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Wednesday, 26 Nov 2014

Written Answers Nos. 39 - 43

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Questions (39)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

39. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when arrears in respect of one parent family payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45469/14]

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Written answers

Departmental records show that the person concerned last claimed one parent family payment in April 2014 when she was living in Celbridge, County Kildare. She did, however, move from that address and her subsequent addresses were unknown. She is currently in temporary accommodation and is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance in respect of herself and her child from the Department while her circumstances are being investigated.

There is no current application in the Department for one parent family payment from the person concerned; however an application form has been issued to her. The form should be completed and submitted to the Intreo Centre at 18-21 Cumberland Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Departmental Meetings

Questions (40)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

40. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form, the dates of meetings of her Department's management advisory council in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the civil servants present at each of these meetings; if she or her Department's Minister of State was present at each of these meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45483/14]

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Written answers

The Management Board (MB) of the Department comprises the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, Chief Appeals Officer and the Chief Medical Adviser, all of whom are civil servants. Other officials from the Department also attend MB meetings to assist in the discussion of agenda items. Their attendance is only for the agenda item being considered.

The Management Board currently meets on a fortnightly basis. I attend approximately four MB meetings every year – these are highlighted in the table. There was no Minister of State assigned to the Department over the period January 2011 until July 2014 when a Minister of State was assigned. His attendance at Management Board meetings since July 2014 is also given in the table.

In addition to the meetings listed in the attached table, there is a formal weekly meeting scheduled between myself and the Secretary General. Both the Minister of State and I meet regularly with the senior management of the Department in relation to its business and related developments and we both also meet periodically with a number of Programme Boards. These are sub-committees of the Management Board which the Department has in place to focus on both policy and operational issues.

Legend

MB = Management Board meeting, civil servants only

MinMB = Minister in attendance at Management Board meeting

MoSMB = Minister of State in attendance for part of the meeting

Year

Date

Attendance

Minister Present

Minister of State Present

Question No. 41 withdrawn.

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Questions (42)

Seán Fleming

Question:

42. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that her officials are finding it difficult to refer potential participants to sponsors for community employment projects in view of restrictions being implemented, which keeps the number of years a person may actually work on community employment to a minimum, and due to this high turnover of participants if her attention has been drawn to the fact that due to the difficulty in recruiting participants the viability of some community employment projects will be in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45514/14]

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Written answers

The existing participation limits for CE are in place to ensure that all eligible persons have the opportunity to participate on the programme. The limits (introduced in April, 2000) are 3 years participation for those under 55 years of age and up to 6 years participation for those of 55 years of age to state pension age (inclusive of any time spent on CE under 55). Persons in receipt of disability-related social welfare payments on entering CE may avail of one additional year on top of these limits, bringing the duration up to 4 years or 7 years respectively.

Participation on CE prior to 3 April 2000 is not counted. Offshore island residents are exempt from this participation cap, subject to the availability of places on island-based CE schemes. The participation limits are in place to allow for a turnover of places to give the maximum number of clients the opportunity of a CE placement.

Over the least two years the number of CE places has been increased by 2,000 to 25,300. General recruitment onto CE is working well. Some recruitment issues that do arise tend to be with certain cohorts e.g. lone parents and persons with a disability which since the introduction of the cessation of receiving a dual payment in 2012 has led to a decline in participation rates.

The Department is doing its utmost to ensure that CE sponsors can recruit sufficient candidates for any vacancies arising through the local INTREO office and we will continue to monitor the situation to address any difficulties arising.

Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 36.
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