Written Answers Nos. 236-250
236. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the procedure a family must follow to ensure ##it is paid the proper maintenance payments (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11947/15]
View answerThe issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the person concerned, and if she cannot resolve the problem, for the Courts through family law provisions.
In every case where a one parent family payment is awarded, this Department seeks to trace the other parent, referred to as the liable relative, in order to ascertain whether he or she is in a financial position to contribute towards the cost of one parent family payment.
The financial position of each liable relative is assessed, taking into account any maintenance payments already being made. All liable relatives assessed with a maintenance liability are notified by the Department and are issued with a maintenance contribution assessment. However, the Department cannot pursue liable relatives who are living outside the Republic of Ireland.
Ireland is party to various international conventions and there are also EU Regulations which facilitate the recovery of maintenance from liable relatives living abroad. Under the Regulations, each member state has a Central Authority for Maintenance Recovery. The Central Authority in Ireland is the Department of Justice and Equality. Therefore, a person who is in receipt of reduced maintenance payments can contact the Central Authority for Maintenance Recovery at the Department of Justice and Equality, Bishop's Square, Redmond's Hill, Dublin 2 for assistance (phone (01) 4790290).
237. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11949/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29th January 2015. 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 case 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 appeal 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.
239. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reinstate the telephone allowance for pensioners in receipt of the household benefits package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12001/15]
View answerThe monthly allowances under the household benefits package are a contribution towards the cost of services; they are not intended to meet those costs in full. The telephone allowance was introduced at a time when telephones were expensive and uncommon and a landline service was the only option available to the client. The market has changed considerably since the introduction of the allowance, with several companies providing a range of services and rates with bundled services including television, telephone, broadband and pay-as-you-go mobiles. In addition, the cost of the telephone allowance scheme has risen each year with the number of eligible clients also increasing significantly. In 2007 there were some 316,000 people receiving the telephone allowance compared with almost 396,000 at the end of September 2013, an increase of 25%. Each year almost 10,000 extra clients became eligible for the allowance because of the increased number of pension recipients.
The overall concern of the Government in recent budgets has been to protect the primary weekly social welfare rates. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is key in protecting people from poverty. To allow us to preserve these core payments, we have had to look very carefully at other additional payments. Accordingly, the telephone allowance was discontinued from 1 January 2014. This decision provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. The fuel allowance scheme and the free travel pass were also protected for older people and people with disabilities. These are valuable supports for recipients.
I am keenly aware of the impact on the Department's clients and particularly those who are living alone. As the Deputy is aware, in Budget 2015, we partially restored the Christmas Bonus and increased the living alone allowance to €9.00 per week. In these circumstances, I have no plans to restore the telephone allowance. Any decision to increase the household benefits package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.
240. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the circumstances which will allow a person rejoin a community employment scheme when the person's permitted time as an employee of the scheme expires. [12005/15]
View answerWith effect from 3rd April 2000, lifetime cumulative participation on Community Employment (CE) by an individual is as follows:
- 3 years (156 weeks) maximum for persons under 55 years of age.
- 6 years (312 weeks) for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age.
- For people in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked social welfare payment, for those under 55 years of age (Part-Time Job Option only), 4 years cumulative time on CE applies and 7 years cumulative time for those between 55 and State Pension age (Part-Time Job Option only).
- For referred clients to drug rehabilitation schemes, the standard eligibility requirements are waived and the maximum participation can be up to 4 years.
Participation on CE prior to 3rd April 2000 is not counted.
Once a person has exhausted their maximum duration of participation as detailed above, they must leave the scheme and can no longer participate.
All CE employment contracts are for one year's duration. Under the Part-Time Integration (PTI) Option of CE, being in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments for 12 continuous months qualifies the person as eligible for one year on CE, after which they must exit the programme and requalify in the same manner for further time on CE. Up to 10% of PTI participants can be extended by one further year where their progression needs justify the continued placement.
Under the Part-Time Job (PTJ) Option of CE, being in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments for 3 continuous years qualifies the person as eligible for up to three consecutive years on CE, subject to annually renewable contracts and engagement levels with the programme. All CE participation is subject to the maximum cumulative durations as detailed above, as well as the availability of places.
242. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that JobBridge positions recently advertised in (details supplied) County Donegal are internships and not jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12015/15]
View answerThe purpose of JobBridge is to help unemployed jobseekers break the cycle whereby they cannot find a job without appropriate experience but cannot find appropriate experience without a job. To date it has been very successful in delivering on this objective with this success being partly attributable to the wide variety of internship opportunities that it supports.
Given that unemployed jobseekers are drawn from many walks of life and have varying levels of work experience and educational qualifications it is essential that Internship opportunities cover many occupations/disciplines from high skill specialist placements to lower skilled general placements. Therefore JobBridge opportunities are not confined to the type internships that were, and continue to be a feature of, some 'white collar' professions. I am satisfied that the positions referred to can offer valuable work experience to some jobseekers and can, subject to all other conditions of the JobBridge scheme being satisfied, form the basis of a JobBridge internship.
I would also point out that JobBridge is a voluntary scheme. There is no obligation on a Jobseeker to participate in the scheme or to take up any particular internship. Interns choose to participate and choose the host organisation they wish to work for.
244. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the flood relief fund that was established in response to the flooding event of June 2012; the amount of money that was paid out under the fund, showing separately the amounts paid in respect of residential units and commercial units; if applications are still being accepted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12027/15]
View answerThe Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as the flooding and the severe weather.
A humanitarian assistance scheme was approved by Government in response to flooding which occurred in the Cork area in June 2012. The scheme, which is means tested, is available to people whose homes were damaged and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair as a result of the flooding and severe weather damage. The purpose of the scheme is to assist households only and not to cover any commercial or business losses.
Following the flooding in Cork in June 2012 over €144,700 was paid to householders who were affected with payments made during 2012 and 2013.
While it would be unusual to receive new applications in respect of flooding that occurred in June 2012, if the Deputy is aware of any person who requires assistance under the humanitarian assistance scheme they should be advised to contact the Community Welfare Service.
246. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if funding will be provided for training and education opportunities in an area (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12042/15]
View answerThe Department of Education and Skills (DES) have advised my Department that the provision of further education and training in the area in question is an operational one for Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB). The DES will ask DDLETB to respond to the Deputy directly with the information requested.
My Department is however actively engaging with those lone parents affected by the ongoing reforms to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP). This means that lone parents who are on a jobseeker's payment can access the full range of employment, educational and training supports available to improve their skillset and move towards sustainable employment.
Under this support former OFP recipients who move to the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement, will have access to a one to one meeting with a case officer in order to agree a personal development plan. The aim of this plan is to focus on improving the skills and competencies of the individual with the goal of assisting them in securing employment. All other former OFP recipients who move to a jobseeker's allowance payment will gain access to the same service currently provided to all jobseekers, and will again be supported into education and training as appropriate with a view to helping these customers to find employment.
249. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding appeal against refusal of jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12151/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
250. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was refused jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12152/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has been 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
