Written Answers Nos. 25-31
25. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she and her Department are taking to address the delays in processing rent allowance applications; if there are staffing issues here that could be resolved; her views that delays of this magnitude are placing undue hardship on families waiting for approval; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17575/14]
View answerThe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible persons 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 for which the Government has provided in excess of €344 million in 2014. In Waterford City and East Waterford, approximately 1,280 rent supplement applications are administered in a centralised unit, based at the Intreo Office.
The timescale for determining applications for rent supplement is dependent, among other things, on the availability of the required information, such as confirmation of a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) by the relevant Local Authority, where applicable; details of the applicant’s income and bank statements. Some aspects of the application process are inevitably time-consuming and delays can occur where investigations such as home visits or third party evidence are required.
The most common reason for the delay in processing applications in the Waterford office is the waiting period for the completion of a HNA by the Local Authority and a failure or delay on the applicant’s part, to respond to written requests for additional information or documentation to support the application for rent supplement.
There have been significant staff changes in the unit administering rent supplement claims over the past year and it has recently relocated from a Health Services Executive premises to the Intreo centre. The relocation is now complete and the introduction of a new file management system is improving efficiency. Rent supplement applications that are fully completed and where all necessary supporting documentation is provided are currently being processed within 5 to 10 working days of receipt.
Following the relocation of this office, customers can avail of a one to one personal service from the officers dealing with their rent supplement claim. Any customer requiring such assistance will be provided with an appointment within two working days and on the same day in case of emergency or crisis.
The provision of a prompt and efficient service is a major objective for the Department’s staff dealing with rent supplement applications, subject to the necessity to ensure that each case is fully investigated and dealt with in a consistent and fair manner.
26. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the Gateway scheme the reasons participation in the initiative is mandatory rather than voluntary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17692/14]
View answer34. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the research that was undertaken by her Department in advance of the introduction of the Gateway scheme to assess whether mandatory work schemes are effective in improving an unemployed person's prospects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17691/14]
View answer42. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the merit of expanding the Gateway scheme to local authority sports partnerships; if she will provide opportunities to those with a knowledge and experience of sports coaching and development who may wish to develop their experiences in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14993/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 34 and 42 together.
Gateway is part of a suite of initiatives being offered by the Department 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. Taken together, some 40,000 work placements will be provided in 2014 under the various schemes funded by the Department.
Additionally in 2014, jobseekers may access in excess of 30,000 full and part-time training and education opportunities and over 11,000 opportunities to pursue self-employment options – all on a voluntary basis. In the context of this level of provision, there is a good case to be made to pursue a policy of randomly selecting jobseekers who have been unemployed and not sought to access the range of opportunities provided by the Department and other agencies. Pathways to Work introduced a new code of rights and responsibilities whereby, in return for welfare support, jobseekers must actively seek employment or engage with employment or training services. The Social Welfare Acts have been strengthened to provide a number of sanctions if a jobseeker refuses without good cause or fails to avail of any reasonable offer of training or participation in a work placement. This is considered a necessary part of the efficient and effective functioning of any activation policy.
Deputies are fully aware of the positive benefits schemes like community employment, Tús and the rural social scheme have on both participants and the services they deliver to communities around the country and the wellbeing that results. In particular, I would highlight the personal benefits to the jobseeker of being able to engage in worthwhile work in their community borne out by their own testimonies and by evaluations conducted by implementing bodies. Gateway is modelled on these successful schemes with the same level of pay and similar conditions. In addition to providing short-term working opportunities for people who are unemployed, it will contribute to the management of the Live Register and act as a deterrent to those not eligible for welfare benefits. A pilot study is currently underway to develop voluntary access to Gateway. If this is successful, consideration will be given to earmarking a proportion of places in each county and city council area to provide for this form of recruitment.
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. While responsibility for local authority sports partnerships rests with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, I am advised by that Department that it has no objections to the placement of Gateway participants with these partnerships should that be the determination of the appropriate county or city council.
27. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the medical assessment criteria differ for certain applications within her Department, particularly in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17574/14]
View answerThe Department has a range of social welfare payments which provide financial support to people with disabilities and their carers. The medical conditions for the receipt of carer’s allowance (CA) and invalidity pension (IP) are not the same and qualification for the latter scheme does not guarantee qualification for the former scheme. For CA, the person receiving care is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention where:
- He or she is so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself or continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions; and
- He or she is so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least twelve months;
- He or she is under 16 and getting a Domiciliary Care Allowance.
The qualifying conditions for IP are different. To qualify for IP, you must:
- have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; or
- be permanently incapable of work.
Other conditions apart from medical must also be satisfied in order to qualify for the above schemes.
The CA case in question was disallowed on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full-time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. The person in question has appealed this decision and has submitted additional medical evidence in support of the application. This additional evidence is being reviewed. Once this review is completed the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
29. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the risks referenced by her in response to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 11 March 2014 to future delivery of community employment schemes and local employment services in the context of the decision to subject the local community development and rural development programmes to open competitive tendering including private for-profit operators. [17652/14]
View answerAs indicated previously, local development companies support the delivery of a range of programmes and schemes for the Department of Social Protection. The Department will work closely with representatives of the companies and the Irish Local Development Network over the coming months as the implications of the new procurement requirements are determined by individual companies. The Deputy will appreciate that the risks referenced in my reply to question 267 of 11 March 2014 relate to those that have yet to be identified by the companies. The position of the Department of Social Protection will be influenced by the evaluation by the companies of the impact of any changes and the associated risk to the delivery of Department of Social Protection funded programmes that emerge. Discussions with the companies will continue to identify the risks and to support the development of mitigating responses from the changes arising.
31. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Pensions Ombudsman has reviewed its response time to queries regarding pension complaints since its establishment, particularly regarding pension scheme closures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17728/14]
View answerOver the ten years of its existence, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman has received around 12,000 queries and opened over 5,500 detailed investigation files in relation to occupational pension scheme matters. The Pensions Ombudsman continuously monitors the response time to queries regarding pension complaints and has done so since the establishment of the Office. The Pensions Ombudsman has been proactive in introducing streamlined procedures aimed at reducing the number of cases which go to a full investigation. This involves seeking to resolve cases by means of mediation between the parties with a view to producing a satisfactory outcome. However, due to the complexity of many of the issues raised by clients in relation to their pension complaints, a detailed investigation is often required and this in turn adds to the time it takes to arrive at a Final Determination by the Pensions Ombudsman. The emphasis of the Pensions Ombudsman continues to be on resolving older cases and shortening the duration of investigations. The Pensions Ombudsman is an independent and impartial statutory officer who exercises his functions independently of Government and of the pensions industry. The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman is an agency under the aegis of my Department.
