Written Answers Nos. 108-14
108. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath for invalidity pension; if same will now be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17233/14]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the disability allowance appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office have advised that there is no record of any invalidity pension appeal having been received from the person concerned. 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.
109. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes that have been introduced in respect of the application process for domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17246/14]
View answerThe report of the review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) made a number of recommendations relating to the application, decision and appeal processes. These changes have been implemented from the 7th April 2014. The application form has been redesigned to allow the detail of the child’s care needs to be more comprehensively documented by the parent/guardian. Also, an additional medical information form can be completed for children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders, such as Autism. This additional medical information, which will be supplied by the specialist attending the child, will ensure that the appropriate information is available to assist in the decision making process. The revised application process will also include improved feedback in relation to the decision reasons at both application and appeal stages. Details on the new process along with revised guidelines covering the administrative changes are available on www.welfare.ie and have been notified to all Citizens Information Offices and to parent/guardian representative groups.
110. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the provisions in place in previous years regarding the working of twilight hours and the retention of social welfare benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17257/14]
View answerThe jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2014 Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseekers’ schemes of €3.28 billion. It is a fundamental qualifying condition of both schemes that a person must be fully unemployed for four in any period of seven consecutive days. A person is not regarded as unemployed for any day in which s/he is engaged in self-employment, is working under a contract of employment (written or otherwise) or is in receipt of wages. There are no provisions in place, nor have there ever been regarding the working of twilight hours and the retention of jobseekers’ payments.
111. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide details of the terms of reference of the enterprise forum established in the Gaoth Dobhair area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17245/14]
View answerAn Enterprise Development Forum has been established by Údarás na Gaeltachta with the aim of sourcing enterprises to locate in the north west Donegal Gaeltacht and to create new employment opportunities there. The forum was established following the recent announcement by Largo Foods of its intention to transfer its manufacturing facility from Gaoth Dobhair in Co. Donegal to Ashbourne in Co. Meath. The forum consists of representatives from Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, SOLAS, Donegal County Council, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, the Department of Social Protection and my own Department. The forum expects to complete its work over a 6 month period. The terms of reference of the Enterprise Development Forum are as follows: To assess and recommend the most appropriate responses to offset and compensate for the immediate job losses at Gaoth Dobhair Business Park; and to draw up a set of priority actions for establishing Gaoth Dobhair as a prime competitive and attractive location for job creation.
112. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the current ownership position of Aramara Teo.; if it is the Government's intention to sell the company or any of its shares in the company; if such a sale will be advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17136/14]
View answer113. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the relationship between Aramara Teo. and Acadian Seaplants Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17137/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.
I also wish to refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 336 of 8 April 2014 regarding this matter. Arramara Teo. is currently a wholly owned subsidiary company of Údarás na Gaeltachta. The sale of Údarás na Gaeltachta's shares in Arramara Teo. to Acadian Seaplants was approved by the board of Údarás on 1 March 2013, subject to Ministerial approval being obtained and legal details being agreed. Ministerial approval for the sale was granted on 29 July 2013. I understand that the decision by Údarás na Gaeltachta to sell its shares was made following an exhaustive open process which commenced in 2010 to secure a buyer for the shares.
Based on the information received from Údarás na Gaeltachta, I am satisfied that the best value that can be obtained for Arramara Teo. is being achieved through this course of action and that the purchaser, Acadian Seaplants, has the expertise to develop Arramara Teo. and secure its long-term future for the benefit of its stakeholders. It is envisaged that the sale of Údarás na Gaeltachta's shares will benefit the State through a cash consideration to Údarás na Gaeltachta, through a significant investment in Arramara Teo., and through the development of the seaweed sector into the future with benefit accruing to the State as a result of increased economic activity.
114. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will examine a Saorview issue in an area (details supplied) in County Kerry whereby since the introduction of Saorview, many of the residents have no reception and are fee paying to Sky TV and they request that the TV licence fee would be waived in view of their circumstance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17045/14]
View answerIn accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, RTÉ is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network and I, as Minister, have no function in this matter. Specifically, the Act requires RTÉ to provide digital coverage to the same extent as provided over the previous analogue network, i.e. 98% population coverage, and I am advised by RTÉ that this level of coverage is being provided by the SAORVIEW TV network. For the remaining 2% of the population, RTÉ launched SAORSAT in March 2012. The development and provision of SAORSAT, which is a “free to air” satellite system providing access to the RTÉ channels and TG4, was undertaken by RTÉ on its own initiative and, as in the case of the SAORVIEW DTT network, is not a matter in which I have a function. Ireland is not the only country to have introduced a national TV network on both a terrestrial and satellite platform. Many countries, including the UK, have developed their digital networks on both the traditional terrestrial platform and also over satellite. The reason for this is simple. It is technically and financially impossible to provide 100% coverage using a terrestrial TV platform. However, through SAORVIEW and SAORSAT, Ireland now has 100% “free to air” coverage of the RTÉ channels and TG4 for the first time in the history of the State. I would advise the Deputy that any signal reception issues should be directed to 2rn in the first place. 2rn can be contacted at 2rntech@2rn.ie or at the following contact number (01) 2082175. Any decision to enter into a contractual arrangement with a private commercial company is a matter of consideration for the individual concerned. The Deputy will note that there is no provision for a waiver of the television licence fee in the Broadcasting Act 2009.
