Written Answers Nos 102-120
102. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for one-parent family payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28762/14]
View answerThe customer concerned applied for a one-parent family payment in December 2013 which was disallowed in March 2014 on the grounds that she was not separated from her spouse. The case was reviewed in May 2014 on request of the client and information requested by the Department has not been furnished. The case will now be forwarded to the appeals office for consideration.
104. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as all medical evidence has been provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28774/14]
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.
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.
108. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is an almost five month delay in processing arrears owed to approved applicants for disability allowance; her views that such a long delay is fair or reasonable; if her attention has been drawn to the financial hardship and distress caused to those awaiting payment; if she will immediately sanction additional staff to tackle the backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28798/14]
View answerThe Department is committed to ensuring that arrears due to customers are paid without delay.
Due to the increased number of disability allowance applications received and decided over the last 12 months there has been a corresponding increase in the volume of requests for reviews and/or appeals against adverse decisions. This has led to increased waiting times for arrears to issue in cases where the person was in receipt of another weekly social welfare payment during the period in question.
In cases where the person was not in receipt of another weekly social welfare payment there are no significant delays in issuing arrears once the application is awarded.
When a disability allowance application is being awarded and the person was in receipt of another social welfare payment there are a number of necessary administrative steps which must be completed before arrears are issued. In these cases there will be inter-scheme and/or local/Intreo office follow up action required, to reconcile overlapping benefit periods arising from the award of disability allowance, before the final due arrears balance can be established and paid. Officers are currently working on these and it is expected that any remaining arrears due once the overlapping payment is deducted will issue within the next 10 working days.
Furthermore, additional resources have recently been allocated to the arrears area in the disability allowance scheme to deal with the increased volumes and minimise delays.
110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo submitted an appeal to the chief appeals officer in respect of a decision to disallow their disability allowance that in a letter to the Chief Appeals Officer dated 17 February 2014 the person requested an oral hearing of the case and asked to be provided in advance of the hearing with copies of all documentation on their case in the possession of her Department; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the person has been informed that the oral hearing of the appeal is to take place at 1.45 p.m. on Thursday 10 July 2014; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that her Department has not provided the person with any of the documentation on their case which is in the possession of her Department; if her Department will defer the oral hearing of the case until such time as the requested documentation is provided to the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28803/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the request by the person concerned for copies of all documentation in their case in advance of the oral appeal hearing was overlooked. The Social Welfare Appeals Office sincerely apologises for this fact. Copies of all the documentation requested will be forwarded to the person concerned immediately.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has defered the oral hearing arranged for 10 July 2014 and the person concerned will be informed when the new arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.
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.
112. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline in tabular form the total number of sick days taken by staff in her Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014, further broken down by uncertified, certified and long-term absence leave. [28835/14]
View answerDetails of the number of sick days taken by staff in my Department in 2011, 2012, 2013, and the 2014 year to date are provided below.
The table provides details of the total number of staff and the staff who took sick leave in each of the specified areas as follows: the total number of uncertified (self-certified) sick days taken by employees; the total certified sick days taken by employees; the total number of sick days taken by employees; the total number of long-term absence sick days taken by employees.
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 - (to 30th June) |
|
Number of Staff in Department on 31 December |
5,315 |
7,079 |
6,987 |
6,863 |
|
Number of employees who took sick leave |
3,591 - (74.34%) |
4,238 - (59.86%) |
5,068 - (72.53%) |
3,374 - (49.16%) |
|
Total number of uncertified (self-certified) sick leave days |
5,501 |
6,162 |
5,987 |
2,361 |
|
Total number of certified sick leave days |
66,179 |
82,851 |
82,346 |
35,890 |
|
Total number of sick days |
71,680 |
89,013 |
88,333 |
38,251 |
|
Total number of sick leave days for long term absences (over 28 days) |
44,760 - (62.44%) |
48,895 - (54.93%) |
47,698 - (53.99%) |
20,252 - (52.94%) |
113. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form per annum all external consultant reports commissioned by her Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report and the publication date. [28850/14]
View answerThe procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.
The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) including the delivery of reports, studies, assessments, recommendations and proposals that contribute to decision making or policy making.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the below table. I am satisfied that the engagement of consultants provides valuable support to the Department and that the reports, studies, assessments, recommendations and proposals produced contribute to decision making and policy making and is compliant with best practice in realising value for money.
|
Report |
Name of Consultants |
Commissioned |
Publication Date |
Cost - € |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, Belmullet Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Apr-2011 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,699 |
|
Report on electronic access to GRO Records for genealogy research |
John Grenham |
Apr-2011 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,557 |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, DSP Cobh |
Employment Health Advisors Ltd |
May-2011 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,023 |
|
Development and implementation of the National Employment and Entitlements Service |
Accenture |
June-2011 |
Aug-2011 |
€186,563 |
|
Report on Pension Charges in Ireland |
PWC |
Oct-2011 |
Oct-2012 |
€61,500 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
Nov-2011 |
Aug-2012 |
€1,500 |
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research on Insurability Issues and Access to Legal Resources |
Mel Cousins and Associates |
2011 |
2011 |
€7,744 |
|
Review of Irish Pensions Policy |
OECD |
Jan-2012 |
Apr-2013 |
€130,000 |
|
Analysis and Measurement of Poverty and Deprivation 2012: 1.Work and Poverty in Ireland: An Analysis of CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2004-2010 (2012 annual report) 2. Technical Paper on Poverty Indicators – [Appendix C of Report of the Review of the National Poverty Target] 3. Implications of Income Pooling and Household Decision-Making for Poverty and Deprivation (2012 technical paper) |
ESRI |
Jan-2012 |
Dec-2012 and Nov-2012 |
€81,230 |
|
FÁS IS Applications Systems Review |
Accenture |
Jan-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€44,772 |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
KPMG |
Feb-2012 |
Jun-2012 |
€153,750 |
|
Evaluation of JobBridge (National Internship Scheme) |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
Apr-2012 |
Apr-2013 |
€59,555 |
|
Developing system architecture for the National Employment and Entitlements Service |
Compass Point |
June-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€4,600 |
|
Risk assessments regarding reception areas [Arklow, Tallaght, and Kings Inn, Dublin Local Offices] |
Nifast |
June-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,845 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada |
Wright Environmental Services |
Aug-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,383 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Ballymun Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Aug-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,644 |
|
Report on Pension Priority Order |
Mercer |
Sep-2012 |
Feb-2013 |
€18,450 |
|
Contracted Employment Service Model |
Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion |
Nov-2012 |
Internal Management Report |
€140,989 |
|
Mobile Applications Opportunity Exploration |
Accenture |
Feb-2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€33,388 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
Mar-2013 |
Sep-2013 |
€1,500 |
|
Diet Supplement Diet Costing’s Update |
Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute |
Apr-2013 |
Sep-2013 |
€4,000 |
|
Health and Safety Review of DSP premises, Upper Gardiner St, Dublin 1 |
CPL Training Ltd, trading as Nifast Health and Safety Training |
Apr-2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,100 |
|
Analysis and Measurement of Poverty and Social Exclusion (AMPSE) 2013 programme: 1. Social Transfers and Poverty in Boom and Recession (for 2013 annual report) 2. Indicators of Economic Strain in the Great Recession (for 2013 technical paper) |
ESRI |
June-2013 |
1. Dec-2013 2. Q2-2014 |
€67,979 |
|
Delivery of Administrative Profiling Models to Identify those at Risk of Labour Market Disadvantage |
ESRI |
July-2013 |
June-2014 |
€33,745 |
|
A Review of In-work Supports for the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare |
Mel Cousins |
July-2013 |
Q4- 2014 |
€10,000 |
|
Advisory report on implementation of European Youth Guarantee in Irish circumstances |
Organisation for Economic co-operation and Development (OECD) |
Sept- 2013 |
Jan-2014 |
€50,000 |
|
Auto Enrolment and Applicability to Ireland (Pensions) |
TOR Financial Consulting Ltd. |
Mid-2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€9,900 |
|
Report on Organisation Development |
Axiom Consultants |
Sept- 2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€122,692 |
|
Survey Air quality in Nutgrove LO |
Wright Environmental Services |
Nov-2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,900 |
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research into Revising Decisions |
Mel Cousins and Associates |
Dec -2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,400 |
|
Evaluation Research (Back to Education Allowance) |
ESRI |
Nov-2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€24,809 |
|
Analysis and Measurement of Poverty and Social Exclusion 2014 programme: 1. Transitions into and out of household joblessness using CSO SILC data 2. Measuring Irish joblessness: The SILC and LFS data sources |
ESRI |
Q1-2014 |
Q4-2014 |
€80,000 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aiden Lloyd |
Mar-2014 |
Q3-2014 |
€1,650 |
|
Identification and containment of malicious software |
Deloitte |
Apr-2014 |
Internal Management Report |
€15,699 |
|
Confidential Forensic Services |
Deloitte |
Mar-2014 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,398 |
|
Confidential Forensic Services |
Rits |
Apr-2014 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,340 |
|
Confidential Forensic Services |
Rits |
Apr-2014 |
Internal Management Report |
€4,201 |
116. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection her views regarding the steps she took in respect of dealing with information she received (details supplied) being in receipt of funding, from both the Department of Social Protection and Pobal that they were not entitled to, and that two employees who attempted to highlight the situation had to leave their employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28885/14]
View answerThe services provided by the company are supported by funding from a variety of sources and by the Department of Social Protection under the Community Services Programme and as scheme sponsors by the Community Employment Programme. The Department has engaged with the company to ensure that appropriate practices are in place to manage the public funds granted. Additionally, I am advised that Pobal, in its role as managing agents of the Community Service Programme and as part of its annual monitoring programme, has commenced an audit of the company and that the results will be shared with the Department when work has been completed. The Deputy should note that all staff are employed by the company and not by the Department of Social Protection or Pobal.
117. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale underpinning the different time limits for community employment participation in respect of persons over 55 and persons under 55; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28893/14]
View answer118. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the rules governing eligibility for community employment schemes to permit persons aged under 55 years to apply for an additional three years of CE, as is the case in respect of persons over 55 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28909/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together.
The main objective of CE is to enable long-term unemployed people to re-enter the labour market through the provision of training and work experience on a fixed-term basis. During the placement, the participant should be provided with quality work experience and gain skills that are transferable to the open labour market and should be provided with support and training to facilitate this progression. Overall, the scheme is geared specifically towards building the readiness of the participants to engage in gainful employment.
Persons unemployed for over 3 years who require more long-term support may have their annual contract renewed for up to 3 years maximum lifetime duration for those under 55 years of age, and up to a lifetime maximum of 6 years for those between 55 and State Pension age (inclusive), subject to approval by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). 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.
There are a wide range of client groups that CE is targeted towards – lone parents, persons with disabilities, stabilised substance abusers and unemployed persons. DSP at all times is obliged to accommodate the needs of all these groups in terms of participation on Community Employment. The programme is managed within this context, with consideration to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community.There are no plans to extend the general participation caps for those under 55 beyond three years maximum cumulative duration.
As part of the Pathways to Work policy, the Department is committed to shorter, more focused interventions on its active labour market programmes to ensure delivery of service, value for money and progression of participants. This work is taking place in the context of the Government’s activation strategy most recently stated in Pathways to Work (http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Pathways-to-Work-2013.pdf).
Pathways to Work proposes a restructuring of CE, into two streams, which would retain the longstanding dual role of CE: helping the long-term unemployed return to the active labour market and the provision of local services.
119. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when child benefit will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28921/14]
View answerChild benefit is payable in respect of children who are ordinarily resident in the State.
The Child benefit section was advised that the child concerned was attending school in Spain. Following investigation, it has been established that the child is residing in Spain for educational purposes only and is therefore considered to be ordinarily resident in the state. As a result, child benefit has been restored and arrears due for July 2014, amounting to €130.00, will be available for collection at the nominated Post Office on or after 8 July 2014.
120. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason rent support has been disallowed in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28929/14]
View answerThe person concerned is currently in receipt of rent supplement. With effect from 01 July 2014 his rate of payment was reduced by €130 per month as his daughter is in receipt of jobseekers allowance and has therefore been assessed as a liable relative in accordance with the guidelines of the rent supplement scheme.
