Wednesday, 10 Jun 2015

Written Answers Nos. 50-56

Departmental Schemes

Questions (50)

Tom Fleming

Question:

50. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will re-introduce the student summer work scheme similar to the former scheme, which was very successful in providing students with the opportunity of engaging in vital community and social work, was very productive, enabled these students to contribute to their communities and provided them with experience in the work environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22588/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The students’ summer jobs scheme was first introduced in 1993 to provide income support for less well-off students who were disqualified under social welfare legislation from receiving unemployment assistance during the summer months. The scheme allowed students to take up part-time work useful to their community and to receive payment for this work. The scheme required considerable administrative effort to deliver.

Take-up was initially high, but dropped significantly as unemployment fell in the late 1990s, leading to greater and wider availability of alternative summer employment. In view of declining numbers and in order to focus available resources and administrative effort in the best possible way, it was decided to discontinue the students’ summer jobs scheme in 2003.

It remains the case that there are higher priority uses for the financial and administrative resources of the Department of Social Protection than support for summer employment for students. Schemes such as Community Employment and Tús, supporting employment in the community and voluntary sector, are concentrated on the registered unemployed, and particularly those who have been out of work for longer periods. There are no plans to reintroduce a scheme of support for summer student jobs.

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Questions (51)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

51. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Dublin is being refused rent supplement, despite the person meeting the criteria, above the local rent supplement cap as outlined in her Department's information note 201418, and despite the fact that the refusal to grant it in this instance will render the person homeless and in need of emergency accommodation. [22608/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

An application was received from the person concerned on 20/5/2015 for a rent supplement based on a rent of €900 per month. The person concerned presented as a single person having recently moved from accommodation for which he had been receiving a rent supplement. According to the records of this Department the person concerned did not make contact or provide any reasons for leaving his old accommodation prior to making the new application. The new application was refused as the rent of €900 was €380 per month in excess of the €520 per month maximum rent limit for a single person, and the rent of €900 per month was not considered to be in line with that of the local market for a single person. It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (52)

Jack Wall

Question:

52. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22609/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

No application for disability allowance has been made to date by the person concerned.

I have issued an application form for disability allowance today to the person in question. He should complete the application form and return it in the envelope provided, upon the receipt of which, his entitlement to a disability allowance payment will be examined.

Citizen Information Services Provision

Questions (53)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

53. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding citizen's information telephone numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22612/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Citizens Information Service operated a LoCall telephone service for a number of years. Due to the deregulation of the telephony market and the introduction of different packages and plans for residential customers, as well as the rise in numbers of people owning mobile phones, the costs to customers of calling this LoCall service could vary and in most cases were proving expensive.

The introduction of a new 0761 prefix for Citizens Information and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) telephone numbers is part of a Government initiative to reduce call costs for both public bodies and customers. The previous ‘geographic numbers’ (i.e. ordinary landline numbers such as ‘021’ for Cork or ‘01’ for Dublin) were replaced in each Citizens Information Centre by the 0761 number. Calls to 0761 numbers are charged at national call rates, from both landlines and mobile numbers and are included in the bundle of minutes offered by most, if not all, major telephone service providers. Accordingly, customers calling 0761 numbers should not have to pay any additional costs.

If any customer has a particular concern about the call charges for ringing the Citizens Information Service or Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), they should advise the officer handling the call, and they will call the customer back.

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Questions (54)

Jack Wall

Question:

54. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding pensions; her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22633/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Deputy will be aware that Community Employment Scheme supervisors are the employees of private companies. In the circumstances, it is not possible for the State to take over responsibility for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where those companies are reliant on State funding. This position was confirmed by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (D/PER) to this Department in March of this year.

The D/PER’s position is that private companies contracted by the State to provide a service, including those in the community sector, must manage their expenditure pressures, including labour and pension costs, from within existing funding levels.

Job Losses

Questions (55)

Brendan Smith

Question:

55. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the supports and programmes in place to assist former employees of a major manufacturing facility (details supplied) in County Monaghan that closed recently, as many of its former employees wish to obtain alternative employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22666/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

On learning of the proposed redundancies, officials from the Department of Social Protection met with the Human Resource Manager from BOSE on 27th January 2015 to brief BOSE on the supports that could be provided by the Department. In February 2015 a two day information event was held by officials from the Department on site in BOSE and provided:-

- Group Information Sessions detailing services and opportunities offered by the department.

- Information regarding individual benefits, application completion, advice on redundancy payments.

- Information on job vacancies in the North East Division and on employment supports.

- One –to –one interviews with each BOSE staff member regarding grant and employment supports.

Education & Training Boards also attended the two day briefing and provided information on their courses and programmes.

In the period February to May 2015 officials also held a number of follow up one-to-one sessions with BOSE staff to provide additional support. The Department continues to provide supports and advice to the former BOSE employees.

In addition to the supports provided by the Department, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Enterprise Ireland also established an interagency group to examine how best the employees of BOSE could be assisted and the Department has participated fully in this group.

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Questions (56)

Finian McGrath

Question:

56. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 regarding a motor tax matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22589/15]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The legislation governing the Drivers & Passengers with Disabilities Scheme is contained in Section 92 of the Finance Act 1989 (as amended), Section 134(3) of the Finance Act 1992 (as amended) and Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994 (S.I. 353 of 1994). 

Full details of the scheme, including the legislative criteria which must be met, are set out in Information Leaflet VRT 7 which is available from the Revenue website www.revenue.ie.  In order to qualify for the various exemptions available under the Scheme, including the exemption from payment of annual Motor Tax, the applicant must have purchased a vehicle and have borne or paid the VAT and VRT due on the vehicle or its adaptation as provided for by Regulation 8(1) of S.I. 353 of 1994. Vehicles purchased by a company for use by an individual do not qualify.

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the person (details supplied) submitted an incomplete application under the Scheme on 11 March 2015. Original purchase invoices in respect of the vehicle and its adaptions were requested. A further application was received on 21 April 2015, accompanied by an invoice which was not acceptable as the invoice was not made out to the individual concerned and the vehicle in question was shown as having been delivered to a company. If a valid invoice for the purposes of the scheme can be produced, i.e. proving that the person paid VAT/VRT on the vehicle and its adaptation, the application will be considered further.