Written Answers Nos. 197-215
197. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of women who received supplementary welfare allowance due to ineligibility for maternity benefit in the years 2011 to 2014, inclusive, and the first half of 2015. [31128/15]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The Government has provided over €70 million for basic supplementary welfare allowance in 2015. There are currently approximately 16,800 basic supplementary welfare allowance recipients.
Where an individual does not meet the conditions to qualify for maternity benefit, they may be eligible for a payment under the SWA scheme. Statistics are not maintained in respect of the number of claims for SWA that relate to customers who did not qualify for maternity benefit.
198. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 16 July 2015, her plans to change the eligibility criteria for maternity benefit to include pay-related social insurance payments prior to one year before a woman takes maternity leave or provide maternity benefit without assessment of PRSI payment on the grounds of the benefit this would provide to new-born children. [31129/15]
View answerMaternity benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions on their own insurance record, in order to obviate the need for them to work pre and post-delivery of their baby. This year it is estimated that there will be a weekly average of 24,000 recipients of maternity benefit at a cost of €254 million.
The fundamental qualification criterion for maternity benefit is that a woman must be in insurable employment or self-employment and is contingent on entitlement to statutory maternity leave.
PRSI contributions paid prior to one year before a woman takes maternity leave are taken into account when calculating entitlement to maternity benefit. The woman must also satisfy one of following PRSI contribution conditions:
i 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12 months before the first day of her maternity leave; or
ii have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the Relevant Tax Year or in the year following the Relevant Tax Year; or
iii have at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Relevant Tax Year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Tax Year prior to the Relevant Tax Year.
The Relevant Tax Year is the second last complete income tax year before the year in which the maternity leave starts. For example, for claims that start in 2015, the relevant tax year is 2013.
For a person in self-employment, she must have sufficient earnings (€5,000 per annum) in the year of her confinement to be liable to pay income tax and PRSI. In addition to being in insurable self-employment the woman must also satisfy one of the following PRSI contribution conditions:
i have 52 qualifying PRSI conditions paid in the relevant tax year; or
ii have 52 qualifying contributions paid in the tax year prior to the relevant tax year; or
iii have 52 qualifying contributions paid in the tax year following the relevant tax year.
Self-employment contributions, Class S PRSI, are not awarded for any particular year until all liabilities for that year are paid. Where a woman has recently set up as a self-employed person or historically has earnings from self-employment below the €5,000 threshold, it may not be possible to qualify for her payment until such time as her reckonable income and Class S liability for the year in question can confirmed. In cases where the Department finds that a self-employed customer has a record of earnings in excess of €5,000 in previous years and has an expected due date early in the tax year (i.e. within the first 16 weeks), her earnings in the previous year, if greater than €5,000, can be used as confirmation of her insurable status.
All applications for maternity benefit from self-employed women are processed on a case by case basis and every effort is made to qualify the customer for payment where possible and in accordance with legislative provisions.
There are currently no plans to change the eligibility conditions for the maternity benefit.
199. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the tendering of provision for services in the community-based transport sector, in view of funding supplied by her Department in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31142/15]
View answerThe Rural Transport Programme provides services to people whose travel needs are not met by existing bus or train services. The Programme aims to enhance and sustain nationwide accessibility, through community based participation, particularly for those at risk of social exclusion. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has funded the Rural Transport Programme and its predecessor the Rural Transport Initiative since 2001. Responsibility for management of this programme transferred from that Department to the National Transport Authority (NTA) in April 2012. That NTA operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport.
This Department provides annual funding contribution of €1.5 million towards the Rural Transport Programme (RTP). However, any issues in relation to the operation of the scheme should be referred to the National Transport Authority or its parent department, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
200. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding FÁS clerical officers who transferred to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31165/15]
View answerThe terms and conditions under which staff from the Employment and Community Services Divisions of FÁS transferred to my department were subject to lengthy negotiations with the unions and also involved the assistance of the Labour Court. On transfer, all of the staff in question were designated as established civil servants and they have the same promotion opportunities as existing departmental staff.
Since my previous reply to the Deputy's PQ No. 109 of 22 January 2014 (2975/14), new arrangements concerning promotion eligibility criteria have been implemented. Competitions for promotion outline both the relevant job specification and person specifications expected of the grade in question. Subject to having two years satisfactory service, any member of staff, regardless of their current grade, is entitled to participate in these competitions.
201. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31231/15]
View answerThe person concerned was initially refused disability allowance (DA) on the grounds that his means exceeded the statutory limit allowable under legislation for their family size.
On receipt of further information a review of this decision was completed and the person concerned was awarded DA from 29 April, 2015. The first payment was made to the person concerned on 5 August, 2015.
202. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31233/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 9 June 2015.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
203. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31247/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 15 June 2015.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
204. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the services her Department provides to unemployed persons who are not in receipt of a jobseeker's payment and are therefore not on the live register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31248/15]
View answerThe key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people.
A range of services are available to unemployed persons who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department’s employment services offices, regardless of their social welfare status.
Further, unemployed persons not in receipt of qualifying payments may also be eligible to avail of up-skilling opportunities, for example through ETB (formerly FÁS) training for unemployed people, but are not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course.
An unemployed person who does not qualify for a social welfare payment due to the assessment of their means may be eligible to sign for social insurance contribution credits. Persons who sign for credits for three months (78 days) of the last six months are eligible to participate in the JobBridge programme. Persons signing on for credits for 12 months or longer over the previous 18 months are entitled to participate on Momentum courses through Solas, provided that they have been actively seeking work, however they will not receive any payment.
Persons signing for credits for six months or more are entitled to participate on ETB-run VTOS courses subject to availability. In the case of VTOS courses, participants do not receive a training allowance but may receive travel and lunch allowances. Springboard and Skillnets courses for unemployed people, funded through the Department of Education and Skills, are also open to people regardless of their social welfare status.
In short, the Government is committed to supporting as many people as possible to participate more fully in employment and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers they may encounter in finding and sustaining employment.
205. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite a decision on a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31261/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 1 July 2015.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
206. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will be made in respect of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31262/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 7 July 2015.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
207. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their invalidity pension appeal; the reason for the delay in making a decision in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31263/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case.
Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.
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
208. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form divided by county, the number of recipients of employment supports in each county at the end of August 2015 or the most recent date available. [31283/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is collated annually at the 31st of December for inclusion in my Department’s Statistical Information on Social Welfare report which will be shortly be presented to the Oireachtas and will be available in the Dáil library.
It should be noted that the county level statistics indicate the number of people signing-on for payment 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 are signing-on.
I have set out below for the Deputy’s convenience the information requested in a tabular statement.
|
County |
Community Employment |
Rural Social Scheme |
Tús |
Back To Work Allowance Self-employed |
Back to Work Allowance Employee |
JobBridge |
Back to Education Allowance |
Partial Capacity Benefit |
Short-Term Enterprise Allowance |
Part-Time Job Incentive |
Totals |
|
Carlow |
401 |
18 |
149 |
168 |
78 |
475 |
27 |
7 |
1,323 |
||
|
Cavan |
339 |
82 |
122 |
259 |
108 |
329 |
22 |
6 |
10 |
1,277 |
|
|
Clare |
600 |
115 |
157 |
372 |
134 |
389 |
30 |
14 |
4 |
1,815 |
|
|
Cork |
2,190 |
171 |
888 |
740 |
517 |
1985 |
181 |
36 |
36 |
6,744 |
|
|
Donegal |
1,185 |
224 |
458 |
363 |
203 |
1175 |
42 |
6 |
16 |
3,672 |
|
|
Dublin |
6,117 |
0 |
1,637 |
2,912 |
1 |
1,492 |
5812 |
365 |
144 |
83 |
18,563 |
|
Galway |
1,549 |
277 |
496 |
721 |
378 |
1568 |
63 |
25 |
25 |
5,102 |
|
|
Kerry |
1,017 |
274 |
222 |
406 |
240 |
848 |
35 |
22 |
14 |
3,078 |
|
|
Kildare |
886 |
24 |
272 |
394 |
14 |
800 |
63 |
1 |
14 |
2,468 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
429 |
17 |
106 |
283 |
1 |
252 |
371 |
35 |
14 |
6 |
1,514 |
|
Laois |
308 |
20 |
129 |
226 |
69 |
426 |
14 |
7 |
6 |
1,205 |
|
|
Leitrim |
154 |
100 |
86 |
112 |
128 |
179 |
16 |
2 |
4 |
781 |
|
|
Limerick |
1,226 |
77 |
332 |
348 |
54 |
1197 |
57 |
2 |
27 |
3,320 |
|
|
Longford |
332 |
52 |
74 |
111 |
344 |
296 |
21 |
15 |
2 |
1,247 |
|
|
Louth |
857 |
11 |
204 |
489 |
62 |
977 |
44 |
2 |
10 |
2,656 |
|
|
Mayo |
791 |
571 |
350 |
355 |
212 |
721 |
47 |
13 |
26 |
3,086 |
|
|
Meath |
517 |
14 |
256 |
489 |
205 |
332 |
71 |
8 |
4 |
1,896 |
|
|
Monaghan |
421 |
42 |
98 |
126 |
148 |
274 |
19 |
15 |
1 |
1,144 |
|
|
Offaly |
385 |
43 |
166 |
193 |
117 |
378 |
16 |
4 |
3 |
1,305 |
|
|
Roscommon |
349 |
146 |
136 |
137 |
132 |
159 |
22 |
3 |
1,084 |
||
|
Sligo |
497 |
125 |
144 |
216 |
76 |
471 |
24 |
29 |
3 |
1,585 |
|
|
Tipperary |
994 |
66 |
366 |
376 |
104 |
774 |
65 |
12 |
20 |
2,777 |
|
|
Waterford |
875 |
12 |
287 |
369 |
266 |
976 |
40 |
27 |
22 |
2,874 |
|
|
Westmeath |
605 |
37 |
145 |
216 |
200 |
583 |
19 |
21 |
9 |
1,835 |
|
|
Wexford |
953 |
39 |
330 |
298 |
144 |
627 |
54 |
7 |
14 |
2,466 |
|
|
Wicklow |
668 |
19 |
267 |
487 |
207 |
592 |
36 |
7 |
14 |
2,297 |
|
|
Other |
163 |
4 |
9 |
176 |
|||||||
|
Totals |
24,645 |
2,576 |
7,877 |
11,166 |
2 |
6,047 |
22,714 |
1,432 |
458 |
373 |
77,290 |
209. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when the interdepartmental working group on the free-travel scheme was established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31288/15]
View answer210. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the membership of the interdepartmental working group on the free-travel scheme. [31289/15]
View answer212. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when the interdepartmental working group on the free-travel scheme will report its findings; if these will be made public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31291/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209, 210 and 212 together.
The Free Travel Scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 90 private operators in various parts of the country. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland. Customers aged 66 years and over can travel for free on journeys within Northern Ireland. There are currently approximately 836,000 customers in receipt of free travel.
In 2012, along with the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I established an interdepartmental working group to review the free travel scheme, comprising officials from the Department of Social Protection, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority.
The purpose of the review was to examine and report on the current operation and future development of the free travel scheme. Owing to the range of policy changes implemented since its establishment, the scheme is now universally available to all persons permanently living in the State aged 66 and over as well as carers in receipt of carers allowance and certain others such as persons in receipt of disability allowance and invalidity pension.
The interdepartmental group has concluded its work. The report is being considered by high level officials in my Department and I expect to see a copy of the report shortly. While I will read it with interest, I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe that this is a very good scheme which should remain in place, and I am committed to its retention.
211. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the terms of reference of the interdepartmental working group on the free-travel scheme. [31290/15]
View answerThe Free Travel Scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 90 private operators in various parts of the country. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland. Customers aged 66 years and over can travel for free on journeys within Northern Ireland. There are currently approximately 836,000 customers in receipt of free travel.
In 2012, along with the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I established an interdepartmental working group to review the free travel scheme.
Before the group concluded its deliberations, the policy context changed somewhat with the publication last year of the “Statement of Government Priorities, 2014-2016” which commits to the “full retention of the Free Travel Scheme”.
The terms of reference for the review were to:
“1. Clarify the scheme objectives and examine the current validity of the objectives, including their compatibility with the overall strategy of the Department of Social Protection and with national transport strategy;
2. Examine the customer group eligible for free travel and, if necessary, make recommendations on the better targeting of the scheme and changes to eligibility;
3. Examine the extent of the service provided and, if necessary make recommendations to adjust the service;
4. Identify the data on usage which is available, deficiencies in data collection and make recommendations for improving data collection;
5. Examine the issue of fraud and control and make recommendations for improvements, particularly in the context of the introduction of the Public Services Card;
6. Examine the levels of funding for the Free Travel scheme in the context of overall exchequer funding for transport and the respective roles of PSO and Free Travel funding;
7. Consider the interaction between DSP, DTTS, NTA and transport companies, their respective roles and make recommendations for the improvement to the administration of the scheme and the potential for an increased role by the NTA.”
The interdepartmental group has concluded its work. The report is being considered by high level officials in my Department and I expect to see a copy of the report shortly. While I will read it with interest, I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe that this is a very good scheme which should remain in place, and I am committed to its retention.
213. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of the application for rent allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4; if same can be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31299/15]
View answerPayments of rent supplement for the person concerned were on hold while the Rents Unit awaited the return of some outstanding documentation which he had been requested to furnish. Following the recent provision of this information, all payments of rent allowance due to the person concerned have now been issued.
214. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31313/15]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, carer’s allowance (CA) was awarded on 1 September 2015.
First payment of CA was issued to the nominated post office on 3 September 2015. Arrears due from the 24 October 2014 to 2 September 2015 were issued by cheque on the 1 September 2015. The person in question was notified in writing on 1 September 2015.
215. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31315/15]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 16 July 2014. The first payment will be made to the person in question on 7 October 2015.
Arrears of payment due from July to October will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is made in respect of other overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding payments.
