Written Answers Nos. 14-28
14. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has finalised an application by a person (details supplied) and if the person is in receipt of benefit under the illness benefit scheme. [8139/16]
View answerIllness benefit is a payment for persons who are incapable of work and who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. Illness benefit claims made after January 2009 have a maximum duration of 624 days (2 years).
The person concerned was awarded illness benefit from 18 Dec 2014 and has been in receipt of payment at the maximum rate since then. A recent review of the claim concluded continued entitlement.
15. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to review an application by a person (details supplied) under the illness benefit scheme; and if she will continue the payment or if the person will qualify for another benefit. [8140/16]
View answerThe person in question was receiving illness benefit (IB) until 31 March 2016 when they reached the maximum duration of their entitlement to payment of IB. The person concerned has been paid as a qualified adult (IQA) on her spouse’s IB claim from 1 April 2016.
The department received a claim for invalidity pension (IP) from the person in question on 5 January 2016. She has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 7 January 2016 and payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 28 April 2016. Any arrears due from 7 January 2016 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 11 April 2016.
17. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cad iad na socruithe atá déanta lena chinntiú go bhfuil sé ar chumas an chomhlachta “Seetec”, a bhfuil conradh aige chun seirbhísí a chur ar fáil don Roinn, a sheirbhísí a sholáthar don phobal i nGaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [8123/16]
View answer18. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí Coimirce Sóisialaí cén fáth nach bhfuil “Seetec“, atá ag cur seirbhísí ar fáil don Roinn ar chonradh, ag tabhairt rochtain do dhaoine a bhíonn ag baint úsáid as a sheirbhísí ar shuímh eagraíochtaí Gaeilge ar nós Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, Ros na Rún, agus iad ag cuartú fostaíochta; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [8124/16]
View answer19. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cén fath nach nglacann “Seetec”, a bhfuil conradh aige lena Roinn, le haisteoireacht, ealaín agus obair eile trí mheán na Gaeilge mar fhoinse d’obair atá inmharthana buan; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [8125/16]
View answerTá sé beartaithe Ceisteanna Uimh. 17 go 19, iniatach, a thógáil le chéile.
Tá Seetec ar chonradh leis an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí chun seirbhísí faoi thionscnamh JobPath a sholáthar. Is éard atá i JobPath ná cur chuige nua i leith ghníomhachtúchán na fostaíochta chun tacú le daoine atá dífhostaithe go fadtréimhseach agus chun tacú leo siúd is mó atá i mbaol na dífhostaíochta fadtréimhsí ó thaobh fostaíocht nó féinfhostaíocht lánaimseartha ar phá a bhaint amach.
Is coinníoll é de chuid an chonartha le Seetec go gcuirtear seirbhísí ar fáil de réir fhorálacha Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, 2003. Tá sé dearbhaithe ag Seetec don Roinn go gcuireann siad seirbhísí ar fáil i nGaeilge do chliaint faoi láthair cibé uair a cheanglaítear orthu é sin a dhéanamh. Níl aon srian curtha ag Seetec le láithreáin ghréasáin Ghaeilge a bhféadfaidh cliaint ar lorg fostaíochta rochtain a fháil orthu. Is féidir rochtain a fháil ar láithreáin ghréasáin amhail láithreáin “Ros Na Rún” agus “Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe” trí chóras ríomhaireachta Seetec. Ní chuirtear srian le rannpháirtithe JobPath ó thaobh teacht ar fhostaíocht san aisteoireacht, san ealaín ná aon fhostaíocht eile a dtugtar fúithi trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Seetec has been contracted by the Department of Social Protection to deliver services under the JobPath initiative. JobPath is a new approach to employment activation to support long-term unemployed people and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure full-time paid employment or self-employment.
It is a condition of the contract with Seetec that services are provided in accordance with the provisions of the Official Languages Act, 2003. The Department has been assured by Seetec that they currently provide services in Irish to clients whenever they are required to do so. Seetec has not placed any restrictions on Irish language websites that may be accessed by clients seeking employment. Websites such as those of “Ros Na Rún” and “Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe” are accessible via Seetec’s computer system. JobPath participants are not restricted from sourcing employment in acting, art or any other form of employment that is undertaken through the medium of Irish.
20. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will reach a decision on an appeal by a person (details supplied) under the invalidity pension scheme. [8102/16]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all of the available evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
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.
21. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible under the jobseeker's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8107/16]
View answerThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a reduced rate jobseeker’s allowance based on spousal earnings. Following a review of entitlement in September 2015 and again on 15 February 2016, weekly household means were assessed at €403.00 derived from documentation provided.
It is open to the person concerned to request a review of her means should there be a change in circumstances.
22. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible under the family income supplement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8108/16]
View answerIn order to qualify for Family Income Supplement (FIS), an applicant must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee for at least 38 hours per fortnight (19 hours per week). The total income of the family must be less than the weekly threshold for the relevant family size. In the case of a family with 4 children, that limit is €834.
The Department has issued a FIS application form today to the person in question. Once the completed form is returned to the Department, the application will be processed without delay and they will be notified directly of the outcome.
23. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to immediately address the ongoing recruitment problems of community employment schemes. [8171/16]
View answerThe Department keeps the eligibility criteria for Community Employment (CE) places under on-going review to ensure that they are effective in targeting long-term unemployed jobseekers and other specific disadvantaged groups. The eligibility rules and maximum durations allowed for participants are strictly enforced to allow the maximum number of people to benefit from the opportunity of a CE placement.
If a particular CE scheme is encountering difficulties in recruiting participants, additional assistance can be provided by the local Departmental staff to resolve any local barriers or issues, while remaining within the eligibility guidelines.
The Department is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the CE Programme whilst being conscious of the valuable contribution it is making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
24. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of staff, vacancies, and new staff appointed, by grade, and the number of clients, by social protection offices, from 2008 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8249/16]
View answerMy Department’s Employment Control Framework figure set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has been reduced by almost 300 posts since 2012. It is in that context and on the basis of business needs that critical posts are filled. At any given time the most critical posts can change depending on business needs and on opportunities that arise to restructure or rationalise posts. It is therefore not possible to provide a list of vacancies.
The information requested by the Deputy regarding numbers of staff, new staff appointed by each grade and number of clients by Social Protection Office from 2008 is not maintained in the manner requested and will take some time to collate. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy when it is available.
25. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of the roll-out of the Intreo service, since it commenced, by year, to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8250/16]
View answerThe objective of Intreo is to provide an integrated, quality, customer-focused service whereby an unemployed jobseeker could avail of both income support and employment services at a single location. It involved the merger of not only the services formerly provided by three distinct agencies (DSP, FÁS and the Community Welfare Service) but also the staff of these agencies. In addition to the rollout of Intreo centres nationally and the transfer of almost 3,000 staff from the HSE and the Employment Services of FÁS, my department took the opportunity, in conjunction with the OPW to consolidate its accommodation portfolio from 988 locations in 2012 to 327 current locations.
59 Intreo Centres have been opened to date. This involved the refurbishment/development of some 71 buildings, as some Intreo centres are bi-located. There are currently 2 Intreo centres still under development phase - Navan (bi-located) and Carrigaline (some very minor works required prior to occupancy).
Given the number of locations and multiple schedules, budgets were operated on an annual basis. While the Intreo budget was held by my Department, the OPW was our agent in line with the relevant government circulars. They were tasked with providing the necessary accommodation for Intreo. This Department engaged with the OPW in relation to our business requirements while the OPW provided all budget estimates, and it procured, tendered and contracted the refurbishment of the buildings they identified to meet our needs.
The overall spend on Intreo is expected to be in the region of €48 million. Spend has been in line with the annual budget allocation from 2012 to date. In addition, there will be future savings as a result of the significant consolidation of staff and accommodation.
The Intreo model won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the recent Civil Service Innovation and Excellence awards, 2015.
26. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a social protection deciding officer must be appointed by the Minister to a specific role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8251/16]
View answerOfficers of the Department of Social Protection who, for the purpose of their specific role, are required to be Deciding Officers are statutorily appointed by me pursuant to Section 299(1) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 for the purpose of any provisions of this Act.
27. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to ensure that victims of domestic violence can access the appropriate social protection supports, including rent supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8161/16]
View answer28. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the social protection supports, including rent supplement, that are available to persons leaving domestic violence situations, where in some cases their names may still be on mortgages, or their means had previously been dependent on their partner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8162/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. SWA can consist of a basic primary weekly payment and/or a weekly/monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses a person may not be able to meet, including rent supplement. It can also consist of a once-off payment to help with the cost of any exceptional needs.
Basic weekly SWA may be payable to anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residence condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove unemployment, or anyone who is awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment. The Government has provided some €80 million for the basic SWA scheme in 2016.
The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The Government has provided €267 million for rent supplement in 2016. Under the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a social housing need transfers from this Department to the local authorities. HAP is being rolled out on an incremental basis and is currently available in 19 local authorities across the country.
Where HAP is not in operation, in order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by a local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support. In all other cases, a new applicant who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by a housing authority. Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement. Policy in relation to the assessment of housing need, including where a person’s name remains on a mortgage, is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Where a person’s safety and well-being are at risk due to domestic violence, Department officials operating the rent supplement scheme have discretionary powers to expedite the award of a payment to the person in question.
This Department may also make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure. It is expected that the expenditure on the ENP scheme in 2016 will be in excess of €30 million. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case, including those in a domestic violence situation, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
