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Thursday, 30 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 103-109

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Questions (103)

Heather Humphreys

Question:

103. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will have a decision made on their carer's allowance appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4754/14]

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Written answers

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case.

Every effort will be made to hear the case 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.

National Internship Scheme Data

Questions (104, 105)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

104. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of JobBridge internships that have been commenced in each year since the introduction of the scheme; of these figures the number of persons who have completed internships that resulted in the participant achieving employment with the scheme operator; the number of participants who completed their internships and did not enter employment at the end; the number of participants who opted to drop out from their internship prematurely and of those, the number who entered employment; the number who left the State; the number who indicated that they could not financially sustain themselves enough to continue the internship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4755/14]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

105. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of participants who completed a JobBridge internship scheme that obtained employment with their scheme operator; the number that obtained employment with another employer; the number of each category that remained in employment three months after the completion of their JobBridge scheme, six months after the completion and one year after completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4763/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.

I have included in this reply a table representing the number of internships finished in each year since JobBridge came into operation. The data provided in the Table below indicate that 52% of internships are completed early and 48% are completed in full. I am encouraged by the findings of the independent evaluation of the scheme, carried out by Indecon, which found that 63% of early finishers immediately progressed into employment on completion of their internship.

Overall, 58% of those progressing into paid employment do so with their host organisation while 42% do so with another organisation. The Indecon evaluation report also identifies that 36% of all finishers immediately progress into paid employment at the end of their internship, increasing to 50% within 3 months of completion of the internship and increasing again to 61.4%, five months after completion of their internship.

The numbers of those finishing early to move directly into employment is evidence of the satisfactory progress of the scheme. The levels of interns emigrating is reported at less than 2% and the number of interns leaving their internship early due to cost factors is reported at just 2%.

I intend to commission another evaluation of the Scheme in late 2014 to further evaluate a range of areas including the sustainability of employment secured by interns.

Table 1 – JobBridge Internships Finished Each Year

Year

Finished early

Finished Full

Internships Ongoing

Total

2011

1727

2046

0

3773

2012

4530

5043

0

9573

2013

3633

1989

5700

11322

2014

9

1

559

569

Total

9899

9079

6259

25237

Data: 27 th January 2014.

Invalidity Pension Payments

Questions (106)

Pat Breen

Question:

106. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when an invalidity pension payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4774/14]

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Written answers

I 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 was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 23rd 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.

Interdepartmental Working Groups

Questions (107, 108)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

107. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of meetings of the Interdepartmental Working and Retirement Group that have taken place since February 2011; and the agenda for each of those meetings. [4778/14]

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Róisín Shortall

Question:

108. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 319 of 20 March 2013, the proposals that have been made by the interdepartmental working and retirement group. [4779/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 108 together.

The Interdepartmental Working and Retirement Group was established in August 2012 to consider cross departmental policy issues that may support longer working and thereby improve the sustainability and adequacy of pensions systems.

The sustainability of the pension system is a particular concern because of the demographic challenges Ireland faces, the associated increases in pension (and other age related) costs, and the deterioration in the public finances. This means that, in the future, the task of financing increased pension spending will fall to a diminishing share of the working population as demographic projections indicate the ratio of working age to older people will decrease from 5.3 to 1 at present to 2.1 to 1 by 2060. Life expectancy in Ireland is also increasing and whilst this is very welcome development, this also has obvious and significant implications in relation to the future costs of State pension provision. The fundamental principle involved here is that people need to participate in the workforce for longer and they need to contribute more towards their pensions if they are to achieve the income they expect or would like to have in retirement.

The Interdepartmental Group was chaired by the Department of Social Protection and included representatives from the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Pensions Board. Further engagement was also undertaken with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health and Children.

The Group met on four occasions which included a ‘Forum on Working and Retirement’ which was held in Croke Park in December 2012. The purpose of this forum was to obtain views from representative bodies and stakeholders and identify the wide ranging issues linked to working and retirement prior to the development of any possible policy proposals. Attendees included employer and employee representative groups, older people’s representative groups, representatives from the pensions industry, academic commentators and representatives from the legal profession.

The agenda for the Group’s meetings included consideration of the broad range of issues impacting on the labour market participation of older workers; enterprise issues, employment and equality law issues; proposals regarding deferral of the state pension, consideration of occupational pension issues. Several other meetings were held within the Department of Social Protection in furthering the work on this topic.

The Group has examined a number of proposals which may encourage participation and retention in the labour market of older workers and these are currently being considered.

Question No. 109 withdrawn.
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