Written Answers Nos. 38-50
38. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on Labour Court Recommendation 19293 (details supplied) of 22 July 2008; her views that it should be implemented without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29387/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the individuals concerned are the employees of private companies. 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.
Employers (including CE Sponsoring Organisations) are legally obliged to offer access to at least one Standard Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) under the Pension (Amendment) Act 2002. All CE Sponsoring Organisations were apprised of their responsibilities under this Act at that time.
CE Supervisors may also qualify for the State Pension at 66 years of age. If they have accrued sufficient PRSI contributions (520 contributions @ full rate, equivalent to 10 years contributions) they will qualify for the State Pension (Contributory), which is not means-tested. In the event that there are insufficient contributions, the person will qualify for the State Pension (Non-Contributory), provided they satisfy the means test.
39. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive arrears of a carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29230/15]
View answerThe application for carer’s allowance (CA) in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 14 April 2015 and the first payment was issued to the person’s nominated post office on 30 April 2015. Any arrears of allowance due (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course.
The person in question has an outstanding debt which the department must recover. A letter was issued to the person concerned on 13 July 2015 proposing to recover the debt from CA arrears. The person has been offered the opportunity to comment on the recovery proposals which will be taken into account before a final decision is made.
40. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 38 of 8 July 2015, if she will examine the policy, budgetary and operational implications of the family income supplement with a view to amending the regulation accordingly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29240/15]
View answerAs I explained in my answer to the Deputy’s previous question of 8th July 2015, under current Social Welfare regulations, only superannuation deductions made through an employee’s salary, under the PAYE system, are allowable as deductions from gross income for FIS purposes.
The definition of weekly family income for FIS purposes is provided for in Section 227 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). This section of the Act also defines the items, payable under the PAYE system, which are deductible from weekly family income in order to arrive at net assessable income.
One of the deductible items from gross income, for FIS purposes, are allowable contributions to certain superannuation funds and schemes as referred to in Regulations 41 and 42 of the Income Tax (Employments) (Consolidated) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 559 of 2001).
Within these income tax regulations, an allowable contribution means a contribution payable by an employee and deductible by an employer from emoluments for the employee.
Consideration of any change to the Social Welfare Legislation in this regard would have to be in a budgetary context.
41. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal under the one-parent family payment scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29241/15]
View answerThe person concerned has appealed the decision to disallow her claim for a one-parent family payment. The documentation submitted in support of her appeal has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector. On completion of the inspector investigation a report will issue to a Deciding Officer and a decision will issue to the client.
42. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons under 25 years of age who would qualify for the JobsPlus incentive scheme as projected by her Department by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29254/15]
View answerThe JobsPlus incentive is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking work. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers in the form of a monthly grant paid over two years with two levels of grant payable - €7,500 or €10,000 provided the employment is maintained. The level of payment depends on the length of time the person is unemployed. Eligibility was broadened in 2015 to include young jobseekers (under 25 year olds) unemployed for four months or more in the previous 6 months, jobseekers transitioning from a one parent
In June 2015, 3,674 employers were paid some €1.83 million in respect of 5,013 employees. Around 13.5% of supported employees were under 25 years of age (675). A total of €23.3 million has been paid to employer since commencement of payments on JobsPlus in September 2013 to the end June 2015. Some €10.42 million has been paid this year to the end of June 2015. The provision of JobsPlus is €25.5 million with the aim of support 6,000 employees in employment.
As of 14th July 2015, 39,769 jobseekers under 25 meet the criteria for JobsPlus. The data is not recorded on a county by county basis. The table sets out this data by DSP divisions.
|
DSP Division |
Number |
|
Cork Central |
2,331 |
|
Dublin Central |
3,450 |
|
Dublin North |
2,900 |
|
Dublin South |
3,632 |
|
Mid Leinster |
3,178 |
|
Mid West |
2,692 |
|
Midlands North |
3,695 |
|
Midlands South |
3,603 |
|
North East |
3,069 |
|
North West |
3,164 |
|
South East |
3,507 |
|
South West |
1,904 |
|
West |
2,644 |
|
Total |
39,769 |
44. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the processing and payment of outstanding Waterford Crystal pensions and lump sums to former employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29313/15]
View answerI wish to advise that all material required to give legal effect to the settlement reached in the Labour Relations Commission has been provided to the legal representatives of the members of Waterford Crystal pension schemes for their agreement and sign off. This material includes a Letter of Offer, Deed of Release and other support material.
Before the letter of offer and associated documentation can be issued to members themselves, their representatives are required to -
- confirm satisfaction that all matters raised by them have been addressed;
- sign off for issue to the members of the schemes the letter of offer and associated documentation; and
- confirm the plaintiffs in the case before the Court have accepted the offer.
Following receipt of the above from member’s legal representatives, my Department will work as expeditiously as possible to issue this documentation to members and process lump sum payments thereafter. Member will be required to sign the “Deed of Release” to the effect that any payment issued under the agreement will be in full and final settlement of any claim a member may have under the scheme. A payment cannot be made until a signed “Deed of Release” is received and legal proceedings withdrawn.
I wish to emphasise that it is the Department’s firm objective that all outstanding matters are resolved without further delay. I can assure you that every effort is being made to implement the terms of the agreement as soon as possible.
45. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding her Department's policy on sending child benefit review forms to those in receipt of child benefit; how regularly these forms are issued to recipients; if there are Department regulations, guidelines, memos, circulars or polices in regard to this; and her views on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin and the regularity with which this person receives child benefit claim review forms. [29327/15]
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. The continuing eligibility certificate programme forms part of the overall child benefit control programme and is included and described in the control policy for the scheme. The control policy is reviewed and updated regularly 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, to EU customers who are paid by EFT and based on their residency in Ireland and to all customers from outside of the EU. Two certificates will issue 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.
The person concerned had been receiving continuing eligibility certificates on a six monthly basis, but this has now reduced to one certificate per year as she receives payment based on residency in Ireland. The most recent certificate was issued to her on the 29 June 2015 for completion to confirm her continued entitlement to child benefit.
47. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will meet with organisations from the Dublin 15 area taking part in community employment schemes to discuss the ending of community employment for those in the schemes beyond two years. [29361/15]
View answer48. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the social impact on 15 participants in an area (details supplied) in Dublin 15 of not renewing their participation in a community employment scheme. [29362/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together.
There are main two streams of participation on Community Employment (CE). These streams and the limitations on participation have been a feature of CE procedures from as far back as the 1990s.
The first stream is called the Part-Time Job option and is for persons who are over 35 years of age and have spent 3 continuous years on the Live Register. Persons who participate on CE under this option can qualify for up to 3 years (which can increase to 6 years after the reaching the age of 55), subject to their extended participation being approved annually.
The second stream is called the Part-Time Integration option and is for persons over the age of 25 who have spent less than 3 years on the Live Register. This option now accounts for most of the participants on CE. Participants can qualify for up to 2 years; however their extended participation to a second year is subject to certain criteria as set out in the scheme guidelines. Participants who are granted a second year under this option cannot continue on that or any other scheme after the 2 year term has been reached. They are required to have spent a further period of 12 months on the Live Register before being eligible to participate on CE again.
There are currently 18 CE participants engaged by the project referred to in the Deputy’s question, 4 of whom qualified to participate under the Part-Time Job option; the remaining 14 participants qualified to participate under the Part-Time Integration option. Of those 14 participants, 4 have exceeded their maximum permitted time of 2 years on CE under the Part-Time Integration option. However 3 of them are exempt from the 2 year limit by virtue of the fact that they commenced CE prior to the announcement on 8th October 2012 regarding the Part-Time Integration option. The fourth participant, despite will in this instance be allowed to see out their current term on CE.
The Department has reviewed the eligibility of each participant and found that 1 participant was incorrectly categorised under the Part-Time Integration option. The participant in question will be re-categorised under the Part-Time Job option and will be eligible to apply for a third year on CE.
49. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an exemption to the existing rules on community employment schemes, to enable participants who are over 60 years of age to continue after retirement. [29363/15]
View answerThe aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities on a temporary basis. The Department’s priority in supporting CE is having access to schemes that can provide job seekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications to support their progression into employment. The proportion of participants over 60 years of age is currently 11.4% (June 2015).
Persons of 60 years of age or over can participate for a cumulative maximum of 6 years on CE, with one additional year being available for persons who were in receipt of a disability-linked social welfare payment.
Participation on CE ranges from 1 year up to 6 years for participants depending on their eligibility and 7 years for people with a disability. This is extensive for an active labour market programme. However, I am currently examining this issue.
50. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the term limits for participants in the community employment schemes who are near 65 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29364/15]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) has an upper age limit for funding of a participant. This is set at the State Pension age (66 years of age at present). No funding will be made available under CE for those participants who qualify for the State Pension. This has been the case on CE since the programme commenced in April 1994.
There are also limits on the maximum duration of participation. For a participant of 55 years of age or older, their maximum cumulative duration is 6 years (inclusive of any time spent on CE when they were younger than 55). However, should they reach State Pension age before completing the cumulative maximum allowable duration, the funding will cease at that point.
