Mary Lou McDonald
Question:43. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 can expect a decision on their claim for illness benefit. [3088/15]
View answerIllness Benefit Applications
Questions (43)
Written answers
Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal the person concerned was examined by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that following receipt of the grounds of appeal from the person concerned the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Deciding Officer were requested. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 12 January 2015 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
Exceptional Needs Payment Data
Questions (44)
Denis Naughten
Question:44. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for exceptional needs payments excluding ENP5 applications that were refused in 2010 to 2014, inclusive; the number of those refusals that were successful both on review and on appeal in those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3096/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €27.9m for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2015.
Statistics are maintained relating to payments under the ENP scheme, however they are not maintained on the number of applications or the outcome of those applications. Reviews of ENP cases are carried out by review officers within the community welfare service. Statistics are not maintained regarding the number of reviews undertaken or their outcome.
Rent Supplement Scheme Data
Questions (45)
Eamonn Maloney
Question:45. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form, the number of recipients of rent supplement in each county. [3118/15]
View answerWritten answers
The rent supplement scheme provides support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 71,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015. Rent supplement recipients by county are provided in the tabular statement.
Tabular Statement: Rent Supplement Recipients by County, End December 2014
|
COUNTY |
RECIPIENTS |
|
CARLOW |
1,086 |
|
CAVAN |
414 |
|
CLARE |
1,336 |
|
CORK |
8,273 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,812 |
|
DUBLIN |
26,453 |
|
GALWAY |
3,591 |
|
KERRY |
1,736 |
|
KILDARE |
3,698 |
|
KILKENNY |
1,011 |
|
LAOIS |
1,008 |
|
LEITRIM |
324 |
|
LIMERICK |
2,461 |
|
LONGFORD |
476 |
|
LOUTH |
2,211 |
|
MAYO |
1,619 |
|
MEATH |
1,726 |
|
MONAGHAN |
352 |
|
OFFALY |
1,041 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
687 |
|
SLIGO |
451 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,961 |
|
WATERFORD |
1,443 |
|
WESTMEATH |
1,533 |
|
WEXFORD |
2,700 |
|
WICKLOW |
2,130 |
|
Total |
71,533 |
Community Employment Schemes Places
Questions (46)
Niall Collins
Question:46. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the potential of providing security services under the community employment scheme at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 in view of the fact that the school has been the subject of a number of recent crimes and the success of a number of similar schemes in Jobstown and Killinarden, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3133/15]
View answerWritten answers
The mainstreaming of CE school services was outlined under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) and made provision for all schools to have access to school services, with the objective of creating new employment opportunities in these areas and enhance the employment opportunities available to CE participants. The process of withdrawal of CE services from schools began in September 2001 following the announcement by the Minster for Education and Science in August 2001 that this would take effect. FÁS, in consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment put in place implementation guidelines for this process. The budget for schools-based CE schemes was transferred from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Education and Science and the number of CE places was reduced accordingly. The scheme in Jobstown is a Job Initiative (JI) programme, which is based in the school premises. However, the JI programme is closed to recruitment since November 2004 by the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michéal Martin, no new JI programmes have commenced since that time.
Schools can no longer sponsor Community Employment (CE) schemes and on this basis, CE participants cannot be employed by schools to work in areas that are directly related to the schools. The provision of security and other services to schools is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.
Community Employment is an Active Labour Market Programme (ALMP) in place to support and prepare long-term unemployed and other vulnerable people to gain qualifications to enable them to enter the job-market. The work experience provided through CE and the training is determined by the needs of the individual learner on the scheme.
One-Parent Family Payment Payments
Questions (47)
Brendan Griffin
Question:47. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding lone parent cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3138/15]
View answerWritten answers
As of the end of December, 2014, there were 69,884 recipients of the one-parent family payment (OFP). Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the OFP scheme of approximately €607 million.
The purpose of the phased OFP scheme age change reforms that were introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012, is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency by ending the expectation that lone parents will remain outside of the workforce indefinitely. These reforms aim to provide the necessary supports to lone parents to help them to access the Department’s range of education, training, and employment programmes, to develop their skills set and, ultimately, to secure employment and financial independence.
The final phase of the OFP scheme age change reforms will be taking place on 2 July, 2015, when the maximum age limit of the youngest child at which an OFP recipient’s payment ceases will be reduced to 7 years for all recipients. It is anticipated that approximately 30,200 OFP recipients will transition out of the OFP scheme on that day.
When introducing the OFP scheme age change reforms, a special provision was included for recipients who are claiming the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) payment for a disabled child aged under 16 years. The half-rate carer’s allowance (CA) is only payable for children aged under 16 years where the DCA is also in payment.
In these circumstances, the OFP payment is extended beyond the maximum age limit of the scheme and paid until the child for whom the DCA is in payment reaches the age of 16 years. This special provision ensures that OFP recipients who care for a disabled child will continue to receive support until that child reaches the age of 16 years and can apply for the disability allowance (DA) in their own right.
As a result of this special provision, 1,650 lone parents will continue to receive both the OFP payment and half-rate CA and will not be affected by the OFP scheme age change reforms on 2 July, 2015.
Approximately 800 other customers who are claiming both the OFP and half-rate CA payments are caring for another person (i.e. an adult or a child aged 16 years or over) and, as such, are not in receipt of the DCA payment. These customers will transition out of the OFP scheme on 2 July, 2015, and will have their CA claim automatically assessed and re-rated to a full-rate CA payment of €204 per week and €29.80 per week for each qualified child. The income loss occurs as these lone parents are moving from one-and-a-half payments to a single full-rate CA payment. This is the most advantageous option that is available to these lone parents. These individuals will retain their existing secondary benefits such as the respite care grant, the household benefit package, and free travel.
Historically, the transition of recipients from the OFP scheme to the CA scheme has always occurred in this manner, with concurrent OFP and half-rate CA entitlement being replaced with full-rate CA entitlement once the maximum age limit of the youngest child is reached. There are no plans to review the current OFP reform process.
Question No. 48 withdrawn.
Jobseeker's Allowance Applications
Questions (49)
Bernard Durkan
Question:49. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when jobseeker's allowance may be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3148/15]
View answerWritten answers
The person referred to has changed address and on 20 January 2015, requested a transfer of her jobseekers allowance application from Maynooth Branch Office to Portarlington Branch Office. Her application will be processed as soon as possible, subject to completion of the necessary checks and receipt of all required documentation.
Rent Supplement Scheme Applications
Questions (50)
Bernard Durkan
Question:50. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when rent allowance may be paid in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3149/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward same to be assessed for entitlement to the Mid-Leinster Rent Unit, Po Box 11758, Dublin 24.
Rural Social Scheme Administration
Questions (51)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:51. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to change the arrangements in relation to the payments of wages to participants in the rural social scheme and Tús from Pobal to the individual companies that administer the schemes locally; the possible effects such a change could have on employment in the Pobal office in an area (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3180/15]
View answerWritten answers
Participants on the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Tús – the community work placement initiative – are paid via a central payroll system operated under an arrangement with Pobal. Additionally, Pobal provide a data collection and information support service to the Department in respect of the operation of Tús. The Department has no plans to alter the existing arrangements with respect to the payroll and related services provided to the Department by Pobal.
Separately, as part of the ongoing management of these schemes, the Department works with representatives of local development companies in respect of the local delivery of RSS and Tús to assess the opportunities and challenges arising from changes in the operating environment and those resulting from changes in other schemes and programmes delivered by the companies. The Department will work with these companies and Pobal in relation to any changes that might arise as a consequence of revisions to the delivery of the schemes.