Written Answers Nos. 36-41
36. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report a timeframe for when reform of the junior certificate will be decided and implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15321/15]
View answerI intend to proceed with the implementation of the Junior Cycle reform including the implementation of the new specification for English which commenced last September. The implementation will now be based on the Travers' proposal which I agreed to in late February. This includes the provision that the implementation of new Science specification be delayed from September 2015 until September 2016. The other subjects will be phased in over 4 years and it is expected that all new subject specifications will be implemented by September 2019.
37. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the respite grant or a relevant portion of it will issue in June 2015 to carers who had been caring for persons until the end of March 2015 in cases where the persons they had been caring for are now in residential facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15929/15]
View answerThe respite care grant (RCG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to carers in receipt of carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance or prescribed relative's allowance from the Department. It is paid on a full basis to all eligible.
Where a person is not in receipt of any of the above payments but is carrying out caring duties, s/he may qualify for payment of the grant if s/he is over 16, is ordinarily resident in the State, is caring for a person for at least six months (to include the first Thursday in June,) and is living with the person being cared for (or, if not, be contactable quickly by a direct system of communication.)
Where a carer’s role has come to an end and the recipient of care is living in a hospital, convalescent home or similar institution the carer will not qualify for RCG.
38. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [15845/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 10 March 2015, 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.
39. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding disability benefits in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; when arrears will be paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15849/15]
View answerDisability allowance arrears have been calculated and will issue to the person concerned in the next few days.
40. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the entitlement of working widows and working lone parents who are respectively in receipt of a survivor's pension, the one-parent family payment or illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15855/15]
View answerThe social welfare system is designed to respond to a range of contingencies such as illness, unemployment, old age and widowhood. In Budget 2012 the Government decided, having regard to the fiscal necessity to contain social welfare expenditure and to protect weekly rates of payment, that it was no longer possible to have a social welfare system whereby some people got more than one primary weekly payment.
So, from January 2013, half-rate payments of jobseeker’s benefit, illness benefit and incapacity supplement for those who get widow(er)’s pensions, surviving civil partner’s pensions or one-parent family payment ceased (for new applicants for jobseeker’s benefit, illness benefit and incapacity supplement). Other concurrent payment entitlements, such as new participants on Community Employment schemes, were also ceased as part of the Budget 2012 measures.
Prior to this, there were a limited number of exceptions in the social insurance system to the general principle of “one person, one payment”. These exceptions usually applied in the context of short-term benefits. For instance, recipients of One-Parent Family Payment, Widows and Widowers Pensioners etc. could, until Budget 2012, also receive short-term social insurance benefits, such as Illness Benefit and Jobseeker’s Benefit at half-rate at the same time.
These overlapping payment arrangements were introduced in the early 1950s when the social insurance system was first established - a time when there were only 10 individual social welfare payments – and the social welfare system has been significantly developed since then.
I am satisfied that the general principle of “one person, one payment” serves to maintain the equity of the social welfare system.
