Written Answers Nos. 179 to 199
179. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason the sale and purchase of alternative homes before the age of 66 does not disregard the amount of €190,500 for a means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24889/15]
View answer180. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason the sale of an alternative home before the age of 66 is not explored for equity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24890/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 180 together.
In assessing means for social assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person may have, together with the value of capital and property (except the family home).
Capital may include the following:
- Stocks and shares of every description, which are assessed according to their current market value.
- Savings certificates / bonds / national instalment savings, which are also assessed according to their current market value.
- Monies invested in a bank, building society etc.
For the purposes of most social assistance schemes, the first €20,000 of capital is disregarded for means test purposes and the balance is assessed by reference to a formula. In the case of disability allowance, the first €50,000 is disregarded, while in the case of supplementary welfare allowance, the first €5,000 is disregarded.
In the case of persons under 66 in receipt of disability allowance or the blind pension, the proceeds derived from the sale of the principal private residence can be disregarded, subject to an upper limit of €190,500. These are the same arrangements as for recipients of the state pension non-contributory (SPNC), and social welfare legislation provides that this disregard applies “when the claimant or beneficiary disposes of his or her principal residence for the purposes of:
(i) purchasing alternative accommodation which is or will be occupied by him or her as his or her only or main residence,
(ii) funding the renting of alternative accommodation which is or will be occupied by him or her as his or her only main residence,
(iii) funding the payment of fees to a nursing home which has been registered in accordance with section 4 of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 (No. 23 of 1990),
(iv) residing with a carer, as defined in section 99 or section 179, who is in receipt of carer’s benefit or carer’s allowance in respect of the care and attention provided to the claimant or beneficiary, or
(v) residing in accommodation suitable for elderly persons which incorporates communal and support facilities and which is provided by a body approved by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the purposes of section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 (No. 18 of 1992)”.
The current arrangements reflect the fact that older people and people with long-term disabilities may have sell their principal residence to move to more suitable alternative accommodation including moving to a nursing home or to live with a carer. It is not considered appropriate to apply similar arrangements to other means tested claimants aged under 66 such as recipients of jobseeker's allowance.
182. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an appeal under the disability allowance scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24908/15]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
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.
183. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision regarding a disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24909/15]
View answerAn application for disability allowance (DA) in respect of the person concerned was received by the Department on 27 April 2015. In order to determine the circumstances of the person in question, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI). S/he will arrange to meet with the person concerned as soon as possible.
A decision on his entitlement to DA will be made on receipt of the SWI’s report. The person in question will be notified directly of the outcome.
185. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a disability allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24930/15]
View answerThe application for disability allowance from the person in question was disallowed by a deciding officer on 16 June 2015 on the grounds that he does not satisfy the medical conditions for the scheme, based upon the information provided by him in support of his application.
The person in question was advised of the option to submit further evidence in support of the application for review and of his right to lodge an appeal directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
186. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding payment of a jobseeker's benefit to non-nationals who have been made redundant and the payment of this insurance-related benefit to persons who have left this country to return to their homeland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24948/15]
View answerJobseekers benefit is not paid where the applicant is absent from the State except in the following circumstances:
- While looking for work in another EU country for a period of up to 3 months;
- For up to 2 weeks holidays in a calendar year (paid in arrears); and
- While representing Ireland at an international sporting event (also paid in arrears).
Legislation in relation jobseeker's benefit does not distinguish between Irish nationals and other nationalities. Normal qualifying conditions apply in all circumstances in that a customer must be unemployed (for at least 4 days out of 7), be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work and have enough social insurance contributions.
187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position of an appeal of a decision concerning disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24949/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 April 2015. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 10 June 2015 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
190. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the maximum balance an applicant for an exceptional needs payment may have in savings in order that the person's application will be considered. [24959/15]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €27.9 million for the ENP scheme in 2015.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment under the ENP scheme. The scheme is means tested and payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Any savings or other capital that an applicant may have will be taken into consideration by the officer administering the scheme when determining if the applicant has sufficient funds to meet the particular need to which the application refers to. There is no maximum balance of allowable savings provided for in the legislation or guidelines governing the ENP scheme. The guidelines state that where an applicant has capital resources s/he should normally be expected to provide for the need from that source.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP under the SWA scheme should contact the Department.
191. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a disability allowance has ceased in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24964/15]
View answerI am informed by the Department that it was notified that the person in question has never lived at the address provided. As his whereabouts and full circumstances, and consequently his ongoing entitlement to disability allowance (DA), are currently unclear, payment was suspended. In order that consideration can be given to resumption of payment, the person in question should contact the Department immediately with proof of current address and of any other relevant changes in circumstances.
192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will indicate eligibility for a respite care grant in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24967/15]
View answerThe respite care grant (RCG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to carers who are in receipt of a qualifying payment on the first Thursday in June.
The RCG for the person concerned was issued to the person’s chosen Post Office on 4 June 2015.
196. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for an invalidity pension for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25005/15]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 14 May 2015. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 25 June 2015. Any arrears due from 14 May 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 22 June 2015.
197. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance will issue in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Galway. [25007/15]
View answerThe Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 20 February 2015. The application was refused on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full-time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. The person concerned was notified of this decision and the reason for it on 9 April 2015, and was offered a right of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of the decision and submitted further medical evidence in support of the application. This evidence was reviewed by a deciding officer but the decision remained unchanged. The person concerned was notified of this decision and the reason for it on 18 June 2015 and was offered a right of appeal.
198. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the way moneys received from the National Lottery Fund in 2013 were spent on each project to which they were directed, including projects that were part funded and wholly funded from the fund; if she will indicate, for each such part funded project, where the balance of funding was sourced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25033/15]
View answer199. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the amount of money that was received by her Department from the National Lottery fund in each of the years 2009 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; if she will provide a detailed breakdown indicating the way this money was spent, or otherwise directed, for each of these years; if any moneys are held in reserve arising from funds received over this period or before; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25049/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together.
For the period 2009 to date in 2015 my Department has received no funding from the National Lottery fund.
