Written Answers Nos. 126-132
126. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding sources that exist for community services programme scheme sponsors to provide the areas of activity as outlined on page 10 of the operating manual for community services programme contract holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11018/16]
View answerThe Community Services Programme (CSP) supports community companies that operate on a community business or social enterprise model. Companies supported by the CSP generate and use income from the services they provide to pay staff, meet overhead costs and to contribute to future development. The companies must operate community or social enterprises that are able to deliver tangible services and are capable of generating non-public revenues from their operations by way of charging fees, sales and/or fundraising. The programme is not intended to represent full funding for any operation.
The areas of activity outlined on page 10 of the CSP operating manual are outside the scope of the Programme. Funding for these activities may be available from other Departments and Agencies, including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs or the HSE as well as other funding streams such as the Dormant Accounts Fund, depending on the nature of the activity.
127. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of arrears on a payment to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11046/16]
View answerDisability allowance arrears have been issued to the person in question on 17 May 2016.
128. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a breakdown per county of the current waiting times for domiciliary care allowance applications; the number of applicants per county that have been denied their application under the scheme in the past 12 months; the number of applicants per county per month; the number of appeals that are submitted per month; the number of appeals that have been successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11051/16]
View answerI am advised that statistics on applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance are not collated on a county by county basis and therefore, I am not in a position to supply the information as sought by the Deputy. The information that is collated is provided in the table.
Table 1. Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications
|
Month |
Received |
Awarded |
Disallowed |
|
May 2015 |
665 |
369 |
113 |
|
June 2015 |
594 |
352 |
137 |
|
July 2015 |
668 |
497 |
168 |
|
August 2015 |
438 |
173 |
331 |
|
September 2015 |
544 |
552 |
85 |
|
October 2015 |
579 |
502 |
324 |
|
November 2015 |
525 |
532 |
245 |
|
December 2015 |
403 |
206 |
84 |
|
January 2016 |
498 |
393 |
207 |
|
February 2016 |
665 |
346 |
159 |
|
March 2016 |
609 |
191 |
59 |
|
April 2016 |
714 |
449 |
144 |
The current processing time for a domiciliary care allowance application is approximately 13 weeks. The current average processing time for domiciliary care allowance appeals determined following an oral hearing is 28.5 weeks and 22.7 weeks for such appeals determined summarily. The corresponding appeals processing times in 2015 were 28.7 weeks and 21.7 weeks respectively. Statistics in regard to appeals and their outcomes are detailed in the table.
Table 2. Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals
|
DCA Appeals May 2015 to April 2016 |
||||||
|
Received |
Favourable to appellant |
Disallowed |
Withdrawn |
|||
|
Revised Decisions by Deciding Officer |
Allowed by Appeals Officer |
Part Allowed |
||||
|
May 2015 |
85 |
59 |
49 |
6 |
21 |
0 |
|
June 2015 |
110 |
21 |
50 |
7 |
23 |
1 |
|
July 2015 |
86 |
20 |
35 |
2 |
9 |
1 |
|
August 2015 |
89 |
11 |
37 |
6 |
17 |
0 |
|
September 2015 |
163 |
17 |
46 |
4 |
14 |
0 |
|
October 2015 |
91 |
23 |
43 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
November 2015 |
151 |
30 |
57 |
1 |
30 |
0 |
|
December 2015 |
109 |
55 |
56 |
2 |
17 |
2 |
|
January 2016 |
97 |
15 |
50 |
2 |
21 |
0 |
|
February 2016 |
158 |
37 |
48 |
2 |
28 |
1 |
|
March 2016 |
80 |
22 |
64 |
2 |
40 |
1 |
|
April 2016 |
109 |
38 |
39 |
2 |
14 |
0 |
|
1,328 |
348 |
574 |
36 |
247 |
6 |
129. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will pay a superannuation pension and gratuity to retiring supervisors of community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11077/16]
View answerThis matter is currently being considered by a high level working group set up under the auspices of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This Group includes officials from the Departments of Public Expenditure, Social Protection and Environment, Community and Local Government as well as from Pobal and the two unions representing CE supervisors - SIPTU and IMPACT.
130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently examine an application by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11087/16]
View answerThe person in question appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) a decision by a deciding officer to disallow his application for disability allowance (DA).
Following due consideration, the appeal of the person in question was disallowed by an appeals officer (AO) on 16 February 2016. He was notified of this decision in writing by the SWAO on the same date.
An AO’s decision is final and conclusive in absence of any fresh facts or evidence.
It is open to the person in question to reapply for DA.
131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance will be restored to a person (details supplied); to provide for immediate payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter [11088/16]
View answerCarer’s allowance (CA) was in payment to the person concerned from 15 April 2010 to 27 January 2016. The person concerned was notified on 24 March 2016 that her payment had been terminated as she had failed to co-operate, as she is required to, with a social welfare inspector (SWI) during the course of an investigation.
The person concerned has recently appealed this decision to the social welfare appeals office (SWAO). The SWAO are an independent body and whether the appeal outcome is dealt with summarily or by oral hearing is a matter for the chief appeals officer (CAO). The person concerned may write to the CAO to request an oral hearing if she wishes.
Once all the necessary investigations have been carried out in relation to this appeal, the SWAO will be in contact with the person in question directly.
In the meantime, if the means of the person concerned are insufficient to meet her needs she should apply for a means-tested supplementary welfare allowance from her local community welfare service.
132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to review and immediately approve an application by a person (details supplied) under the rent support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11093/16]
View answerAs advised in the reply to the Deputy’s most recent question on this matter (ref: 37096-15), the person concerned failed to submit the required documentation to allow their eligibility for Rent Supplement to be determined and their claim was closed on this basis and they were advised of their right to appeal this.
It is open to the person concerned to re-apply for a Rent Supplement. If they re-apply, they should provide the information previously requested along with up-to-date documentation pertaining to their situation.
