Written Answers Nos. 43-50
45. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in the State who have paid back money to her Department to date in 2014, that is, persons who were deemed to have been overpaid or had overclaimed or were not within the terms of schemes from which they were receiving money; the total amount that is being paid every week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46599/14]
View answerThe Department is not in a position to publicly comment on overpayment recoveries in 2014 at this time as these figures form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
46. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46600/14]
View answerThe person concerned applied for domiciliary care allowance in respect of three children on 17th November 2014. These applications have been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of these opinions, a decision will be made in respect of each application by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.
47. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reconsider the reintroduction of the diet supplement allowance for gluten-free products for coeliac sufferers who are in receipt of social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46617/14]
View answerDiet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition.
During 2013, the Department commissioned the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) to update their previous research published in 2006 and updated in 2007 on the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets. Pricing for a selection of foods based on branded and own label foods was surveyed in a sample of retail outlets for each diet. These outlets included large stores, large low cost stores, medium sized stores and convenience stores.
The research shows that the range of costs associated with a specialised diet is influenced mainly by the shopping location with the lowest costs being the large discount store and the highest cost the convenience store. The research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate of €186 per week. The scheme was discontinued on the basis of this evidence and I have no plans to re-introduce it.
Payment of the supplement will continue to be made to the existing 5,000 recipients for as long as they continue to be entitled to the payment. In cases of particular hardship that may present, officials have the legislative power to award a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in cases of exceptional need.
49. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason an application to appoint an agent was not approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46647/14]
View answerDisability Allowance is not payable for any period in respect of which the claimant is resident outside of the state. In all circumstances, disability allowance recipients must inform the department that they are intending to leave the state.
The person concerned has previously been outside the state and failed to notify disability allowance section. The department has reviewed the situation and will allow the person concerned to have an agent to collect his payment. This will be subject to regular review.
50. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will increase rent support to facilitate persons who are homeless; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46649/14]
View answerhe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 71,800 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.
The Department is finalising a review of the maximum rent limits under the rent supplement scheme. I am concerned that the impact of increasing limits at a time of constrained supply will yield only a very marginal increase in available supply for rent supplement recipients, with the only certainty that raising limits will increase costs disproportionately for the Exchequer with little or no new housing available to new recipients. Raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to add to further rental inflation and impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on many lower income workers, their families and students. I plan to keep this matter under close review.
I can assure the Deputy that officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience and make every effort to ensure that accommodation needs are met including through the use of their discretionary statutory powers on a case by case basis, as necessary. A notice reminding staff of their statutory discretionary power, including those operating in Kildare, to award a supplement for rental purposes in exceptional cases, for example, when dealing with applicants who are at risk of losing their tenancy was circulated earlier this year. The Department is currently examining the procedures in place throughout the country to ensure that the necessary supports continue to be provided.
