Róisín Shortall
Question:48. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the number of child care workers who signed on for jobseeker payments last summer. [19048/15]
View answerJobseeker's Allowance Data
Questions (48)
Written answers
The number of persons who declared their employment category as childcare and related occupations that signed on to the live register payment during June to August 2014 is detailed in the following tabular statement.
Live Register claims registered between June and August 2014 with a stated occupation as “Childcare Workers and Related Occupations
|
Scheme |
June |
July |
August |
Grand Total |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
532 |
549 |
435 |
1,516 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
392 |
924 |
317 |
1,33 |
|
Credits Only |
46 |
123 |
54 |
223 |
|
Grand Total |
970 |
1,596 |
806 |
3,372 |
Family Income Supplement Data
Questions (49)
Róisín Shortall
Question:49. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the current number of public servants in receipt of family income supplement. [19049/15]
View answerWritten answers
The family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees, with families, who have low earnings. The number of public servants currently in receipt of FIS is given in the following table.
Numbers of public servants in receipt of FIS
|
Year |
Number in receipt of FIS |
Number of Public Servants |
% Public Servants in receipt of FIS |
|
2015 (end April) |
50,780 |
3,792 |
7.5% |
Family Income Supplement Data
Questions (50)
Róisín Shortall
Question:50. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the total number of family income support recipients in each of the past ten years. [19050/15]
View answerWritten answers
The family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees, with families, who have low earnings. The numbers in receipt of FIS over the last 10 years is given in the following table.
Family Income Supplement since 2005:
|
Year |
Families |
Children |
|
2005 |
17,448 |
33,956 |
|
2006 |
21,800 |
43,861 |
|
2007 |
22,823 |
47,529 |
|
2008 |
27,798 |
58,019 |
|
2009 |
25,963 |
55,716 |
|
2010 |
28,223 |
62,240 |
|
2011 |
28,876 |
65,281 |
|
2012 |
32,307 |
73,238 |
|
2013 |
44,159 |
97,858 |
|
2014 |
50,306 |
111,583 |
Carer's Allowance Payments
Questions (51)
Patrick O'Donovan
Question:51. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way arrears for a recently awarded carer's allowance were calculated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19054/15]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that the carer’s allowance (CA) application from the person in question was awarded on 20th April 2015 and the person was notified directly of the decision. The first payment of CA issued to the post office on 7th May 2015. Arrears of CA due from the 3rd July 2014 to the 6th May 2015 have not yet been finalised. They will be calculated by establishing the gross amount of CA due for the period, less any other payments made to the person in question during that period less any outstanding overpayment. The arrears due will be finalised and will issue to the person in question shortly.
Free Travel Scheme
Questions (52)
Martin Heydon
Question:52. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the financial supports available from her Department to assist those who are blind or visually impaired, and who require assistance with their transport costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19074/15]
View answerWritten answers
The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 90 private transport operators. There are currently in excess of 810,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €77 million.
Recipients of blind pension are automatically eligible for free travel, and a companion free travel pass and may also be eligible, subject to satisfying the relevant conditions, for the fuel allowance, electricity/gas allowance, free television licence and the living alone allowance. Recipients of the blind pension may also be awarded the blind welfare allowance paid by the HSE.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Social Protection may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
Where the travel costs are non-recurring, the SWA scheme provides for exceptional needs payments to be made to assist with essential, once-off expenditure in exceptional circumstances. There is no automatic entitlement to such payments. Again, every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned. The ENP scheme is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility for the payment or the expenditure rests with another Government Department or Agency.
Rent Supplement Scheme Payments
Questions (53)
Bernard Durkan
Question:53. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if rent increase will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, who has three dependent children, is dependent on rent support and likely to become homeless, in view of the fact that the person's rent has been increased to €1,250 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19081/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department has requested the client to provide the Department with an up to date Rent Supplement application form confirming the increase in monthly rent. On receipt of this documentation the client’s rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be re-assessed.
Invalidity Pension Appeals
Questions (54)
Bernard Durkan
Question:54. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason invalidity pension was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if this parliamentary question may be accepted as a request for an appeal; if the person qualifies for any other payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19089/15]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned is currently in receipt of means tested disability allowance.
Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To date there is no record in the Department of receipt of a claim for IP from the person in question.
To qualify for IP claimants must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
According to the Department’s records, it appears that the person concerned does not satisfy the PRSI contribution criteria for IP. However entitlement to IP can be definitively determined on receipt of a completed claim form.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (55)
Bernard Durkan
Question:55. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for a carer’s allowance will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19093/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department informs me it has not received an application by the person concerned for carer's allowance. However I have arranged for an application form (CR1) to issue, which the person concerned should complete and return as soon as possible. Upon receipt of a fully completed application form and any necessary supporting documentation the person concerned will be notified of the position regarding their eligibility.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Questions (56)
Bernard Durkan
Question:56. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which amelioration of overpayment of jobseekers allowance will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if it might be possible to achieve an arrangement within that person's ability to pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19094/15]
View answerWritten answers
When determining the rate of recovery of an overpayment, the Department is conscious of a need to strike a balance between prompt recovery of overpayments and due consideration to a person’s ability to pay. The person concerned should contact his local office to discuss the case with the relevant officer.
Rent Supplement Scheme Applications
Questions (57)
Bernard Durkan
Question:57. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if rent support can be paid in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; if it is recognised that the landlord in question opted not to proceed with a rent accommodation scheme, thereby leaving the persons dependent on private rent support, in lieu of local authority housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19095/15]
View answerWritten answers
The customer was awarded Rent Supplement as a short term measure pending RAS. A final Rent Supplement payment has been issued to the customer concerned for period 1/4/15 - 5/5/15. As the customer has commenced employment, his Rent Supplement claim is now closed.
Rent Supplement Scheme Payments
Questions (58)
Bernard Durkan
Question:58. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange an investigation of a rent increase in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19098/15]
View answerWritten answers
The client concerned has been requested to provide the Department with an up to date Rent Supplement application form and lease agreement confirming any increase in monthly rent. On receipt of this documentation the client’s rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be assessed.