Written Answers Nos. 230-247
230. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision regarding an application for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37978/15]
View answerThe person in question has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 9 September 2015. Their first payment will be on 18 November 2015 and any arrears due will follow shortly thereafter.
231. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a social welfare appeal by a person (details supplied). [37980/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 11 November 2015. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the 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.
232. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position of persons who are receiving the back to education allowance, and how this affects their contribution record and future payment of jobseeker's benefit; if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17 will be entitled to jobseeker's benefit, if required, after the course is completed, if the person's credits are used while on the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38037/15]
View answerWith effect from 1 January 2015, signing days will not be frozen for new applicants for jobseeker’s benefit (JB) who are approved for the back to education allowance (BTEA); the JB cumulative days of entitlement continue to be counted while in receipt of the BTEA.
The person concerned was approved for JB from 1st June 2015 and entitlement to benefit will continue for 9 months including the period the client is in receipt of BTEA. The client may be entitled to make a new claim for JB when the current claim is exhausted if the client is working while studying and is maintaining a record of paid contributions. In this instance the person may requalify for JB if:
- s/he has paid 13 contributions at the appropriate class after date of expiry of 156 days of JB and
- s/he satisfies the second contribution condition (GCY) with sufficient contributions in the relevant contribution year and
- s/he meets all other statutory conditions.
In the event that s/he does not quality for JB, a client may make a claim for jobseeker’s allowance (JA) or credits in order to continue to qualify for BTEA to finish out the course.
The Department will write automatically to the person concerned 6 weeks before the JB exhausts to notify the person that they are reaching the end of their benefit entitlement. The letter offers the person the choice of claiming JA or credits and includes an application form for the assessment of means.
233. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will accept a late application for a water conservation grant from a person (details supplied) in County Galway, given that her Department told this person that he could not apply for this grant due to not having a bank account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38041/15]
View answerThe eligibility criteria for the Water Conservation Grant are set out in the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015. Under regulation 5(1) a person who registers with Irish Water, as required under section 5(2)(a) of the Water Services Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 shall be eligible to receive the grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on that date. I can confirm that where a customer does not have a bank account payment can be made to them by cheque.
To date Irish Water has transferred details of over 1.3 million registered households to this Department. The details of the householder concerned have not yet been included in those transfers. However Irish Water will continue to forward details of registered householders up to the middle of this month (November 2015). Such householders are eligible to receive the Water Conservation Grant and this Department will be in touch with such householders if and when their details are received from Irish Water.
234. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding rent supplement. [38047/15]
View answerAs stated in a recent reply on this case (ref: 36045-15 & 36784-15), although the details supplied in the correspondence refer to a person who is a customer of this Department the correspondence itself is from a third party, and therefore due to Data Protection legislation the Department cannot comment on the matter. However as an allegation of potential wrongdoing has now been made, the correspondence has been forwarded to the relevant authorities for due consideration and investigation.
235. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection for an update on an application for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38050/15]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 19 November 2015 and her first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on this date. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 30 October 2015.
237. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the latest European Union labour force survey, which shows Ireland's youth unemployment level at 20%, which is twice what it was in 2008, and that at 15%, Ireland's share of youth who were not in employment, education or in training last year, was one of the highest in the European Union; the action she will take to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38059/15]
View answerThe youth unemployment rate rose relatively rapidly in the recession that began in 2008, from 9% on average in 2007 to a peak of 31.2% in June 2012. Since then, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate has fallen steadily to 20.6% as of September 2015, reflecting the impact of government policy and the overall improvement in the labour market.
The share of youth not in employment, education or in training is driven largely by the level of unemployment, so this figure also rose significantly in the recession, to a level of close to 19% in each of the years 2010-2012. It has also fallen in line with the fall in youth unemployment – to 15% in 2014 as noted in the question – and continues to fall.
The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies 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 unemployed jobseekers and, in accordance with the EU Council Recommendation for a Youth Guarantee, by young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee implementation plan.
As, under services such as Intreo, Youthreach, VTOS, PLC programmes, and JobBridge, Ireland already had many of the recommended component parts of a Youth Guarantee, the main plank in Ireland is to prioritise access to these existing supports for young people, who become unemployed, with the objective of ensuring that they have an opportunity for employment, further education or work experience within the recommended period of four months as per the EU council recommendation.
In this regard our first intervention is to provide case officer support to help newly unemployed young people find and secure sustainable jobs. Accordingly operating processes have been refined in each of our regions to prioritise the early engagement of young people through Intreo to ensure that all young people receive expert advice and have access to progression options. In addition as part of our commitment to engage with 100,000 long-term unemployed people through the Intreo/JobPath process during 2015 we prioritised engagement with the c 13,000 young people who are already long term unemployed. In implementing these processes DSP making extensive use of the services of Local Employment Services and Job Clubs.
For those who do not find employment through the process just described, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in existing further education or training programmes. Others are in existing community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tús. Overall, over 23,300 opportunities were taken up on the relevant programmes in 2014 and a similar number is expected to be taken up in 2015.
In addition we have introduced new programmes specifically for young people including JobsPlus youth – an employment subsidy for unemployed people under 25 years of age which is payable after four months of unemployment, and First Steps – a work experience programme for very disadvantaged young people.
The continued roll-out of the Intreo activation model in conjunction with the implementation of these specific measures for youth will further assist young people to make the transition to the labour market. This, together with the forecast further improvement in the economy and employment, should support further substantial decreases in youth unemployment, and in the number of young people not in employment, education or in training.
238. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the disability allowance; the blind pension; the invalidity pension; and the carer's allowance, by €5, €10 and €15 per week. [38061/15]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Carer's Allowance by €5.00, €10.00 and €15.00 per week is detailed in the table below:
|
Weekly Increase |
Disability Allowance €m |
Blind Pension €m |
Invalidity Pension €m |
Carer's Allowance €m |
Total €m |
|
€5.00 |
32.78 |
0.37 |
16.03 |
12.76 |
61.94 |
|
€10.00 |
65.56 |
0.74 |
32.01 |
25.52 |
123.83 |
|
€15.00 |
98.39 |
1.10 |
48.04 |
38.28 |
185.82 |
These costs include proportionate increases for qualified adults, where applicable.
On Budget Day, I announced a social welfare Budget package for 2016 with four key aims:
- To increase supports for pensioners aged 66 and over;
- To strengthen supports for families with children;
- To increase the momentum to date in helping jobseekers back to work; and
- To provide targeted assistance for vulnerable groups.
In this regard, I am pleased to be in the position to provide a 75% Christmas Bonus payment this year. A single person in receipt of Disability Allowance will receive a bonus payment of €141. A couple in receipt of the Blind Pension, with a qualified adult and no children will receive a bonus of €234.60. A couple in receipt of Invalidity Pension with a qualified adult and two qualified children will receive a bonus payment of €293.40.
It should be noted that carers aged 66 and over will also benefit from the €3 weekly rate increase. This rate increase will also benefit carers in receipt of the half-rate Carer’s Allowance aged 66 and over, who will gain by €1.50 per week.
The Respite Care Grant, to be renamed the Carer’s Support Grant to better reflect the usage of the grant, will also be increased by €325, from €1,375 to €1,700 per annum. Furthermore, payment of Carer’s Allowance will be extended by 6 weeks, from 6 weeks to 12 weeks, after the death of the care recipient.
In addition, those eligible for the Fuel Allowance will gain from the increase in January of €2.50 per week, from €20 to €22.50 per week over the fuel season.
239. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [38063/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 10 September 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
240. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason illness benefit and exceptional needs payments were not approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if these will now be approved. [38065/15]
View answerIllness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The PRSI conditions are that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the tax year governing the claim. Claims made in 2015 are governed by the 2013 tax year, and only classes A, E, H, and P contributions are reckonable for illness benefit purposes.
An application for illness benefit was made from 26 Aug 2015. According to the records of the department the person concerned has no contributions paid or credited in 2013 therefore illness benefit could not be paid.
The person concerned made an application for a basic supplementary welfare allowance in September 2015. This was refused on the grounds that the household income was in excess of basic supplementary welfare allowance guidelines.
241. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the supports available to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is in receipt of an invalidity pension and who wishes to pursue a third level education course in a private college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38070/15]
View answerThe person concerned has been receiving Invalidity Pension (IP) since 11 June 2015. He was notified on 27/7/2015, that his application for an exemption to participate in a LLB (Hons) in Law at Griffith College was granted from the 07 September 2015. The person concerned will continue to receive his IP payment while participating in the course and retain free travel pass and household benefits package provided that he continues to satisfy all conditions for receipt of payment of IP.
In addition, a free fuel application form has been forwarded to the person concerned in order to determine his potential entitlement to this allowance.
243. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current position regarding an application for lone parents' allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38087/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 27 October 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.
244. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection for an update on the status of an appeal for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and when the person will receive a decision. [38092/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 October 2015. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 28 October 2015 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
245. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when the suspension of a person's (details supplied) disability allowance will be rescinded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38098/15]
View answerThe Department has written to the person in question on two separate occasions asking him to forward documentation in order to review his disability allowance (DA) entitlement.
Upon the receipt of the requested information, a decision will be made on his DA entitlement.
The person concerned is in receipt of a weekly supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of this review.
246. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a recent parliamentary question submitted by this Deputy was not answered (details supplied), given that the content of a similar parliamentary question was answered in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38103/15]
View answerWhile the Department did give financial detail of its arrangements with private travel operators participating in the Free Travel Scheme in 2010, it no longer does so. Providing this information can cause difficulties for the Department’s engagement with operators who view such information as commercially sensitive. It can also result in some of the Department’s negotiating position be disclosed.
The Deputy will appreciate that the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 recognises these concerns as it facilitates the withholding of such information under section 30 where the State’s negotiating position could be compromised and under section 36 where the information is of a commercially sensitive nature.
247. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied), as all relevant information has been submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38118/15]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 September 2015. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
