Written Answers Nos. 48-54
48. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision regarding their illness benefit application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40766/14]
View answerTo qualify for illness benefit the person concerned needs to satisfy certain statutory insurance contribution conditions, one of which requires that the person concerned has at least 39 PRSI contributions either paid or credited in the 2012 contribution year. This condition can also be satisfied if the person concerned has 26 contributions paid in 2012 and a further 26 paid in the previous year i.e. 2011.
According to the Department’s records she has only 24 paid contributions in the 2012 year and as such would not qualify for payment.
The person concerned has provided details of further paid contributions with another employer in the 2012 year. However before these contributions can be taken into account, it is necessary to make further enquiries into the matter. These enquiries are proceeding at present and, when completed, the claim will be reviewed and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
If the person concerned is in need of financial support while awaiting a decision on her claim she may be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance. The person concerned can apply for supplementary welfare allowance to the Department's community welfare service at her local Intreo office or local health centre.
49. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if measures are contemplated to alleviate the plight of active and deferred members of the Permanent TSB pension plan who are adversely affected by the wind-up of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40768/14]
View answerWhile I am very aware of the difficulties facing many pension schemes over the past number of years and of the efforts being made by the trustees of pension scheme to secure the sustainability of pension provision, you will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on issues arising in a particular pension scheme.
50. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the average time for final decisions to be made by deciding officers in the appeals office in respect of social welfare appeals since January 2014; the average time in 2012 and 2013 regarding the same process; the percentage of social welfare appeals lodged in the past 12 months that have been successful; the percentage of original applications refused on grounds of medical evidence that have then been won on appeal. [40780/14]
View answerThe average processing time for appeals peaked in 2011 when the average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and for a summary decision was 25.1 weeks. In 2012 the average processing time for an oral hearing dropped to 39.5 weeks and the time for a summary decision increased slightly to 27.8 weeks. Further improvements were achieved in 2013, when the average appeal processing time reduced to 33.9 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.8 weeks for a summary decision. As at 30 September 2014, the average time taken to process an appeal requiring an oral hearing reduced to 29.3 weeks and 21.8 weeks for a summary decision.
Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. While this process carries an inherent delay in terms of finalising an appeal, it also highlights the flexibility and accessibility of the appeals system. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial function, the processing of appeals takes time and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.
In the 12 month period 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014, 34,013 appeals were finalised. Of those, 19,117 had a successful outcome for the appellant. Of the 19,117, 13,501 were allowed by Appeals Officers and 5,616 were revised following a review by a Deciding Officer of my Department.
In relation to carers allowance, carers benefit, disability allowance, illness benefit, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance, 19,283 appeals were finalised in the 12 month period 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014. Of these, 9,766 (50.6%) were allowed by Appeals Officers. However it should be noted that the issues involved in these appeals may include other criteria such as means, contribution conditions and habitual residence.
51. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to ensure that a deficit in the pension scheme of a solvent company is treated as a debt on that company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40820/14]
View answerOccupational Pension schemes are generally set up under trust and are maintained by the employer on a voluntary basis. The trust deeds and rules of a scheme differ from scheme to scheme, and as with any contractual situation, reflect the level of obligation of the parties involved. While the Pensions Act provides a framework for the regulation and supervision of occupational pension schemes, it does not impose any obligation on an employer to fund scheme benefits.
Notwithstanding this, and though the outcome of previous consideration of this issue recommended against introducing a statutory obligation on the employer, very serious consideration was given to including such an obligation on the employer in the Social Welfare and Pension (No. 2) Bill 2014. However, given the uncertainties as to the overall impact and potential for unintended consequences of applying debt on the employer selectively or otherwise, it was decided not to proceed with this measure.
52. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason fuel allowance-household benefits package has been refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40852/14]
View answerIn order for qualify for fuel allowance the applicant must satisfy a household means test.
In addition to the applicant’s social welfare payment, the applicant and other members of their household must have a combined income not exceeding €100.00 per week, or combined savings/investments not exceeding €58,000. According to the records of the Department, the means of the person concerned is in excess of €100.00 per week and accordingly the eligibility conditions for fuel allowance are not satisfied.
As the applicant is aged under 70 years, in order to be eligible for the household benefits package the person concerned must live alone or only with certain excepted people. According to the records of the Department, a non-excepted person resides at the same address and accordingly the eligibility conditions for household benefits are not satisfied.
53. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding bringing rent support up to date in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40854/14]
View answerThe Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from this client. The client should forward same to be assessed for entitlement to Rent Supplement to midleinsterrentsunit@welfare.ie or to the Mid-Leinster Rent Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.
54. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which another review has been undertaken in respect of pension entitlements arising from further employment information submitted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40856/14]
View answerThe person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate State pension (contributory) based on an assessed yearly average of 19 contributions, covering the period July 1962 to December 2010.
According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has no recorded contributions for the period 1967 to 1997. The person concerned has been requested on a number of occasions to provide details or evidence of any insurable employment(s) during this period.
On receipt of insurable employment details the application will be reviewed and the person concerned notified of the outcome without delay.
