Written Answers Nos. 51-63
51. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has saved any money by not renewing community employment schemes for those persons over 60 years of age. [29365/15]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that there are no savings to the Department by the non-renewal of Community Employment (CE) Scheme places for those of 60 years of age or older, or indeed any age, as the CE places are back-filled by other eligible customers. This turnover of places allows the programme to maximise access to the opportunities provided by Community Employment (valuable work experience, accredited training, etc.).
Persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age can remain on CE for a cumulative maximum of 6 years, inclusive of any time spent on CE prior to their 55th birthday. Once they have completed 6 years’ participation, or reach State Pension age, they must leave the programme. Persons who were in receipt of a disability-linked social welfare payment may avail of one additional year’s participation on the programme.
52. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an application for a carer's allowance will be made for a person (details supplied) in County Longford; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29372/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 19 May 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. Carer's allowance cases take approximately 12 weeks to process.
53. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount it would cost to reinstate the payment levels under the farm assist scheme to pre-budget 2012 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29376/15]
View answer55. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount it would cost to re-instate the income disregard levels under the Farm Assist Scheme to pre-budget 2012 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29378/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 55 together.
The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million.
Recent changes have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons but the headline weekly rates of farm assist have been maintained. This means that farm families with the lowest income have been the least affected by these changes.
The cost of aligning the income disregards for farm assist recipients with pre Budget 2012 levels would be in the order of €10m per annum.
Any changes to the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons claiming under the farm assist scheme, by county, for each year since 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29377/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is published annually by my Department in the “Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services” report. The reports for years 2012 and 2013 are available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Reports.aspx or through the Oireachtas library.
The information relating to the number of persons in receipt of farm assist by county at the end of December 2014 is detailed in a tabular statement.
Farm Assist recipients by County at end December 2014
|
County |
Recipients |
|
Carlow |
76 |
|
Cavan |
326 |
|
Clare |
521 |
|
Cork |
788 |
|
Donegal |
1,458 |
|
Dublin |
32 |
|
Galway |
1,000 |
|
Kerry |
721 |
|
Kildare |
37 |
|
Kilkenny |
120 |
|
Laois |
116 |
|
Leitrim |
377 |
|
Limerick |
216 |
|
Longford |
205 |
|
Louth |
82 |
|
Mayo |
1,614 |
|
Meath |
81 |
|
Monaghan |
446 |
|
Offaly |
97 |
|
Roscommon |
356 |
|
Sligo |
283 |
|
Tipperary |
336 |
|
Waterford |
78 |
|
Westmeath |
153 |
|
Wexford |
223 |
|
Wicklow |
67 |
|
Total |
9,809 |
56. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to assess the impact of changes made in the 2012 and 2013 budgets under the farm assist scheme on those families depending on the scheme and in respect of access to secondary supports, since those changes were made; if she will clarify how the scheme is kept under constant review by officials in her Department, as previously stated in answer to parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29379/15]
View answerThe farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million.
Recent changes have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons but the headline rates of farm assist have been maintained. This means that farm families with the lowest income have been the least affected by these changes.
The Farm Assist Scheme, including the impact of recent changes, is kept under ongoing review. My officials have regular discussions and meetings with the IFA in relation to the scheme. The most recent of these meetings took place in April 2015. Policy and operational staff are in close contact and co-operate on an ongoing basis on issues arising at local level and discuss and follow up on individual cases when the need arises. In addition expenditure and data in relation to the number of recipients in various categories and rates of payment are analysed on a monthly basis.
57. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, family income supplement or carer's allowance in Waterford city and county for the years 2012 to 2014 and for 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29399/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is published annually by my Department in the “Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services” report. The reports for years 2012 and 2013 are available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Reports.aspx or through the Oireachtas library.
The information relating to the number of persons in receipt of Disability Allowance; Invalidity Pension; Family Income Supplement and Carer's Allowance in county Waterford at the end of December 2014 is detailed in a tabular statement.
Recipients of Disability Allowance; Invalidity Pension; Family Income Supplement and Carer's Allowance in county Waterford at the end of December 2014
|
Scheme |
Recipients |
|
Disability Allowance |
3,020 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,552 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
1,641 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
1,534 |
58. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the projects under the remit of her Department that received European Union funding in 2014 and to date in 2015; the amount of funding allocated to each project; if applications have been submitted and approved for same in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29411/15]
View answerMy Department receives funding from the European Commission through several different funding streams including the European Globalisation Fund, the European Social Fund and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). These funds each operate on different timelines and have different rules and procedures. The paragraphs below set out the various schemes funded by the European Commission through these funds in 2014 and 2015.
European Globalisation Funds in relation to my Department’s activities for workers made redundant from TalkTalk in Waterford of €590,000 were received from the Commission in 2014 in relation to expenditure from September 2011-February 2014.
A claim for €2.6m (in relation to Disability Activation projects listed below) from the European Social Fund (in respect of the 2007-2013 Operational Programme) is to be submitted to the European Commission this year. A further €5m funding for disability-related activation initiatives is provided for in the 2014-2020 Operation of European Social Fund Operational Programme and details of these will be developed based on a review of the previous projects.
A pilot of the Youth Guarantee to be run in Ballymun was allocated €250,000 funding from the Commission for 2014-2015. In 2014 my Department received €150,000 from the European Commission and a further €27,000 is expected later in 2015 for this project.
EURES IE/NI Cross Border Partnership activities were allocated €207,000 of European Funding for 2013-2014 activities and €220,000 for 2015 activities. My Department received €104,000 in 2014 and a claim for €80,000 is being processed by the Commission in respect of 2013-2014. €110,000 pre-financing has been received this year in relation to 2015 activities.
EURES Ireland activities were allocated €350,000 funding for the period June 2013 to December 2014. €166,000 of this funding for EURES was received in 2014 and a further €144,000 is being processed by the Commission in respect of 2013-2014 activities. EURES also received €155,000 in 2014 for activities in the period 2012-2013. EURES has been allocated funding of €2,700,000 for 2015-2020 activities from the European Social Fund.
My Department’s Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) has received €2.5m in 2014 pre-financing to help set up the scheme. The next claim for funding for this scheme is not expected until 2016. My Department has been allocated a total of €22.8m for this programme for 2014-2020.
As well as the programmes mentioned above for 2016, my Department is expecting to make claims to the European Commission from:
- The European Social Fund for expenditure for clients under 25 on JobBridge, JobsPlus, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and Tús in 2015.
- The European Globalisation Fund for expenditure on redundant workers from Andersen Ireland Limited and Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland. As part of these programmes my Department will also be claiming for activities for some under 25s not in employment, education or training in the affected areas.
- EaSi for Your first EURES job target mobility scheme designed to help clients get work in different European Countries.
The amount of funding to be claimed for each of these schemes will vary based on the levels of activity and it is too early to provide accurate estimates for next year’s funding applications.
List of Disability projects funded in 2014 for 2007-2013 European Social Fund Operational Programme
|
Applicant |
Project Name |
|
Drumlin House Vocational Training Centre for the handicapped Ltd |
Step Right to Work |
|
Co. Roscommon Disability Support Group |
Project Dawn Disability Activation for Work Nutrition |
|
The Peter Bradley Foundation Ltd t/a Acquired Brain Injury Ireland |
Work4You |
|
National Learning Network Ltd |
Transition Action Planning (TAP) |
|
National Learning Network Ltd |
Personal Employment Pathway (PEP) |
|
Irish Association of Supported Employment (IASE) |
Open Door |
|
Monaghan Integrated Development Ltd |
Ability Activation North East (NE) |
|
Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability Ltd |
PEER "Providing Equal Employment Routes" |
|
University of Limerick |
Working With Arthritis: Strategies and Solutions |
|
National Learning Network Ltd |
Linking In |
|
Brothers of Charity Services, Roscommon |
Open to Work Opportunities |
|
County Sligo LEADER Partnership Company Ltd. |
The SEED Project |
|
Irish Congress of Trade Unions |
ICTU Options Programme |
|
Brothers of Charity Services Galway Ltd |
Supported Employment Intensive |
59. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the employment of temporary clerical officers, TCOs, in her Department and, in particular, the awarding of long-term contracts to TCOs affect the chances of an established clerical officer, CO, transferring to another office in the same Department; if the awarding of long-term contracts to TCOs is what this role was intended for; the reason an established CO cannot be accommodated with a transfer to work on these projects; and if there is a business case for extra staff, the reason TCOs should be awarded long-term contracts at the expense of an established permanent CO with an exemplary employment record. [29420/15]
View answerDecisions in relation to the deployment of temporary clerical staff are made on the basis of a number of factors. Initially, decisions centre around the nature of the work involved and the duration of the work. Other factors include the availability of existing resources to do the work, and the location where the work is to be undertaken.
This Department has limited sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform to recruit temporary clerical officers (TCOs) to provide critical cover for long-term staff absences and to assist with additional projects the Department has had to take on. TCOs can be recruited on a fixed term basis, i.e. where the end date for the absence being covered is known from the outset, e.g. cover for maternity leave. Alternatively, where an end date is not known, the TCO is recruited on a “fixed purpose” contract basis, where the contract is related to a particular business purpose.
The Department operates an extensive range of transfer lists which allow established permanent staff to request a transfer to another area/region. These lists are stored in date of application order. If a critical vacancy is approved for filling, staff who are reached on the transfer list are offered the opportunity to relocate to the area of their choice.
Temporary contracts are regularly reviewed. Where a decision is made to appoint a permanent member of staff to a post, transfer lists and existing panels for recruitment are consulted.
60. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a matter (details supplied) regarding benefits and supports available from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29425/15]
View answerThere are a range of supports available for people following bereavement. These include a weekly-paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pension based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension and carer’s allowance, continue in payment for six weeks following a death. Guardian payments are available where someone is looking after an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department of Social Protection 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. An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses. The assistance is toward the costs of the necessary basic requirements for a dignified funeral. However, there is no automatic entitlement to such a payment. An ENP is a means tested payment 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 individual applicant and that of the deceased person including any savings, property, insurance policies, etc. that would render the applicant or anybody else liable for the burial costs. The Department official will also consider if a bereavement grant is available from any other source including former employer, credit union or trade union.
62. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an appropriate social welfare payment is available to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29464/15]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
A total of 260 weeks PRSI paid and 48 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the last complete tax year before the relevant date are required to satisfy the PRSI conditions for IP. The reckonable PRSI contribution classes for IP are A, E and H.
The person concerned applied for IP in April 2014. His application was refused on the grounds that the PRSI contribution conditions for the scheme were not satisfied.
Illness benefit (IB) is a short-term payment for persons who are incapable of work and who satisfy the PRSI conditions. For IB, the reckonable PRSI contribution classes are A, E, H and P. The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which the claim for IB begins. To qualify for payment of IB, a person must have a total of 104 weeks reckonable PRSI paid.
Therefore, it does not appear that the person concerned would satisfy the PRSI contribution criteria for IB.
Persons who have an insufficient employment/PRSI record to qualify for a social insurance benefit/pension may apply for an appropriate means-tested social assistance scheme.
Disability allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.
The person concerned previously applied for DA in July 2013 and December 2013. Both applications were refused as the person’s means exceeded the statutory limit. If the person concerned thinks he now may be eligible for DA, it is open to him to make a new application and a decision on his eligibility will be made as soon as possible.
63. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when arrears under the invalidity pension scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29473/15]
View answerThe person concerned was awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 14 May 2015. Payment issued to her nominated bank account on the 25 June 2015. Arrears due from 14 May 2015 to 24 June 2015 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue to her nominated bank account on the 16 July 2015. The person in question was notified of this decision on 22 June 2015.
