Written Answers Nos 1-20
1. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that persons on JobPath schemes operated by Turas Nua are prevented from transferring to community education schemes; how she will rectify this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6499/16]
View answerJobPath is a new approach to employment activation that will support people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. JobPath is one of the range of activation supports, including schemes such as Community Employment, catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them in finding jobs. Each person is assigned to a personal advisor who assesses a person’s skills, experience, challenges and work goals. The “personal progression plan” includes a schedule of activities, actions and job focused targets. Participants are also provided with a range of training and development supports including online modules, career advice, CV preparation and interview skills. They spend a year on JobPath and if they are placed into a job they will continue to receive support for at least three months and up to twelve months while in employment.
In general, and JobPath is not an exception, clients are not allowed to participate in two separate schemes at the same time. Given the need to manage the allocation of places effectively, the Department does not facilitate or encourage jobseekers to leave one scheme early in order to take up a place on another scheme. Participation in other schemes and programmes remains an option once the client’s period on JobPath is completed.
It should be noted that as an exception to the approach outlined above jobseekers can in fact be referred to relevant, employment focused, further education and training opportunities provided by ETBs and others while on JobPath. In such cases the engagement period with JobPath will be adjusted. The Department is currently considering the extension of this approach to Community Employment and other similar schemes.
2. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of clerical officer posts that have been filled by transfers in Co. Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6619/16]
View answerIn 2014, ten Clerical Officers were redeployed from the Department of Agriculture to the Department’s offices in Roscommon.
3. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will make a decision on an application by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon under the carer's allowance scheme; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6287/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 1 December 2015. Additional information in relation to the person’s application which is necessary in order to determine eligibility has been requested by a deciding officer (DO) on 5 April 2016. Once the information is received the application will be re-examined by a DO and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
4. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will increase rent support for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6289/16]
View answerI refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 18 November 2015. The client concerned has not, to date, provided the required documentation outlined in response to the previous Parliamentary Question.
5. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding pension schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6296/16]
View answer6. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the age of retirement and pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6297/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
The State pension (contributory) is based on contributions paid and credited over the course of the pensioner’s working years, and the rate of payment is not affected by the receipt of an occupational pension. In contrast, the State pension (non-contributory) is a means tested social assistance payment for people age 66 or over. It is a scheme to help older people with an income need who do not have sufficient PRSI contributions for the State pension (contributory), nor significant income from another source such as a private pension. Neither of these State Pensions are payable below the age of 66, regardless of the person’s savings and/or private pension provision, and so non-qualification as a result of saving into a private pension scheme does not arise. Pensionable age for these schemes has been 66 years since 1977.
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. The changes introduced in 2011 were on foot of a Government commitment included in the National Recovery Plan published in 2010.
The purpose of these changes is to make the pension system sustainable in the context of increasing life expectancy. More people are living to pension age and living longer in retirement. In this context, the duration for which an average pension will be paid will continue to increase. The number of pensions is increasing by approximately 17,000 annually as a result of demographic change. This has significant implications for the future costs of State pension provision.
The Deputy should note that there is no general retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers.
In terms of financial supports, social welfare benefits will continue to be available to the age of 66 for those who are required to leave employment. Jobseekers whose benefit expires in their 65th year will continue to be paid benefit up until the age of 66. Where a jobseeker’s benefit claim spans two benefit years, a new Governing Contribution Year requirement is not applied to the second benefit year of a claimant aged 65 (effectively this means that they may receive payment in both years based upon eligibility in the first year).
Organisations participating in the JobBridge National Internship Scheme must comply with the scheme criteria. One such criterion is that they must have no vacancies in the area of activity in which the Internship is offered. It is not possible, therefore, for a company to hire such an intern to fill the gap when a person retires.
7. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on rent supplement in 2015; the number of households assisted; the average monthly rent supplement paid per household in County Dublin and outside County Dublin; and the number of households on rent supplement in January and December 2015. [6301/16]
View answer46. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to immediately raise rent supplement limits in line with market rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6904/16]
View answer65. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of households to date that have had their rent supplement increased above the agreed thresholds by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7204/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 46 and 65 together.
Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 57,600 people for which the Government has provided approximately €267 million for 2016 (with provisional outturn of over €311 million in 2015). There were over 20,100 rent supplement tenancies awarded during 2015 and over 3,000 awarded during the first three months of 2016 showing that landlords are accommodating significant numbers of people under the scheme.
A county breakdown of rent supplement recipients for January and December 2015 and the end of March 2016 is provided in the following tabular statement. There are currently approximately 22,800 tenancies in Dublin and 34,800 tenancies outside of Dublin. The average monthly cost for a tenancy supported in Dublin is €560 per month, for tenancies outside Dublin the average monthly cost is €310 per month.
In terms of rent limits, the Department undertook a review of these limits in 2015 and found that the impact of increasing limits at a time of constrained supply in the private rented market will increase costs disproportionately for the Exchequer with little or no new housing available to recipients. The Department has instead implemented a national targeted policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the limits for both existing customers and new applicants to the rent supplement scheme. 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 other urban and commuter areas.
This flexible and targeted approach has assisted over 7,450 rent supplement households nationwide to retain or acquire rented accommodation through increased rent payments. A county breakdown of these cases is provided in the tabular statement.
I believe this targeted approach and the recent legislative reforms announced to the private rental sector provide a level of stability for those who require rent supplement support in what has become a highly volatile rental market.
Rent Supplement Recipients by County
|
County |
Recipients 1st January 2015 |
Recipients End December 2015 |
Recipients End March 2016 |
|
Carlow |
1,086 |
962 |
852 |
|
Cavan |
414 |
403 |
380 |
|
Clare |
1,336 |
1,024 |
826 |
|
Cork |
8,273 |
6,822 |
6,327 |
|
Donegal |
1,812 |
1,202 |
897 |
|
Dublin |
26,453 |
23,758 |
22,777 |
|
Galway |
3,591 |
3,326 |
3,184 |
|
Kerry |
1,736 |
1,633 |
1,636 |
|
Kildare |
3,698 |
3,396 |
3,210 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,011 |
554 |
479 |
|
Laois |
1,008 |
978 |
936 |
|
Leitrim |
324 |
331 |
300 |
|
Limerick |
2,461 |
1,441 |
1,346 |
|
Longford |
476 |
384 |
389 |
|
Louth |
2,211 |
1,462 |
1,301 |
|
Mayo |
1,619 |
1,528 |
1,414 |
|
Meath |
1,726 |
1,528 |
1,404 |
|
Monaghan |
352 |
269 |
245 |
|
Offaly |
1,041 |
812 |
736 |
|
Roscommon |
687 |
611 |
600 |
|
Sligo |
451 |
478 |
439 |
|
Tipperary |
1,961 |
1,674 |
1,539 |
|
Waterford |
1,443 |
958 |
872 |
|
Westmeath |
1,533 |
1,426 |
1,386 |
|
Wexford |
2,700 |
2,296 |
2,190 |
|
Wicklow |
2,130 |
1,991 |
1,940 |
|
Total |
71,533 |
61,247 |
57,605 |
Increased Rent Supplement Payments by County as at 11th April 2016
|
County |
Awards under National Tenancy Sustainment Framework |
Awards under Protocol with Threshold |
Total no. of increased payments by County |
|
CARLOW |
33 |
33 |
|
|
CAVAN |
22 |
22 |
|
|
CLARE |
60 |
60 |
|
|
CORK |
344 |
73 |
417 |
|
DONEGAL |
- |
- |
|
|
DUBLIN |
2,957 |
1,953 |
4,910 |
|
GALWAY |
155 |
155 |
|
|
KERRY |
51 |
51 |
|
|
KILDARE |
338 |
338 |
|
|
KILKENNY |
127 |
127 |
|
|
LAOIS |
112 |
112 |
|
|
LEITRIM |
62 |
62 |
|
|
LIMERICK |
7 |
7 |
|
|
LONGFORD |
128 |
128 |
|
|
LOUTH |
122 |
122 |
|
|
MAYO |
3 |
3 |
|
|
MEATH |
292 |
292 |
|
|
MONAGHAN |
1 |
1 |
|
|
OFFALY |
60 |
60 |
|
|
ROSCOMMON |
24 |
24 |
|
|
SLIGO |
- |
- |
|
|
TIPPERARY |
165 |
165 |
|
|
WATERFORD |
38 |
38 |
|
|
WESTMEATH |
158 |
158 |
|
|
WEXFORD |
15 |
15 |
|
|
WICKLOW |
158 |
158 |
|
|
Overall Total |
5,432 |
2,026 |
7,458 |
8. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing an additional 600 places under the rural social scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6327/16]
View answerThe rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and fishermen who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. One of the key criteria for participation and continued eligibility for the scheme is that the participant must be underemployed in their primary activity i.e. either farming or fishing, and that their earnings are insufficient to support their family circumstance.
The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The funds allocated for the scheme for 2016 is €44.3m.
Assuming that the existing participants supported by the RSS remain at the current payment rate, the estimated cost of an additional 600 places for a full year is €10.2m (€4.5 net). The total cost consists of wages paid to participants and supervisors, fuel allowance, fees and input costs to the implementing bodies and fees to the payroll provider. The costs of administering the scheme by the Department are not included in the figure provided above.
Overall, the Deputy should note that the funding and the number of available places for the RSS have been maintained by the Government at the same level for the last five years.
9. 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 carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6349/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 February 2016. Unfortunately, the average time taken at present to decide a new application is running at 19 weeks. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working hard to make this happen.
Frequently, delays are outside the control of the Department and are caused by the customer failing to fully complete the claim form or failing to attach the supporting documentation that is requested on the application form.
This application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, both the person concerned and his spouse are in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
10. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide a pension scheme for community employment scheme supervisors. [6381/16]
View answerThe Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for issues relating to pension claims and reconvened the Community Sector High Level Forum in November 2015 to scope out the issue with the CE supervisor union representatives (SIPTU and Impact). These discussions are ongoing.
11. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to allow persons selected under the JobPath scheme (details supplied) to qualify for advertised community employment schemes and to take up any employment they are offered. [6390/16]
View answerJobPath is a new approach to employment activation that will support people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. JobPath is one of the range of activation supports, including schemes such as CE and TÚS, catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers.
In general, given the need to manage the allocation of places effectively, the department does not facilitate or encourage jobseekers to leave one scheme early in order to take up a place on another scheme. However, I have asked my officials to liaise with the JobPath company regarding the case in question so as to ensure that the person concerned is provided with the most appropriate opportunity of securing full-time sustainable employment.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them in finding full-time sustainable jobs. They spend a year on JobPath and if they are placed into a job they continue to receive support for at least three months, and up to twelve months, while in employment. Participation in other schemes and programmes, including CE, remains an option that will be assessed by case officers once the client’s participation on JobPath is completed.
12. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to support an appeal by a family (details supplied) in Dublin 3 under the domiciliary care allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6431/16]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that two appeals by the person concerned were registered in that office on 4 April 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the cases in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeals based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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.
13. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will grant an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the partial capacity benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6441/16]
View answerPartial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person return to employment if they have reduced capacity for work, and to continue to receive a payment from my department. A person who applies for PCB will, in the first instance, be assessed by a Medical Assessor who expresses an opinion on the degree of partial capacity. A decision is then made on the case by a Deciding Officer and the person is informed of the position.
A medical assessment has been carried out this week and the medical assessor is of the opinion that the person concerned has a moderately reduced capacity for work.
The PCB rate of payment for a moderate capacity for work equates to 50% of the personal rate of illness benefit which the person is currently receiving.
This case has been referred to a Deciding Officer for decision and the person concerned will be informed of the position.
14. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will make a decision on an application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6443/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 October 2015. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 7 April 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. The delay in issuing a decision in this case was mainly outside the Department’s control as supporting documentation required to make a decision was missing from the application and had to be requested from the customer. There was a significant lapse of time between the time this documentation was requested and the time it was received in the Department.
15. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to ensure that a claim by a person (details supplied) in County Dublin under the invalidity pension scheme is processed without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6448/16]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 8 October 2015. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 28 April 2016. Any arrears due from 08 October 2015 to 27 April 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 11 April 2016.
16. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to put special provisions in place to facilitate first-time passport applicants, given the requirement for them to submit a public services card with their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6468/16]
View answerThe Public Services Card (PSC) is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the social services card and free travel pass of this Department, and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customer. The Passport Office has introduced a requirement for first-time adult applicants to be registered for a PSC in advance of applying for a passport.
A PSC is issued following a registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data, and is usually received by the individual within 5 working days. Details of the registration process and information on the documents which a person should bring are available on the Department’s website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Public-Services-Card_holder.aspx.
At present, 98 of the Department’s locations nationwide are processing registrations for the PSC. There are three PSC centres in County Clare at Ennis, Kilrush and Ennistymon. Appointments for registration for a PSC may be made online at www.MyWelfare.ie, or by contacting the office directly (contact details are available on the Department’s website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/SAFE-Registration-PSC-Location.aspx).
17. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick under the carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6481/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 6 January 2016 in respect of two care recipients.
The application has been referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the SWI has reported, a deciding officer will make a decision and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
18. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total amount paid out in water conservation grants in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6505/16]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection is administering the 2015 Water Conservation Grant scheme on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
Payments with a total value of €88,949,800 have been made to 889,498 householders to date. A small number of residual applications from householders who meet the 2015 eligibility criteria continue to be processed.
19. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a jobseeker's allowance is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6523/16]
View answerIn order to qualify for jobseekers allowance a person must be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking employment. The jobseeker’s allowance is a means-tested payment and a person’s household income is assessed when determining entitlement to this income support. It is open to the person concerned to submit an application for the jobseeker’s allowance at the local branch office in Maynooth where her entitlement will be assessed and a decision will issue.
20. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in amending a PRSI contribution record for a person (details supplied) to facilitate eligibility under the widows, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6558/16]
View answerEntitlement to widow(er)’s or surviving civil partner’s pension is based on the social insurance record of either the applicant or their deceased spouse or civil partner – their records cannot be combined to satisfy the social insurance condition for receipt of pension.
The social insurance record of the person concerned comprises 138 paid and credited social insurance contributions, in respect of the period between 2010 and 2012 and that of their late spouse comprises 29 paid or credited social insurance contributions in this country. As neither record satisfies the eligibility conditions for widow(er)’s or surviving civil partner’s pension and the applicant has stated that further contributions were paid, the Department is currently trying to establish the full extent of the person’s social insurance contribution history. On completion of this investigation, the person concerned will be notified in writing of the outcome.
Entitlement to a widow(er)’s or surviving civil partner’s pro-rata EU pension is also being examined and a decision will be made on this when the requested information is received from the Polish authorities.
