Written Answers Nos. 235-253
235. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the budget for community employment schemes in County Mayo in order that additional places can be created for a charitable organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31501/15]
View answerThe Department is considering the budgetary situation for Community Employment at present and is not in a position to address this matter at this point in time.
236. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite half-rate child dependant payments regarding carer's allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry for the month of July 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31517/15]
View answerA half-rate increase in Carer's Allowance in respect of a qualified child ceased on 1 July 2015 as the child was no longer in full-time day education. Once confirmation of attendance was received, the increase was re-instated. However, there were two outstanding payments from July which issued on the 8 September 2015 to the person’s nominated post office.
237. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an allowance was given in respect of stock purchased when assessing a claim for farm assist by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [31521/15]
View answerThe farm assist claim of the person concerned was disallowed by the Deciding Officer, having taken all the information supplied into consideration, including the stock purchased.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 16 September 2015, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the 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.
238. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31543/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 20 August 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
239. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry as all relevant documentation has been submitted in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31555/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 August 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
240. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if provision has been made to provide refugees with personal public service numbers to enable them to attend English for speakers of other languages classes in order to improve their English language skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31561/15]
View answerThe PPS No is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. Bodies that are entitled to ask for and use PPS Numbers are specified in legislation.
A PPS Number is automatically issued in the case of children born in Ireland. In other cases application must be made in person at one of the Department's PPS Number Registration Centres around the country.
Any person requesting the allocation of a PPS Number must provide evidence that s/he requires a PPS Number in order to carry out a transaction with a specified body, satisfactory evidence of identity, and evidence of address.
The situation is no different with refugees who are allocated PPS Numbers, as required, so that they may obtain the public services that they are entitled to.
241. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a claim for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31571/15]
View answerI can confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 1 July 2015.
In order to assess means, a deciding officer requested information from the person concerned. On receipt of this information and on completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
242. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason, in view of the documentary evidence available, her Department has disqualified a one-parent family payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if this case will be reviewed as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31586/15]
View answerAn appeal of the decision was made by the person concerned and was registered with the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 8 September 2015. Following receipt of the notification of appeal on 11 September 2015, the file was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector for review. On receipt of the inspector’s report, an appeal submission will be completed and forwarded to the Appeals Office for decision.
243. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there is any means by which a parent of triplets who will reach their 18th birthday in fifth year of secondary school and will lose a significant payment from the child benefit section can access any financial supports until the completion of their leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31589/15]
View answerChild benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. Child benefit is currently paid to around 610,000 families in respect of some 1.16 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. For twins, Child Benefit is paid at one and a half times the normal monthly rate for each child. For triplets and other multiple births, Child Benefit is paid at double the normal monthly rate for each child.
Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for child benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the current participation pattern of children in education supports the current age limit for Child Benefit.
Families on low incomes can avail of a number of provisions to social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- qualified child increases (QCIs) with primary social welfare payments;
- family income supplement (FIS) for low-paid employees with children;
- The back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families.
This provides a level of assistance which is directly linked with a household’s income situation. I am satisfied that the social protection system currently provides assistance to families with older children who are participating in full-time education and that this support is targeted at low-income families.
244. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was in receipt of rent allowance; the reason rent allowance has ceased; and the action that can be taken to have this payment reinstated. [31606/15]
View answerA Designated Person has requested outstanding information in relation to the claim of the person in question. On receipt of the information requested a decision will be made as soon as possible and the person in question will be notified of the outcome.
245. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend the existing rigid rules governing time allowed on social employment schemes, that is, three years and six years as a maximum, that these rules be removed for those 55 years of age and over and that older workers would be retained subject to annual assessment up to pension age; if she will examine a submission (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31629/15]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including lone parents, recovering drug misusers and persons with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.
With respect to the participants exhausting their time on the programme, all community Employment (CE) sponsors and participants are aware of the time limits for participation, which are extensive for certain individuals particularly those over 55 years, who can have up to 6 years on CE. The participation limits allow for the utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons, to ensure the benefit of the CE to the widest possible number of jobseekers.
246. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details, in tabular form, of supplementary welfare allowance for each year 2010 to 2014, inclusive, and up to 30 August 2015 for each county; the number of applicants in each year; the welfare schemes they had applied for; the number of applicants per scheme; the number of successful and unsuccessful applicants for supplementary welfare allowance each year; the number of supplementary welfare appeals per year; the details of results of appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31635/15]
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.
Statistics are not available on the number of SWA applications received or the outcome of those applications.
Details of the number of recipients of basic SWA are provided in the Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report that is published annually by the Department. This data has been collated in the tabular statement provided, which provides details of the numbers of basic SWA recipients for the years 2010-2014 and to the end of August 2015, broken down by county and by category.
Details of the number of basic SWA appeals and the outcome of those appeals are being collated and will be forwarded separately to the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Table 1 - Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients by County 2010 to 2015
|
County |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 (end Aug) |
|
Carlow |
540 |
526 |
504 |
329 |
296 |
294 |
|
Cavan |
535 |
369 |
325 |
258 |
198 |
184 |
|
Clare |
495 |
448 |
457 |
292 |
284 |
129 |
|
Cork |
3,661 |
3,535 |
3,765 |
2,778 |
2,450 |
1,949 |
|
Donegal |
1,119 |
1,045 |
769 |
529 |
433 |
461 |
|
Dublin |
10,688 |
10,009 |
8,638 |
6,197 |
5,748 |
5,440 |
|
Galway |
2,446 |
2,153 |
1,995 |
1,286 |
1,020 |
754 |
|
Kerry |
776 |
723 |
864 |
549 |
473 |
333 |
|
Kildare |
1,685 |
1,459 |
1,495 |
965 |
796 |
637 |
|
Kilkenny |
544 |
531 |
640 |
476 |
421 |
375 |
|
Laois |
620 |
557 |
591 |
508 |
405 |
295 |
|
Leitrim |
122 |
136 |
126 |
112 |
113 |
103 |
|
Limerick |
1,595 |
1,757 |
1,818 |
1,227 |
962 |
681 |
|
Longford |
432 |
270 |
320 |
217 |
170 |
154 |
|
Louth |
1,066 |
966 |
988 |
749 |
646 |
587 |
|
Mayo |
1,148 |
1,129 |
948 |
617 |
459 |
448 |
|
Meath |
2,614 |
2,024 |
1,588 |
953 |
860 |
576 |
|
Monaghan |
335 |
289 |
279 |
273 |
298 |
215 |
|
Offaly |
371 |
448 |
385 |
240 |
229 |
202 |
|
Roscommon |
983 |
759 |
542 |
313 |
236 |
233 |
|
Sligo |
581 |
596 |
581 |
608 |
400 |
295 |
|
Tipperary |
1,073 |
1,018 |
1,013 |
853 |
732 |
700 |
|
Waterford |
1,134 |
1,000 |
1,112 |
776 |
647 |
467 |
|
Westmeath |
610 |
604 |
560 |
444 |
350 |
298 |
|
Wexford |
1,542 |
1,410 |
1,354 |
1,042 |
712 |
517 |
|
Wicklow |
784 |
836 |
701 |
536 |
460 |
494 |
|
Total |
37,499 |
34,597 |
32,358 |
23,127 |
19,798 |
16,821 |
Note: Recipients of Direct Provision Allowance were included in basic SWA recipient statistics until 2014. They are reported separately in 2015.
Table 2 - Recipients of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments by Category 2010 - 2015:
|
- |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 (end Aug) |
|
Interim Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments |
||||||
|
Pending State Pension |
201 |
208 |
199 |
199 |
214 |
295 |
|
Pending Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension |
85 |
80 |
65 |
57 |
96 |
72 |
|
Pending Jobseeker's Allowance |
12,935 |
10,154 |
7,805 |
3,463 |
2,292 |
2,155 |
|
Pending Jobseeker's Allowance Appeal |
1,558 |
976 |
668 |
327 |
206 |
114 |
|
Pending One- Parent Family Payment |
3,291 |
2,750 |
2,291 |
1,518 |
816 |
811 |
|
Pending Jobseeker's Benefit |
1,062 |
704 |
482 |
165 |
103 |
87 |
|
Pending Jobseeker's Benefit Appeal |
33 |
17 |
15 |
10 |
4 |
4 |
|
Pending Disability Allowance |
5,401 |
6,455 |
6,978 |
5,856 |
4,619 |
4,215 |
|
Pending Carer's Allowance |
361 |
504 |
633 |
355 |
388 |
389 |
|
Pending Illness Benefit |
1,731 |
1,630 |
1,377 |
1,089 |
1005 |
983 |
|
Pending Illness Benefit Appeal |
198 |
203 |
157 |
103 |
54 |
57 |
|
Pending Injury Benefit |
42 |
30 |
50 |
33 |
50 |
38 |
|
Pending Other Social Welfare Payments |
393 |
1,640 |
2,323 |
1,094 |
927 |
743 |
|
Sub-Total |
27,291 |
25,351 |
23,043 |
14,269 |
10,774 |
9,963 |
|
Other Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments |
||||||
|
Sick No Benefit |
3,247 |
3,318 |
3,887 |
3,745 |
3,926 |
4,006 |
|
Other(1) |
6,961 |
5,928 |
5,428 |
5,113 |
5,098 |
2,852 |
|
Sub-Total |
10,208 |
9,246 |
9,315 |
8,858 |
9,024 |
6,858 |
|
|
||||||
|
Total |
37,499 |
34,597 |
32,358 |
23,127 |
19,798 |
16,821 |
Note(1) This category includes payments to persons who do not qualify for other social welfare payments and whose means are below the appropriate rate of SWA. The category “Other” includes direct provision allowance recipients until 2014.
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of eligibility for invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been ruled permanently incapable of work due to his ongoing and serious health condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31686/15]
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.
To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on the 27 July 2015. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. He was notified on the 14 September 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
248. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that thousands of children of lone parents will potentially have no adult supervision, except expensive child care costs, with the cut in the one-parent family payment in respect of those of seven years and older; her plans to resolve this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27317/15]
View answerThe final phase of reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme introduced in July of this year now means that eligibility for the payment ceases when a parent’s youngest child turns seven years of age.
When a lone parent’s youngest child turns seven, should they have an income need they can transfer to the jobseeker’s transitional payment. This payment exempts lone parents from the normal jobseeker’s conditionality of having to be available for and genuinely seeking full time employment until their youngest child turns 14 years of age.
The jobseeker’s transitional payment enables a lone parent who wishes to work part time to do so without restriction, provided they satisfy the means test. The introduction of the jobseeker’s transitional payment in 2013 means that lone parents whose youngest child is under 14 years of age are not required to seek employment as a condition of their social welfare payment. This therefore allows these customers to balance their caring responsibilities while supporting them to engage in employment or education should they wish to participate.
Should a lone parent wish to take up employment, or an education or training course they can seek to avail of a range of subsidised childcare places, which are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and are available through the County Childcare Committees.
249. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that 138,000 children are currently living in consistent poverty, with almost 1,000 children living in emergency accommodation; her views that these figures are an indication that the Government's child poverty reduction targets are not working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27552/15]
View answerThe CSO Survey on Income and living Conditions for 2013 shows that 11.7 per cent of children, or 138,000 children, were in consistent poverty, a slight but not statistically significant increase on the 2012 rate. The Survey also found that the at-risk-of-poverty for children decreased from 18.8 per cent in 2012 to 17.9 per cent in 2013. A key driver in reducing income poverty among children is social transfers, which reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children from 45.5 per cent to 17.9 per cent, thereby lifting a quarter of all children out of poverty. This equates to a poverty reduction effect of 60.7 per cent. Ireland is amongst the best performing member states in the EU in this regard.
In Budget 2015, the Government committed a further €96 million for children. This provided for an increase of €5 per month in child benefit, the introduction of the Back to Work Family Dividend worth €29.80 per child for eligible families returning to work, and an additional €2 million on the School Meals Programme.
Government policy around tackling poverty for children and families is articulated in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures The national policy framework for children & young people 2014-2020. This includes the adoption of a child-specific social target for poverty reduction aiming to lift 70,000 children out of poverty by 2020, equivalent to a reduction of two-thirds on the 2011 rate. In line with this target, the Government has committed to implementing a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty, building on the lifecycle approach in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion, 2007-2016 and informed by the European Commission Recommendation on ‘Investing in children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage’. Tackling child poverty is a priority issue under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, and involves a range of government departments and external stakeholders.
A key way to tackle child poverty is to get parents back to work. Through Pathways to Work and the Action Plan on Jobs, the Government is putting people into real jobs. The Family Income Supplement and new Back to Work Family Dividend will support parents, especially those furthest from the labour market, to take up and remain in employment.
The issue of children living in emergency accommodation is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
250. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of request for the rent of €100 per month in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is at real risk of homelessness in the absence of assistance, who does not own their own business; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31715/15]
View answerIn response to her application for an increased rent limit, the person concerned was written to on 21st August 2015 and again on 10th September 2015 and asked to provide further details. In particular, she was asked for a letter from a Public Representative or homeless agency to support her claim for the increased rent limit and to provide evidence from the Revenue commissioners that she does not run her own business. On receipt of this information, the client's rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be re-assessed.
251. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31717/15]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 8th July 2015. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
252. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that credit unions in County Donegal, as not-for-profit organisations, are prevented from taking on volunteers to assist them, who are in receipt of support benefits from her Department as they are not categorised as a voluntary organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31718/15]
View answerIn order to qualify for a jobseeker’s payment, a person must satisfy certain conditions including being available for and genuinely seeking work. A person who engages in voluntary work may continue to be entitled to jobseekers payments provided that, in engaging in the voluntary work, the customer continues to satisfy the statutory conditions of the scheme.
The type of voluntary work in which jobseekers may engage includes, for example, helping the sick, elderly or persons with a disability, assisting youth clubs, church groups, sports groups, cultural organisations, local resident associations. It would be usual for the organisation to be a registered charity or a not-for-profit organisation.
Where a jobseeker seeks to take up unpaid work, a deciding officer determines on a case by case basis whether the work is truly voluntary by examining the type of work involved, the aims of the voluntary organisation and the weekly hours worked. There must be no implication of job replacement involved. A deciding officer has to be satisfied that the work in question is voluntary and can be undertaken without affecting entitlement to a jobseeker’s payment.
Question No. 253 withdrawn.
