Written Answers Nos. 78-97
78. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the circumstances under which persons employed under the community employment schemes can have their placement extended; the number of extensions allowed in 2014, where community employment projects experienced difficulty in recruitment, due to lack of eligible candidates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19594/15]
View answerWith effect from 3 April 2000, lifetime participation on Community Employment (CE) by an individual is limited to:
- 3 years for persons under 55 years of age;
- 6 years for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age;
- Eligible persons in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked social welfare payment are eligible for one additional year on CE over the standard maximum participation caps, i.e. 4 years maximum time on CE for those under 55 years of age, and 7 years maximum time for those between 55 years of age and State Pension age.
Participation on CE prior to 3 April 2000 is not counted. Offshore island residents are exempt from this participation cap, subject to the availability of places on island-based CE schemes.
The above maximum durations are strictly enforced to ensure fairness to all participants and to maintain throughput of places which allows more people to benefit from participation on the scheme.
However, there is provision for extending 10% of the places where a participant is only eligible for 1 year on the scheme. This normally applies to facilitate the completion of a recognised award by a participant, to complete work experience or to support the service where there may be delays in Garda vetting of posts.
The Department does not collate statistics on extensions allowed.
79. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding rent supplement in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [19597/15]
View answerThe client concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on their monthly rent, weekly income and family composition.
80. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if payment is being made and if arrears have been approved. [19605/15]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal against a decision to disallow disability allowance (DA), the person in question has been awarded a DA payment with effect from 30 April 2014. His first payment was on 18 March 2015 and any arrears due will follow shortly.
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an alleged overpayment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19623/15]
View answerFrom 31 January 2014, the person concerned had been in receipt of a supplementary welfare allowance payment of €186 per week. In the course of a review of this claim in June 2014, it was found that certain income from capital had not been declared. Current legislation requires the Department to assess means from the full capital value of any property owned by a claimant apart from the family home.
The person concerned was written to on 9 July, again on 8th September 2014 and again on 22 January 2015 requesting further documents in order to assess any possible overpayment. As no reply was received, the client was notified that the total amount paid to him under SWA, i.e. €13,206, would become an overpayment and entered as a debt if the Department was not contacted before 24 February 2015.
Correspondence was received from the person concerned on 3 March 2015 that included a valuation of the property in question confirming the overpayment of the total amount paid. The total of the overpayment was reduced to €12,328.70 as a result of an inter-scheme adjustment on the award of jobseeker’s allowance. A notification letter was issued on 15 May 2015 to this effect. There has been no recoupment to date as the person concerned is not currently claiming a social welfare payment.
85. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19641/15]
View answerI can confirm that the Department has received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned. The Department has written to the person in question on 24 April 2015, asking him to forward information necessary to make a decision on his application which was omitted from his initial application. A final decision will be made on his application for DA upon the receipt of the above requested information.
86. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm the status of an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [19661/15]
View answerIn order to determine the circumstances of the person in question, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector. S/he will arrange to meet with the person concerned as soon as possible.
A final decision on his entitlement to disability allowance will be given on receipt of the Social Welfare Inspectors report. The person in question will be notified directly of the outcome.
87. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a disability allowance payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19681/15]
View answerThe Department was received notification on 13 May 2015 that the appeal of the person in question has been allowed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The application is with a deciding officer for processing and the department will contact the person in question directly in due course.
88. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will next review the rent supplement limits for County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19684/15]
View answerThe 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 69,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for in 2015.
The Department recently published a review of the maximum rent limits, “Maximum Rent Limit Analysis and Findings” and it is available on www.welfare.ie. The review finds that increasing rent limits at this time could potentially add to further rental inflation in an already distressed market, affecting not alone rent supplement recipients, but lower-income workers and students. Between the rent supplement scheme and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) administered by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the State accounts for a third of the private rented market. The State is therefore a very significant player in the sector which has a responsibility not alone to rent supplement recipients but also to the market as a whole, including all those in private accommodation.
In light of the review’s findings, the Department will instead continue to allow for flexibility in assessing customers’ accommodation needs through the National Tenancy Sustainment Framework. Under this approach, each tenant’s circumstances throughout the country, including those in the Meath area, are considered on a case-by-case basis and rents can be increased above prescribed limits as appropriate. I am satisfied that this is the appropriate response at this time which has assisted in excess of 1,500 rent supplement recipients throughout the country to retain their rented accommodation.
The review clearly points out that the main cause of difficulty for persons renting or seeking to rent at this time is the much reduced availability of affordable private rented accommodation, which is representative of the position in Meath. The issue of supply is being addressed by Government through the Construction 2020 Strategy and the Social Housing Strategy. My Government colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, is also considering a number of policy options in relation to achieving greater rent certainty.
I can assure the Deputy that I am keeping this matter under close review to ensure that the appropriate supports continue to be provided for rent supplement recipients.
89. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive a decision on an invalidity pension review; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19685/15]
View answerThe department received a claim for invalidity pension (IP) from the person concerned on the 18 August 2014. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that, based upon the evidence supplied, the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. The person in question was notified on the 11 December 2014 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his rights of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of this decision and submitted further medical evidence on 27 February 2015 in support of his request. Following a review of all the information available it has been decided that there is no change to the original decision. The person concerned was notified on 14 May 2015 of the outcome of the review and of his right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.
90. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19703/15]
View answerThe person concerned is on a reduced rate of disability allowance as he has means assessed against him in relation to his spouse’s employment. If there has been a change to this income or any other aspect of his means, the person in question should forward up to date details and evidence so that his entitlement may be reviewed.
91. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the control savings and reviews recorded on child benefit in each of the past three years; the overpayments sought each year, and the repayments to date; the multiplier used in calculating control savings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19704/15]
View answerThe vast majority of social welfare claimants are receiving their correct entitlements. In line with the commitments in the Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014–2018, the Department aims to minimise risks of fraud and eliminate incorrect payments. This involves appropriate checks at the point of claiming, strengthened by systematic reviews of claims in payment and verification that the conditions for entitlement continue to be met.
Control activity is focused on prevention of fraud and error at claim application stage. Savings made from the prevention of fraud and error at application stage cannot be estimated as the claim will not go into payment. Reviews of claims in payment are also an essential element of the control programme of the Department. Control savings are used as a performance indicator for year-on-year control review activity and represent an estimate of the value of prevented future expenditure that would have been incurred had this control work not been carried out.
Control savings are calculated by applying validated multipliers to the difference in the rate of payment before and after the control activity. The multipliers for Child Benefit (CB) are as follows:
|
CHILD BENEFIT (applies to monthly rate of payment) |
|
|
Termination |
X 34 |
|
Reduction in Payment |
X 12 |
Multipliers used in assessing control savings estimate the total future savings to the Department of a revocation or reduction resulting from a control action. The multiplier used is based on the average amount of time the person who ceases to claim will remain off the books before returning.
Overpayments, on the other hand, arise in relation to past events where a Deciding Officer has sufficient evidence that a person has been paid an amount in excess of their entitlement for a given period, either through payment at a rate above that which they should receive or where they are paid beyond the relevant date.
The following table provides details regarding CB control activity and overpayments:
|
Child Benefit |
Control Reviews |
Control Savings Recorded - €M |
No. of Overpayments Assessed |
Value of Overpayments Assessed - €M |
Recoveries €M |
|
2012 |
421,144 |
€83.2 |
3,723 |
€4.9 |
€3.9 |
|
2013 |
375,332 |
€76.6 |
4,269 |
€5.5 |
€4.2 |
|
2014 |
409,917 |
€72.7 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
Not Available |
Note: Overpayment recoveries recorded in any given year can be proper to overpayments relevant to other years. Overpayments recorded in 2014 form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are currently the subject of an audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Department is committed to ensuring that social welfare payments are available to those who are entitled to them. In this regard, the control programme of the Department is carefully monitored and the various measures are refined to ensure that they remain effective.
92. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of quarterly child benefit review forms issued in each of the past three years and in 2015 to date; if these form part of the control review process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19705/15]
View answerChild benefit is a universal payment made to parents/guardians for the support of their children. It is paid to some 615,000 families in respect of 1.18 million children, with an expenditure of approximately €1.9 billion in 2014.
Safeguarding the child benefit budget is a priority and the Department takes a proactive approach to ensuring that it is only paid to eligible families. A policy of issuing continuing eligibility certificates to parents commenced in 2008 and is still in operation; forming part of the overall review process.
Details of certificates issued since January 2012 are shown in the table:
|
Year |
Quarter 1 |
Quarter 2 |
Quarter 3 |
Quarter 4 |
Totals |
|
2012 |
114,970 |
83,740 |
107,749 |
75,693 |
382,152 |
|
2013 |
60,851 |
80,214 |
76,920 |
119,080 |
337,065 |
|
2014 |
121,326 |
90,889 |
93,692 |
65,763 |
371,670 |
|
2015 |
75,732 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
75,732 |
93. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there is classification in the free travel scheme between the various groups that qualify for the scheme such as old age pensioners and persons with disabilities, that is, if there is a greater level of funding allocated to one group over the other; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19713/15]
View answerThe 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.
The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.
Allocation of funding for free travel is not based on the various qualifying schemes but on expected passenger numbers who avail of their free travel pass, and as such there is no greater level of funding allocated to one group over any other.
94. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in cases where disabled persons qualify for a travel pass but do not have access to public transport where they live, the outcome for the funding allocated to their travel pass under the free travel scheme; the options that are open to those persons in regard to recouping that cost to be used towards private travel arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19718/15]
View answerAllocation of funding for free travel is not based on the numbers on each qualifying scheme but on expected passenger numbers who avail of their free travel pass. It is not possible for an individual person who has qualified for the scheme to receive a cash payment instead.
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.
95. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if funding will be provided to separated parents, who are living a substantial distance from each other, to enable the child to visit the second parent by train or other public transport on a regular basis, given that the second parent is not living in the family home, and whose income is limited on social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19730/15]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA), the Department may award a supplement towards travel related costs. 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. 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.
If the Deputy has details of a specific case, they should be provided to the Department’s Community Welfare Service for consideration.
96. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if additional funding will be provided to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service in view of the Government's announcement to strengthen the service's role, as part of a suite of measures to address mortgage arrears; if so, if she will provide details of funding increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19733/15]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for providing information, advice (including money and budgeting advice service) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers on this remit through a network of delivery partners which includes 51 local Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) and 42 local Citizens Information Services (CIS). In 2015 the CIB has been allocated a budget of €46m of which some €17.9 million is allocated to the MABS network of companies.
Proposals are being developed at present with a view to ensuring that MABS will play a greater role in offering information, advice and assistance to mortgage holders in arrears. Additional services to provide assistance in identifying the best options, completing financial statements and considering proposed solutions will be rolled out by MABS offices on a phased basis, following a process of engagement between the Citizens Information Board, MABS and other relevant stakeholders. This will ensure that mortgage holders in arrears have access to information on the range of supports and options available, advice on the ones most suited to their needs, and assistance in pursuing such options, where necessary.
97. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an appeal for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19770/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12 May 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 are 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.
