Written Answers Nos. 99-119
99. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the community services programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36872/15]
View answer100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the terms of the community services programme contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36879/15]
View answer102. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding a community service programme (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36892/15]
View answer103. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way a charitable organisation (details supplied) can displace private bus operators who pay their taxes and generate employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36893/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 100, 102 and 103 together.
The company referred to by the Deputy operates a community-owned social enterprise delivering transport and related services in County Kerry. From the information available to me, the company provides good quality employment to 19 people with seven and a half of the positions being co-funded by the Community Services Programme (CSP) for the provision of accessible community transport services in north and east Kerry. The company also provides services part-funded under other programmes. The range of services provided include a social car scheme and transport to access clinic and hospital appointments as well as rural, elderly, disability and wheelchair services to isolated areas of the county. The CSP contributes towards the cost of employing a manager, office administrator, vehicle supervisor, six drivers who also act as personal assistants to aid users and two personal assistants. The CSP commitment is of the order of €174,700 annually to the company.
The Department and Pobal, which operates the CSP contractual arrangements on behalf of the Department, have received assurances from the company that it has adhered to the terms of the CSP contract in pursuing other opportunities of a public and commercial nature. The company operates along social enterprise lines and the CSP contract is for the delivery of specified transport and related services of a social inclusion nature that could not be provided other than with a public subsidy. The Department cannot constrain the company from seeking to deliver other services which are funded outside of the CSP contract, nor can it restrict it participating in tender competitions offered under the terms of national and EU procurement procedures.
The Department has been assured by the company that it intends to continue to deliver the existing range of services for which it receives a contribution under the CSP and which are separate from any other service that it provides. Furthermore, the company provided confirmation that there was no element of cross-subsidisation in any tender proposal which they made in recent months. It is a matter entirely for the contracting agency to ensure that issues of cross-subsidisation are considered in the award of tenders and contracts.
Overall, it is important to point out that the company operates independently of the Department in the organisation and delivery of its activities. I understand that the annual financial statements of the company are publicly available and filed annually with the Company Registration Office. These statements can be accessed at that office or by contacting the company directly for a copy.
101. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will abolish the waiting period for the JobBridge scheme to ensure that all those in receipt of jobseeker's payments and wishing to gain experience can do so without delay; if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36885/15]
View answerJobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, is one of a range of activation and labour market initiatives that offer assistance to people trying to secure work. Key policy objectives of these initiatives are to target support and prioritise scarce resources at those most in need of assistance.
The particular focus of the JobBridge Scheme is to provide unemployed people with an opportunity to secure work experience and to prove their competence to prospective employers. The scheme is targeted at jobseekers in receipt of specified social welfare payments or signing for social welfare credits for a minimum of 78 days. The primary reason for this is to mitigate the risk of deadweight.
Exit rates from the Live Register are high during the first three months of unemployment. Reducing the 78-day qualifying period would, therefore, increase the levels of deadweight and reduce the scheme's effectiveness, efficiency and economy.
A range of other supports and services are available to jobseekers who are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for less than 78 days, including advice on job search activities, the use of online job search tools and other up-skilling opportunities.
The Department is undertaking an external review of JobBridge which will include an econometric evaluation. The results of the review will provide an evidential basis upon which to consider how the scheme might best be improved.
104. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of participants who engaged with the WALK PEER programme over its lifetime. [36894/15]
View answer105. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of participants who secured employment during their participation in the WALK PEER programme; and the duration of this employment. [36895/15]
View answer106. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of participants who entered education during their participation in the WALK PEER programme. [36896/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104 to 106, inclusive, together.
The project in question supported a total of 119 participants over its duration. In terms of progression outcomes, 49 participants progressed to further education and 21 took up employment. Of these, 12 individuals, who progressed to education or employment, remained in economic activity (education or employment) after 12 months.
107. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of employing organisations that participated in the WALK PEER programme; and the nature of their involvement with participants. [36897/15]
View answerThe total number of employers approached by WALK PEER to participate in the project was 158.
Of these, 108 employers engaged with the project, resulting in 20 employers providing job opportunities to project participants.
108. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the length of time a person with a disability will be waiting to access employment supports at Intreo offices. [36898/15]
View answerScheduled, pro-active, activation applies to recipients of jobseeker's payments only. Access to employment supports for eligible clients, including people with disabilities, are available on a walk-in basis at INTREO Centres. Service provision is subject to capacity and walk-in clients who require a meeting with a Case Officer are given an appointment at the earliest available opportunity. The waiting time for these clients to see a Case Officer will, therefore, vary across the Intreo network, in general, however most people who present on a “walk in” basis will receive an appointment within a month. In addition, people with disabilities can be referred to the specialist Employ Ability Service which is funded by this Department and employs circa 112 people to provide employment advice and support to people with disabilities.
109. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the length of time persons with a disability will be waiting for employment supports once they have been referred by Intreo to the EmployAbility programme; and if any maximum wait time is in operation. [36899/15]
View answerThe EmployAbility service currently comprises 23 limited companies, each with a specific geographical remit, so the demand for the service varies from region to region.
Data from the first half of 2015 shows that the number of individuals waiting for a place on the service stood at 584. Of these individuals, almost 70 per cent had been waiting for less than 12 weeks. There is no maximum waiting time to obtain a place.
110. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of Intreo staff employed currently and the number employed in October 2014. [36900/15]
View answerThe majority of staff working in the Divisional network of offices in the Department are involved in delivering the Intreo service. The following table shows the number of posts in the Divisions in October 2014 and October 2015.
|
- |
October 2014 |
October 2015 |
|
Divisional posts |
3,609.88 |
3,566.85 |
111. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there is any form of payment available for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who has been given permission by the Minister's Department to continue on a vocational training opportunities scheme until June 2016. [36908/15]
View answerThe person concerned was in receipt of illness benefit but, following an examination by one of the Department's Medical Assessors, the opinion was expressed that she was capable of work. The matter was further examined by a Deciding Officer who, having examined all the aspects of the case, upheld the Medical Assessor's opinion. Payment of illness benefit had, therefore, to cease from 16 October 2015. The person concerned has been informed of the decision and of the right of appeal to the independent Appeals Office.
Meanwhile, while on a Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, the person may apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance if they find that their means are insufficient to meet their needs. Application may be made to the Community welfare Services at the local Health Centre or Intreo Office.
112. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36942/15]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 2nd October 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.
113. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the plans that exist to ease the path for persons (details supplied) on long-term disability allowance who wish to take up part-time work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36943/15]
View answerPersons in receipt of disability allowance (DA) may voluntarily take up work of a rehabilitative nature while remaining in receipt of their payment. In such cases a person can earn up to €120 per week without payment being affected while earnings of between €121 and €350 per week are assessed at 50% for means test purposes. Where the person can no longer continue in such employment, DA will be restored on notification by the person.
As indicated by the recent launch of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for people with disabilities, the Government is committed to increasing the participation in employment of persons with a disability, including DA recipients. I am pleased to say that the Department will lead a new working group, being set up under the CES, on making work pay for persons with a disability, looking at the complex interactions between the benefit system and net income gains in employment, with a view to devising workable solutions to difficulties identified.
I should add that currently the Department provides a wide range of work related supports for people with disabilities - these include the EmployAbility (supported employment) service, the wage subsidy scheme and the employment support programme for people with disabilities.
114. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the recent meeting held with the Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection with special responsibility for activation and a delegation from the Killinarden parish community employment scheme from Tallaght in Dublin 24; the issues raised; the actions she will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36946/15]
View answerA meeting was held on 1st September between the Minister of State, officials and representatives from Killinarden Parish Community Employment Scheme. A number of issues, relating client eligibility/duration and the budget allocation, were discussed. Clarification on these matters was provided to the delegation.
115. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36962/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 23 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.
116. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if more suitable premises will be allocated for a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36971/15]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection delivers front office services to customers in the area concerned via a Social Welfare Branch Office. Branch Offices are operated by Branch Managers who are contracted by the Department to deliver its services in locations where the Department does not have an Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Local Office.
The Department is committed to the provision of suitable and accessible public offices that ensures privacy and comply with occupational health and safety standards and which facilitate access for customers with disabilities and others with specific needs.
This commitment to the delivery of quality customer services also applies to Branch Offices. Each Branch Manager, under the terms of their contract, is required to provide appropriate accommodation, commensurate with the size of the customer base and to the satisfaction of divisional management of the Department.
The Department is liaising, on an ongoing basis, with Branch Managers regarding the provision of accommodation and will continue with efforts to ensure that suitable facilities for customers are provided in all locations.
118. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who is in receipt of an invalidity pension will be entitled to the free fuel allowance, which the person has not received to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37075/15]
View answerThe National Fuel Scheme (fuel allowance) applies to persons in receipt of long term Social Welfare payments. The allowance is subject to a household means test and is paid only to those who live alone or with certain exempted people such as a qualified spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or qualified child(ren); other people who are getting one of the qualifying DSP payments and who would also qualify for fuel allowance in their own right; a person who is providing the applicant with full-time care and attention (if the applicant is a person with a disability or a long-term illness) and/or a person getting short-term jobseeker's allowance.
Full details of the qualifying criteria for the scheme are available on the Department's website www.welfare.ie.
A decision on an individual's entitlement to fuel allowance can be made upon receipt of a completed application. An application form for fuel allowance has been sent to the person in question and, should she wish to apply, she should fully complete and return the form to the Department as soon as possible. She will be notified of the outcome of the application as soon as possible thereafter.
119. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person who is coming to live in Ireland from Romania and who has a disability may transfer a disability payment between the two states; and the steps necessary to progress this. [37082/15]
View answerThe question of whether a Romanian disability payment is exportable to this country is a matter for the Romanian social security authorities to determine.
Under the EU Regulations for the Coordination of Social Security Systems, contributory payments that are payable by any of the Member States of the European Union are exportable to any of the other Member States. However, the exportability or otherwise of non-contributory payments is determined having regard to the specific nature of that payment.
As no details have been provided in relation to the nature of the disability payment in question, it is not possible to give the Deputy a precise reply in relation to the exportability of that payment.
However, where a person who is in receipt of a Romanian disability payment moves to live in Ireland and that person seeks to have that payment paid to him or her in Ireland, the person should contact the relevant Romanian social security authorities who are responsible for making that payment to see if it can be exported and, if so, to make the necessary arrangements.
