Peadar Tóibín
Question:203. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost, in tabular form, of increasing the monthly child benefit rates by certain margins (details supplied). [33222/15]
View answerChild Benefit Data
Questions (203)
Written answers
The costs of increasing Child Benefit, as outlined above, are listed in the following table.
|
Number of children in family |
Increase per month per family |
Annual Cost €m |
|
1 |
€5.00 |
€15.01 |
|
2 |
€10.00 |
€27.88 |
|
3 |
€15.00 |
€19.32 |
|
4 |
€20.00 |
€7.38 |
|
5 |
€25.00 |
€2.04 |
|
6 |
€30.00 |
€0.61 |
|
7 |
€35.00 |
€0.20 |
|
8 or more children |
€40.00 * |
€0.15 |
|
- |
Total |
€72.58 |
*For families with 8 or more children, the rate will increase by €5 for each child.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (204)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:204. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the medical assessors who determine applications for disability allowance and other illness-related claims are qualified medical professionals; and their qualifications to make contradictory judgments based on medical facts and evidence supplied by other highly-qualified physicians in support of their patients' claims. [33228/15]
View answerWritten answers
Medical Assessors are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners who provide an opinion for the guidance of the Department's Deciding Officers. Their assessments conform to the ethical conduct and behaviour guidelines of the Irish Medical Council. Medical Assessors are required to be medical practitioners who are on the general register of medical practitioners while holding an appointment.
They must have at least 3 years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration. Many of the Medical Assessors have specialist post- graduate qualifications and all have received special training in Human Disability Evaluation. The Medical Assessors have an on-going commitment to continuing medical education to ensure that standards are maintained and enhanced.
When conducting an assessment for Disability Allowance and other long term illness schemes, the Medical Assessor is providing a second opinion to the person’s own doctor. The Medical Assessor does not dispute the existence of the certified cause of incapacity but rather s/he assesses the degree to which the loss of function in work related activities resulting from the disease or injury affects the person's ability to perform either their own job or alternative types of work.
Disability Allowance applications are medically assessed on the basis of medical evidence submitted. Eligibility is determined by the severity and expected duration of the medical condition. The assessment is made in accordance with the Department’s evidence based medical guidelines and protocols and which are published on the Department’s website - www.welfare.ie.
Exceptional Needs Payment Applications
Questions (205)
Bernard Durkan
Question:205. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in reviewing an entitlement to an exceptional needs payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if financial assistance can be facilitated given the poor financial position of the person concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33251/15]
View answerWritten answers
On 21st May 2015, the client applied for assistance with the funeral expenses of her late husband. On 2nd July 2015, the client was requested to submit written confirmation of the loan she received to pay the bill. On 8th July 2015, the client advised that she did not wish to continue with her application.
On the 26th August 2015, following representations from the Deputy, the client was contacted and she agreed to provide the requested written confirmation. To date, the documentation remains outstanding. On receipt of same, a decision on the application can be made.
Water Conservation Grant
Questions (206)
Micheál Martin
Question:206. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she sought advice from the National Adult Literacy Agency about the form that has been sent out to all householders for the water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33260/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Social Protection is committed to the provision of information to all of its customers in clear and easy to access formats, which adhere to the guidelines outlined by the National Adult Literacy Agency. The Department fully recognises the barrier that literacy difficulties can cause for individuals trying to gain an understanding of and access to services and supports available. The Department has worked in partnership with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) to implement a “Plain English” policy to ensure that all forms and leaflets are produced in a simple, clear, easy to read format that is accessible to people with different levels of literacy ability. Accordingly staff of the Department who have undergone training on ‘Plain English’ guidelines by a NALA representative were involved in the preparation of the Water Conservation Grant invitation letter.
Disability Allowance Appeals
Questions (207)
Kieran O'Donnell
Question:207. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33269/15]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that the department was notified by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 10 September 2015 that the appeal for the person in question was successful.
His case is currently with a deciding officer to implement the appeals officer’s decision and the person concerned will be notified in writing as soon as possible.
Question No. 208 withdrawn.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (209)
Brendan Griffin
Question:209. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [33277/15]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 15 July 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications
Questions (210)
Michael Ring
Question:210. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a domiciliary care allowance. [33320/15]
View answerWritten answers
An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 2nd June 2015. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 25th September 2015 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
In the case of an application which is refused the applicant may submit additional information and ask for the decision to be reviewed or they may appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The person concerned has been advised of these options in the decision letter.
Rent Supplement Scheme Administration
Questions (211)
Finian McGrath
Question:211. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will support a matter (details supplied) concerning a person who is facing homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33342/15]
View answerWritten answers
Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 65,000 people at a cost of €298 million in 2015. Over 13,700 rent supplement tenancies have been awarded this year, of which almost 4,300 are in Dublin, showing that significant numbers are being accommodated under the scheme.
A review of the rent limits undertaken earlier this year found that the impact of increasing limits at a time of constrained supply will increase costs disproportionately for the Exchequer with little or no new housing available to recipients.
Rather than increasing limits at this time rent supplement policy will continue to allow for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of current limits. Flexibility is provided under the National Framework for Tenancy Sustainment for both existing customers of the scheme and new applicants. Staff in the Community Welfare Service of the Department who administer the rent supplement scheme have a statutory discretionary power (provided for under Article 38 of Statutory Instrument 412 of 2007) to award or increase a supplement for rental purposes, for example, when dealing with applicants who are risk of losing their tenancy or in danger of homelessness. Tenant’s circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis, and rents are being increased above prescribed limits as appropriate using the statutory discretion as outlined in the correspondence supplied by the Deputy.
This flexible approach has already assisted approximately 4,000 rent supplement households throughout the country to retain their rented accommodation. In addition, the Department, in conjunction with Threshold, operates a special Protocol in the Dublin and Cork areas where supply issues are particularly acute, with plans to extend this arrangement to Galway city. The primary objective of the Protocol is to ensure a speedy intervention to ensure that families at immediate risk of losing their tenancy get rapid assistance.
I can assure the Deputy that where Departmental staff are notified of a threat of tenancy loss these discretionary measures are implemented as appropriate. Persons in receipt of rent supplement at risk of losing their tenancy are advised to contact the Department’s Community Welfare Service or Threshold’s Tenancy Protection Service without delay.
I am keeping this matter under close review.
Bereavement Grant
Questions (212)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:212. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of restoring the bereavement grant, which was abolished by the Government in budget 2014. [33343/15]
View answerWritten answers
The overall concern in recent Budgets has been to protect primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided an annual saving of approx. €22 million. This allowed the Department to protect other more fundamental social welfare payments such as the State pension. Accordingly, I have no plans to reinstate the bereavement grant as there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than that which was provided by the bereavement grant –
- The widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pension which is a weekly payment, based on contributions or a means test.
- The widowed or surviving civil partner grant, which is a once-off payment 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 to qualified people for six weeks following a death.
- Guardians payments where someone is looking after an orphaned child.
- A special funeral grant of €850 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.
School Meals Programme
Questions (213, 214, 215, 216)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:213. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the first-year and full-year cost of extending the school meals programme to all primary schools. [33346/15]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:214. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the first-year and full-year cost of extending the school meals programme to all secondary schools. [33347/15]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:215. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the first-year and full-year cost of expanding the school meals programme by 15%, and of extending the expanded programme to include an additional breakfast meal. [33348/15]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:216. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the first-year and full-year cost of increasing the current funding for the school meals programme to local groups and voluntary organisations which operate their own school meals projects by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. [33349/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 216, inclusive, together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations which benefits over 217,500 children. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million.
The programme is in place to provide support to disadvantaged children and priority is given to schools which are part of the Department of Education and Skills’ initiative for disadvantaged schools, ‘Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools’ (DEIS). The additional funding provided in 2015 is being used to increase payments to existing DEIS schools with a particular focus on the provision of funding for breakfast clubs which provide very positive outcomes for vulnerable children in terms of their school attendance, punctuality and energy levels. The Department is at present processing applications for the current school year.
The cost of extending the scheme to additional schools or food clubs can only be quantified where more specific information is available such as the number of disadvantaged pupils participating. The Department is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the cost of food clubs to local groups and voluntary organisations which operate their own school meals projects. Details of the various food clubs available under the scheme and the maximum daily rate per pupil are provided in the following tabular statement.
Based on the 2015 budgetary allocation of €39 million, the additional annual cost of expanding the school meals programme by 15% is €5.85 million, at a cost of approximately €2 million in the first year covering the school term from September to December. Any changes to social welfare schemes can only be considered in a budgetary context.
School Meals Food Clubs
|
Meal |
Maximum Rate of Payment (per child per day) |
Examples of Food to be Provided |
|
Breakfast/Snack |
€0.60 |
Cereal, Toast, Scone, Fruit, Yogurt, Milk, Unsweetened Juice - 2 Items must be provided |
|
Lunch |
€1.40 |
Filled Sandwich/Roll or Soup & Roll or Salad Plate, plus 2 other items (e.g. Milk, Unsweetened Juice, Fruit, Yogurt) |
|
Dinner |
€1.90 |
Meat, Potatoes & Vegetables or Chicken Curry or Spaghetti Bolognaise, plus a drink (Milk, Unsweetened Juice, Water) |
JobPath Implementation
Questions (217)
Seán Kyne
Question:217. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the operation of JobPath; the number of participants nationally; the number in counties Dublin, Galway and Mayo since its introduction in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33375/15]
View answerWritten answers
JobPath is a new approach to 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. 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 the Department’s existing employment services including Local Employment Services and Job Clubs. The companies 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.
Turas Nua will operate in the following areas the Southern half of the country including Cork, Limerick and Waterford
Seetec will operate in Dublin and the northern half of the country including Galway
The roll-out of JobPath started on 20 July 2015 and is currently providing services to jobseekers in the following locations: Bray, Longford, Cork, Galway, Carlow, Naas/Newbridge, Waterford, Mullingar and Cavan. Up to 25 September, c. 1,000 jobseekers have been referred to JobPath and of these c. 200 are in the Galway area. No referrals have yet been made in Mayo or Dublin. JobPath is scheduled to be rolled out in these areas in October/November. JobPath is expected to be available in all areas of the country towards over the end of the year.
Public Services Card Data
Questions (218)
Seán Kyne
Question:218. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in the context of reorganising her Department, the number of locations that are processing the public services card; the number of persons nationally and in counties Galway and Mayo who have been furnished with the new card since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33376/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Public Services Card (PSC) is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the social services card and free travel pass of this Department, and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customer. A PSC is issued following a registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data.
At present, 98 of the Department’s locations nationwide are processing registrations for the PSC. 6 of these locations are in County Galway - in Ballinasloe, Gort, Clifden, Loughrea, Tuam, and in Galway city and a further 5 locations are in County Mayo – in Castlebar, Ballina, Westport, Achill, and Belmullet.
Considerable progress has been made in the national roll out of the PSC with over 1.59 million PSCs issued to date, which includes some 519,000 for Free Travel purposes. As of the 11th of September 2015 there were 69,601 adults (over age 18) resident in Co. Galway who had completed registration for PSC purposes, and the corresponding figure for County Mayo was 41,495.
Labour Activation Measures
Questions (219)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:219. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons on the labour activation schemes who are available; if she will provide, in tabular form, the numbers on each type of scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33388/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by jobseekers. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy, initiated in 2012. The 2015 update of the strategy focuses especially on provision of services, and on provision of new places, or reserved places on existing programmes, for the long-term unemployed and the youth unemployed. These programmes are therefore an important element in the overall policy approach.
Data on participation on the main activation programmes are published each month by the CSO. The data for July 2015 are reproduced in the following table. There were 67,246 people availing of these programmes in July, which is an increase of 2,630 (4.1%) persons compared with the same month in 2014. The numbers on the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) increased by 1,628 over the same period and includes 2,731 participating on Momentum full-time courses (437 in July 2014) and 107 participating on Springboard/ICT Skills Programme. It should be noted that participation on the BTEA tends to be at a seasonal low in summer, and to rise substantially during the academic year.
|
Programme |
Participants at July 2015 |
|
Back to Work allowance scheme – Employee strand. 1 |
0 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme – self-employed strand. |
11,739 |
|
Short-term Enterprise Allowance 2 |
486 |
|
Total - Back to Work schemes |
12,225 |
|
Part-time Job Incentive |
358 |
|
TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative |
8,014 |
|
JobBridge - National Internship Scheme |
4,969 |
|
Gateway (2013) |
2,258 |
|
Other Activation Programmes |
15,599 |
|
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) 3 |
5,000 |
|
Back to Education Allowance 4 |
4,976 |
|
Total - Back to Education Courses: |
9,976 |
|
Community Employment Schemes (excluding Supervisors) |
22,913 |
|
FAS (Solas) full-time training for the unemployed |
6,533 |
|
TOTAL |
67,246 |
1 This scheme was closed to new applications from 1st May 2009.
2 This scheme was introduced from 1st May 2009. It provides immediate support for someone in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit who wants to start a business.
3 Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS): VTOS figures are estimated.
4 BTEA figures include all schemes but participants from JA & JB are not entitled to BTEA during the summer holidays. Includes MOMENTUM participants from February 2013.
Social Welfare Benefits Data
Questions (220)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:220. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the cost of restoring the full rate of jobseeker's allowance for those under 26 years of age; of abolishing the discriminatory jobseeker's allowance rates for those under 26 years of age; of restoring the telephone allowance; of reversing the €50 cut to the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; of increasing the basic social welfare rates by €10 per week; of reversing the cuts to the one-parent family payment, of including a reduction of income disregard; of restoring the back to education allowance; and of reversing the cuts to child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33389/15]
View answerWritten answers
The costs sought by the Deputy are included in the following table.
|
Measure |
Cost – Full Year €m |
|
Increase the maximum rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance for those aged under 26 years to €188 per week. |
148 |
|
Re-introduce the Telephone Allowance. |
108 * |
|
Increase the rate of Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance by €50 per child. |
15 |
|
Increase all weekly rates of social welfare payments by €10. |
713 |
|
Increase the age threshold of the youngest child of a One Parent Family Payment recipient to 14 years of age and increase the earnings disregard to €146.50 per week. |
65 |
|
Re-introduce a €500 Cost of Education Allowance for Back to Education Allowance recipients as well as an increase the rate of Back to Education Allowance for those under 26 years of age, from €160 to €188 per week. |
15 |
|
Increase the rate of Child Benefit to €166 per month for the first and second child and to €203 per month for the third and subsequent children. Extend entitlement to 18 years olds in education, and re-introduce the grant of €635 which was paid to all multiple births at birth, at age 4 and at age 12. |
603 |
*This cost is tentative as the re-introduction of the scheme (along the same lines as the original scheme) would have to have regard to a changed telecommunications market.
Water Conservation Grant
Questions (221)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:221. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of paying out and administering the water conservation grant for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33390/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Social Protection is administering the 2015 Water Conservation Grant on behalf of the Department Environment, Community and Local Government.
Details of the 2016 Water Conservation Grant scheme, including relevant registration and application dates, will be set down in regulations to be made by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in due course.