Written Answers Nos. 103-109
103. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to shorten the waiting period for disability-related appeals in the course of 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11136/14]
View answerDetails of average processing times for the main disability related schemes for 2010 to 2013 which are provided in the following tables point to significant improvements in appeal processing times, particularly in cases where an oral hearing was required. In the case of disability allowance appeals, the average processing time for an oral hearing reduced from 51.1 weeks in 2010 to 36.2 weeks in 2013. Illness benefit appeals which required an oral hearing took an average of 56.4 weeks in 2010 reducing to 43.3 weeks in 2013. A similar trend was reflected in the areas of invalidity pension (down from 59.7 weeks in 2010 to 42.5 weeks in 2013); carer’s allowance (down from 47.3 weeks in 2010 to 33.5 weeks in 2013); carer’s benefit (down from 44.2 weeks in 2010 to 27.4 weeks in 2013); and domiciliary care allowance (down from 49.1 weeks in 2010 to 34.4 weeks in 2013).
Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation and include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer and further investigation or medical examination, if deemed necessary. A major programme of process redesign and modernisation is underway in the Department in relation to many of its scheme areas aimed at reducing backlogs and reducing the time taken by the Department to respond to requests from the appeals office for submissions in relation to appeals. It is anticipated that with these improvements, the processing times for appeals will continue to improve throughout 2014.
Processing times for Disability Allowance Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
30.8 |
51.1 |
|
2011 |
27.4 |
55.6 |
|
2012 |
34.2 |
40.6 |
|
2013 |
29.0 |
36.2 |
Processing times for Illness Benefit Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
39.2 |
56.4 |
|
2011 |
38.2 |
59.8 |
|
2012 |
41.9 |
50.3 |
|
2013 |
37.4 |
43.3 |
Processing times for Invalidity Pension Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
40.0 |
59.7 |
|
2011 |
36.4 |
58.9 |
|
2012 |
38.8 |
48.7 |
|
2013 |
35.0 |
42.5 |
Processing times for Carers Allowance Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
26.9 |
47.3 |
|
2011 |
31.3 |
57.9 |
|
2012 |
33.5 |
42.5 |
|
2013 |
27.9 |
33.5 |
Processing times for Carers Benefit Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
21.6 |
44.2 |
|
2011 |
21.8 |
59.4 |
|
2012 |
27.3 |
35.3 |
|
2013 |
22.5 |
27.4 |
Processing times for Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals 2010-2013
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
2010 |
26.8 |
49.1 |
|
2011 |
25.4 |
55.8 |
|
2012 |
32.5 |
41.4 |
|
2013 |
27.6 |
34.4 |
104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects responsibility for the housing needs of those on local authority housing waiting lists to transfer to the local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11137/14]
View answerThere are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation. The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of a short-term income support. 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. There are over 50,000 in receipt of rent supplement for over 18 months.
Officials in the Department of Social Protection are working with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, who are leading the project, in developing proposals to give effect to this transfer. It is intended that the scheme will be piloted in Limerick local authority by end March 2014 with further roll out to selected local authorities during the year.
105. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which means-tested social welfare payments remain available to the previously self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11139/14]
View answerI assume the Deputy’s Question refers to access to jobseekers allowance for people previously engaged in self-employment. A self-employed person may apply for jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or their income reduces to a low level due a lack of demand for services. Jobseekers allowance is a means tested payment and income from self-employment activity is assessed by reference to the estimated net profit from the business concerned over the coming 12 months. It is recognised that the present downturn in the economy is having a significant impact on many self-employed persons and the consequent reduction in income and activity levels is reflected in any assessment of means from self-employment.
Where it is not possible to estimate income for the coming 12 months, the income for the most recent 12 month period is generally taken as a guide, allowing for any known changes in circumstances which are likely to have a significant effect on income. Accordingly, account is taken of the potential for significant upward or downward variations in income from one year to the next. For example, if a self-employed person lost a contract and was unlikely to find a substitute contract in the coming year, this would be factored into the estimate of future income. In addition to those whose self-employment has ceased, there are over 11,000 people currently in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance payment who are also classified as self-employed, although the current level of engagement in business would vary greatly among this group.
106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which JobBridge and other employment supports are likely to meet their targets in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11140/14]
View answerThe JobBridge scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. Over 26,000 placements have commenced to-date and there are currently over 6,500 jobseekers participating on the scheme. This is broadly in line with the budget for 2014 which provides for a weekly average of 6,740 places to be filled, our objective as part of the Y6 is to increase this number to about 8,000 by year end 2014.
Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In 2014 Tús expects to fill all 7,500 places on the programme and is currently on target. The Community Employment Programme is on course to meet its year-end targets in 2014 in terms of take-up of 25,300 CE places.
Gateway is part of a suite of initiatives being offered by the Department of Social Protection which are designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. A budget of €19m has been earmarked for the initiative in 2014. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with the individual county and/or city council and there is an overall target to provide for 3,000 placements by year end. Participants are currently being selected by a random process conducted by the Department for recruitment by county and city councils. To date, sixty participants have commenced on this initiative with three local authorities.
107. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedures in place to prevent overpayments and underpayments in respect of unemployment-related payments and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11141/14]
View answerIncorrect payments can occur for a number of reasons, including customer or third party error, Departmental error or fraud. The Department makes every effort to ensure that the correct payment is made to the correct customer at the correct time and has measures in place to help ensure that this occurs including ongoing reviews of claims, staff training, detailed scheme guidelines, explanatory circulars and investigation of entitlement by the inspectorate. When a jobseeker’s claim is awarded, or if entitlement has changed following review, details of the decision are notified to the customer setting out the revised decision, the amount payable (where applicable) and how that amount is calculated. This information includes a breakdown of any means assessment. While this detail helps the customer understand their payment, it can also assist in highlighting any errors in the calculation.
Claims are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that customers continue to receive their correct entitlement. However, not all reviews are initiated by the Department as a customer can request a review of entitlement at any time. The Department strives at all times to ensure that people are paid their correct entitlement and to amend that payment in a timely fashion where entitlement changes, such as where a customer notifies a relevant change in his/her circumstances. If the Deputy has a specific case in mind and he wishes to forward the details, I will arrange to have it examined by the Department.
108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons currently on community employment or similar training or upskilling support schemes throughout County Kildare; the extent to which this number has fluctuated in the past three years; the degree to which such places are available for applicants in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11142/14]
View answerThe following table outlines the number of participants on Community Employment (CE), TÚS and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) at the end of 2011, 2012 and 2013 in Co Kildare.
|
Scheme |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Community Employment Scheme |
664 |
615 |
817 |
|
TÚS |
85 |
164 |
254 |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
22 |
22 |
22 |
|
Total |
771 |
801 |
1,093 |
The Deputy will be aware the number of places available on a number of activation schemes such as CE and TÚS increased as part of Budget 2013. The Department continues to monitor its activation schemes and numbers of participants on an ongoing basis.
109. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department has examined the age profile of those on the live register long term with a view to initiating measures to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11143/14]
View answerThe Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment with age being a significant determinant. The Department of Social Protection keeps a detailed breakdown of the profiles of jobseekers. Data on each client’s age, past occupation, and his/her education, is collected at the point of registration for job-seekers’ payment; these and other relevant data are processed and the probability of exiting the live register is calculated (PEX). This is essentially a predictor of whether or not someone will become long-term unemployed. The roll-out of the profiling system at the Department’s ‘one-stop-shop’ Intreo offices implicitly involves age profiling of the long-term unemployed, as age is one of the main determining variables in predicting if someone will become long-term unemployed. In other words, if someone is in an age category that is more likely to experience long-term unemployment, s/he will, all other things being equal, receive more targeted assistance.
In addition, the Youth Guarantee initiative is specifically aimed at those under 25 who are unemployed with specific targeting of those who are either long-term unemployed or are most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. Summary statistical information on the clients’ age, duration of unemployment, and last held occupation together with other demographic and regional information is published on the Central Statistics Office website.
