Written Answers Nos. 140-154
140. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the domiciliary care scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1447/16]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 27th 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. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
141. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the invalidity pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1450/16]
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.
To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 24 September 2015. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on 09 October 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person in question requested a review of the decision and submitted a P45 which was forwarded to the department’s records section for updating. In order to confirm the full contribution history of the person concerned, her case has been referred to a social welfare inspector (SWI) for investigation. Upon completion of the SWI’s investigation, the review will be processed further and a deciding officer will be in direct contact with the person in question regarding the review.
142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if rent allowance will continue to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who wishes to give to her Department notice of being out of the country from 18 January 2016 to 4 February 2016 while visiting an ill sibling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1452/16]
View answerThe Rent Supplement payment for January will issue as normal to the client concerned.
145. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to urgently examine an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, given that all medical evidence has been submitted and the person has been waiting over five months for a social protection inspector to visit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1460/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 5 June 2015. This application was refused on the grounds that he was not providing full-time care and attention as required. He was notified on 2 November 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person concerned has appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). As part of the appeal, further information was provided regarding the number of weekly hours’ care being provided. The application was referred to a social welfare inspector (SWI) on 2 December 2015 to confirm whether the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied. Once the SWI has reported and all the necessary investigations have been completed the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
146. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will reach a decision on an application for a carer's allowance from a person (details supplied) in County Mayo which she received on 20 August 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1462/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 20 August 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
147. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1464/16]
View answerThe person concerned was in receipt of carer’s allowance (CA) at a reduced rate of payment from 20 July 2006.
Following a recent review, her CA was increased with effect from 23 December 2010.
Her first payment at the increased rate issued from 26 November 2015 and arrears of allowance due from 23 December 2010 have issued by cheque on 11 January 2016.
148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to review the eligibility of a person (details supplied) in County Meath under the disability allowance scheme with particular reference to the attached medical documentation outlining medical appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1468/16]
View answerAn application for disability allowance was received from the person in question by the department on 14 July 2015. The claim, based upon the evidence submitted, was disallowed by a deciding officer (DO) on medical grounds on 15 October 2015.
Further medical evidence was received and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 10 December 2015.
A further review by a DO is currently being carried out on this case which takes into account the supporting documentation supplied with this parliamentary question. The outcome of this review will be notified to the person concerned in writing.
149. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when a water conservation grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, who has registered with Irish Water and whose account is up to date with particular reference to the information supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1469/16]
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.
To date Irish Water has transferred details of over 1.3 million registered households to this Department including the details of the person concerned. A letter issued to the person concerned at the address given inviting them to apply for the grant before the original deadline of 8th October 2015 and advising them that they could make this application either online or with the assistance of the Water Grant Support Team by telephone. Statutory Instrument 434 of 2015 provided for the extension of the deadline for the submission of a completed application to 22nd October 2015. However, there is no record of the person having applied for the grant prior to the final closing date.
150. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing all working age payments by €2.50, €5.00, €6.00, €7.00, €8.00, €9.00, and €10.00 per week, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1486/16]
View answer152. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing child benefit by €5, €10, €15, €20, €25, and €30 per month, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1488/16]
View answer153. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the jobseeker's allowance of €100 per week for those from 18 to 24 years of age, by €5, €10, €15, €20, €25, €30, €40, €44, €88, and €100 per week, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1489/16]
View answer154. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the jobseeker's allowance for those in receipt of the €144 per week payment by €5, €6, €10, €15, €16, €20, €25, €26, €30, €35, €36, €40, €44, €46, €50 and €56 per week, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1490/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 152 to 154, inclusive, together.
The costings that the Deputy has requested are detailed in a series of tables below:
Table 1: Various increases in weekly working age payments
|
Increase |
Full Year Cost €m |
|
€2.50 |
109.1 |
|
€5.00 |
218.2 |
|
€6.00 |
261.8 |
|
€7.00 |
305.5 |
|
€8.00 |
349.1 |
|
€9.00 |
392.8 |
|
€10.00 |
436.4 |
Table 2: Various increases in monthly Child Benefit payments
|
Increase |
Full Year Cost €m |
|
€5.00 |
72.6 |
|
€10.00 |
145.2 |
|
€15.00 |
217.7 |
|
€20.00 |
290.3 |
|
€25.00 |
362.9 |
|
€30.00 |
435.5 |
Table 3: Various increases in the €100 weekly rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance which is paid to those aged 18 to 24 years of age
|
Increase |
Full Year Cost €m |
|
€5.00 |
7.8 |
|
€10.00 |
15.5 |
|
€15.00 |
23.3 |
|
€20.00 |
31.0 |
|
€25.00 |
38.8 |
|
€30.00 |
46.6 |
|
€40.00 |
62.1 |
|
€44.00 |
68.2 |
|
€88.00 |
136.4 |
|
€100.00 |
155.0 |
Table 4: Various increases in the €144 weekly rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance which is paid to those aged 25 years of age
|
Increase |
Full Year Cost €m |
|
€5.00 |
1.4 |
|
€6.00 |
1.6 |
|
€10.00 |
2.7 |
|
€15.00 |
4.1 |
|
€16.00 |
4.3 |
|
€20.00 |
5.4 |
|
€25.00 |
6.8 |
|
€26.00 |
7.0 |
|
€30.00 |
8.1 |
|
€35.00 |
9.5 |
|
€36.00 |
9.7 |
|
€40.00 |
10.8 |
|
€44.00 |
11.9 |
|
€46.00 |
12.4 |
|
€50.00 |
13.5 |
|
€56.00 |
15.1 |
Notes:
1) The costings listed in the tables above include, where relevant, proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payments.
2) These costings are calculated using the estimated recipient numbers for 2016.
151. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the income disregard for the one-parent family payment from its current threshold of €90 per week to €100, €110, €115, €120, €125, €130, €135, €140, €145, €150, €155 and €160 per week, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1487/16]
View answerThe information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in the Department. Given the complex nature of the request, the Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.
