bhfuil mo Roinnse ag feidhmiú faoi réir an choisc ar earcaíocht san earnáil phoiblí. É sin ráite, is cúis áthais dom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil an post seo a líonadh ar an mbonn gur post gníomhach a bheidh ann agus tá socruithe á gcur in áit chuige sin anois. Táim muiníneach go gcuirfidh sé seo an leibhéal riachtanach tacaíochta ar fáil don Choiste Logainmneacha.
