Written Answers Nos. 254-272
254. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is eligible for a hearing aid grant under the treatment benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31730/15]
View answerEligibility for the Department’s treatment benefit scheme, which includes the hearing aid grant, is based on meeting specific PRSI-related criteria. To qualify, the customer must have:
- paid 260 PRSI contributions at Class A, E, H, or P since first starting work; and
- have 39 such contributions paid or credited in the years immediately before turning either 60 or 66 years.
As the person concerned was self-employed for the years immediately before his 60 and 66 birthdays and was therefore liable for a class S contribution which is not reckonable for treatment benefit, he is not qualified for treatment benefits.
If the person concerned is a Medical Card holder he should contact his local HSE office, who will be able to advise him of his entitlements under their hearing aid scheme.
255. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware there has been a high increase with public liability insurance which is having a direct effect on the local community employment schemes; and if she will ensure the increases are met by funding for the schemes. [31738/15]
View answerThis Department has become aware in recent times of increases in insurance premiums for CE schemes. The main reason advised to the Department when this was queried on behalf of schemes was an increase in claims frequency over recent years by such schemes. The Department has been in consultation with the main insurers about the proposed increase and to seek to limit the incidence of future claims.
The Department recommends that schemes seek alternative quotes to ensure they get value for money in the first instance. Insurance premiums costs are reimbursed from the CE materials budget for the scheme. Schemes are asked to be especially mindful of their obligations under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
The Department is not in a position at present to allocate additional monies to the materials budget in 2015. Materials budgets are allocated on an annual basis and are managed at divisional level. However, if there is a scheme experiencing particular difficulties, the sponsor should contact their local office in relation to this matter.
Schemes whose premiums are loaded due to their claims history will have to be reviewed by the Department on a case-by-case basis.
256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if rent allowance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who remains on Kildare County Council's housing list, who was previously in receipt of rent allowance but who had to move to Offaly due to prohibitive rental prices in County Kildare, and who is at real risk of homelessness in the absence of payment of rent allowance as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31743/15]
View answerUnder the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need is being transferred to local authorities. HAP is being introduced to provide a more integrated system of housing supports and has been designed to allow any households that find full-time employment to remain in the scheme.
The rent supplement scheme provides support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 65,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015.
In HAP designated areas, it is a condition of rent supplement that a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation, or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days or had been in receipt of rent supplement within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement.
HAP was introduced in Offaly in June 2015. A client residing in Offaly who wishes to apply for housing support must have their eligibility assessed by Offaly County Council.
The client referred to has not made a complete application for housing assessment to Offaly County Council. Additional information has been requested by the Council.
Policy in relation to applications for HAP across local authority areas and housing lists is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
257. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the fact that Masters in Education programmes for secondary teachers are part of the back to education scheme, her plans to amend the back to education allowance to allow for the Master of Arts in Socially Engaged Art in the National College of Art and Design, which is an accredited teaching qualification for further education by the Teaching Council. [31797/15]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.
The objective of BTEA is to assist those who are distant from the labour market to acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system. Administration of BTEA by this Department is aligned with the student support schemes under the Department of Education and Skills. BTEA should not be viewed as an alternative to the student grant system.
Other than the Professional Masters in Education, which is a pre-requisite to taking up a teaching post, BTEA does not provide income support to customers seeking to pursue a qualification at Masters Level. I have no plans to alter the current arrangement.
258. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans for the development of the local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31821/15]
View answer259. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons engaged in the advice and guidance service of the local employment services in each of the past three years; the way outcomes are measured; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31822/15]
View answer260. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to retain the services of the local employment service in view of her development plans for her Department as a whole; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31823/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, together.
Local Employment Services (LES) have been in existence since 1995 and have been contracted since 2000, initially by FAS and latterly, beginning in 2012, by the Department of Social Protection. Their purpose is to provide the same range of employment activation services that are provided by the Department’s Intreo Centres with the aim of helping jobseekers to enter or return to employment and providing specialist high quality support to those most disadvantaged in the labour market.
The department has engaged 22 contractors [21 local development companies (LDCs) and 1 community organisation] for the provision of LES in 25 locations. The staffing the contractors have put in place is as follows:
|
Contract Year |
Total Staffing |
Mediators |
|
2013 |
293 |
158 |
|
2014 |
292 |
157 |
|
2015 |
293 |
162 |
The mediators provide the advice and guidance to jobseekers while the other staff provide administrative support. Outcomes are measured by recording the progress a client has made at the end of their engagement with the service. Progression is recorded either through an education/training intervention, which enhances a person’s skill set in the labour market, or by a placement into employment.
The Department has allocated an annual budget of c. €19M for LES which represents a significant investment in the service and demonstrates the Department’s continued reliance on LES to provide services to people who are unemployed. There are no plans at present to reduce or otherwise make any significant changes to the Department’s use of LES.
261. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the contracts that have been issued to date in relation to JobPath programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31824/15]
View answerJobPath is a new approach of employment activation which will cater mainly for people who are long-term unemployed (over 12 months) and will assist them to secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment. The JobPath providers will provide intensive individual support, advice and coaching to jobseekers and will also help participants to address social inclusion barriers and improve personal well-being.
Following the completion of a public procurement process contracts to deliver JobPath have been signed with two companies - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited.
Under JobPath, Turas Nua and Seetec will provide additional employment services which will complement and augment – not replace – the Department’s existing employment services including Local Employment Services and Job Clubs. Turas Nua will operate in the following departmental divisions: Cork Central; South East; Mid-Leinster, Mid-West; South West; Midlands South. Seetec will operate in the following departmental divisions: West; Midlands North; North East; North West, Dublin Central; Dublin North; Dublin South.
The roll-out of JobPath started on 20 July 2015 and is currently providing services to jobseekers in 8 locations (Bray, Longford, Cork Hanover St, Cork Abbeycourt, Galway, Carlow, Naas/Newbridge and Waterford). These will be followed shortly by Mullingar, Cavan, Kilkenny and Ennis. JobPath is expected to be rolled out in all areas of the country over the next few months.
262. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter regarding the hiring of staff in the community employment sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31825/15]
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 mis-users 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.
264. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal in respect of their disability allowance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31838/15]
View answerThe person concerned was awarded disability allowance with effect from 9 July 2014. The first payment issued on 18 June 2015 and arrears were issued to the person in question, by their chosen payment method, on 16 September 2015.
265. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a invalidity pension claim by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31842/15]
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.
The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on the 28 July 2015. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on the 18 September 2015 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
266. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of a recent ruling by the Equality Tribunal which found that her Department’s approach to accessing job activation measures implied an assumption that only people on the live register are unemployed, if she will amend the practices of her Department and ensure that all people who are unemployed have access to job activation measures even if they are not on the live register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31848/15]
View answerThe case that the Deputy refers to was initiated in 2011 in reference to participation on the JobBridge Scheme. The scheme was first introduced on 1 July 2011, with the objective of bringing unemployed jobseekers on the Live Register closer to the labour market by providing them with the opportunity to develop new skills as well as enhancing existing ones, through the provision of a quality work experience placement. As of 17 September 2015, more than 42,700 internship placements had commenced and there are currently 4,613 participants on the programme.
Eligibility for participation on the JobBridge Scheme was initially confined to people in receipt of unemployment payments (i.e. Jobseekers Benefit/Jobseekers allowance) or signing for credits for at least 78 days within the last 6 months, the criteria for which included the requirement that a person must be available for work.
However, on 28 May 2012, the eligibility criteria for participation on JobBridge was extended to include customers in receipt of Disability Allowance (DA) and One-Parent Family Payment (OPFP), schemes for which payment was not dependent on recipients being available to work. On 1 May 2015, the scheme was extended further to include individuals in receipt of Blind Persons Pension/Deserted Wives Allowance/Deserted Wives Benefit/Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's contributory/non-contributory pension. Recipients of these payments are not counted on the Live Register but are eligible to participate on the JobBridge scheme.
In addition, unemployed persons not in receipt of qualifying payments may be eligible to avail of up-skilling opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people (at present there are 1,009 upcoming day courses and 552 upcoming evening courses). Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation. 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.
Many other services are also available to people 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.
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.
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.
267. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the issues raised by the Social Welfare Branch Managers' Association and her response to same; if the Revenue Commissioners have given their opinion; if her Department has met with the representatives of the BMA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31862/15]
View answerIt is assumed that the Deputy is referring to certain PRSI issues which have been raised by the Social Welfare Branch Managers Association. The Department has met with representatives of the Association on this matter and is currently in ongoing contact in relation to the issues involved.
268. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision not to grant a carer's allowance will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [31866/15]
View answerThe person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the disability of the care recipient was not such there was a requirement for full-time care and attention as prescribed in regulations and that the carer was not providing full-time care and attention as required. The person in question was notified on 19 February 2014 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of this decision. The outcome of which was that while it was decided that the care recipient did require full-time care and attention, the decision in relation to the provision of full-time care remained unchanged.
The person concerned appealed this decision and the case was submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals office for determination. An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, disallowed the appeal. The person concerned was notified on 28 July 2015 of the Appeals Officer decision and was provided at that time with a detailed explanation of the basis for this decision to disallow the appeal.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts. If circumstances have changed, it is open to the person concerned to submit a new application for carer’s allowance.
269. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current and-or expected position in respect of rent allowance payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31869/15]
View answerIn the answer to the Deputy’s previous question on this matter (Ref: 29971-15), it was stated that further notification was sent to the person concerned on 13th July 2015 reminding her that the outstanding documentation which had been requested needed to be submitted before her application could be processed.
On 24th July 2015 the person concerned submitted documentation to the Designated Person; however this documentation was not the required documentation which had been sought. Further notification was sent to the person concerned on 7th August 2015 informing her of this, stating once again precisely what documentation was required. To date this information has not been received by the Designated Person; when it is to hand we will be in a position to progress the claim.
270. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; the reason her Department has failed to process this case in a speedy and efficient manner; her views that it is acceptable; when a decision is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31876/15]
View answerThe person concerned applied to the Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the Department of Social Protection in March 2015 for Rent Supplement. This application was refused on the grounds that the property was not deemed fit for purpose and the claimant was not established as residing there. A letter outlining the decision issued to the claimant on 11th May 2015.
The claimant was afforded the opportunity to appeal the decision, however to date no appeal has been made.
The Community Welfare Service will undertake another visit to this property to assess its suitability.
271. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the claim of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if the suggested overpayment will be explained and reviewed based on the appeal submitted. [31882/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 21st July 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.
272. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to a matter (details supplied) regarding jobseeker's allowance claims and family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31891/15]
View answerFamily Income Supplement (FIS) is payable to families at work and on low pay who are working at least 19 hours a week or 38 hours per fortnight. The family rate payable for FIS takes into account all income including social welfare payments.
Jobseeker’s allowance is a means-tested payment. A person must satisfy certain conditions including being available for and genuinely seeking work. Casual/part-time workers may qualify for jobseeker’s allowance subject to satisfying the means test and the other qualifying conditions.
Where both parents are working, jobseeker’s allowance and FIS are payable concurrently if all the conditions for the schemes are satisfied.
