Written Answers Nos. 74 - 91
75. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the introduction of the public services card; the steps that her Department has taken to date to ensure that this new facility does not give rise to any data protection or identity theft concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35258/14]
View answerThe Public Services Card (PSC) has been introduced to enable individuals gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible. The PSC is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the Free Travel Pass and the Social Services Card (SSC) of this Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers.
Considerable progress has been made in the roll out of the Public Service Card. Approx. 925,000 PSCs have been produced to date. These include c.241,000 Free Travel variants.
A PSC is currently issued following a registration process which is called a SAFE registration process. This involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data already held by the Department. Both the PSC and SAFE registration are provided for in primary legislation.
Face-to-Face registration is taking place countrywide in 81 offices of the Department for individual applicants for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number and people applying for or in receipt of social protection payments or benefits, including Jobseeker payments, Free Travel entitlement, Child Benefit payments, State Pensions, and One Parent Family payments.
Selected low-risk customers have also been invited to avail of a ‘postal’ registration process which involves utilisation, with consent, of information already provided to other Government agencies, for example, a photograph supplied in connection with an application for a passport.
In addition, selected pensioners over 66 who collect their payments at a Post Office are being invited to register by post. This process includes the person providing two passport-standard photographs.
The Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with the Data Protection Acts. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner was consulted and involved in card design discussions. The card design reflects those discussions. The card has multiple protection mechanisms, all of the highest current international standards, to prevent and detect tampering with the physical card and its contents. As well as some hidden security features, the card contains visual measures such as its overall graphical design, branding, microprinting, use of optical variable ink and a kinegram. In addition, a PSC and a card reader will communicate with each other by cryptographic means. Only card readers specifically programmed to accept PSCs can undertake this functionality.
The SAFE registration process and the roll-out of the PSC holds a number of benefits for the customers, the Department and for other Public Service bodies. These include improvement in existing cards (e.g. Social Services Cards and Free Travel) through better security features, considerably reducing the potential for forgery and fraudulent use, a reduction in the rate of fraud and errors caused by incorrectly identified and authenticated people, and improvement in the efficiency of every service delivered by the State through the removal of the duplication caused by multiple agencies each solving the problem of identity and authentication themselves.
The introduction of the card, in addition to providing a more efficient service for customers, is also helping to deter and prevent irregularities, including identity theft. The Department has deployed facial image matching software to help detect and deter duplicate SAFE registrations. This has led to the identification of 36 cases (individuals) of facial matches. Some prosecutions are pending as a result and it is estimated that, at a minimum, the level of fraud detected and stopped to date amounts to in excess of €1 million.
76. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35264/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 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 appeal 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 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 on social welfare entitlements.
79. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35285/14]
View answerThe fuel allowance is a weekly payment of €20 to low income households on long-term social welfare payments 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 over 411,000 households at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2014.
Any changes to current arrangements would be a matter for Budgetary considerations.
81. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if lifelong carers will be afforded contributory pension recognition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35299/14]
View answerWhen assessing whether an individual is entitled to a State pension, and to ensure that they can maximise such entitlement, all contributions (paid or credited) from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account
Credited contributions (credits) are social insurance contributions designed to protect the social insurance entitlement record of insured workers who are not in a position to make PRSI contributions.
Credits are awarded in circumstances such as unemployment or illness, and their purpose is to help protect the social insurance entitlements of insured persons during periods when they may not be in a position to pay contributions.
Credits are awarded to recipients of Carer's Allowance in the following circumstances:
- if the claimant was employed and paid PRSI contributions prior to receiving Carer's Allowance s/he may be entitled to credits. If, however, there is a gap of two years in the claimant's insurance record, credits are not valid until at least 26 PRSI contributions have been paid.
- if the claimant was in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (provided s/he has at least one paid Class A PRSI contribution) Jobseeker's Benefit or Illness Benefit immediately prior to claiming Carer's Allowance.
In addition under the Homemakers Scheme, which was introduced in 1994, a person who gives up work to take care of a child under age 12 or an incapacitated person over age 12 can be classified as a homemaker. Complete years spent out of the workforce looking after a child or an incapacitated person, are disregarded when working out entitlement to a State Pension (Contributory).
This scheme was introduced to make qualification for State pension (contributory) easier for those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties - up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age and/or an incapacitated person can be disregarded.
It is planned that a total contributions approach to pension qualification will replace the current average contributions test for State pension (contributory). The proposed date for the introduction of this change is 2020, but this may be subject to change.
The total contributions approach (whereby the pension payment will be based on the number of contributions paid and credited) will remove the current anomaly whereby people can achieve a higher average contribution rate, and thus a higher level of pension, even where they have a lower total number of contributions paid. This move will bring more transparency to the eligibility for pension.
83. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons participating on community employment schemes, who are in receipt of a second social welfare payment, can suspend their second payment until they have completed their time on the scheme and then receive the second payment again once the scheme has finished as an alternative to having to finish the scheme in December in order to keep their second payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35302/14]
View answerPrior to Budget 2012 measures coming into force, certain Community Employment (CE) participants (i.e. those in receipt of one parent family payment, disability allowance, invalidity pension, illness benefit, blind pension, deserted wife’s benefit, or widow(ers) pension) could retain their original social welfare payment whilst simultaneously receiving CE allowances.
With effect from 16 January 2012, all new entrants to the Community Employment (CE) programme receive CE payments only and are disqualified from receiving their original social welfare payment simultaneously for the duration of their participation on the CE programme.
Participants already employed on CE at the time of the introduction of this measure that were currently in simultaneous receipt of their original social welfare payment (as detailed above) and CE allowances (at the CE single adult rate) could retain both payments while they participated on CE, with a final cut-off point of 31 December 2014 for the ending of all simultaneous payments. At the cut-off point, the person will have a choice of remaining on CE but will receive CE allowances only (adjusted to account for any applicable dependants, fuel allowance, etc.), while their original payment would cease until their CE participation ended. Otherwise, they cannot retain their original payment and remain on CE. Those that choose to remain on CE can have their original social welfare payment re-instated on completion of their time on CE (with the exception of illness benefit, which must be applied for again as a fresh claim).
The following revised reply was received on 1 December 2014:
Prior to Budget 2012 measures coming into force, certain Community Employment (CE) participants (i.e. those in receipt of one parent family payment, disability allowance, invalidity pension, illness benefit, blind pension, deserted wife’s benefit, or widow(ers) pension) could retain their original social welfare payment whilst simultaneously receiving CE allowances.
With effect from 16 January 2012, all new entrants to the Community Employment (CE) programme receive CE payments only and are disqualified from receiving their original social welfare payment simultaneously for the duration of their participation on the CE programme.
Participants already employed on CE at the time of the introduction of this measure that were currently in simultaneous receipt of their original social welfare payment (as detailed above) and CE allowances (at the CE single adult rate) could retain both payments while they participated on CE.
85. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an entitlement to unemployment benefit exists in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35320/14]
View answerIt is open to the person concerned to make an application for Jobseekers Benefit. In order to qualify the person must
- be unemployed
- be under pension age
- be capable of work
- be available for full-time work
- be genuinely seeking work
- have sustained a substantial loss of employment
- satisfy the contribution conditions
- prove unemployment in the prescribed manner.
86. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of changing employees' PRSI for Class BX and Class B1 to 4% on all earnings above €352.01 per week. [35328/14]
View answer87. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of changing employees' PRSI for Class CX and Class C1 to 4% on all earnings above €352.01 per week. [35329/14]
View answer88. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of changing employees' PRSI for Class DX and Class D1 to 4% on all earnings above €352.01 per week. [35330/14]
View answer89. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of changing employees' PRSI for Class HX and Class H1 to 4% on all earnings above €352.01 per week. [35331/14]
View answer90. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of changing employees' PRSI for Class DX and Class D1 to 4% on all earnings above €352.01 per week. [35332/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 86 to 90, inclusive, together.
The table below shows the estimated yield from changing employees’ PRSI for Classes BX, B1, CX, C1, DX, D1, HX and H1 to 4% on all earnings above €352 per week.
|
CLASS |
YIELD |
NO. OF EMPLOYMENTS AFFECTED |
|
BX and B1 |
€38.5m |
24,422 |
|
CX and C1 |
€1.2m |
589 |
|
DX and D1 |
€110.4m |
62,917 |
|
HX and H1 |
€315,000 |
8,120 |
Employees paying PRSI at Classes B, C, D and H pay a lower modified rate of employee PRSI and accordingly have limited social insurance entitlements. Employees paying PRSI at the rate of 4% are in PRSI Class A and have access to the full range of short-term and long-term benefits. Any proposal to increase the employee PRSI contributions of Classes B, C, D and H to 4% could have significant cost implications as consideration would have to be given to granting access to the range of Class A benefits. Any such proposal would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
91. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently on live register activation programmes in County Wexford. [35335/14]
View answerThe allocation of activation places on programmes for live registrants is generally on the basis of the demand for such places (i.e. the extent of unemployment in a region). The number of persons on courses in County Wexford as of the end of August is outlined in the table below. The total figure as of the end of August was 1,908.
However, it should be borne in mind that in regards to some education and training courses, the main enrolment period is at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. September).
For example, while there were 55 participants from County Wexford on the Back to Education Allowance as of the 31st August 2014, most participants do not start until the academic year which begins in September. Furthermore, there are no MOMENTUM courses running at the moment in Wexford; courses will begin in the next few weeks. The total regional allocation (Waterford and Wexford) is 330. Also, the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) starts at the beginning of the academic year in September.
County Wexford live register activation numbers as of end August 2014
|
Programme |
Number of clients |
|
Back to Education Allowance |
55 |
|
Part-Time Job Incentive |
13 |
|
Short Term enterprise allowance |
11 |
|
SOLAS |
295 |
|
JobBridge |
198 |
|
Community Employment |
922 |
|
Tús |
348 |
|
Gateway |
25 |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
41 |
|
Total |
1908 |
