Written Answers Nos. 230-244
230. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the annual saving to the Exchequer from a 20% reduction in all professional fees, including but not limited to legal, consultancy, IT-related, advisory, advertising and accountancy for her Department; and the company name and amount invoiced between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014. [30072/14]
View answer231. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide. in tabular form. a list of all professional fees for her Department, including but not limited to legal, consultancy, IT related, advisory, advertising and accountancy; and the company name and the amount invoiced between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014. [30087/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together.
The information requested is not immediately available in my Department but is being compiled at present and my officials will write to the Deputy when it is available.
232. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of all third level courses, training programmes and courses provided for employees of her Department, and the accompanying cost, for the 2013-2014 academic year, from 1 September 2013 to the end of June 2014. [30102/14]
View answerIn line with the Learning and Development Framework for the Civil Service 2011-2014 and with its own Learning and Development Strategy 2013-2015, the Department promotes a culture where it provides staff and management with learning and development opportunities, including supports to attain third level qualifications.
Third level programmes are primarily supported financially through the Department’s Refund of Fees Programme. The areas of study which are funded reflect the current and future business needs of the Department.
The following table sets out details of courses undertaken and payments made in respect of third-level fees from 1st September 2013 to 1st July 2014.
|
QUALIFICATION |
THIRD LEVEL COURSE ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-2014 |
NO. OF STAFF |
COST 1/9/2013-1/7/2014 |
|
Certificate/Diploma |
Adult Guidance |
7 |
€10,407.50 |
|
Diploma |
Applied Employment Law |
1 |
€2.280.00 |
|
MSc |
Applied Social Research |
1 |
€2,500.00 |
|
BA(HONS)/BA/Foundation/DIPLOMA |
Business Studies/ Human Resource Mgt/Law/Accountancy/Commerce |
9 |
€8,977.50 |
|
Certificate |
Career Needs Assessment |
17 |
€31,920.00 |
|
BA/BSc(H) |
Counselling |
2 |
€2,640.00 |
|
Diploma |
Digital Marketing |
1 |
€1,495.00 |
|
HDip |
Economic Science |
1 |
€5,000.00 |
|
BA |
Gaeilge/Irish & Literature |
2 |
€2,040.00 |
|
BA(HONS) |
Graphic Design |
1 |
€1,875.00 |
|
BA(HONS)/MA/BA/HDip |
Human Resource Management |
12 |
€28,532.50 |
|
BA |
Humanities |
2 |
0* |
|
BSc/BA |
Information Technology/Systems |
7 |
€5,722.20 |
|
Diploma |
Insolvency |
1 |
€2,642.00 |
|
BA(HONS)/Diploma |
Law/Legal Studies |
6 |
€2,834.00 |
|
MA/MSc |
Leadership & Management |
5 |
€11,435.00 |
|
MA |
Management Information Systems |
1 |
0* |
|
Diploma |
Official Statistics |
1 |
€1,450.00 |
|
Diploma |
Pensions Management & Policy |
1 |
€677.50 |
|
Cert |
Project Management |
1 |
€690.00 |
|
BA(HONS)/Diploma |
Psychology & Counselling |
4 |
€2,216.00 |
|
BA(HONS)/PostGrad/MA/CERT |
Public Management/Policy |
20 |
€36,435.00 |
|
Certificate |
Public Procurement |
2 |
€5,155.00 |
|
BA(HONS) |
Social Science/Psychology |
2 |
€2,300.00 |
|
Foundation |
Statistics/Mathematics |
4 |
€6,283.85 |
|
Cert |
Train The Trainer |
4 |
€2,766.78 |
|
Cert |
Training And Education |
1 |
0* |
|
Microsoft level 200 |
Programming in C# |
8 |
€4,890.00 |
|
Microsoft level 200 |
Managing and maintaining Windows 8 |
5 |
€5,900.00 |
|
Microsoft level 200 |
SQL Server |
5 |
€3,460.00 |
|
Certificate |
TOGAF |
1 |
€1,995.00 |
|
Certificate |
Project Management |
2 |
€2,625.00 |
|
Certificate |
ISTQB Test Manager Foundation Level |
1 |
€920.00 |
|
Certificate |
ISTQB Advanced Test Manager |
1 |
€1,725.00 |
|
Certificate |
Scrum Master |
8 |
€3,200.00 |
|
Total |
147 |
€200,709.83 |
* Course has been approved but no payment has been made by the Department to date.
233. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the annual saving to the Exchequer from a reduction of 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 17% and 20%, respectively, in the staff training and development provision for her Department. [30117/14]
View answer234. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the annual saving to the Exchequer from a reduction of 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 17% and 20%, respectively, in the cost of travel and expenses for her Department. [30132/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together.
The information sought by the Deputy is outlined in the table.
|
Training and Development (REV 2014) |
€1,128,000 |
|
Annual saving from a reduction of : |
|
|
5% |
€56,400 |
|
7% |
€78,960 |
|
10% |
€112,800 |
|
12% |
€135,360 |
|
15% |
€169,200 |
|
17% |
€191,760 |
|
20% |
€225,600 |
|
Travel & Subsistence (REV 2014) |
€5,150,000 |
|
Annual saving from a reduction of : |
- |
|
5% |
€257,500 |
|
7% |
€360,500 |
|
10% |
€515,000 |
|
12% |
€618,000 |
|
15% |
€772,500 |
|
17% |
€875,500 |
|
20% |
€1,030,000 |
235. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the expected carryover of current expenditure savings from 2014 into the next year. [30166/14]
View answer236. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the expected carryover of capital expenditure savings from 2014 into the next year. [30181/14]
View answer237. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if he will provide in tabular form the expected unspent current expenditure from 2014 into the next year. [30213/14]
View answer254. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount of the underspend by her Department against its projected spending this year to date and the amount that this underspend is now expected to be by year end. [30237/14]
View answer255. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the PRSI yield this year to date; the amount by which this is ahead of profile; the amount by which it is now expected it will be ahead of profile by year end. [30238/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 235 to 237, inclusive, and 254 and 255 together.
It is not anticipated, at this stage, that there will be any carry forward of capital expenditure from 2014 into 2015.
There was an under-spend of €23.6 million or 0.2% on the Department’s overall expenditure on schemes, services and administration at the end of June 2014. This performance is very close to target and, accordingly, it is too early to predict an out-turn for the year (or any associated carry-forward) other than the original allocation provided in the REV.
PRSI income in the year to end June was €3,811 million or €114 million (3.1%) ahead of profile. While PRSI income performance in the year to date is encouraging and indicative of a strengthening labour market, it is too early to predict the eventual out-turn given that six months collection is outstanding.
238. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who availed of the JobsPlus subsidy during its first year of operation; the cost of same; the number that it is estimated will benefit from it in 2014; and the estimated total spend for 2014. [30221/14]
View answerJobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term on the live register. The incentive is payable, on a monthly basis, over a two year period if the employee is retained in full-time employment for two years. JobsPlus is biased in favour of those who are longer term unemployed. The value of the monthly payments is €7,500 for employing a jobseeker 12 to 24 months on the Live Register and €10,000 if the jobseeker was on the Live Register for over 24 months.
Since its launch in July 2013 to the end of June 2014, JobsPlus has supported 2,634 jobseekers in full-time employment with 2,007 employers nationally. Around 60% of jobseekers being supported had been on the Live Register for over 24 months at the time of recruitment.
Thus far this year (up to the end of June 2014), payments under the JobsPlus scheme have amounted to just over €4.4m. Overall, payments under the scheme have amounted to €5.5m since the first payments were made in August 2013. The table attached gives a breakdown of expenditure on a monthly basis since the scheme commenced.
A provision of €13.5m has been included in the Vote for the Department for the scheme in 2014. On the basis of the current pace of applications and expenditure, this provision is considered to be adequate to meet projected costs of the scheme.
TABLE: JobsPlus -Number of Employee Supported
|
Month |
Employees supported |
Businesses supported |
Grants paid € |
|
August 2013 |
85 |
78 |
31,771 |
|
September 2013 |
235 |
208 |
88,031 |
|
October 2013 |
517 |
456 |
194,063 |
|
November 2013 |
844 |
707 |
316,772 |
|
December 2013 |
1,114 |
888 |
418,856 |
|
January 2014 |
1,286 |
1,117 |
483,440 |
|
February 2014 |
1,589 |
1,230 |
596,357 |
|
March 2014 |
1,874 |
1,434 |
704,066 |
|
April 2014 |
2,115 |
1,611 |
794,691 |
|
May 2014 |
2,385 |
1,811 |
896,254 |
|
June 2014 |
2,634 |
2,007 |
989,901 |
|
- |
- |
Expenditure for 2014 only |
4,464,709 |
|
- |
- |
Cumulative expenditure to date |
5,514,202 |
239. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending fuel allowance to recipients of family income supplement. [30222/14]
View answer241. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of reducing the current long-term requirement of 15 months for access to fuel allowance via certain payments to ten months, six months and three months. respectively. [30224/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 241 together.
The fuel allowance is a payment of €20 to low income households to assist them with their energy costs. The allowance is paid for 26 weeks from October to April. The payment represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The allowance is paid to approximately 400,000 customers at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2014. This includes people in receipt of job-seekers allowance or basic supplementary welfare allowance for more than 15 months (390 days).
Family Income Supplement (FIS) is a weekly tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to people on low pay. FIS is not a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. However, if a person is in receipt of one-parent family payment and also receiving FIS they may be entitled to fuel allowance subject to meeting the other criteria for the scheme.
The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available to the Department as there are a number of qualifying conditions for receipt of fuel allowance. In addition to being in receipt of a qualifying payment a person must live alone or only with certain excepted people and also be unable to meet the costs of heating their home. All of these conditions would have to be considered by the Department in order determine the costs associated with improvements to the scheme.
I have no plans to extend fuel allowance scheme at this time.
240. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending the fuel allowance season by one week. [30223/14]
View answerThe fuel allowance is a payment of €20 to low income households to assist them with their energy costs. The allowance is paid for 26 weeks from October to April. The payment represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The allowance is paid to approximately 400,000 customers at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2014.
Extending the allowance by one week would currently cost the Department €7.56 million. I have no plans to extend the allowance.
242. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has explored the possibility of extending free travel to persons who meet the medical criteria but not the means test for disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30225/14]
View answerThe free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. People who are aged under 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment from the Department to qualify for a free travel pass. These payments include carer’s allowance, disability allowance and invalidity pension.
Free travel for those under 66 is generally based on a means tested qualifying payment. This allows the Department to target the scheme at those people who are not in a position to pay for their own public transport. I have no plans to extend the allowance to those aged under 66 not in receipt of a qualifying payment.
243. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2015 of restoring maternity benefit to the payment level prior to budget 2014. [30226/14]
View answer251. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of reversing the lower age-related rates of jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance for young persons and restoring the maximum rate of €188 regardless of age. [30234/14]
View answer252. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing by €20 the payments received by every young person in receipt of an age-related jobseeker's allowance or supplementary welfare allowance payment. [30235/14]
View answer257. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the respite care grant by €325. [30242/14]
View answer263. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the rate of back to education allowance for young persons aged under 26 years to €188 per week. [30250/14]
View answer264. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending child benefit to children aged 18 years and over in full-time second level education. [30251/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 251, 252, 257, 263 and 264 together.
The estimated cost of restoring maternity benefit rates of payment to those which applied before Budget 2014 is €32 million in 2015 and a full year.
The estimated cost of paying the maximum weekly rate of €188 to all recipients of jobseeker's allowance and basic supplementary welfare allowance aged under 26 is €163 million in 2015.
The estimated cost of increasing weekly rate of jobseeker's allowance and basic supplementary welfare allowance by €20 per week for recipients aged under 26 (where the current rate is less than €188 or €186 per week) is €44.5 million in 2015.
The estimated cost of increasing the annual respite care grant by €325, from €1,375 to €1,700, is €29.3 million in a full year.
The estimated cost, based on recipient data at end April last, of increasing the maximum personal rate of back to education allowance for all under 26 year olds to €188 per week is estimated at €3 million in a full year.
The estimated cost, based on Department of Education and Skills data in relation to full time second level participation at the beginning of 2013, of paying child benefit to families in respect of their 18 year old children in full-time second-level education is €42.5 million in a full year.
The costs shown above are provisional and are subject to change based on emerging trends.
244. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that it is estimated will participate on JobBridge in 2014; the average cost of the scheme per participant; and the estimated total cost of the scheme for the year 2014. [30227/14]
View answer253. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total cost of the €50 top-ups paid to JobBridge participants in 2013 and expected cost for 2014; the number of persons on a JobBridge placement now and the average number who conclude or leave their JobBridge placement each month. [30236/14]
View answer260. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of staff working in the JobBridge division of her Department. [30245/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 253 and 260 together.
Based on number of starters in 2014 to end of June, it is estimated that 11,844 individuals will start internships in 2014. The average weekly cost per participant was €233.67 in May, 2014. €82.3m has been budgeted for 2014 for the JobBridge scheme.
The Department does not keep separate figures for the total cost of the €50 weekly top-up. As at 3 July, 2014, 6,595 individuals were participating in JobBridge internships. Based on number of finishers in 2014 to end of June, an average of 957 individuals finished their JobBridge internship each month in the first half of 2014.
There are 6 staff in the central JobBridge Unit of the Department.
