Written Answers Nos. 285-307
285. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for 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. [16114/14]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 19th March 2014. This application is currently with a Deciding Officer who will make a decision on the application and notify the person accordingly. It is currently taking approximately 10 weeks to process DCA applications.
287. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the position regarding rent supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16127/14]
View answerThere is an obligation on this Department to ensure that those benefitting from the rent supplement scheme are tax compliant. Under social welfare legislation, rent supplement is not payable in respect of a tenancy where the landlord has not provided the Department with a Tax Reference Number in a prescribed form, or has not advised the Department in a prescribed form that she/he has no Tax Reference Number and has not notified the Department their reasons for not having one. It is not therefore possible to comply with the Deputy’s request.
288. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cén méid airgid a caitheadh in 2013 ar aistriú doiciméad ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge nó ó Ghaeilge go Béarla, agus ó theangacha eile go Béarla agus ó Bhéarla go teangacha eile, faoi seach; cad ba chaiteachas iomlán riaracháin na Roinne sa bhliain 2013; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [16142/14]
View answerCuirtear seirbhís aistriúcháin ar fáil i ngach teanga, ach é a iarraidh, ar mhaithe le cabhrú le daoine ina ndéileálacha leis an Roinn. Áirítear air sin seirbhísí aistriúcháin ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge agus ón nGaeilge go dtí an Béarla ar aon dul le ceanglais Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, 2003. San iomlán, chuir an Roinn aistriúcháin i mbreis agus 50 teanga ar fáil anuraidh.
Caitear formhór an airgid a chaitheann an Roinn ar sheirbhísí aistriúcháin ar dhoiciméid tacaíochta a bhíonn ag teastáil chun éilimh chustaiméirí a phróiseáil, leithéidí deimhnithe breithe, pósta nó báis, tuairiscí dochtúra agus ráitis maidir le cúinsí custaiméirí.
Níl miondealú den chaiteachas san fhoirm a d’iarr an Teachta é ar fáil faoi láthair. Caitheadh €397,566 san iomlán ar chúrsaí aistriúcháin in 2013. Chosain aistriúcháin go Gaeilge agus ón nGaeilge €35,666, agus aistriúcháin ó theangacha eile go Béarla €361,900.
Ba é €469 milliún toradh sealadach na Roinne in 2013 i dtaca le caiteachas riaracháin.
289. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the estimated cost to her Department this year of persons who will be pensioned off at 65 years from State employment and will apply for jobseeker's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16146/14]
View answerIt is estimated that a weekly average of 5,200 people aged 65 will be in receipt of either jobseeker’s benefit or allowance in 2014. However, data on the number of persons aged 65 who may apply for jobseeker’s benefit this year and who are in receipt of a pension arising from employment in the civil and public service is not available. It should be noted that permanent and pensionable civil and public servants recruited prior to April 1995 are not covered under the social insurance system for entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit. Accordingly, such employees who retire at age 65 would not be entitled to that benefit.
290. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the social welfare supports that are available to those who are working with zero hour contracts; the supports these persons are entitled to in the event that they fall ill or need to go on maternity leave and are not entitled to either sick or maternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16216/14]
View answerA primary function of the social welfare system in relation to persons of working age is to support persons and their families where they have lost or are unable to attain employment, with supports also being available to working age persons facing other contingencies such as illness, disability and child birth. Consistent with this role the system also helps persons to attain and maintain a foothold in the labour market, subject to income tests and other criteria.
In general these supports are available to persons engaged under so called zero hours contracts in the same way as they are available, subject to individual scheme criteria, to other persons of working age.
Where an individual has insufficient social insurance contributions to qualify for illness benefit or maternity benefit, they may be eligible for the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, which is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system. The SWA scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.
Basic weekly SWA may be payable to anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residence condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove unemployment, or anyone who is awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment. The Government has provided some €109 million for the basic SWA scheme in 2014.
291. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection to explain the reason a new personal public service number was given to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 when the person was issued with a new social welfare card recently; if the person is entitled to know who requested a new PPS number in 2011 in view of the fact that the person concerned did not; and if the person can now return to using the original PPS number which is still used on a daily basis. [16221/14]
View answerA Personal Public Service (PPS) Number is the individual’s unique reference number for his or her interactions with public bodies. Prior to 2000, some individuals were allocated a specific type of PPS Number to enable computer systems in the Revenue Commissioners to “link” married couples for the application of marriage rate bands. Such numbers, which were linked to the PPS Number of the Assessable Spouse by adding the letter ‘W’ to the end, have become known as “Level W” numbers.
Since the introduction of the individualisation of tax rate bands in 1999, new “Level W” numbers are no longer allocated. Although existing “Level W” numbers are still valid PPS Numbers for the purposes of dealings with State organisations, it has been the practice of the Department to provide a replacement PPS Number to customers who might require same. The majority of such cases have been in respect of persons requesting a new PPS Number to interact with Revenue.
In this instance, a request was received to have the person’s “Level W” number replaced. This was done on the 18th of January 2011. The following day, a notification letter issued to her at her home address. Since then, a number of communications containing the new PPS Number have issued to her from the Department.
293. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the measures in place for the protection of staff in her Department's offices; if glass partitions are always provided; the training and support provided to staff to deal with customers who become physically or verbally aggressive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16268/14]
View answerThe Department takes its responsibilities very seriously and acts in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. The Department conducts ongoing and regular reviews of risk assessments, in line with the general principles of prevention, as set out in Health and Safety obligations regarding safety, health and welfare of its staff.
Safety control measures are put in place to protect staff where risks are identified as a result of ongoing risk assessments, including risks in relation to intimidation or aggression. For example, many offices have panic buttons and CCTV, and some also have security guards present. In some cases, glass dividers are provided at specific customer facing points.
In addition, specific training is provided, with particular reference to dealing with difficult customers. Training in Non Violent Crisis Intervention is provided to equip staff to deal with a range of customer service skills including how to deal with difficult or aggressive customers at the frontline. This training programme has been delivered to 1,544 staff to date.
Staff are also reminded to report any incidents of health and safety to the Department’s Health and Safety Unit. In addition, the Employee Assistance Service (EAS) is a support service available to all staff on a confidential basis. In the event of an incident, the EAS would ordinarily be contacted and asked to make contact with the individual(s) affected by any incident. Typically, the Employee Assistance Officer would offer to visit the location and assist the staff concerned.
294. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection to explain when a decision on a carer's allowance appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16273/14]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of this appeal was scheduled for the 07th April 2014. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been finalised.
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.
295. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16289/14]
View answerThe most recent application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 24th March 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take up to 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.
297. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection where a person is participating on a community employment scheme through the spousal swap mechanism to set out the number of additional hours paid employment per week that the person participating on the community employment scheme is entitled to work; the number of hours paid employment that the spouse who is not participating on the community employment scheme but who was the original recipient of the qualifying social welfare payment and who transferred eligibility to participate on the community employment scheme to the spouse is entitled to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16370/14]
View answer
298. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if fadas are facilitated on public services cards (details supplied) if not, the reason why; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16371/14]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services.
This programme of work, which is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment or SAFE for short, also provided for the introduction of a Public Services Card (PSC) to enable individuals to gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible.
The PSC is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the free travel pass and the social services card of this Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers. The data stored on the face of the card includes the name of the person. Fadas can be and are routinely accommodated on PSCs. The name stored on the face of a PSC is a person’s usage name and is determined by the supporting documents produced by the person when registering. In this case the name displayed on the PSC is the name on the supporting documents produced by the person when registered. This is in line with SAFE Registration standards.
299. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out her position on the ongoing difficulties with the Irish aviation superannuation scheme; and if her Department has been examining any proposals to address these difficulties. [16376/14]
View answerWhile I am aware of the developments in the Irish Airlines Staff Superannuation Scheme, you will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on these developments as these are a matter for the management of the company and the trustees of the relevant pension scheme.
The Pensions Authority supervises the regulation of individual schemes in accordance with the Pensions Act. The trustees of a defined benefit pension scheme are required under the Pensions Act to maintain sufficient resources in the scheme to meet the liabilities of the scheme in the event of the wind up of the scheme. Where the scheme fails to meet this funding requirement, the trustees of the scheme are required to submit a funding proposal to the Pensions Authority outlining proposals to restore scheme funding. I understand that the trustees of the scheme and the Pensions Authority are engaged in this process.
300. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the position regarding a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16393/14]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. 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.
301. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons over the age of 55 years can take part in a community employment scheme for up to six years. [16431/14]
View answerWith effect from 3rd April 2000, cumulative lifetime participation on Community Employment (CE) by an individual will be limited to:
- 3 years (156 weeks) for persons under 55 years of age.
- 6 years (312 weeks) for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age.
Participation on CE prior to 3rd April 2000 is not counted. This means that a CE-eligible person of 55 or over who had not participated on CE prior to their 55th birthday could potentially participate on CE up to the cumulative maximum of 6 years.
The pattern of participation would be dependent on whether they qualified for the part time integration option of CE (PTI), which is for one year’s duration, or if the person qualified for the part-time job option of CE (PTJ) which is generally for three consecutive years’ duration, subject to annually renewable contracts. After completing a year under the PTI option, the person must leave the CE scheme and requalify for further CE participation by being in receipt of a CE-qualifying social welfare payment for 12 months or more. After completing three consecutive years under the PTJ option, the person must also leave the CE scheme and requalify for further participation by being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for at least 12 months or more. This would then place the person under the PTI category, i.e. one year’s CE participation at a time. Alternatively, if the person re-qualified for CE by being in receipt of a CE-qualifying social welfare payment for 3 continuous years or more they could return to CE for 3 consecutive years under the PTJ option again.
If a person has already participated on CE when they were under 55, they can only avail of the balance of the CE time up to the cumulative maximum of 6 years’ participation once they reach the age of 55.
303. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the progress of the Gateway initiative scheme; her views on the progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16479/14]
View answerGateway was introduced by the Department of Social Protection to deliver on the policy objectives set out in Pathways to Work and is designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with individual county and city councils. Gateway has a target to provide 3,000 placements focusing on those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. Participants are selected by a random process conducted by the Department of Social Protection for recruitment by county and city councils.
Progress on the roll-out has been slower than anticipated. Delays in the main relate to the on-going staff restructuring processes of county and city councils, the ongoing engagement with stakeholders, particularly Trade Unions, and operational matters relating to securing resources, identifying work and Garda vetting. The number of persons expected to begin work with councils will accelerate in the coming weeks. The following table reflects the number of position filled and the councils concerned as of the week ending Friday 4th April.
|
County/City Council |
Participants Quota |
Participants Paid 04/04/14 |
|
Carlow Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Cavan Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Clare Co Co |
80 |
2 |
|
Cork City Co |
110 |
- |
|
Cork Co Co |
215 |
- |
|
Donegal Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Fingal Co Co |
215 |
8 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Co |
110 |
- |
|
Dublin City Co |
295 |
- |
|
Galway City Co |
55 |
- |
|
Galway Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Kerry Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Kildare Co Co |
110 |
- |
|
Kilkenny Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Laois Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Leitrim Co Co |
55 |
4 |
|
Limerick Co Co |
110 |
59 |
|
Longford Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Louth Co Co |
80 |
12 |
|
Meath Co Co |
110 |
- |
|
Monaghan Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Mayo Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Offaly Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Roscommon Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
Sligo Co Co |
55 |
- |
|
South Dublin Co Co |
215 |
- |
|
North Tipperary Co Co |
40 |
11 |
|
South Tipperary Co Co |
40 |
- |
|
Waterford City Co |
40 |
- |
|
Waterford Co Co |
40 |
- |
|
Westmeath Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Wexford Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
Wicklow Co Co |
80 |
- |
|
- |
3,000 |
96 |
304. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if amendments can be made to the maximum rent limits to accommodate a young parent who has been homeless for some time to enable them to access private rented accommodation in an emergency (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16483/14]
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. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients at a cost over €344 million for 2014.
The limits are established to ensure availability of accommodation and not to provide access to all housing in all areas. In some areas, the levels of supply of rentable housing stock is traditionally low, as in this particular case, Kilcock, which is being further exacerbated by the housing shortages currently being experienced in Dublin.
The Department continues to monitor trends in the private rental market to determine the impact on rent supplement recipients. A review of the current limits is scheduled to be undertaken this year.
Should this person not be able to secure an appropriate rental property within the rent limit appropriate to her household composition in this area, the Department will support the person concerned in securing alternative accommodation in another area, and if necessary provide a temporary extension to her rent supplement claim in the intervening period.
307. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16548/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27th February 2014. 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.
