Written Answers Nos. 49-59
50. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review an application for a back to education allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33871/15]
View answerIn order to qualify for the Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) while pursuing a third level course certain conditions must be fulfilled, including being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for 9 months (234 paid or credited days of unemployment).
The person concerned submitted a BTEA application on 11 September 2015, at which point he was advised by email that as he had a total of 186 days and would not be eligible.
51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which jobseeker's allowance and basic payment continues to be made available to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33880/15]
View answerThe person concerned has been in receipt of a jobseeker's allowance payment from 21 May, 2012 to date. The person concerned will continue to receive the payment once he continues to meet the criteria for jobseeker's allowance.
52. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which a widow (details supplied) in County Kildare is in receipt of the full social welfare entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33885/15]
View answerThe person concerned is in receipt of a widow’s contributory pension at the maximum rate payable to a person under age 66 years of age. She is also in receipt of a qualified child increase at the weekly rate of €29.80 and qualifies for a fuel allowance payment of €20.00 per week. Fuel allowance payments are issued from October to the following April to eligible claimants.
Additionally, the person concerned is in receipt of child benefit in respect of her qualified child. This year the person concerned has applied for, and received, a back to school clothing and footwear allowance.
No other primary social welfare payment is payable at the same time as widow’s contributory pension.
53. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection whether a carer's allowance and respite facilities can be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33887/15]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a social assistance payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a relevant person/persons and whose income falls below certain limits.
The department informs me that, to date, no application by the person concerned for CA has been received.
Accordingly, I have arranged for an application form (CR1) to issue, which the person concerned should complete and return as soon as possible, in order that the Department may determine their entitlement to CA. If the person in question has already submitted an application in the past few days, there is no need to re-submit a new application and the Department will be in touch in relation to the application in due course.
The respite care grant (RCG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to eligible carers.
The person concerned should contact the Health Service Executive (HSE) regarding respite care facilities.
54. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determining suitable employment through Intreo, or other means, for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the extent to which Intreo assessment has concluded, or is ongoing, and keeping in mind the lack of public transport available to the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33891/15]
View answerThe person concerned has advised her case officer that she has access to her own transport.
The person concerned met with her case officer firstly on 21 July 2015 where all possible options including, job seeking and training courses were discussed and considered. The person concerned has chosen to participate on a part-time course in the Baldoyle Training Centre though she was offered other suitable course options in the Maynooth area.
Upon completion of the training programme the person concerned will revert to her case officer when they will work together in sourcing suitable employment.
56. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance if Ireland will make a contribution to the Green Climate Fund and, if so, the extent of the contribution, and when it will be paid. [33692/15]
View answerAt the outset, it has to be noted that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is, of course, the Minister with lead responsibility, inter alia, for climate change matters. However, as Minister for Finance I have over-riding responsibility to take into account the financial implications of climate change, including Ireland's potential involvement in international climate finance, insofar as these matters may impact domestically on the National Budget. In this respect therefore, I must have regard to economic and budgetary constraints, together with Ireland's obligations under the Stability and Growth Pact, in considering possible public financial contributions in the area of international climate finance.
Against this background, an inter-Departmental technical working group has been established to actively consider and present feasible options for scaling-up/mobilisation of international climate finance in the period to 2020, including via the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This work includes consideration of both public and private finance options as well as policy instruments. A decision to contribute to the GCF and the size of any such contribution would, of course, require Government approval in the first instance and would fall to be implemented by the Minister for Finance if required.
As with Ireland's involvement with other International Institutions such as the World Bank and funds established by such Institutions, my officials will work closely with officials from other relevant Departments and Agencies to ensure a whole-of-Government approach is taken to meet our policy objectives and optimise outcomes for Ireland. In this manner, it is envisaged that my officials would work closely with those from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and other Departments/Agencies should any contribution be made by Ireland to the GCF.
57. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to expand the current commuter Taxsaver programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33748/15]
View answerI am satisfied that the Travel Pass/ Taxsaver works well for the vast majority of employees who wish to avail of it. Nonetheless any such schemes are periodically reviewed. However the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice of the Minister for Finance to discuss in advance any measures which may be under consideration as part of the Budget and Finance Bill process.
58. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will extend the opening hours of the Revenue Commissioners information office in Dublin 1 from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33665/15]
View answerThe deployment of resources to its compliance and customer service programmes is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. I am advised by Revenue that they offer a range of service channels that are adapted and refined to meet the changing demands of taxpayers. The demand for 'walk in' counter services by taxpayers has declined in recent years as high quality self service electronic and telephone service channels have been introduced and expanded.
I am advised by Revenue that the current opening hours of the Central Revenue Information Office (CRIO) in Dublin 1, reflect taxpayers demand trends that saw the majority of customers calling to the office in the early morning. While there are no plans to change or extend the opening hours of the CRIO, I am assured by Revenue that they continue to monitor and evaluate demand for services in the CRIO. Taxpayers will continue to be provided with a flexible and responsive service commensurate with demand.
59. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the number of successful applicants from the Dublin Fingal area to the home renovation incentive scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33691/15]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that 2,608 properties within the boundaries of Fingal County Council have registered works under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) Scheme to date. This figure includes works which have commenced but have not yet been completed, and works which are due to commence. Of these properties within Fingal County Council, works have been completed and paid for in respect of 2,127, and the relevant tax relief can be claimed under the scheme.
The Deputy may be interested to know that other data regarding the HRI scheme are available from Revenue's statistical webpage at http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/statistics/. Specifically, the HRI statistics can be accessed at http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/statistics/hri-stats.pdf.
