Written Answers Nos. 281-97
281. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of an application for mortgage to rent by a person (details supplied), if he is aware of the urgency of this particular case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14983/16]
View answerUnder the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent Scheme (AHB-mortgage-to-rent), an AHB can acquire ownership of a property with an unsustainable private mortgage, enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant.
To be eligible for the scheme a household must have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) and agree to the voluntary surrender of their home. In general, the mortgage must be in negative equity with some cases of positive equity considered on a case by case basis. The household must also be deemed eligible for social housing.
Once a case comes within the criteria and the householder has provided consent to the lender to share information, the Housing Agency seeks an AHB to complete the transaction and prepares a submission to my Department for funding approval.
Under the terms of the scheme, before a property can be sold to the AHB, it must be valued independently and the lender and the AHB must agree a price. The price will be based on several factors, including the market valuation of the property and the cost of any necessary repairs. If the lender and the AHB cannot agree a price, the arrangement will not go ahead and the process will be terminated. In relation to the specific case raised, I understand that no AHB is prepared to purchase the property on the basis of the combined cost of the sale price proposed by the lender, and the cost of repairs that would be required to the property in order to meet the required standards. Therefore I understand this case has proceeded as far as possible in the MTR scheme and has been terminated.
It will be a matter for the borrower to discuss with their lender if there are other options available to resolve their mortgage arrears situation. I would urge communication with the Money Advice & Budgeting Service (MABS) that now has a dedicated confidential, free, and independent mortgage arrears service.
282. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will investigate how annual charges can be kept at the rate of inflation or some other mechanism to protect households from an increase (details supplied); and if he will set up an investigation as to how the waste industry is implementing this new statute. [14990/16]
View answerGovernment waste policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in the EU's Waste Framework Directive. A number of specific measures have been, and will continue to be, introduced to reduce the amount of waste generated in the State and to increase the segregation of waste which cannot be prevented in line with Government policy. The introduction of pay-by-weight charges for the collection of household waste is one such measure.
The legislation requires that the collector will charge for each kilogramme of waste collected. The Government has set a minimum mandatory fee per kilogramme for the different types of household waste: 11 cent for black bin (residual waste), 6 cent for brown bin (food/organic waste) and I have decided that a zero cent minimum fee per kilogramme should be set for green bins (recyclate). The collector may also charge a service fee, which will typically cover staff, collection, administrative and back office, capital and overhead costs.
Given that the charging systems are moving to a more standardised format across the country, householders should be able to more easily compare the charges of different providers under the new system and choose the option that suits them best or is most cost effective.
I understand that a few waste collectors have already released details of their prices under pay by weight. I expect that we will have a fuller picture of the fees being charged in the coming days as more collectors release their charging details in the period leading up to 1 July, 2016.
In an open market, it has been, and will continue to be, a matter for the collector to set charges at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of the legislation. Excessive pricing by individual companies will offer the opportunity for rival operators to provide their services at a cheaper price.
There is an opportunity for customers to minimise their waste costs by preventing waste and segregating waste through using the food waste and recyclable waste bins properly which will reduce the per kilogramme element of the charge to the household. In this regard, a pay-by-weight awareness campaign, launched on 18 May 2016, is being rolled out at national, regional and local levels and will give valuable advice to householders on minimising their waste management costs under pay-by-weight charging.
283. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of Leader contracts that have been signed to date; the number of areas that have had their plans approved; the number of areas that are still awaiting approval of plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15022/16]
View answerI anticipate a phased commencement of the LEADER 2014-2020 programme across all areas commencing in July.
My Department is currently concluding the selection of LEADER local development strategies, in accordance with strict EU regulatory requirements. 32 strategies have been received from the 28 designated LEADER areas, of which 26 have been evaluated to date. Of those, 20 have been selected, 4 require additional work to be brought up to an acceptable standard and 2, relating to competitive areas, have been refused. The remaining six strategies will be evaluated by the Independent Selection Committee at its meeting on 15 June and it is expected that the 4 requiring additional work will also be available for re-evaluation and possible selection on that date also.
Discussions regarding contracts and implementation arrangements are well advanced with 17 local action groups whose strategies have reached the required standard. Discussions will continue to be progressed with the remaining groups over the coming weeks with a view to commencing programme implementation in all areas as soon as possible, while also focussing on securing high quality LEADER strategies that will yield optimum results for rural Ireland.
No contracts for the delivery of the LEADER 2014-2020 programme have issued to date. However, I expect the first contracts to local action groups will issue in the near future as discussions regarding contract and implementation arrangements are concluded.
284. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the arrangements being put in place to ensure that funding is provided to the mountain rescue teams for insurance to cover their activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15023/16]
View answerMountain Rescue Ireland is currently in receipt of funding from my Department under the Development Scheme to Support National Organisations (DSSNO) which is due to conclude on 30 June 2016, having previously been in receipt of funding under the Scheme to Support National Organisations 2011-2014. Funding under these schemes is provided to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. I understand that this is used by Mountain Rescue Ireland to cover costs of insurance.
A review of the DSSNO, with a focus on the long-term funding situation of a number of applicant organisations who were unsuccessful under the 2014-2016 Scheme to Support National Organisations, was published in 2015. This review contained a recommendation that Mountain Rescue Ireland continue to be funded, through alternative and sustainable funding sources within the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government, rather than having to compete for funding through this Scheme.
Mountain Rescue Ireland and my Department are working together in relation to the ongoing funding of this valuable service.
285. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is permitted for local authorities to provide loans under the local authority house loan schemes for the construction of houses on a person's own land; if it is, the circumstances in which this is permitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15028/16]
View answerThe terms and conditions governing the operation of both the standard annuity mortgages and home choice loans provided by local authorities to qualifying first time buyers are set out in the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012 and the Housing (Home Choice Loan) Regulations 2009, respectively. These are available at the following weblinks: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/si/408/made/en/print
and http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/si/544/made/en/print.
Under both loan schemes, housing authorities are empowered to provide loan finance to first time buyers for the construction of new houses, subject to a number of qualifying conditions, including that the borrower occupies the house on completion as his or her normal place of residence.
286. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of representations he has received from Members of the Oireachtas and the number of these to which he had not issued a substantive reply by 31 May 2016, by month of initial receipt, from 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15036/16]
View answerThe information sought in the Question is not readily available and will take time to compile. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
287. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the respite grant, now known as the carer's support grant, for adult care ceased, despite the needs of the caring families being the same as previously; his plans to reintroduce this support for carers of adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14708/16]
View answerWhile the primary responsibility for providing respite care lies with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive, my Department continues to empower and support carers in their caring role through its payment of the Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) formerly known as the Respite Care Grant (RCG). This grant has not ceased or been curtailed in any way.
The grant is paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, and Domiciliary Care Allowance. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attention are also eligible and can apply for the grant to a stand-alone CSG section. The stand-alone grant is not subject to a means test. The grant is paid annually on the first Thursday in June and I am pleased to inform you that automatic payments commenced last week and it is expected that in excess of 90,000 grants will be paid in 2016 at an estimated cost of €157.6 million.
The name was changed from the Respite Care Grant to the Carer’s Support Grant in Budget 2016 to ensure that carers are empowered to use the grant in a manner that suits their individual circumstances, which may include providing for a respite from their caring duties. During the economic crisis this payment had been reduced by €325, in Budget 2013, in order to protect the core weekly welfare payments which people receive, including disability payments, pensions and Carer’s Allowance. The amount of the CSG was also increased to €1,700.
Total Expenditure on grants to carers (Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Carer’s Support Grant) increased from just under €752 million in 2010 to over €877 million in 2015. This represents an increase of €125 million or 16.6 %. The estimated expenditure on these schemes for 2016 is in excess of €911 million.
Just to make it clear to the Deputy this grant has not ceased or been curtailed in any way.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
288. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if the carers of a person (details supplied) are eligible for the carer's support grant. [14710/16]
View answerThe Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month) to carers, such as the person concerned, who are in receipt of a qualifying payment on the first Thursday in June.
The CSG for the person concerned issued to their nominated bank account on 2 June 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
289. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to change the system in place whereby women who entered the workforce, took time out to care for their children and later re-entered the workforce, are penalised when awarded their contributory State pension, despite having in excess of the required contributions, as the average calculation introduced results in them being awarded a lower rate than persons who worked for fewer years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14262/16]
View answerThe State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid or credited over their working life from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing their entitlement and the level of that entitlement. Since 1961, when contributory pensions were introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating pension entitlement. Once over 16 years of age, the date a person enters into insurable employment is the date used for averaging purposes.
The homemaker's scheme makes qualification for a higher rate of State pension (contributory) easier for those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties. The scheme, which was introduced in and took effect from 1994, allows up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age (or caring for incapacitated people over that age) to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes, subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State pension contributory also being satisfied. This has the effect of increasing the yearly average of the pensioner, which is used to set the rate of their pension.
Work has commenced to replace the ‘yearly average’ system with a ‘total contributions approach’ where the number of contributions recorded over a work life will more closely reflect the rate of pension payment received. It is expected that the total contributions approach to pension qualification will replace the current average contributions test for State pension (contributory) for new pensioners from 2020. This is a very significant reform with considerable legislative, administrative, and technical aspects to be addressed in its implementation. When proposals are agreed, legislation will be brought forward to underpin the necessary changes.
I believe that it is important that the changes be announced well in advance of introduction to enable those workers affected to include the new factors into their retirement planning. This new method will provide greater benefit for some, but not all, future pensioners than they would have had under the current system.
It is worth noting that the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund in 2012 confirmed that the Fund provides better value to female rather than male contributors. This is due to the distributive nature of the Fund. For example, those with a yearly average of only 20 contributions (38% of the maximum) may qualify for 85% of the maximum rate.
It should also be noted that, where people cannot qualify for a full rate contributory pension as a result of an intermittent PRSI record, the social protection system provides alternative methods of supporting such people in old age. For example, if a person’s spouse has a contributory pension, that person may qualify for an Increase for a Qualified Adult amounting up to 90% of a full rate pension, which by default is paid directly to them. Alternatively, they may qualify for a means-tested State Pension (non-contributory), amounting up to 95% of the maximum contributory pension rate.
290. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) has lost entitlement to rent allowance upon being placed on a low paid temporary work scheme by a local Intreo office; why it is not possible for the person to receive support from the local community welfare officer, given that this loss has resulted in an accumulation of rent arrears; and why, if the person and the person's partner were 26 years of age plus, and both in receipt of social protection payments and rent allowance, they would have a greater income than what they have been left with, following the person's placement on this temporary work incentive scheme. [14267/16]
View answerAs advised in the reply to the Deputy’s recent question in this matter, Question No. 45 of 14 April 2016, the person concerned is currently participating in the part-time job initiative (PTJI) scheme. The PTJI scheme is intended as a stepping stone to full-time work. It allows certain long-term unemployed people to take up part-time work and get a special weekly allowance instead of their jobseeker's payment. A person is not placed on PTJI by the Department. They secure the part-time work themselves and then contact their local Intreo Centre in order to apply to participate in the PTJI scheme.
On 6 January 2016, a rent supplement review was carried out which showed the combined weekly income of the person, less income disregards, less supplementary welfare rate for a couple and with the addition of the minimum rent supplement contribution yielded a weekly available contribution of €197.25 per week towards the rent. The rent charged equated to €115.30 per week and therefore their weekly available contribution exceeded that of the rent thus giving a nil entitlement to rent supplement.
A further review carried out on 26 February 2016 confirmed that the person’s available financial contribution still exceeded the weekly rent and that there was no entitlement to rent supplement. It remains open for the person concerned to submit an appeal against this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
A Designated Person administers supplementary welfare allowance including exceptional needs payments (ENP's). An ENP covers essential, once-off exceptional spending that one could not reasonably be expected to meet out of weekly income. ENP's cannot be used to replace another social welfare payment in this case rent supplement.
In line with other EU and OECD jurisdictions where such measures are common, reduced rates for younger jobseeker's allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 and extended in subsequent Budgets. A weekly jobseeker's allowance rate of €100 applies to jobseekers aged 18-24 and a weekly rate of €144 applies to jobseekers who are 25 years of age.
It is not discriminatory but rather a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency by incentivising them to avail of education and training opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker's allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
291. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the State bodies under his remit which have developed memoranda of understanding with his counterpart in Northern Ireland with regard to the efficient delivery of services on the island of Ireland; if he has carried out a cost-benefit analysis of the development of further memorandums of understanding; the details of the cost-benefit analysis; and the new memoranda of understanding he will be creating between State bodies under their remit through the lifetime of this Government. [14288/16]
View answerThe statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
None of the bodies under the aegis of my Department have developed Memoranda of Understanding with my counterpart in Northern Ireland nor has any cost-benefit analysis been carried out in that regard. There are no plans, at this time, to develop any such Memoranda of Understanding through the life-time of this Government.
292. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the age of eligibility for the free travel scheme to 67 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14331/16]
View answerThe current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by approximately 80 private transport operators. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland, and within Northern Ireland for those aged 66 years and over. The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement. There are currently approx. 850,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €80 million.
While the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will increase to 67 years in 2021, no decision has been made at this time as to whether there will be a corresponding increase in the age for receipt of the free travel pass.
293. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the decision of review in respect of an exceptional needs payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14353/16]
View answerAn application for an exceptional needs payment was submitted by the person concerned and refused. The decision of the officer in this case was upheld by a review officer. A further application form has issued to the person concerned in relation to other heating works which require repair. This application will be considered on return of the application form and the person concerned informed of the outcome as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
294. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will receive the full SWA payment of €186 per week, rather than the reduced rate of €100 per week, while the person is awaiting a decision on a disability allowance claim. [14357/16]
View answerWith effect from January 2010 new age related payments were introduced affecting persons availing of supplementary welfare allowance (SWA). The applicable maximum personal rate of SWA for a person between the ages of 18 and 24 is €100 per week. There are a number of exemptions where the age reduction does not apply:
- those in receipt of a higher rate of payment immediately before the new age penalty rates applied;
- those with qualified children;
- those in the care of the HSE during the preceding 12 months before their 18th birthday.
The person concerned does not meet these criteria; his previous disability allowance application was made in August 2011. The correct rate of SWA pending the outcome of his appeal in relation to his current disability allowance application is €100 per week.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
295. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection his view on correspondence (details supplied) regarding part-time jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14371/16]
View answerGateway is a work placement initiative administered by my Department and delivered at a local level by the local authorities. Recruitment and selection of part-time employees outside of this initiative is a matter for the Local Authority concerned and my Department has no role in determining how these positions are filled.
296. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Social Protection why he is continuing to send letters requesting recipients of jobseeker's benefit to use financial institutions instead of using the post office to collect payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14377/16]
View answer301. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he will take not to allow any further communiques to issue from his Department exhorting jobseekers to use financial institutions rather than post offices to collect their payments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14544/16]
View answer337. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has consulted with members of the Irish Postmasters' Union regarding his plans to change the payment arrangements for jobseekers who work part-time casually; the number of payments that will be affected by this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14814/16]
View answer338. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason he is continuing to issue letters to urge jobseekers to use financial institutions rather than post offices to collect their payment (details supplied). [14982/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 296, 301, 337 and 338 together.
My Department provides two main options for payment methods for its customers: payments direct to customer accounts in financial institutions or payments in cash at post offices.
Specifically in respect of cash payments at Post Offices, in 2015 my department made over 38 million such payments in cash at a cost of €54 million. These welfare payments through post offices are across all of the department’s major schemes: state pension, jobseekers, one parent family payments, widow/ers or survivors pensions, carers payments, disability payments and child benefit.
I can assure the Deputy that my department is not undertaking any measures which seek to actively influence customer choice in the manner of payment away from cash payments at the Post Office.
I want to emphasise that for the vast majority of my department’s schemes the department’s customers are given the choice of what payment method they wish to receive their social welfare payment. The vast majority of new customers choose to have payments made directly into their accounts in financial institutions which reflects a societal trend towards payment by electronic funds transfer. For example, 83% of new Child Benefit customers and 70% of new State Pension customers chose this option in 2015.
Many of my department’s customers are in employment. My department’s focus must be on our customers and to this end my department’s policy is to make payments to in-work customers directly to accounts rather than customers being inconvenienced by two separate payment methods.
My department has a cohort of jobseeker customers who are classified as casual jobseekers. These are in-work customers who can claim a jobseeker's payment for 2 to 3 days per week or who work week on/week-off. These customers were paid by cheque each week.
Those customers were paid by cheque due to the changing nature of their work/claiming patterns and the short turn-around time to issue payments. It is important to note that they were not paid via post offices under the department’s existing cash payments contract with An Post.
My department has developed its payment capacity in respect of changing work and claiming patterns and is offering payments direct to accounts in financial institutions for casual Jobseeker customers thereby increasing customer convenience. This is in line with wider departmental policy where the focus is on ensuring that in-work customers are paid by the most convenient method possible.
My department has written to all of these casual jobseekers offering the option of a payment to an account. The vast majority have responded and opted for payment to an account.
If customers wish to continue to be paid by cheque they can make their preference known to their local social welfare office which handles their claim.
The recent “Kerr Report” sets out the challenges that An Post and Postmasters face as they seek to ensure that the post office network remains relevant in the context of the inexorable shift towards electronic payments.
My Department will support the introduction by An Post of a standard bank account through the provision of seed funding to help start the initiative.
My department is engaging as appropriate with the Departments of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources and Public, Expenditure and Reform in addressing the recommendations of the report.
297. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment can be approved in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14386/16]
View answerAn application for an exceptional needs payment in the case of the person concerned is currently being processed. Further information was requested by the designated officer and a decision will be made on submission of the relevant requested documentation.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
