Terence Flanagan
Question:53. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24023/15]
View answerChild Benefit Reform
Questions (53)
Written answers
Child benefit is the main policy instrument for assisting families with the costs of raising children. It is a universal payment that is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years, or to the age of 18 who are in full-time education or who have a disability. It is paid to over 615,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children, at a cost of €1.9 billion.
The Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare examined the structure of child and family income support in Ireland. The Group considered the means testing of child benefit would have considerable administrative consequences, as the scale of means testing would be greater than anything required by the current system. Instead the Group recommended that child benefit should continue to be paid on a universal basis.
It is my intention to retain child benefit as a universal system to assist families with the cost of raising children. A crucial element of a strong and sustainable welfare system is the principle that everybody contributes, and that the system is there in turn to support those contributors at key stages in their lives. Child benefit is one of the few universal payments in the welfare system in that regard, and its universality has an important role to play in maintaining the sustainability of the system.
For that reason, child benefit was increased by €5 a month, or €60 per annum, from January 2015. This recognises the sacrifices that families made during the economic crisis and the fact that families are continuing to face difficulties. In the Statement of Priorities, the Government promised a new deal on living standards for hard-pressed families, and this increase is in line with that commitment.
National Internship Scheme Administration
Questions (54)
Jack Wall
Question:54. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an arrears payment under the JobBridge scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24025/15]
View answerWritten answers
All arrears due were included in payments of 26th May 2015 and 16th June 2015 and the correct weekly rate now applies.
Pension Provisions
Questions (55)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:55. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding pension schemes for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24035/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that Community Employment (CE) 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.
Disability Allowance Payments
Questions (56)
John Browne
Question:56. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for arrears of disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [24050/15]
View answerWritten answers
Disability allowance arrears will issue to the person concerned in the next few days.
Invalidity Pension Applications
Questions (57)
John Browne
Question:57. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for invalidity pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [24051/15]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 12 February 2015. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on the 25 June 2015. Any arrears due from 12 February 2015 to 24 June 2015 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 15 June 2015.
Question No. 58 answered with Question No. 47.
Social Welfare Payments Administration
Questions (59, 60)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Question:59. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 247 to 249, inclusive, of 9 June 2015, and in view of her reiteration in her reply that it is Government policy that An Post remain a strong and viable company which will be in a position to provide a high quality postal service, and maintain a nationwide customer focused network of post offices in the community, the reason it is no longer possible to elect to have a one-person family payment paid at the post office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24057/15]
View answerMichael Fitzmaurice
Question:60. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 247 to 249, inclusive, of 9 June 2015, the reason she can emphasise in her reply that the amendments do not remove the option to be paid at the post office, when the option to be paid at the post office no longer exists on the family income supplement application form; if she will explain the modality by which new applicants for the family income supplement, who make an application by completing the FIS1 form, may now elect to be paid at the post office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24060/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 60 together.
Further to my replies to Parliamentary Question Nos. 247, 248 and 249 of 9th June 2015, I would like to outline to the Deputy that the Family Income Support payment is a weekly payment for families at work on low pay. I can confirm to the Deputy that the option for payment of FIS through the post office network has not been included on the application form for that scheme since before 2007.
As the Family Income Supplement is an in-work payment the Department considers that payment through an account in a financial institution better facilitates those who are in work.
Respite Care Grant Eligibility
Questions (61)
Jack Wall
Question:61. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has an entitlement to a respite grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24069/15]
View answerWritten answers
The respite care grant (RCG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to carers who are in receipt of a qualifying payment on the first Thursday in June. The relevant payments are carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, domiciliary care allowance, and prescribed relative's allowance.
The person in question does not have an entitlement to the 2015 RCG as her carer’s allowance payment ceased on 27th of May 2015.