Written Answers Nos. 52-61
52. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the action she will take to ensure young persons who come off jobseeker's allowance to commence an apprenticeship are not penalised in monetary terms; and the incentives in place to encourage young persons to come off the allowance and seek an apprenticeship or return to the workforce. [26471/15]
View answerI am informed by SOLAS that the first-year weekly wages of apprentices vary between €195 and €323, depending on the particular craft involved and the sector of the employment. These rates generally rise substantially in the second year of apprenticeship. The most recent statistics show that there are some 38,200 persons aged 25 or younger on jobseeker’s allowance. While the full weekly rate of jobseeker's allowance is €188, approximately 31,000 of these young claimants are in receipt of a reduced jobseeker’s allowance of either €144 or €100 per week. In the light of the above I am not aware of any significant disincentives facing young people considering coming off Jobseekers’ Allowance to take up apprenticeships.
Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were introduced in 2009 and these measures were extended in Budget 2010. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates of jobseeker’s allowance to recipients aged 25 years of age. This is a targeted activation measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. It aims to incentivise young jobseeker’s allowance recipients to avail of education and training opportunities as those who avail of such opportunities are well placed to take full advantage of sustainable employment. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
The measures did not apply to existing claimants on a higher rate at the time the initiative was introduced or to young jobseeker allowance recipients with children.
53. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare may complete a back to work course through a local Intreo office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26514/15]
View answerThe client concerned is registered with his Local Employment Service (LES). The LES are contracted by the Department, among other things, to engage with DSP customers referred to them for activation. A LES mediator is assigned to each referred client who is contracted to work with that client, up to a 12 month period, in identifying a pathway back to work. Training and education is just one option from a range of options that should be discussed between the client and the mediator. The LES have an annual dedicated mediator training fund which is managed by each LES with a view to ensuring they allocate their budget in a coherent manner over the period and target funding at those who require it most. As the LES in question are six months in to their annual contract the client should re-engage with their mediator with regard their agreed progression plan and pathway back to employment.
54. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form by county and by month, the number of applications for the one-parent family payment received to date in 2015; the number of these applications that have been determined and which have yet to be processed; the average times for a decision to be made with respect to applications submitted for each of these months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26522/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy relating to the total number of applications for one-parent family payment (OFP) registered in 2015 which have been determined and the total number which have yet to be processed are set out in a table. The average times to award a claim in respect of claims awarded in each month is also set out.
This level of detail is not available on a county basis, however, I am informed that during the period 1 January to 31 May 2015 a total of 4,727 new applications for OFP was received in the various Social Welfare Local Offices throughout the country. A breakdown of this number by county and month together with the overall monthly performance statistics relating to this scheme are detailed in the following tabular statements. It should be noted that this data relates to claims processed in offices located within the counties shown. The addresses of the claimants may not be within the same county borders.
It should be noted that the county level statistics indicate the number of people registering OFP claims at an office located in the county indicated. As the catchment area of many local offices cross county borders this data is not equivalent to the number of people residing in each county who claimed OFP.
One-Parent Family Payment Claims registered by County and Month.
|
County |
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
|
Carlow |
21 |
21 |
14 |
17 |
17 |
|
Cavan |
7 |
29 |
13 |
12 |
7 |
|
Clare |
18 |
20 |
14 |
14 |
9 |
|
Cork |
97 |
102 |
66 |
73 |
90 |
|
Donegal |
38 |
25 |
31 |
32 |
28 |
|
Dublin |
316 |
298 |
310 |
304 |
270 |
|
Galway |
40 |
36 |
32 |
40 |
37 |
|
Kerry |
29 |
27 |
25 |
21 |
33 |
|
Kildare |
45 |
59 |
32 |
36 |
57 |
|
Kilkenny |
12 |
16 |
18 |
11 |
9 |
|
Laois |
26 |
26 |
18 |
19 |
25 |
|
Leitrim |
4 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
Limerick |
44 |
27 |
49 |
40 |
32 |
|
Longford |
12 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
|
Louth |
84 |
52 |
49 |
46 |
57 |
|
Mayo |
25 |
19 |
19 |
20 |
24 |
|
Meath |
23 |
22 |
18 |
21 |
27 |
|
Monaghan |
5 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
10 |
|
Offaly |
20 |
11 |
16 |
16 |
14 |
|
Roscommon |
7 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
3 |
|
Sligo |
15 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
13 |
|
Tipperary |
47 |
32 |
32 |
38 |
32 |
|
Waterford |
28 |
34 |
37 |
22 |
22 |
|
Westmeath |
12 |
13 |
13 |
15 |
5 |
|
Wexford |
48 |
37 |
41 |
44 |
42 |
|
Wicklow |
37 |
20 |
26 |
19 |
24 |
|
Grand Total |
1,060 |
969 |
901 |
897 |
900 |
One-Parent Family Payment Claims Activity 1 January to 31 May 2015
|
Month |
Claims Registered |
Claims Awarded |
Claims Determined |
Claims Pending Month End |
Average time to Award (Weeks) |
|
January |
1,060 |
664 |
986 |
1,587 |
9 |
|
February |
969 |
703 |
1,016 |
1,540 |
10 |
|
March |
901 |
748 |
1,053 |
1,460 |
8 |
|
April |
897 |
703 |
966 |
1,444 |
10 |
|
May |
900 |
752 |
1,050 |
1,355 |
11 |
55. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on an application for a carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26532/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received applications for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 11th February 2015.
The application is currently with a social welfare inspector for assessment of the level of care being provided, assessment of means and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the inspector has completed and submitted the report a deciding officer will make a decision on entitlement.
The application will be processed as quickly as possible and when a decision is made the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
56. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a review will be carried out in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow who, between Army pension and social welfare payments, was on €188 per week but who has recently been ordered by the courts to pay €30 maintenance per week to the person's ex-partner for their child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26550/15]
View answerThe issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the persons concerned, and if they cannot resolve the problem, for the courts through family law provisions.
The question raised is not a matter for this Department as it concerns a court order in relation to a family law matter.
57. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 56 of 28 April 2015, the progress that has been made in enacting all sections of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014, in particular the sections relating to holding outdoor weddings; when she expects these sections to be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26560/15]
View answerThe Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 was enacted on 4th December 2014.
The Act contains a wide range of provisions and these will be put into operation on the basis of an implementation plan involving both procedural and system changes. This work is being progressed as quickly as possible in order that the various provisions of the Act can be commenced.
There had been some uncertainty about the law in relation to outdoor marriages last year. On the basis of legal advice, the Tánaiste issued a press release in July 2014 clarifying that they were in fact permitted under the legislation in force at that time. The 2014 Act includes provisions to define more clearly what constitutes a “place that is open to the public” in relation to venues where marriages and civil partnerships may take place. This is to ensure that the public policy objectives with regard to the solemnisation of marriages in both indoor and outdoor venues are upheld (i.e. including that the marriage is taking place in a venue which is truly accessible to the public). These provisions are being prioritised for commencement but this does not prevent marriages being solemnised outdoors at the present time.
Marriages by religious or secular solemnisers may currently be solemnised at an outdoor venue with the agreement of the parties and the solemniser.
In relation to venues for civil marriages solemnised by registrars, under section 52 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, these are subject to “matters specified” by the Minister. These “matters specified” have been revised to reflect the updated position and were signed by myself on 29 May 2015. As a result of this revision civil marriages may now be solemnised outdoors with the agreement of the parties and the registrar.
Similar “matters specified” have been signed in relation to civil partnerships.
58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the method used to send inquiries regarding possible changes in circumstances for those in receipt of child benefit; if there are certain categories of recipients who receive a higher number of letters checking their status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26595/15]
View answerChild benefit is a payment to parents 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.
In order to ensure that child benefit is only paid to eligible families, a policy of issuing continuing eligibility certificates to parents commenced in 2008 and is still in operation. The child benefit control programme is kept under regular review based on the outcomes achieved, to ensure that controls in place to prevent fraud and abuse continue to be effective and relevant. The Department undertook approximately 400,000 continuing eligibility reviews of child benefit customers in 2014. This control activity generated some €70 million in savings in respect of expenditure that would otherwise have occurred.
In 2015, a continuing eligibility certificate will issue to all Irish, including naturalised Irish, customers and to EU customers who are paid by EFT and based on their residency in Ireland. Two certificates will issue to all customers from outside of the EU and to all customers, including Irish, who are paid or part paid child benefit in Ireland on the basis of their continued employment within the EU.
I am satisfied that appropriate controls are in place and implemented, ensuring child benefit is only paid to eligible families.
59. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on any possible remedy in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15, where there is a reduction in pension payments to pay back previous overpayments. [26597/15]
View answerEffective debt recovery is a key aspect of the Department’s control policy and an integral part of the deterrent approach to social welfare fraud. Most claimants of social welfare schemes, where required, fully declare their income and assets and do not receive more than their due entitlements. Where a claimant fails to fully declare their means, they may receive a payment, or a rate of payment, to which they are not entitled which can result in an overpayment being assessed against them.
While it is the Department’s aim to prevent overpayments, where they occur they are a debt to the Exchequer, and every effort is made to recover the full amount due. Accordingly, a repayment settlement of less than the overpayment amount cannot be considered in the case of the person concerned.
Social welfare legislation provides for deductions of up to fifteen per cent of a person’s personal rate of social welfare payment to be taken towards the recovery of an overpayment, without the debtor’s consent. This measure has been applied in the case of the person concerned. If the person concerned is experiencing financial hardship as a result of the deductions applied, it is open to them to seek to have the rate of debt recovery reviewed on financial hardship grounds. A Recovery Officer will require detailed statements of all income sources for the past three months, details of all accounts held in any financial institution(s), together with any other relevant documentation or information in order to consider whether or not a case of financial hardship can be made. If the person concerned wishes to request such a review, they should submit their supporting documentation directly to Debt Management Unit, Department of Social Protection, College Road, Sligo.
It is noted that the person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate state pension (contributory) based on their social insurance record. It is open to the person concerned to make an application for state pension (non-contributory), which is subject to a household means-test and may yield a higher weekly rate of payment. An application form for state pension (non-contributory) has been issued to the person concerned.
61. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection where a person is in receipt of a jobseeker's allowance and his or her partner is participating in a community employment scheme, whether that person's partner's income from the community employment is disregarded for rent allowance purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26600/15]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance rate for a family comprising two adults and a child is €340.60. Any income over this amount is considered additional earnings and affects the rate of rent supplement allowable. In this case, the client has additional household earnings from their Community Employment programme that reduces their entitlement to rent supplement. Consequently, their contribution towards their rent is €59.50 per week.
