Wednesday, 13 Jan 2016

Written Answers Nos 25-44

Water Conservation Grant Administration

Questions (25)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

25. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the administration costs for the implementation of the water conservation grant. [1204/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection is administering the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government. The administration and payment of this grant is a significant project for the Department and required the development and implementation of ICT systems, ICT infrastructure and various customer support and communications services.

The total administration costs to the 31st December 2015 are €5,782,035.42. These include both the once-off setup costs and the operational costs for 2015.

All costs in relation to the set-up and administration of the Water Conservation Grant are being recouped from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in line with existing procedures in this regard. Every effort is being made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum. In this regard, the Department is reusing existing payment production systems to facilitate payment of the grant. It is also intended that the ICT infrastructure put in place for this project will be reused for the provision of online services in the future.

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Questions (26)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

26. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how many persons who do not qualify for a social protection payment are currently signing on for credits at their local social protection office; if these persons are excluded from official reckoning of unemployment; if so, why; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1196/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

As of 1 January 2016 there were 32,770 people signing for jobseeker’s credits at my Department’s offices. These people are not excluded from, but are in fact included in the overall figure of 321,616 persons on the Live Register on that date, as published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. The Quarterly National Household Survey is the source of the official measure of unemployment and is the responsibility of the CSO which is under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach.

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Questions (27)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

27. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of occasions in 2015 that rent supplement levels were agreed above the defined rent limits with persons, by local authority area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1195/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 61,000 people for which the Government has provided approximately €267 million for 2016.

In view of the reduction of supply in the private rented market and increasing rents at this time, the Department has implemented a policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the limits for both existing customers and new applicants. The circumstances of tenants are considered on a case-by-case basis and rents are being increased above prescribed limits, as appropriate. 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 underway to extend this to Galway City.

This flexible approach has assisted approximately 5,800 households nationwide to retain their rented accommodation through increased rent payments, of which some 4,500 cases were approved in 2015. A county breakdown of the increased payments is provided in the attached tabular statement, a breakdown by local authority area is not available.

I believe that these measures and the recent reforms to the private rental sector will provide increased stability in what has become a highly volatile rental market. I am continuing to keep this matter under close review.

Rent Supplement : Total Increased Rental Payments by County at 31/12/2015

County	Awards under National Tenancy Sustainment Framework	Awards under Protocol with Threshold-ITSP	Total no. of increased payments by County
CARLOW	24		24
CAVAN	13		13
CLARE	60		60
CORK	235	70	305
DONEGAL	0		-
DUBLIN	2,237	1,623	3,860
GALWAY	112		112
KERRY	25		25
KILDARE	228		228
KILKENNY	112		112
LAOIS	101		101
LEITRIM	48		48
LIMERICK	7		7
LONGFORD	95		95
LOUTH	77		77
MAYO	3		3
MEATH	256		256
MONAGHAN	1		1
OFFALY	51		51
ROSCOMMON	13		13
SLIGO	0		-
TIPPERARY	165		165
WATERFORD	27		27
WESTMEATH	94		94
WEXFORD	7		7
WICKLOW	97		97
Overall Total	4,088	1,693	5,781

Community Services Programme

Questions (28)

Joan Collins

Question:

28. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the annual grant allocation from Pobal to meet the bills community service programmes, such as the Cherry Orchard Equine Centre (details supplied), will face due to the welcome increase in the minimum wage, given that she has received correspondence from 65 programmes highlighting this serious issue, many of which do not have the wherewithal to meet this increase in costs. [1189/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection supports service provision through a number of programmes and schemes. e community services programme (CSP) provides financial support in the form a contribution to the cost of wages to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a social inclusion nature in their areas.

The centre referred to by the Deputy receives a contribution towards its wage costs of some €241,000 per annum. e centre is funded from a range of additional sources and revenue generated from the public use of its facilities. The CSP provides a contribution to the wage costs on the basis that the services are not fully self-financing or the cost of provision would be prohibitive on users. The Department does not set the wage rate but requires the payment of appropriate wage rates consistent with local norms.

At December 2015, 398 companies employing some 2,800 employees were directly supported by the CSP. The Department estimates that some 60% of these employees were being paid above the level of the minimum wage at the end of 2015, in keeping with the social inclusion and social benefit objectives of the programme. e Department is committed to working with the remaining companies to achieve the objective of paying a reasonable wage. The Deputy should note that the CSP accounts for less than a third of the resources generated by these companies.

Contracts of up to three year duration are provided for under the CSP. Arrangements whereby individual companies will be able access additional financial resources to compensate for the welcome increase in the minimum wage are being put in place. Submissions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis with the annual funding commitment being adjusted accordingly, where it is found to be warranted. An advance of 25% of the contract commitments for 2016 has been, or is in the course of being, paid to companies currently in contract to the programme.

Overall, I am satisfied that the level of resources available to the CSP in 2016 at just over €45 million will be adequate to meet the on-going funding needs of the programme.

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Questions (29)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

29. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to facilitate the qualification for a State pension (contributory) for spouses of self-employed or PAYE contributors who while rearing their families were absent from the workforce for a number of years, thereby rendering themselves unable to qualify for this pension in their own right; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1198/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid or credited over their working life from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing their entitlement and the level of that entitlement. Since 1961, when contributory pensions were introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating pension entitlement. Once over 16 years of age, the date a person enters into insurable employment is the date used for averaging purposes.

The homemaker’s scheme makes qualification for State pension (contributory) easier for those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties. The scheme, which was introduced in and took effect from 1994, allows up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age (or caring for incapacitated people over that age) to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes, subject to the standard qualifying conditions for SPC also being satisfied.

For those with insufficient contributions to meet the requirements for a State pension (contributory), the State pension system provides alternative methods of support. If their spouse has a contributory pension, they may qualify for an Increase for a Qualified Adult amounting up to 90% of a full rate pension, which by default is paid directly to them. Alternatively, they may qualify for a means-tested State Pension (non-contributory), amounting to 95% of the maximum contributory pension rate.

The most recently published Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund confirms that the Fund provides better value to female rather than male contributors. It further confirms that those with lower earnings and those with shorter contribution histories, mostly women, have and will continue to obtain the best value for money from the Fund due to the distributive nature of the Fund.

Work is under way to replace the ‘yearly average’ system with a ‘total contributions approach’. Under this approach, the number of contributions recorded over a working life will be more closely reflected in the rate of pension payment received. It is expected that the total contributions approach to pension qualification will replace the current average contributions test for State pension (contributory) for new pensioners from 2020, although that date is subject to change, as this is a very significant reform with considerable legal, administrative, and technical challenges to be overcome in its implementation. The position of women who were homemakers will be considered very carefully in developing this reform.

Family Income Supplement Data

Questions (30)

Clare Daly

Question:

30. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of family income supplement for each of the years 2011 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1162/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The family income supplement (FIS) provides support for employees, with families, who have low earnings in relation to their family size. The number of families in receipt of FIS from 2011 to 2015 is given in the table below;

Table --- FIS Numbers

Year Ending	Recipients - Families
2011	28,876
2012	32,307
2013	44,159
2014	50,306
2015	55,913

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Questions (31)

Mick Wallace

Question:

31. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the time limits for Community Employment Schemes, particularly in cases where there are no new applicants for positions vacated as a result of the time limit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1136/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including lone parents, recovering drug mis-users and persons with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.

All CE sponsors and participants are aware of the time limits for participation, which are extensive for certain individuals particularly those over 55 years, who can have up to 6 years on CE. The participation limits aim to ensure the benefit of CE is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers.

The Deputy should note that I recently launched a pilot scheme under CE whereby people who are 62 years and over will have the option of participating on the scheme on a continuous basis, until they reach the State Pension age.

The new Service Support Stream is available, on a pilot basis, from 4th January 2016 to new entrants and to current CE participants who are aged 62 years and over and who meet the scheme eligibility requirements. It will be available to:

- Participants currently on CE who have reached age 62 and who have exhausted all the activation options available to them;

- New entrants who are aged 62 and over who are eligible for CE; and

- Those aged 62 and over who have exhausted their time on CE previously.

The Department’s Intreo offices and staff co-ordinate the recruitment process for CE at a local level and will be happy to assist in relation to any local recruitment issues.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments

Questions (32)

Joan Collins

Question:

32. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if homeless persons receiving supplementary payments for a 15-month period were paid the Christmas bonus in 2015, given that as supplementary payment is the only payment the State pays to homeless persons, the logical outcome is that they should have received it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1197/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Government approved the payment of a Christmas Bonus on an administrative basis to long-term recipients of basic supplementary welfare allowance (Basic SWA) in 2015.

Customers who had been in receipt of Basic SWA continuously for more than 15 months received a Christmas Bonus of 75% of their normal weekly payment during the first week in December 2015, subject to a minimum payment of €20. This included homeless persons who were long-term recipients of Basic SWA. Customers that had spent time on another qualifying scheme immediately prior to the award of a Basic SWA payment and thereby met the 15 months eligibility criteria were also eligible for the bonus.

Any person in these groups who has not received a Christmas Bonus should contact their local Department office responsible for administering their Basic SWA.

National Internship Scheme Review

Questions (33)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

33. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the details of the external review into the JobBridge scheme she commissioned before Dáil Éireann is dissolved. [1215/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy – particularly the sharp increase in unemployment.

The primary aim of the scheme is to give unemployed people the opportunity to secure work experience and prove their competence to prospective employers. To date, JobBridge has attracted the voluntary participation of over 45,100 interns and encouraged over 18,000 Host Organisations to offer them a wide range of work experience opportunities. There are currently almost 4,600 people on internships.

A commitment was given in Pathways to Work 2015 to develop and implement a robust evaluation programme to assess the impact of Pathways to Work initiatives and identify potential areas for future attention. A formal Request for Tender for the Design and Implementation of an Evaluation of the Suitability, Effectiveness and Relevance of the JobBridge Activation Programme was issued on 7 September 2015 via eTenders and OJEU. The closing date for receipt of proposals was 19 October 2015.

Following the assessment of tenders, the contract for the external evaluation was awarded to Indecon International Economic Consultants in association with London Economics. The project formally commenced on 24 November 2015.

The aim of the evaluation is to assess the suitability, relevance and effectiveness of the JobBridge internship programme to date, and will include:

- A comprehensive qualitative assessment of host organisation and participant perspectives on the quality and future of JobBridge, including one-to-one case studies.

- A robust assessment of deadweight and displacement.

- A detailed counterfactual impact evaluation.

It is expected that preliminary results from the evaluation will be provided by April 2016 and that a final report will be published shortly thereafter. The results will provide an evidential basis upon which to consider how the scheme might best be improved.

Youth Unemployment Data

Questions (34)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the high rate of youth unemployment, which currently stands at 19.2; the impact of the measures she has introduced to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1193/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

OECD data indicate that the rate of youth unemployment in a country is typically about twice that of the overall level of unemployment. This international ‘norm’ held true for Ireland before the recession, during the recession and again during the recovery period since 2012. Youth unemployment rate rose relatively rapidly in the recession, from 9% on average in 2007 to over 30% in 2012. It has now fallen substantially in line with the overall recovery, to 19.2% by December 2015.

The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. The fall in youth unemployment to date indicates that this strategy is working.

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 and young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan.

Within this framework, the Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that young people receive an offer of employment within four months of becoming unemployed. The main plank of the guarantee is assistance to young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. In 2015 monthly engagement by case officers with the young unemployed was implemented. For those who do not find employment, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in further education or training. Others are in community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tus, or through the JobsPlus employment subsidy for private employment.

The Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan provided for over 28,000 programme opportunities for unemployed young people in 2014 and the same in 2015. This figure excludes some 24,000 places provided for young people through PLC courses and apprenticeships. These PLC and apprenticeship places, together with the wide range of vocational third-level courses provided for the young, although not reserved for unemployed jobseekers, nevertheless contribute to the spirit of the guarantee.

Employment Support Services

Questions (35)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

35. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how she is addressing the issue of long-term and youth unemployment; the degree to which European Union supports in this regard have been invoked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1199/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Government’s primary strategy to reduce long-term unemployment and youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. This strategy has been succeeding; by Q3 2015 the level of employment is up by 140,000 from the lowest level reached in 2012.

The long-term unemployment rate peaked at 9.5% in Q1 2012 before falling to 5.0% in Q3 2015. At the latter date, the long-term unemployed accounted for 54.1% of all those unemployed, down from almost 65% in early 2012.

Despite these improvements, the level of long-term unemployment, continues to be of concern. The Pathways to Work Strategy therefore provides for enhanced engagement services and additional activation measures to jobseekers while the recovery takes hold. In addition to ongoing reforms, the 2015 iteration of the strategy prioritises additional measures to enhance engagement with the long-term unemployed. This includes a structured process of engagement with long-term unemployed people being referred to the activation process (Group Engagement followed by regular one-to-one case officer contact). Second, a new contracted employment services model for the long-term unemployed, JobPath, began in the second half of 2015 and it will be fully rolled out to all Intreo offices by Q1 2016. It is a payment by results contract model with third party providers of employment services that will provide additional capacity in order to engage more systematically with long-term unemployed jobseekers.

In support of these enhanced engagement processes, 57,000 FET places were reserved for the long-term unemployed in 2015. A minimum of 16,000 places for the long-term unemployed were also provided through key public employment programmes. This includes an expansion of the JobsPlus initiative, an employment subsidy that incentivises employers to recruit the long-term unemployed.

A core focus of the Pathways to Work strategy for the period 2016-2020 will be continued prioritisation of those long-term unemployed.

Youth unemployment was 19.2% (36,200 persons) in December 2015 and has fallen from a peak of 31.1% in July 2012. 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 and young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan.

Within this framework, the Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that young people receive an offer of employment within four months of becoming unemployed. The main plank of the guarantee is assistance to young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. In 2015 monthly engagement by case officers with all young unemployed was implemented. For those who do not find employment, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in further education or training. Others are in community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tus, or through the JobsPlus employment subsidy for private employment.

The Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan provided for over 28,000 programme opportunities for unemployed young people in 2014 and the same in 2015. This figure excludes some 24,000 places provided for young people through PLC courses and apprenticeships. These PLC and apprenticeship places, together with the wide range of vocational third-level courses provided for the young, although not reserved for unemployed jobseekers, nevertheless contribute to the spirit of the guarantee.

A number of the programmes provided for both young and long-term unemployed, across a range of government departments, benefit to varying degrees from support under EU structural funds.

School Meals Programme

Questions (36, 179)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

36. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if some pupils in schools with DEIS status have an entitlement to a school meal while others do not; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1045/16]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

179. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of the school meals programme and the number of children covered by this programme. [1567/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 36 and 179 together.

The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations which benefits approximately 217,000 children at a total cost of €39 million in 2015. An additional €3 million was allocated to the programme as part of Budget 2016, bringing the allocation to €42 million in 2016.

There are two schemes operated under the school meals programme. The first scheme is the urban school meals scheme which is operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects.

In recent years priority for new applications for funding has been given to schools which are part of the Department of Education and Skills initiative for disadvantaged schools “Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools” (DEIS). However, there is no automatic entitlement to funding and all applications must be considered in light of the available budget for the scheme.

Following the provision of additional funding in recent budgets, the Department has been in a position to grant some increases to DEIS schools for the current academic year. There has been a particular focus on the promotion of breakfast clubs within the programme, which provide very positive outcomes for vulnerable children in terms of their school attendance, punctuality and energy levels.

If the Deputy has a query in relation to a particular DEIS school he should provide details to the Department for review.

Humanitarian Assistance Scheme

Questions (37, 38, 39, 104, 106, 114, 181, 182)

Barry Cowen

Question:

37. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount of the €15 million humanitarian funding for flood victims that has been disbursed to victims to date; and the amount of the €10 million emergency assistance funding for homeowners that has been recouped. [1105/16]

Billy Kelleher

Question:

38. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection regarding the humanitarian fund, if she will allow residents (details supplied) in County Cork to purchase preventative equipment such as pumps and sandbags in order that the community can immediately take preventative measures to avoid flooding. [1380/16]

Billy Kelleher

Question:

39. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the assistance available to residents who cannot obtain flood insurance for their homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1385/16]

Dara Calleary

Question:

104. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how many persons in County Mayo have applied for assistance and how many have received assistance under her flooding hardship scheme since 4 December 2015; the total value of payments made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1039/16]

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

106. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the assistance provided to those whose homes and other properties were flooded in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1101/16]

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

114. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the humanitarian assistance scheme to cover private rented accommodation that has been damaged in flooding so as to lessen the financial impact on owners of small rental properties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1232/16]

Gabrielle McFadden

Question:

181. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out to date to flood-affected householders under the humanitarian assistance scheme by county and by town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1575/16]

Gabrielle McFadden

Question:

182. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to establish if applications under the humanitarian assistance scheme are being processed speedily, in order to provide respite to those affected by flooding; the average processing time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1576/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 to 39, inclusive, 104, 106, 114, 181 and 182 together.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding.

In early December 2015, the Department of Social Protection activated its humanitarian assistance scheme, administered by the local Community Welfare Service (CWS), to assist householders affected by the severe weather conditions. The situation in all affected areas is being monitored and CWS staff are engaging with the local authorities and other agencies to ensure supports are being provided to those affected as swiftly as possible. Emergency clinics have been opened in towns where required including Ballinasloe, Crossmolina, Athlone, Gort, Carrick-on-Suir and a number of towns in Kilkenny and staff are assessing and meeting the demand for assistance by the public as the needs arise and are visiting the homes of persons affected.

In dealing with emergency events of this nature, the Department generally adopts a three stage approach as follows:

- Stage 1 is to provide emergency income support payments (food, clothing and personal items) in the immediate aftermath of the event. A relatively small amount of financial assistance is generally provided initially with payments around the country ranging from €100 to €500 depending on family size.

- Stage 2 generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items. It is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes will become known.

- Stage 3 is to identify what longer term financial support or works are required. It could take several months before this stage of response commences and this involves a cross Departmental/Agency response. Works carried out can include plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

There has been over €3.9m spent under this scheme since 2009. Since 4 December 2015 emergency payments have been made to 270 households with expenditure of over €235,000 with further claims being processed. These are mainly payments covering essential clothing, food, toiletries, meals for families relocated to alternative accommodation and fuel costs. Support has been provided to 28 households in County Mayo to date under the scheme with expenditure of €40,000. A breakdown of payments by county is provided in the tabular statement below. Statistics are not maintained for individual towns.

The scheme is demand led and there is a time lag between the flooding event and actual claims for financial support. It is expected that the number of claims will increase in the coming weeks as we move into stage 2 and stage 3 supports which cover the replacement of furniture and white goods and longer term financial supports. I can assure the Deputies that CWS staff are working hard to ensure that supports are provided to people as quickly as possible. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications received or their outcome.

Assistance is not provided for losses which are covered by insurance or for commercial and business losses, or generally any loss or damage to private rented accommodation or local authority accommodation. However, the Department’s focus at this time is on ensuring that persons, including tenants, immediate needs are met and emergency stage 1 payments are being made to tenants to ensure that basic requirements are provided.

Emergency payments under the Department’s urgent needs payment (UNP) scheme may be considered in exceptional circumstances for landlords to cover essential items that have been damaged by flooding. The normal conditions that apply to the UNP scheme would apply including that any subsequent insurance recovery may be used to reimburse the Department. Consideration will also be given to the ability of the landlord to meet these immediate costs. Details on the UNP scheme is at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Urgent-Needs-Payments.aspx.

The Department has been advised that the residents in the area referred to by Deputy Kelleher were affected on 29th/30th December when the river Glashaboy burst its banks. The flooding appears to have been fluvial which is within the remit of the OPW. The local authority is the principal response agency and Cork County Council responded to the flooding event by providing pumping equipment, where appropriate, and sandbags. The purpose of the Department’s humanitarian assistance scheme is to provide assistance to households who have been affected by flooding and other severe weather events, this can include hire of pumps for private houses in conjunction with the local authority as required, however, would not generally include the purchase of preventative equipment.

People seeking assistance under the scheme should contact their local DSP Intreo Centre or CWS office who will be able to offer assistance. Department contact phone numbers for persons in affected areas are available on the Department’s website, as follows:

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Humanitarian-Assistance-Scheme.aspx.

Humanitarian Assistance Payments by County ( 4 December 2015 – 8 January 2016)

County	Number of Households	Expenditure
GALWAY	93	€58,398
CORK	32	€56,173
MAYO	28	€39,904
TIPPERARY	26	€9,200
WESTMEATH	21	€5,814
CLARE	13	€7,400
SLIGO	11	€9,073
KERRY	9	€13,622
KILKENNY	7	€2,250
LIMERICK	7	€6,435
ROSCOMMON	7	€3,400
WATERFORD	5	€9,710
DONEGAL	3	€8,653
LEITRIM	3	€1,500
OFFALY	3	€2,810
CARLOW	1	€500
WICKLOW	1	€230
Total	270	€235,072

Invalidity Pension Applications

Questions (40)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

40. 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. [1451/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 26 November 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.

Registration of Deaths

Questions (41)

Jim Daly

Question:

41. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to the enactment of the Civil Registration Act, if all provisions and systems are in place to register the death of an Irish citizen who died abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1475/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 was enacted on 4 December 2014. The Act contains a wide range of provisions which are being commenced on a step by step basis.

Section 13 of the Act inserts a new Part 5A into the Civil Registration Act 2004 which provides that an tÁrd-Chláraitheoir maintain a record of deaths of Irish Citizens who die while abroad.

The provisions of the Act are being put into operation on the basis of an implementation plan involving both procedural and system changes and theses are underway. Unfortunately industrial relations issues involving the registrars, who are HSE employees, has delayed implementation of some of the provisions of the Act. However I understand that progress is being made in resolving the issues involved.

It is hoped that Section 13 of the 2014 Act will be commenced in the coming months.

Social Welfare Code

Questions (42)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

42. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the measures she has taken to reduce economic inequality for social protection recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1249/16]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The most recent Eurostat data highlights the crucial role that Ireland’s social protection system has played in cushioning the effect of unemployment on household incomes and acting as an automatic stabiliser during the economic and fiscal crisis. It also belies the assertion that fiscal consolidation has disproportionately impacted on the most vulnerable in society. Central to this significant social policy outcome has been the Government’s commitment to maintain the value of the core welfare rates, while at the same time providing additional welfare funding to cater for increases in the number of welfare recipients including, in particular, the ongoing rise in the number of pensioners.

The impact of social transfers (that is all welfare payments excluding pensions) on poverty and income inequality for the period 2008-2014 is set out in the tables appended to this reply using official EU indicators and data from Eurostat.

In 2014, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 37.2% to 15.3%; thereby lifting over a fifth of the population out of income poverty. This is equivalent to a poverty reduction effect of 58.9%. Ireland is the best performing EU member state in reducing poverty through social transfers, higher even than the Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

Furthermore, Irish social transfers are almost twice as effective in preventing poverty as the EU average and up to four times more effective than the member states worst affected by the economic crisis.

With regard to income inequality, in 2014, Irish social transfers reduced the Gini coefficient from 45.6 to 30.7, an inequality reduction effect of 32.7% and the highest in the EU.

The data in the tables show the impact of social transfers and income inequality excluding pensions. Equivalent Eurostat data including the impact of pensions (social security and occupational) show equally strong impacts for Ireland and can be viewed at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/income-and-living-conditions/data/database.

The key achievement of this Government has been to stabilise the nation’s finances, to increase employment and to achieve economic growth. This endeavour is well underway and we are already reaping the benefits of these policies, including, the ability to invest in the improvements I have announced over the last two years in welfare supports.

The recent Budget was designed to improve the lives and living standards of every person and every family in the country. The 2016 Budget package I introduced had four key aims, as follows:

- 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 Budget 2015, I reintroduced a Christmas Bonus payable at 25% of the weekly rate. The Bonus had been abolished by the previous Government in 2009. In Budget 2016, I was pleased to be in a position to provide a 75% Christmas Bonus payment for all welfare recipients.

Weekly personal rates of payment for all those aged 66 and over increase by €3 per week from January with proportionate increases on qualified adult rates. In addition, all of those eligible for the Fuel Allowance, including jobseekers and lone parents, gain from the increase in January of €2.50 per week, from €20 to €22.50 per week over the fuel season.

Funding for the Free Travel scheme, which benefits a large number of persons with disabilities, carers and pensioners, is being increased by €3m, from €77m to €80m, to meet increased numbers eligible for the scheme and therefore fully protect entitlements under the scheme.

Families with children will benefit from the €5 increase in the monthly rate of Child Benefit while lower income working families will also benefit from increases in the Family Income Supplement thresholds. €3 million extra is also being provided for the School Means scheme.

The Respite Care Grant, now renamed the Carer’s Support Grant to better reflect the usage of the grant, is being 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.

These improvements show that we are on the right path. Our goal is an Ireland visibly better for all including those less well off. The last Budget was our fifth Budget. The first three were immensely difficult but they were necessary to restore our public finances to health, help sustain and create employment, and chart a course towards strong economic growth. And at all times, we sought to protect the most vulnerable in society to the greatest extent possible.

Last year – much quicker than most economists had expected in 2011 – we were able to introduce a Budget that began the process of raising living standards and reinvesting in our communities. We have kick-started the social recovery. We are continuing that process this year.

Table 1: EU at risk of poverty indicators before and after social transfers, 2014.

Comparative EU data for 2014	ARP before STs (ex-pensions)	ARP after STs	PREST	Rank
EU (28 countries)	26.1	17.2	34.1%
Ireland	37.2	15.3	58.9%	1
Denmark	26.8	11.9	55.6%	2
Finland	27.6	12.8	53.6%	3
Sweden	28.5	15.1	47.0%	4
Netherlands	21.3	11.6	45.5%	5
France	24.0	13.3	44.6%	6
Austria	25.4	14.1	44.5%	7
Hungary	26.3	14.6	44.5%	8
Belgium	27.5	15.5	43.6%	9
Czech Republic	17.2	9.7	43.6%	10
United Kingdom	29.3	16.8	42.7%	11
Slovenia	25.1	14.5	42.2%	12
Cyprus	24.6	14.4	41.5%	13
Luxembourg	27.6	16.4	40.6%	14
Slovakia	19.6	12.6	35.7%	15
Croatia	29.9	19.4	35.1%	16
Germany	25.0	16.7	33.2%	17
Malta	23.8	15.9	33.2%	18
Lithuania	27.5	19.1	30.5%	19
Spain	31.1	22.2	28.6%	20
Portugal	26.7	19.5	27.0%	21
Poland	23.1	17.0	26.4%	22
Estonia	28.4	21.8	23.2%	23
Latvia	27.0	21.2	21.5%	24
Italy	24.7	19.4	21.5%	25
Bulgaria	27.3	21.8	20.1%	26
Greece	26.0	22.1	15.0%	27
Romania	28.5	25.4	10.9%	28

Source: Eurostat, EU-Survey on Income and Living Conditions, 2014. Extracted: 07.01.2016

Table 2: EU income inequality before and after social transfers, 2014.

Comparative EU data for 2014	Gini before STs (ex-pensions)	Gini after STs	Income inequality reduction effect	Rank
EU (28 countries)	36.5	30.9	15.3%
Ireland	45.6	30.7	32.7%	1
Denmark	38.0	27.5	27.6%	2
Belgium	34.5	25.9	24.9%	3
Finland	34.1	25.6	24.9%	4
Sweden	33.4	25.4	24.0%	5
United Kingdom	40.1	31.6	21.2%	6
Hungary	34.6	27.9	19.4%	7
Slovenia	31.0	25.0	19.4%	8
Luxembourg	35.5	28.7	19.2%	9
Netherlands	32.3	26.2	18.9%	10
Austria	33.9	27.6	18.6%	11
Croatia	36.5	30.2	17.3%	12
Germany	37.1	30.7	17.3%	13
France	35.1	29.2	16.8%	14
Czech Republic	29.6	25.1	15.2%	15
Malta	32.4	27.7	14.5%	16
Spain	39.9	34.7	13.0%	17
Slovakia	30.0	26.1	13.0%	18
Lithuania	39.4	35.0	11.2%	19
Portugal	38.7	34.5	10.9%	20
Poland	34.0	30.8	9.4%	21
Estonia	39.2	35.6	9.2%	22
Romania	37.7	34.7	8.0%	23
Latvia	38.5	35.5	7.8%	24
Cyprus	37.5	34.8	7.2%	25
Italy	34.8	32.4	6.9%	26
Bulgaria	38.0	35.4	6.8%	27
Greece	37.0	34.5	6.8%	28

Source: Eurostat, EU-Survey on Income and Living Conditions, 2014. Extracted: 07.01.2016

Notes:

1. At-risk-of-poverty (ARP): Persons are regarded as being at-risk-of-poverty if their equivalised income is below 60% of the median income.

2. PREST: is the poverty reduction effect of social transfers.

3. Gini coefficient: is the relationship between cumulative shares of the population arranged according to the level of income and the cumulative share of total income received by them. If there was perfect equality (i.e. each person receives the same income) the Gini coefficient would be 0%. A Gini coefficient of 100% would indicate there was total inequality and the entire national income was in the hands of one person.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (43)

Noel Harrington

Question:

43. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the disability allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46450/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

IO confirm the department received an application for disability allowance (DA) on 12 November 2015. In order to determine the circumstances of the person concerned, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI). The SWI will arrange to meet with the person in question as soon as possible.

A decision on his entitlement to DA will be made on receipt of the Social Welfare Inspector’s report. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility

Questions (44, 74)

Clare Daly

Question:

44. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why the Christmas bonus is only given to persons on the live register for 15 months or longer, given that persons who are only recently unemployed feel discriminated against; the rationale behind this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46451/15]

Brendan Griffin

Question:

74. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why the Christmas bonus does not apply to persons on short-term payments; if she will address this matter and change this retrospectively in respect of 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46680/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 74 together.

The Christmas bonus was introduced in 1980 for certain welfare schemes and was extended to long-term jobseekers in 1985. Payment of the bonus was abolished by the previous Government in 2009.

I was pleased to re-introduce the bonus in December 2014 at a rate of 25%. On Budget Day, I announced a 75% Christmas bonus for 2015, which was paid to over 1.2 million beneficiaries in December last at a cost of circa €197 million.

The bonus paid in 2014 and in 2015 applied to all of the schemes to which it previously applied as well as the new back to work family dividend in 2015. The bonus was never paid to short-term welfare recipients including jobseekers with a duration of less than 15 months and illness benefit recipients generally. These arrangements have been continued and I have no plans to revisit the bonus arrangements for 2015.

The key achievement of this Government has been to stabilise the nation’s finances, to increase employment and to achieve economic growth. This endeavour is well underway and we are already reaping the benefits of these policies, including, the ability to invest in the improvements I have announced over the last two years in welfare supports. These improvements have included the re-introduction of the bonus as well as a wide range of other Budget measures such as increases for pensioners, families and carers in Budget 2016 which cost an additional €264 million.