Written Answers Nos. 135-149
136. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the responsibility of employers in relation to health and safety and manual handling courses when persons take up a community employment scheme and to outline a person's rights with regard to concerns they may have about being asked to engage in unsafe practices, but being fearful of refusing to engage in them. [4300/16]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) Sponsoring Organisations are responsible for ensuring that all relevant health and safety requirements under the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005, and any subsequent enactments are adhered to. Non-compliance with this legislation may be deemed non-compliance with the CE Agreement.
Furthermore, directors and senior managers carry particular responsibilities under the 2005 Act if it can be shown that an offence committed by their undertaking was attributable to neglect, connivance, consent or authorisation on their part. Penalties can include fines and/or prison sentences on conviction.
Certain types of training are considered mandatory for CE participants, including manual handling, and health & safety training. Many also complete courses in occupational first-aid and fire safety. Also, sponsors are responsible for supplying necessary tools, equipment and protective clothing for participants to undertake their work.
Where a project is involved in construction work, its activity is covered by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2001, as amended by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations 2003. Project sponsors should ensure that they are aware of, and fully conversant with, their responsibilities under these regulations. Where construction work is involved, a safepass card is also mandatory for each participant involved in site-related work.
An employer cannot penalise any employee for acting in accordance with safety and health laws, or for reporting complaints regarding safety and health matters at work.
137. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection , further to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 26 January 2016 and a request for a change of personal public service number of a person on religious grounds and given that further information which was requested has been provided, if she will provide an immediate response to this request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4326/16]
View answerThe Personal Public Service (PPS) Number is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. PPS Numbers are automatically allocated to children born in the State once the birth is registered within three months of the date of birth. The number allocated is randomly selected from the series of numbers available.
In general, PPS Numbers are only changed where a person’s number has been compromised. As no new information has been provided in this regard, there is no basis for changing the PPS Number in this instance.
138. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a parliamentary question reply can be accepted as a reply from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick in respect of an application under the disability allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4327/16]
View answerI confirm that on receipt of your question, the Department contacted the person in question to discuss the repayment of the debt. The repayment schedule has been agreed and will commence shortly.
139. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) should be refused a State pension (contributory) based on a regulation set out in section 110(1)(a) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, which is not mentioned on her Department's website, or in the relevant application forms; and whether these are sufficient grounds to refuse their pension. [4331/16]
View answerAccording to the records of the Department, the person concerned is not eligible for a standard-rate state pension (contributory) under Irish social welfare legislation, as he does not satisfy the minimum 520 (full-rate) paid contributions condition. His record shows a total of 336 reckonable contributions only, from his Irish employments between 31 August 1970 and 31 December 2013.
The Department’s website www.welfare.ie contains a Frequently Asked Questions guide to state pension (contributory). Question 8 of that guide, “What are self-employment contributions?” explains that as part of the eligibility conditions for state pension provided for in social welfare legislation, an applicant who has been insurably self-employed must have paid at least one year’s self-employment contributions prior to reaching age 66. While the person’s record includes class-S contributions in respect of his self-employment in Ireland between 2004 and 2013, these contributions could not be included in his assessment for state pension (contributory) as he did not pay any self-employment contributions before reaching age 66.
The person is currently in receipt of a pro-rata state pension (contributory) under EU regulations, this entitlement having been assessed and awarded on the basis of his combined Irish, UK and Netherlands insurance records.
The person concerned has appealed the decision to disallow a state pension (contributory) under Irish legislation. A submission on behalf of the Deciding Officer in this case has been forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The outcome of that appeal is awaited.
140. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing an application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the jobseeker's allowance scheme. [4334/16]
View answerThe reason for the delay in this case is that the person concerned has been requested to provide specific documentation by the Social Welfare Inspector. However, to date this information has not been provided. When the information is provided to the inspector a decision on her entitlements will be made.
141. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is only entitled to a reduced rate of jobseeker's benefit or allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4344/16]
View answerThe rate of illness benefit payable is determined by the average weekly earnings in the governing contribution year. For claims made in 2016 the governing contribution year is 2014. For earnings of €300.00 per week or more, the maximum rate of €188.00 will be payable. If the earnings are less than €300.00 per week, a graduated rate is payable.
A claim to illness benefit from the person concerned was registered on 28 January 2016. The person concerned has average weekly earnings in the 2014 governing contribution year of €208.00. A graduated rate of €121.40 will therefore apply to this illness benefit claim.
If the person concerned is unable to meet their needs or the needs of their household, they may be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance and should contact the department's community welfare services at their local Intreo centre.
142. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick under the disability allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4348/16]
View answerI confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance (DA) from the above named person on 11 January 2016. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria and the completeness of the information they provide in support of their claim.
143. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of a payment to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4349/16]
View answerThe person concerned is currently in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and has been assessed with weekly means of €75.00 derived from self-employment. Her file is being forwarded to a Social Welfare Inspector for review of means and she will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
144. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for redundancy payments in counties Cavan and Monaghan under the social insurance fund scheme, in each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4363/16]
View answerThe Redundancy Payments Scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection. The purpose of the scheme, as set out in the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2013, is to compensate workers for the loss of their jobs by reason of redundancy in situations where their employer is unable to make a redundancy payment. Where the employer satisfies the Department that it is unable to pay, the statutory lump sum is paid in full to the employee from the Social Insurance Fund. In such cases, a debt is raised against the employer and the Department seeks full recovery of this debt.
When an application is made for payment from the Social Insurance Fund, the employer and employee must both sign a form to state that they have jointly agreed that a genuine redundancy situation exists, i.e. that the position no longer exists and that suitable appropriate alternative employment is not an option.
The table below provides the number of applications made for redundancy payments in counties Cavan and Monaghan under the Social Insurance Fund, in each of the past ten years.
|
Year |
Cavan |
Monaghan |
|
2005 |
142 |
152 |
|
2006 |
136 |
152 |
|
2007 |
159 |
181 |
|
2008 |
423 |
682 |
|
2009 |
410 |
417 |
|
2010 |
738 |
568 |
|
2011 |
441 |
293 |
|
2012 |
478 |
376 |
|
2013 |
123 |
66 |
|
2014 |
57 |
44 |
|
2015 |
39 |
42 |
145. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the-full year cost in 2016 of increasing the qualified child increase by €2.20, €3.00, €3.50, €4.00 and €6.00 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4390/16]
View answerThe full year costs in 2016 of increasing the qualified child increase by the amounts specified by the Deputy are listed in the table below:
|
Increase QCI by |
Full Year Cost 2016 €m |
|
€2.20 |
41.2 |
|
€3.00 |
56.2 |
|
€3.50 |
65.6 |
|
€4.00 |
74.9 |
|
€6.00 |
112.4 |
These costings include the cost of increasing the back to work family dividend by the same respective weekly increase. The rates of the dividend payment are currently equivalent to the full and half rates of the qualified child increase.
146. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of restoring the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to 2011 rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4391/16]
View answerThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €38.8 million for this scheme in 2016.
End of year records show that under the 2015 BSCFA scheme, payments were made to over 153,000 families in respect of some 281,000 children at a cost of €41.4 million. The rate of payment was €100 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and €200 for children over 12 years in second level education.
Using the number of children covered by the scheme in 2015 as a basis, the full year additional cost in 2016 to increase the BSCFA to the 2011 rates of payment, which were €200 and €305 respectively, would be approximately €29 million. Changes to increase the rate of payment to any scheme administered by the Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
147. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the savings made to all schemes under the auspices of her Department as a result of reductions in rates or services since she took office, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4392/16]
View answerWhen this Government came into office in 2011, we set out to regain control of our public finances and make economic recovery a reality. We have achieved that, and recovery is now solidly under way. Unemployment has fallen from a crisis peak of 15.1% to 8.6% in January 2016, and the number of people in employment has increased by over 140,000. As a result of healthy, sustainable, economic growth, we were able to introduce a range of welfare improvements in Budgets 2015 and 2016, far sooner than most economists had imagined was possible.
Since coming into office, our priority has been to protect the core rates of weekly welfare payments. However, savings measures were introduced in Budgets 2012 to 2014, inclusive, (see Tables 1 to 3 below) and were required in order to ensure that we would be able to provide for a sustainable welfare system in the years ahead. It should be noted that the cost of reversing the various measures could be higher or lower than the estimates prepared at the time, having regard to trends in recipient numbers, demographic pressures and the positive developments in the labour market and the wider economy.
The recovery has enabled us to introduce a range of welfare improvements over the last two Budgets (see Tables 4 and 5 below). In addition, I was able to restore a Christmas Bonus payment (abolished by the previous Government in 2009) of 25% in 2014 and to increase it to 75% in 2015.
Table 1: Details of DSP Budget Package 2012
|
BUDGET 2012 Measures |
2012 €m |
2013 €m |
2014 €m |
2015 €m |
Full Year |
|
1. Children & Families 1.1 Child Benefit: The grant of €635 paid at birth on all multiple births and further grants of €635 paid when the children are aged 4 and 12 was discontinued. |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
|
1.2 Child Benefit was maintained at €140 per month for the first two children. The rate for third and subsequent children was standardised at €140 per child per month from 2013. In 2012, the monthly rate for the third child is €148 and for the fourth and each subsequent child is €160. |
42.75 |
68.75 |
68.75 |
68.75 |
68.75 |
|
1.3 The age at which a child is eligible for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance increased from 2 to 4 years of age. |
9.3 |
9.3 |
9.3 |
9.3 |
9.3 |
|
1.4 The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance was reduced from €305 to €250 (children over 12) and from €200 to €150 (children aged 4-11 years). |
17.0 |
17.0 |
17.0 |
17.0 |
17.0 |
|
1.5 The upper age limit of the youngest child for new claimants of the One-Parent Family Payment will be reduced to 7 years on a phased basis. |
0.3 |
2.0 |
5.8 |
11.9 |
29.9 |
|
1.6 Where a person claiming Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Benefit, State Pension (Contributory or Transition) or Incapacity Supplement has a spouse or partner with income of over €400 a week, payment of the half-rate increase in respect of a qualified child was discontinued. |
0.4 |
3.1 |
4.9 |
5.5 |
8.0 |
|
Children & Families Total |
71.65 |
102.05 |
107.65 |
114.35 |
134.85 |
|
2. Working Age Payments 2.1 Where a Jobseeker’s Benefit recipient is working for part of a week, the payment entitlement is now based on a 5 day week rather than a 6 day week. |
5.9 |
11.6 |
11.6 |
11.6 |
11.6 |
|
2.2 Sunday working will be taken into account when calculating the amount of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance to be paid, from 2013. |
0.0 |
16.0 |
16.0 |
16.0 |
16.0 |
|
2.3 New applicants for Disablement Benefit must have a disability classified at > 15% to qualify for the payment. |
2.6 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
2.4 Restrict access to Exceptional Needs Payments. |
8.5 |
8.5 |
8.5 |
8.5 |
8.5 |
|
2.5 New applicants for Carer’s Allowance, who are not living with the person for whom they are providing care, are no longer entitled to the Household Benefits package. |
1.0 |
2.2 |
3.7 |
5.2 |
5.9 |
|
2.6 The employer rebate of statutory Redundancy payments was reduced from 60% to 15%. |
81.0 |
122.0 |
104.0 |
104.0 |
104.0 |
|
2.7 Fuel Allowance season was reduced from 32 to 26 weeks. |
51.0 |
51.0 |
51.0 |
51.0 |
51.0 |
|
2.8 Treatment Benefit - the frequency of the grant for hearing aids increased from 2 years to 4 years. Also, the maximum grant available for one hearing aid was reduced from €760 to €500 and for two, from €1,520 to €1,000. |
2.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
2.9 The training and materials grant for Community Employment participants reduced from €1,500 to €500 per participant per annum. |
28.05 |
28.05 |
28.05 |
28.05 |
28.05 |
|
2.10 The Cost of Education Allowance, the annual grant which accompanies the Back to Education Allowance, was reduced from €500 to €300. |
5.4 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
|
2.11 Discontinue payment of the training budget for participants of Jobs Initiative and reduce the materials allowance by 50%. |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
2.12 Farm Assist – the assessment of means from self-employment was raised from 70% to 85%. The deductions from income for children were halved to €127 per year for each of the first two dependent children and €190.50 per year for each subsequent child. |
5.15 |
5.15 |
5.15 |
5.15 |
5.15 |
|
Working Age Payments Total* |
193.1 |
260.4 |
244.9 |
246.4 |
247.1 |
|
3. Securing Sustainable Pensions 3.1 A lower pension is payable to new applicants of State Pension (from Sept 2012) who have a yearly average of less than 48 PRSI cons. |
0.50 |
2.80 |
5.50 |
8.20 |
25.0 |
|
3.2 Currently, late claims for certain contributory pensions can be backdated for more than 12 months provided the relevant qualifying conditions are fulfilled. The backdating period will be reduced to a max of 6 months. |
18.50 |
27.20 |
27.20 |
27.20 |
27.2 |
|
3.3 The total number of paid PRSI contributions needed to qualify for Widow(er)’s Contributory Pension and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension will increase from 156 to 260 contributions. |
0.00 |
0.50 |
5.11 |
10.16 |
20.28 |
|
Securing Sustainable Pensions Total |
19.0 |
30.5 |
45.56 |
72.48 |
72.48 |
|
4. Concurrent Payments 4.1 Currently, a person who gets a Widow(er)’s Pension, Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension or One Family Parent Payment may be entitled to half rate Jobseeker’s Benefit, Illness Benefit or Incapacity Supplement. These half rate payments will cease for new applicants. |
12.0 |
22.6 |
22.6 |
22.6 |
22.6 |
|
4.2 New participants on Community Employment schemes will not be able to claim another social welfare payment at the same time. |
9.0 |
26.3 |
43.7 |
61.2 |
61.2 |
|
4.3 Payment of two qualified child increases where the person is on a Community Employment Scheme and One Parent Family Payment, Deserted Wife’s Allowance/Benefit or Widow(er)’s Pensions will be discontinued for new and existing recipients. |
6.25 |
6.25 |
6.25 |
6.25 |
6.25 |
|
Concurrent Payments Total |
27.25 |
55.15 |
72.55 |
90.05 |
90.05 |
|
5. Fraud & Control Measures |
41.0 |
41.0 |
41.0 |
41.0 |
41.0 |
|
6. Rent & Mortgage Interest Supplements 6.1 The minimum contribution by single tenants for Rent Supplement scheme increased by €6 to €30 per week. The minimum contribution payable by couples increased to €35 per week. Rent limits also reviewed. |
55.0 |
55.0 |
55.0 |
55.0 |
55.0 |
|
6.2 The minimum contribution for the purposes of the Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) scheme increased by €6 to €30 per week for a single person, and by €5 to €35 for couple. In addition, payment of MIS will be deferred for 12 months while the person engages with the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process. |
22.5 |
22.5 |
22.5 |
22.5 |
22.5 |
|
Rent & Mortgage Interest Supplements Total |
77.5 |
77.5 |
77.5 |
77.5 |
77.5 |
|
7. Means Testing 7.1 For new and existing claimants, income from employment as a home help funded by the HSE is now assessed in means tests for Social Assistance schemes. |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
7.2 The amount of earnings disregarded for the purposes of the OPFP means test reduced from €146.50 to €130 per week in 2012 for all recipients. Further reductions will be introduced over the following 4 years. |
14.2 |
32.0 |
50.0 |
63.0 |
76.1 |
|
7.3 Income from weekly carers payments is now included for the purposes of calculating entitlement to Family Income Supplement in line with other welfare payments. |
0.5 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
|
7.4 Transitional payment where One Parent Family Payment recipient’s earnings exceed €425 per week was discontinued. Existing recipients not affected. |
0.8 |
1.03 |
1.03 |
1.03 |
1.03 |
|
Means Testing Total |
20.5 |
39.09 |
57.09 |
70.09 |
83.19 |
|
8. Miscellaneous Savings 8.1 Savings will be achieved on the Electricity/Gas Allowance of the Household Benefits Package. |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
|
8.2 The Administration cost to the Dept. of medical certs for illness and disability related schemes reduced by 10%. |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
Miscellaneous Savings Total |
18.0 |
18.0 |
18.0 |
18.0 |
18.0 |
|
OVERALL TOTAL |
468 |
624 |
657 |
703 |
764 |
Table 2 : Details of DSP Budget Package 2013
|
BUDGET 2013 Measures |
2013 €m |
2014 €m |
2015 €m |
Full Year €m |
|
Expenditure Reduction Measures |
||||
|
1. Jobseeker’s Benefit: The duration of Jobseeker's Benefit has been reduced from (a) 12 months to 9 months for recipients with 260 or more contributions paid and (b) 9 months to 6 months for recipients with less than 260 contributions paid. |
33.00 |
81.50 |
81.50 |
81.50 |
|
2. Farm Assist: The rate assessment of means from self-employment, including farming, was raised from 85% to 100%. The deductions from income for children are being discontinued (currently €127 per year for each of the first two dependent children and €190.50 per year for each subsequent child). |
3.75 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
|
3. Redundancy Payments Scheme: The employer rebate element (15%) of the statutory redundancy scheme has been discontinued. |
25.00 |
30.00 |
30.00 |
30.00 |
|
4. Supplementary Welfare Allowance: Reductions in expenditure on Exceptional Needs Payments. |
5.50 |
5.50 |
5.50 |
5.50 |
|
5. Back to Education Allowance: - The €300 Cost of Education Allowance payable to Back to Education Allowance participants has been discontinued for new and existing participants. |
7.80 |
7.80 |
7.80 |
7.80 |
|
- The up-rating of the Back to Education Allowance payable rate where the person was on a reduced rate of a qualifying payment because of means has been discontinued for new participants. |
2.00 |
6.40 |
10.90 |
11.60 |
|
- The up-rating of the Back to Education Allowance payable rate from €188 per week to €160 where the person was on a reduced age related rate of Jobseeker's Allowance (€100 or €144 per week) has been reduced for new participants. |
0.80 |
2.50 |
4.20 |
4.54 |
|
6. Respite Care Grant: The Respite Care Grant has been reduced by €325, from €1,700 to €1,375 for new and existing recipients. |
26.15 |
26.15 |
26.15 |
26.15 |
|
7. Child Benefit: The monthly rate of Child Benefit was reduced by €10 per child in respect of the first, second and third child. From January 2013, the monthly rate for each of the first three children was €130. The monthly rate will reduce by €10 per child, to €130, in respect of the fourth and each subsequent child from January 2014. |
136.00 |
142.47 |
142.47 |
142.47 |
|
8. Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance: The rates of BSCFA reduced by €50, from €150 to €100 (children aged 4 to 11), and €250 to €200 (children aged 12 to 17 or aged 18 to 22 in full time education). |
16.80 |
16.80 |
16.80 |
16.80 |
|
9. Household Benefits Package: Gas and Electricity Allowance - The value of the Electricity /Gas element of the Household Benefits package has been restructured based on the average best rate available for an unchanged 150 units per month from Airtricity, Bord Gáis and Electric Ireland. The Allowance no longer covers the PSO contribution and the differentiated rates of payment (urban / rural) will no longer apply. |
20.00 |
22.60 |
22.60 |
22.60 |
|
- Telephone Allowance - the value of the Telephone Allowance element of the Household Benefits package was reduced for new and existing recipients. |
61.00 |
61.00 |
61.00 |
61.00 |
|
Fraud Control and Overpayment Measures: Additional fraud, control and overpayment measures were introduced. |
60.00 |
60.00 |
60.00 |
60.00 |
|
Administrative Savings: The cost to the Department of medical certificates for illness and disability related schemes has been reduced. This is an administrative saving in the Department. |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
|
Increased funding provision for activation programmes and school meal provision |
-13 |
-28 |
-28 |
-28 |
|
Subtotal Expenditure Reduction Measures |
390 |
445 |
451 |
452 |
Table 3 : Details of DSP Budget Package 2014
|
BUDGET 2014 Measures |
2014 €m |
2015 €m |
2016 €m |
2017 €m |
Full Year €m |
|
1. Bereavement Grant Discontinue payment of the €850 Bereavement Grant in respect of deaths on or after 1 Jan 2014. |
17 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
|
2. Jobseeker's Allowance and SWA Apply the reduced €100 rate of Jobseeker's Allowance and SWA (currently applicable to 18 to 21 year olds) to persons without children who reach the age of 22 from Jan 2014 and to new claimants aged 23 and 24 also from Jan 2014. AND Apply the reduced €144 rate of Jobseeker's Allowance and SWA (currently applicable to 22 to 24 year olds) to persons without children who reach the age of 25 from Jan 2014. BTEA maximum rate for 25 year olds to be reduced to €160 per week for relevant new entrants. The lower rates of JA will apply to persons aged 25 and under who have exhausted their entitlement to JB. |
32 |
52 |
64 |
72 |
72 |
|
3. Activation Activation Savings. |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
|
4. Maternity & Adoptive Benefit Standardise the minimum and maximum rates of Maternity & Adoptive Benefit at €230 per week (this means an increase of up to €12.20 for those receiving the less than €230 per week and a reduction of up to €32 per week for all other claimants). Applies to new claimants only from Jan 2014. Existing claimants will not be affected. |
30 |
36 |
36 |
36 |
36 |
|
5. Exceptional Needs Payments Reduce the expenditure on the exceptional needs payment scheme by €2.1m in 2014 and in each subsequent year by a general review of payments under the scheme to ensure consistency with regard to payment levels on a national basis. |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
|
6. Diet Supplement Discontinue the Diet Supplement Scheme for new recipients from 1 January 2014. Existing recipients are unaffected. |
0.4 |
1 |
1.3 |
1.7 |
3.2 |
|
7. Employment Supports Efficiencies in employment supports schemes. |
12 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
|
8. Recovery of Social Welfare Payments Provide that welfare benefits paid by the department to individual, arising from an accident or injury are repaid to the department (by insurers) in those cases where the insured person has also been compensated for the same via a settlement. |
21 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
|
9. Illness Benefits Increase the number of waiting days for entitlement to Illness Benefit from 3 days to 6 days, from Jan 2014. |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
|
10. Invalidity Pension In line with the abolition of the State Pension Transition from Jan 2014, discontinue the personal weekly rate of €230.30 payable to Invalidity Pensioners at age 65 and align with the personal weekly rate of €193.50 currently payable to Invalidity Pensioners aged under 65. This measure to apply to persons reaching their 65th birthday from Jan 2014. AND Discontinue the qualified adult weekly rate of €206.30 payable to qualified adults who are aged 66 or over of Invalidity Pensioners and align with the qualified adult weekly rate of €138.10 currently payable to qualified adults who are aged under 66 of Invalidity Pensioners. This measure to apply to qualified adults reaching their 66th birthday from Jan 2014. |
5 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
|
11. Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance The abolition of payment of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) for children over the age of 18 years, other than those attending secondary school, for 2014 and subsequent years. |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
12. Rent & Mortgage Interest Supplement Increase the minimum contribution for couples by €5 from €35 to €40 further aligning Rent Supplement contributions with the Local Authority rents structure, for new and existing recipients. This also applies to Mortgage Interest Supplement, from Jan 2014. |
6 |
7.1 |
7.1 |
7.1 |
7.1 |
|
13. Mortgage Interest Supplement Discontinue the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme for new applicants and allow a winding down of the current MIS recipient base over a four year period, from Jan 2014. |
12 |
16 |
20 |
24 |
30 |
|
14. Household Benefits - Telephone Allowance Discontinue the Telephone Allowance for all recipients, from Jan 2014. The current value of the Allowance is €9.50 per month. |
44 |
46.7 |
46.9 |
47.1 |
47.1 |
|
15. Household Benefits - Free TV Licence Reduce the annual payment to RTÉ for the Free TV Licence from €59.17 million to €54.17 million. |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
16. Fraud and Control Additional Fraud and Control Measures. |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
|
17. Administrative Savings Additional administrative savings. |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
18. ELS Technical Adjustment ELS Technical Adjustment |
34 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
|
BUDGET 2014 NET EXPENDITURE REDUCTION |
290 |
334.4 |
350.9 |
363.50 |
372 |
Table 4 : Details of DSP Budget Package 2015
|
BUDGET 2015 Measures |
Cost 2015 €m |
Cost 2016 €m |
Cost 2017 €m |
Cost - Full Year €m |
|
1. Back to Work Family Dividend Scheme The Back to Work Family Dividend Scheme was introduced. |
22 |
46 |
42 |
- |
|
2. JobsPlus The number of employees supported by the JobsPlus scheme increased from 3,000 to 6,000. |
12 |
13.50 |
13.50 |
13.50 |
|
3. JobPath Funding provided for the introduction of new employment services (JobPath). |
12 |
- |
- |
- |
|
4. Child Benefit The rate of Child Benefit was increased by €5, from €130 to €135 per month. |
72 |
72 |
72 |
72 |
|
5. School Meals Programme The funding for the School Meals Programme increased by €2 million. |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
6. Living Alone Allowance The Living Alone Allowance was increased by €1.30, from €7.70 to €9.00 per week. |
12 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
|
OVERALL TOTAL |
132 |
145.5 |
141.5 |
99.5 |
Table 5: Details of DSP Budget Package 2016
|
Cost |
||
|
Budget Measure |
2016 €m |
Full Year €m |
|
1. Weekly Personal and Qualified Adult Rates of Payment Increase the weekly rate of all pension payments (for those aged 66 and over) by €3 per week with proportionate increases for qualified adults. |
93.00 |
93.00 |
|
2. Paternity Benefit Introduce a new 2 week Paternity Benefit Scheme. [September 2016] |
5.00 |
20.00 |
|
3. Child Benefit Increase the rate of Child Benefit by €5, from €135 to €140 per month per child. |
72.00 |
72.00 |
|
4. Family Income Supplement Increase all FIS income thresholds by €5 per week for families with one child, €10 per week for families with two or more children. |
18.00 |
18.00 |
|
5. School Meals Programme Increase funding for the School Meals Programme by €3 million. |
3.00 |
3.00 |
|
6. Respite Care Grant Increase the rate of Respite Care Grant by €325, from €1,375 to €1,700. |
30.00 |
30.00 |
|
7. Carer's Allowance Extend Carer's Allowance by 6 weeks, from 6 weeks to 12 weeks, where care recipient dies. |
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
8. Fuel Allowance Increase the rate of Fuel Allowance by €2.50 per week, from €20 to €22.50 per week for the duration of the fuel season (26 weeks). |
25.00 |
25.00 |
|
9. Free Travel €3 million in additional funding to allow for new routes, higher passenger numbers and increases in fares. |
3.00 |
3.00 |
|
10. Jobseeker's Transitional Payment Increase the JST income disregard from €60 to €90 per week and reduce taper from 60% to 50%. |
8.00 |
8.00 |
|
11. Top-up payments for Community Employment, Tús, Rural Social Scheme, Gateway, JobBridge and Job Initiative Increase the top-up payments for CE, Tús, RSS, Gateway, JobBridge and Job Initiative by €2.50 per week. |
5.60 |
5.60 |
|
Overall Total |
263.60 |
278.60 |
148. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick and payment under the invalidity pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4408/16]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, the person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 15 January 2015. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 18 February 2016. Any arrears due from the 15 January 2015 to the 17 February 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 29 January 2016.
149. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the processes for a resident of the North who works or may have worked in this State to claim an invalidity pension or other social protection entitlements; where the person can access this information; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4427/16]
View answerA person resident outside the State who has questions relating to Social Protection entitlements can access the online enquiry facilities available on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie and www.citizensinformation.ie. In addition, the Department provides a general information telephone service on LoCall 1890 66 22 44 where people can get information on the wide range of schemes and services operated by the Department. A person resident outside the State may contact a citizen’s information office by phone or call to one of their offices if that is feasible in order to obtain information.
Invalidity 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. EU Regulations provide that insurance contributions made in any other EU Member State may be aggregated with Irish contributions in order to satisfy the contribution conditions. In addition to satisfying the contribution criteria for IP, applicants must also satisfy the medical criteria.
In order to determine medical eligibility of a person resident in Northern Ireland, the Department issues a request to the Department for Social Development, Social Security Agency, Overseas Benefits Unit, Belfast to have a medical assessment conducted. On receipt of the completed medical report from Northern Ireland, the person’s medical eligibility for IP is determined and the IP claim is processed. The person concerned is notified directly of the outcome.
