Written Answers Nos. 129-134
129. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection his progress, in conjunction with other Departments and State agencies, in implementing the comprehensive employment strategy for persons with disabilities; the resources he will allocate to enable its implementation; and the timeframe for this and for adequately resourcing it. [13879/16]
View answerThe Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for people with disabilities was published in October 2015. It sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities who can and want to work are supported and enabled to do so.
The CES sets out a range of actions across a number of departments. My Department has a number of commitments under the CES and these include the following: expanding the Intreo service as a gateway to employment activation on a phased basis to cater for people with a disability; enhancing engagement with people with disabilities (drawing on profiling analysis etc.); devising early intervention strategies to address drift into long-term ill-health; leading and supporting an interdepartmental group on Making Work Pay and raising awareness among employers of the supports available to facilitate the employment of people with a disability or the retention of employees who acquire a disability.
Overall, I am satisfied that my Department is making progress in meeting its commitment under the first phase of the CES as is evident by progress across a number of areas:
- My Department is progressively rolling out its full activation support service to people with disabilities who wish to avail of the service on a voluntary basis. The first phase of this roll-out commenced in 2015 with the service being provided in ten Intreo Centres. The service is now available in 58 Intreo centres and over 60 Employment Support Officers (Case Officers) have received disability specific training supported by the National Disability Authority and Epilepsy Ireland.
- In order to better inform its approach to the design of supports and interventions to enable participation in the labour force in accordance with capacity and on a voluntary basis, my Department has undertaken a survey of persons in receipt of disability allowance. The results of this exercise are currently being reviewed in association with the disability sector before publication.
- My Department has established an interdepartmental expert group, with an independent chair to examine the complex interaction between the benefits system, including the medical card, and the net income gains in employment. The interdepartmental group will also identify any significant disincentives for people with disabilities in taking up or returning to work. The interdepartmental group will report to Government by end 2016.
- The role of employers is important and my Department seeks to raise their awareness of the range of employment supports available to them from the DSP and in promoting the services available to employers to employ a person with a disability or to support an employee who has acquired a disability. For instance, information on the wage subsidy scheme (WSS), the reasonable accommodation fund for the employment of people with disabilities, the disability awareness training scheme and other employer supports is provided in the Employer Information Pack, through employer roadshows and jobs fairs and on the DSP website.
- The EmployAbility service is a national employment service dedicated to improving employment outcomes for people with a disability who are seeking employment. Budget 2016 provides €9.6m to run the service. The service currently comprises 23 limited companies each with a specific geographical remit and fully funded by my Department. A recent evaluation of the EmployAbility service is being considered by my Department prior to meeting with relevant stakeholders.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
130. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of labour activation participants in County Waterford in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date, by scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13894/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed by scheme in the following tabular statement for years 2013 to 2015.
County breakdown of activation participants for Waterford
|
- |
Community Employment |
Rural Social Scheme |
Tús |
Gateway |
Back To Work Allowance Self-employed |
Back to Work Allowance Employee |
JobBridge |
Back to Education Allowance |
Partial Capacity Benefit |
Short-Term Enterprise Allowance |
Part-Time Job Incentive (1) |
Totals |
|
2013 |
766 |
11 |
295 |
0 |
344 |
0 |
191 |
972 |
34 |
9 |
12 |
2634 |
|
2014 |
875 |
12 |
287 |
0 |
369 |
0 |
266 |
976 |
40 |
27 |
22 |
2,874 |
|
2015 |
868 |
11 |
320 |
73 |
386 |
0 |
153 |
659 |
41 |
6 |
26 |
2,543 |
131. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 26 May 2016, the number of pending applications for each social protection claim within his Department. [13895/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement.
Number of pending applications – 30 April 2016
|
Scheme |
Pending applications |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
2,053 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
6,662 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
1,119 |
|
State Pension Contributory (Domestic) |
4,396 |
|
State Pension Transition (Domestic) |
16 |
|
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension |
343 |
|
Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant |
15 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
2,239 |
|
Household Benefits |
2,652 |
|
Free Travel |
33 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
1,876 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
3,499 |
|
Child Benefit (Domestic & Formerly Resident Abroad) |
1,081 |
|
Child Benefit (EU Regulation) |
1,746 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
15,544 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
4,144 |
|
Family Income Supplement (New claims) |
2,456 |
|
Family Income Supplement (Renewals) |
1,252 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
6,361 |
|
Disability Allowance |
5,455 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
2,048 |
|
Illness Benefit |
3,000 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
186 |
132. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an application made in February 2016 by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13897/16]
View answerI confirm that my department is in receipt of an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned. Unfortunately, there are currently delays in the processing of new applications. 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 the person concerned is in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
133. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13919/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 29 April 2016. Unfortunately, there are currently delays in the processing of new applications. 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.
This application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, the person concerned is in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
134. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13920/16]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 November 2015 in respect of two care recipients. 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 in respect of either care recipient and CA was refused.
The person concerned was notified on 16 March 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. The person concerned has requested a review and submitted additional evidence in support of her application. The review is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
