Written Answers Nos. 290 - 311
290. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26969/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 16 April 2014. Following consideration of the case the Appeals Officer has referred the file back to the Department for clarification on how the means of the person concerned were assessed and to consider new information which has been submitted. As soon as the matter in question has been clarified by the Department the Appeals Officer will complete his consideration of the appeal. 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.
291. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26975/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10 June 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 papers 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.
292. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the new regulations applicable to recipients of one parent family allowance whose child/children are now over 16 years of age will result in a deduction in the level of income made up by part-time work and family income supplement or other source; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26999/14]
View answerIn May the number of one-parent family payment (OFP) recipients stood at 77,209 and the cost of the OFP scheme in 2014 is estimated to be €863 million. Despite significant levels of State spending on the OFP scheme, the results have been poor in terms of tackling poverty and social exclusion rates among lone parent families, who continue to experience higher rates of ‘consistent poverty’ in comparison to the population generally. The passive nature of the payment with little systematic engagement being made by the State with recipients has engendered long-term social welfare dependency and associated poverty among one-parent families.
The reforms to the OFP scheme aim to address these issues by providing the necessary supports to lone parents to help them to escape inter-generational poverty and joblessness, The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012, contains provisions to reduce, on a phased basis, the maximum age limit of the youngest child at which an OFP recipient’s payment ceases to 7 years from 2014 for new entrants and from 2015 for existing recipients.
The next phase of the OFP age reductions will take place on 3 July 2014 when it is expected approximately 5,140 customers will leave the OFP scheme on that date. The Department has contacted all affected customers and has invited them to attend information seminars or one-to-one sessions in their respective Social Welfare Local Office. The purpose of these sessions is to brief affected lone parents on the broad range of income and other supports, which the Department provides.
Special arrangements have been introduced to ease affected lone parents make the transition to another income support payment. For instance, affected OFP customers who are also in receipt of the Family Income Supplement (FIS) will have their FIS payment automatically adjusted to take account for approximately 60% of their loss of OFP. However, it is expected that the majority of affected customers will apply for the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment. As 64% of the existing OFP population do not work it is expected that the majority of customers will suffer no loss in income when they make the transition from OFP to JA.
However, in cases where customers are employed and have earnings in excess of €60 per week, they will see a reduction in their weekly social welfare payment should they make the transition from OFP to JA. The reason for this reduction is the difference in the earnings disregards between the two payments. OFP recipients receive an earnings disregard of €90 per week while the JA equivalent is €60 per week. In addition, the OFP taper for amounts in excess of the disregard is 50% while JA has a higher taper of 60%. The table depicts the losses of income when a lone parent with one child who is working moves from OFP to JA.
|
Earnings |
OFP |
JA |
Total OFP income (earnings + OFP) |
Total JA income (earnings + JA) |
Total income entitlement loss |
|
€0.00 |
€217.80 |
€217.80 |
€217.80 |
€217.80 |
€0.00 |
|
€100.00 |
€217.80 |
€193.80 |
€317.80 |
€293.80 |
€24.00 |
|
€200.00 |
€170.30 |
€133.80 |
€370.30 |
€333.80 |
€36.50 |
|
€300.00 |
€120.30 |
€73.80 |
€420.30 |
€373.80 |
€46.50 |
Former OFP recipients, who avail of a jobseeker’s payment, are required to engage fully with the Department’s activation process. These customers will be assigned a case officer who will work with the customer and jointly develop a personal progression plan. The aim of this plan is to increase the customer’s skills and job-readiness and assist their entry into the workforce.
293. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the delays in the payment of arrears of disability allowance payable to applicants who have been approved on appeal and have already waited approximately two years to have their claim approved; the steps she will take to improve this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27024/14]
View answerThe Department aims to process and pay without delay all successful appeals returned by the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). There are, however, some temporary delays currently being experienced by some successful disability allowance (DA) appellants. Over the past year, the Department has been working to reduce the number of DA applications awaiting decision and the successful clearing of high level of claims has resulted in an equally high level of appeals which are been serviced as quickly as possible. Additional staff resources have been assigned to this work. As most of these customers are already in payment on other schemes, arrears due (if any) will issue once overlaps with these other scheme payments have been calculated and resolved.
294. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the internal guidelines used in processing claims, when a note (details supplied) came into use; the purpose of the note in question; the authorisation given for the use of the note in calculating entitlement to State contributory pension; the period over which this note was used as a guideline in determining pension; the approximate number of beneficiaries of the note; the reason and the date on which the note was withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27029/14]
View answerThe note the Deputy refers to formed part of a previous State pension contributory (SPC) claim processing guideline for staff, and relates to the assessment procedures for ‘mixed-insurance’ SPC. This pension was introduced in social welfare legislation from November 1991, to cater for applicants who have held full-rate and modified-rate insurable employments. The procedures reflected in the note the Deputy refers to, continue to be applicable, and have not been withdrawn. Scheme guidelines are updated on a periodic basis.
For standard contributory pension, the date of an applicant’s first (full-rate) paid insurance contribution is normally taken as the starting point of their assessment period for pension eligibility purposes. For mixed-insurance contributory pension, if an applicant has paid their first full-rate contribution on or after 6 April 1991, their date of entry into insurance is taken as the date they first commenced paying social insurance, whether at the full or modified rate. Where an applicant has paid their first full-rate contribution prior to 6 April 1991, their date of entry into insurance can, if more favourable for pension eligibility purposes, be taken as the date of payment of their first full-rate contribution, even if preceded by modified-rate contributions.
The overall total number of recipients of (mixed-insurance) SPC at the end of May 2014 was 3,763. It is not possible to determine the exact number of cases where the pre-April 1991 date of entry advantage has been applied.
Question No. 295 answered with Question No. 262.
296. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27148/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 11 June 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. It is not possible at this point to give a definitive date as to when the appeal process will be completed. 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.
Question No. 297 withdrawn.
298. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons with epilepsy who are able to show that they would be refused a driving licence had they applied for one will be granted an entitlement to free travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27191/14]
View answerThe free travel scheme is available on a universal basis to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.
There are currently over 790,000 people in receipt of free travel. Funding for the scheme was frozen at €77 million per annum in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 and the 2011 Budget. This freeze on funding remains in place. For this reason, my Department is not in a position to consider extending the scheme to those aged under 66 years who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment from the Department.
Question No. 299 withdrawn.
300. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27235/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19 May 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 papers 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.
Question No. 301 withdrawn.
302. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27264/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 9 July 2014. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the 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.
303. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal of a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27269/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 16 April 2014. Following consideration of the case the Appeals Officer has referred the file back to the Department for clarification on how the means of the person concerned were assessed and to consider new information which has been submitted. As soon as the matter in question has been clarified by the Department the Appeals Officer will complete his consideration of the appeal. 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.
304. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of further medical evidence in an appeal of a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27271/14]
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 oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 22 October 2013. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts or where there has been any relevant change of circumstances which has come to notice since the Appeals Officer’s original decision was given.
I am advised that the person concerned subsequently submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer agreed to review the case on foot of this additional evidence. Regrettably the Appeals Officer did not find that the additional evidence warranted a revision of his earlier decision. The person concerned was notified of the outcome of the Appeals Officer’s review on 16 January 2014. I understand that the person concerned has submitted further evidence and that his appeal was referred again to the Appeals Officer on 12 June 2014. The person concerned will be contacted when the further review of his 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 on social welfare entitlements.
305. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of restoring jobseeker’s allowance for persons aged under 26 years to the same rate as is currently paid to those aged 26 years or over. [27289/14]
View answer306. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of restoring the telephone allowance to senior citizens who would have been entitled to the allowance prior to 1 January 2014. [27290/14]
View answer307. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of increasing basic social protection rates including jobseeker’s allowance, jobseeker’s benefit, disability allowance, invalidity pension and carer’s allowance by €5 per week and €10 per week respectively. [27292/14]
View answer308. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the two rates of back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €50. [27293/14]
View answer309. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of restoring the payment of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to children aged between 18 and 22 years of age who are in third level education. [27294/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 305 to 309, inclusive, together.
The cost of increasing the personal weekly rate of jobseeker’s allowance payable to certain persons aged under 26 years to the maximum personal weekly rate payable to those aged 26 years or over is estimated at €161 million in 2015. The cost includes an increase, where applicable, in the qualified adult rate to that applying to recipients aged 26 and over.
The cost of re-introducing a telephone allowance of €9.50 per month for pensioners aged 66 and over is estimated, based on recipient data at the end of 2013, at €35 million in a full year. Extending similar entitlement to cohorts aged under 66 who were previously eligible for the allowance such as invalidity pensioners, recipients of carer’s allowance and disability allowance would cost an additional €10 million in a full year.
The cost of increasing the rates back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) by €50, based on recipient data in 2013, is estimated at €16.2 million in a full year.
It was estimated in Budget 2014 that the abolition of payment of the BSCFA for children over the age of 18 years, other than those attending secondary school, would be €2.5 million in 2014 and subsequent years.
The cost of increasing the maximum personal weekly rate of welfare payments by €5 per week and €10 per week (with proportionate increases for qualified adults) for all recipients aged under 66 including jobseeker’s allowance, jobseeker’s benefit, disability allowance, invalidity pension and carer’s allowance is estimated at €219.5 million and €439 million, respectively, in a full year. This costing is independent of the earlier costing shown above in relation to certain jobseekers aged under 26. The additional cost of increasing the maximum personal weekly rates of payment for those aged 66 or over (with proportionate increases for qualified adults) by €5 and €10 is estimated at €136 million and €272 million, respectively, in a full year.
310. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the social insurance fund; and the extent of the deficit, if any, in the fund. [27295/14]
View answerThe Social Insurance Fund (Fund) was established by the Social Welfare Act 1952 (as amended) and operates under the terms of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act (SWCA) 2005. Since 2008 the Fund has incurred an operating deficit and by mid-2010 had exhausted all of its accumulated reserves. Since mid-2010 the Fund in accordance with Section 9 of SWCA 2005 has received state subvention to bridge the gap between its PRSI income and its social insurance related expenditure. The table shows the Fund’s operating surplus/deficit since 2007.
Fund Income and Expenditure 2007-2014
|
Year |
SIF Income |
SIF Expenditure |
Operating Surplus/Deficit |
Cumulative Surplus at end of year |
Exchequer Subvention Requirement |
|
- |
€,000 |
€,000 |
€,000 |
€,000 |
€,000 |
|
2007 |
7,834,147 |
7,250,990 |
583,157 |
3,632,298 |
- |
|
2008 |
8,144,410 |
8,399,739 |
-255,329 |
3,376,969 |
- |
|
2009 |
7,297,601 |
9,784,225 |
-2,486,624 |
890,345 |
- |
|
2010 |
6,709,681 |
9,460,835 |
-2,751,154 |
1,477* |
-1,862,286 |
|
2011 |
7,543,883 |
9,004,245 |
-1,460,362 |
1,477 |
-1,460,362 |
|
2012 |
6,785,557 |
8,869,567 |
-2,084,010 |
1,477 |
-2,084,010 |
|
2013** |
7,317,505 |
8,631,635 |
-1,314,130 |
1,477 |
-1,314,130 |
|
2014*** |
3,203,942 |
3,520,264 |
-316,322 |
1,477 |
-316,322 |
*The 2010-2014 cumulative surplus represents the book value of the Departments HQ premises vested in the Minister for Social protection on behalf of the Fund.
**The 2013 deficit is provisional pending completion of the 2013 Statutory audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
** *The 2014 deficit is for the period from 01/01/14 to 31/05/14 and is based on provisional monthly outturn figures.
311. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal on a domiciliary care allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27318/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 April 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 papers 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.
