John Brady
Question:315. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated saving in 2017 and a full year from closing the JobBridge scheme to new applicants. [14674/16]
View answerNational Internship Scheme
Questions (315)
Written answers
JobBridge was launched in 2011 at a time of massive economic uncertainty and widespread unemployment. Companies were simply not hiring because they couldn’t afford to recruit, and in many cases insisted on a minimum level of experience. But large numbers of new jobseekers and people who lost their jobs in the recession couldn’t get the relevant workplace experience they needed to get a first or a new job.
That crisis is now over, the economy is growing and employers are hiring again. The labour market has changed and new graduates and other jobseekers are once again finding work. These changed circumstances mean that it is now timely to consider whether or not a state sponsored internship/work experience scheme is still required and if so what form such an internship/work experience scheme should take. While I acknowledge that JobBridge has been a very successful scheme and served a very useful purpose during the period of recession I am mindful of the criticisms that have been made of the scheme and I intend to replace it later this year with a scheme that is better suited to the changed economic circumstances.
JobBridge is currently the subject on an external, independent evaluation and I will use the outcome of this evaluation, due to be produced in September this year, as the basis for determining what changes should be made to improve outcomes for Jobseekers and value for money for the State.
Any costs related to the replacement of the JobBridge scheme will be dependent on the nature of the scheme that is implemented in its place. Such costs are not known at this time therefore no projected savings can be calculated.
Work Placement Programmes
Questions (316)
John Brady
Question:316. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year saving from abolishing the gateway scheme. [14675/16]
View answerWritten answers
Gateway is a work placement initiative for county and city councils. The initiative aims to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. There are a total of 3,000 places available on Gateway.
This year €33.38m was allocated for Gateway, therefore the direct savings from abolishing the Gateway scheme this year would be in the order of €33.38m. However the net savings have to take account of the full year cost of the jobseekers payment for 3,000 customers estimated at €30.7m.
The figures above do not take account of the additional income the Exchequer receives in the form of income tax, PRSI and USC from those participating on the scheme.
JobsPlus Scheme
Questions (317, 318)
John Brady
Question:317. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the approximate fully year net saving from moving 1,000 jobseekers who have been unemployed for longer than 24 months into work via the JobsPlus scheme. [14676/16]
View answerJohn Brady
Question:318. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the approximate full year net saving from moving 1,000 jobseekers who have been unemployed for longer than 12 months into work via the JobsPlus scheme. [14677/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together.
JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees who are long term on the live register and those transitioning into employment. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 and €10,000. The €7,500 is paid primarily to those who are 12 months or more on the live register with the higher grant paid in respect of those who have been unemployed for more than 24 months. The incentive is paid in monthly instalments over a two year period provided the employment is maintained.
The full year cost of the jobsplus incentive to support 1,000 employees who were unemployed for between 12 and 24 months is €3.75m. The full year cost of the jobsplus incentive to support 1,000 employees who were unemployed for longer than 24 months is €5m.
The full year cost of the jobseekers payment for 1,000 customers is estimated at €10.2 m, therefore the estimated net savings of moving 1,000 customers who were unemployed for between 12 and 24 months utilising the jobsplus incentive would be in the order of €6.45m. The net savings of moving 1,000 customers who were unemployed for longer than 24 months would be in the order of €5.2m.
The above costings do not include the additional income that arises for the Exchequer from payment of income tax, PRSI and USC from employment or the additional cost from employees who may have an entitlement to receive family income supplement (FIS) or the back to work family dividend.
Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications
Questions (319)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:319. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14681/16]
View answerWritten answers
An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received in respect of the person concerned on the 28th April 2016. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the applicant. Applications are processed in date of receipt order. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Child Benefit Data
Questions (320)
Frank O'Rourke
Question:320. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending child benefit to the estimated 37,300 pupils who are due to sit the leaving certificate for the first time in 2016 and are aged 18 to 20 years of age, as revealed in information received through a reply to Parliamentary Question No. 346 of 31 May 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14683/16]
View answerWritten answers
Parliamentary Question Number 346 of 31 May 2016 provided an estimate by my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, of the number of students between 18 and 20 years of age sitting the Leaving Certificate for the first time in 2016. It predicted that 36,600 of such Leaving Certificate candidates and 1,300 of such Leaving Certificate Applied candidates (or 37,900 in total).
The full year cost of extending child benefit payments to an additional 37,900 Leaving Certificate students aged 18 to 20 inclusive is estimated at €63.7 million in a full year. It should be noted that this represents the maximum cost as some students would not turn 18 until later in the year, and as such, they would already be eligible for child benefit payments for some of the Leaving Certificate school year. It is understood that the age breakdown of students enrolled for the Leaving Certificate in 2016 will be published at the end of this month by the Department of Education and Skills. This would enable a more detailed costing to be carried out.
Job Initiatives
Questions (321)
Róisín Shortall
Question:321. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have been selected for participation in the JobPath scheme in each geographical area where it is in operation; the criteria used for the selection of this group; the length of time current and past participants have spent unemployed by bands of three months; the time participants spent working with JobPath providers broken down by week before employment was secured; the number of those participants who have maintained this employment broken down by bands of one month; if he will supply details of his payments to JobPath providers for assisting in securing and sustaining employment for participants who have found work on the basis of the four 13-week payments per calendar year; the number of persons he sanctioned for failing to engage with these companies for each geographical area in tabular form, in each instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14686/16]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland’s Public Employment Service (PES) is managed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies that provide JobPath services, Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Clubs. JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed (LTU) and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The JobPath service is delivered by two companies - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited.
JobPath is being delivered nationally in two contract areas that are based on the Department’s current divisional structure. The geographic areas are as follows:
Seetec – West; Midlands North; North East; North West, Dublin Central; Dublin North; Dublin South.
Turas Nua – Cork Central; South East; Mid-Leinster, Mid-West; South West; Midlands South.
34,307 jobseekers have been referred to JobPath as follows (to 6 June 2016):
|
Division |
Group 1 - (12 months LTU) |
Group 2 - (1/ 2 years LTU) |
Group 3 - (2/ 3 years LTU) |
Group 4 - (3 + years LTU) |
Total |
|
Dublin Central |
559 |
430 |
1,500 |
2,489 |
|
|
Dublin North |
345 |
186 |
671 |
1,202 |
|
|
Dublin South |
352 |
255 |
587 |
1,194 |
|
|
Midlands North |
700 |
530 |
1,735 |
2,965 |
|
|
North East |
683 |
558 |
1,646 |
2,887 |
|
|
North West |
358 |
382 |
1,350 |
2,090 |
|
|
West |
40 |
738 |
594 |
1,589 |
2,961 |
|
Cork Central |
754 |
493 |
2,090 |
3,337 |
|
|
Mid Leinster |
32 |
1,126 |
667 |
2,175 |
4,000 |
|
Mid-West |
39 |
869 |
539 |
1,936 |
3,383 |
|
Midlands South |
624 |
478 |
1,595 |
2,697 |
|
|
South East |
27 |
964 |
607 |
2,008 |
3,606 |
|
South West |
1 |
384 |
301 |
810 |
1,496 |
|
Total |
139 |
8,456 |
6,020 |
19,692 |
34,307 |
LTU = Long Term Unemployed
For the purpose of JobPath selection, jobseekers are divided into the following groups:
1. Clients becoming long-term unemployed i.e. passing 12 months
2. Clients who have been unemployed for 1-2 years
3. Clients who have been unemployed for 2-3 years
4. Clients who have been unemployed for more than 3 years
5. Newly unemployed clients who are assessed by the Department to be at a high risk of becoming long term unemployed
6. Clients who, although in part-time employment, have been in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment for more than 12 months.
The Department began referring long term unemployed jobseekers from referral groups 2 - 4 and recently started referring from group 1. Referrals from the remaining groups have not yet commenced. Within the above groups selection for JobPath is on a random basis. It is not possible to provide the duration of unemployment, other than by reference to the referral groups, within the time available to answer the question.
Clients receive support for 52 weeks but this period may continue for up to 130 weeks e.g. where a person engages in further education/training (for up to 26 weeks) and receives “in work” support (for up to 52 weeks). The roll-out of JobPath commenced in July 2015 on a “soft-launch” basis. To date no one has completed their engagement with the JobPath service. Detailed analyses of JobPath data will be published later this year. As indicated in “Pathways to Work 2016 – 2020” the Department intends to publish performance statistics of contracted providers including JobPath, LES and Job Clubs from Q3 2016.
JobPath is a payment by results model and all initial costs are borne by the companies. JobPath is so structured that the companies will not be able to fully recover their costs until they place sufficient numbers of jobseekers into sustainable jobs. It is not intended to publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive and to do so would place the State at a disadvantage both in terms of the contracts now in place and any future procurement that may be undertaken.
Departmental records indicate that, as at mid-May, some 350 clients referred to the JobPath service have seen sanctioned. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of this information on a geographic basis within the time available to answer the question.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Invalidity Pension Applications
Questions (322)
Pat Breen
Question:322. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the invalidity pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14704/16]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 05 May 2016. The first payment of invalidity pension will issue to his nominated bank account on 16 June 2016. Any arrears due from 5 May 2016 to 15 June 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 3 June 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility
Questions (323)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:323. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on correspondence regarding the case of a person (details supplied). [14731/16]
View answerWritten answers
JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and full-time sustainable paid employment. Participants are provided with a range of training and development supports including online modules, career advice, CV preparation and interview skills. Clients spend a year on JobPath. If during this time, they are placed into a job they will continue to receive in-work support for at least three months and up to twelve months to help them to maintain their employment and/or progress to full-time employment. This support is particularly important in the case of long-term unemployed jobseekers who have been out of the work-place for a long time.
Participants on JobPath retain their social welfare entitlement and continue to be subject to the eligibility criteria for their jobseeker’s payment. If they are successful in gaining part-time or casual work (up to and including 3 days per week), they may still receive a jobseeker's payment for the other days of unemployment during that week if they satisfy the conditions for that payment namely:
1. Be capable of work.
2. Be available for and genuinely seeking work.
3. Satisfy the means test.
4. Meet the habitual residence condition.
In this case, the jobseeker must continue to be available for full-time employment.
All decisions regarding a person’s welfare entitlements are made by deciding officers of the Department. A JobPath company cannot make any decisions regarding a person’s welfare entitlements; however the JobPath company will continue to support the jobseeker to address barriers (through training, etc.) and to progress towards full-time employment.
If the Deputy would like to provide the jobseeker’s details, I will arrange for an official from my Department to discuss the issue with the individual concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Community Employment Schemes Data
Questions (324)
Frank O'Rourke
Question:324. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending community employment schemes to 18 months and two years in duration respectively; his views on providing greater flexibility to schemes to extend the current duration of schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14736/16]
View answerWritten answers
Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.
The pattern of participation on the Community Employment (CE) programme is dependent on the individual circumstance of each person and the length of time she has been in receipt of a CE-qualifying social welfare payment. The current participation patterns have been in place since CE commenced in 1994. In general a person must be 12 months or more in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment to be eligible for 1 year on CE. If a person is 3 years or more in receipt of a qualifying payment social welfare payment, and over 35 years, they are eligible for 3 consecutive year’s participation on CE.
The CE budget allocation for 2016 is €376.5m and it allows for 23,752 participants and 1,375 supervisory staff. The effect of extending participation time limits on CE would be to decrease the number of places available rather than increase the cost. The current 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.
The 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.
Labour Activation Projects
Questions (325)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:325. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of labour activation participants in County Cork 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. [14742/16]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is detailed by scheme in the following table for years 2013 to 2015.
County breakdown of activation participants for Cork
|
Year |
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 - Totals |
|
2013 |
2,198 |
166 |
832 |
N/a |
764 |
2 |
532 |
2,042 |
169 |
43 |
31 6,779 |
|
2014 |
2,190 |
171 |
888 |
N/a |
740 |
0 |
517 |
1985 |
181 |
36 |
366,744 |
|
2015 |
2,090 |
171 |
843 |
259 |
795 |
0 |
356 |
1,709 |
210 |
27 |
236,483 |
Disability Allowance Applications
Questions (326)
Pat Breen
Question:326. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14751/16]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 17 February 2016. The first payment was made by her chosen payment method on 1 June 2016.
Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable).
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Insurance
Questions (327)
Eugene Murphy
Question:327. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection to recognise the work that family carers do and afford them a full stamp in order that persons in receipt of the carer's allowance are eligible for the full benefits in recognition of their service. [14752/16]
View answerWritten answers
The new partnership Government is committed in the Programme for Government to supporting carers through an increase in carer’s benefit and allowance.
Credited contributions, normally known as credits, are awarded to recipients of carer’s benefit and of carer’s allowance where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Recipients of these payments qualify for credits where they have at least one paid contribution in the previous two years or have had credited contributions in that period. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid carer’s leave from work.
Credits protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record, where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as during periods spent caring. In combination with paid PRSI contributions, credits assist employees in qualifying for short-term schemes and enhance the level of benefit for long-term schemes.
In addition, all carers, including those who do not qualify for a payment or for credits, may qualify for the homemaker scheme. The homemaker’s scheme is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for state pension (contributory). Years spent caring on a full-time basis are disregarded when calculating the state pension (contributory) rate of payment.
Through the award of credits and the homemaker’s scheme, the social insurance system already gives significant recognition of the service provided by carers. Awarding paid contributions would be contrary to the principle that entitlement to social insurance benefits, as a right, is directly linked to the actual payment of PRSI contributions on income and to do so would have cost implications.
My priority is to make progress on the commitment in our Programme regarding the level of support for carers.
Carer's Allowance Payments
Questions (328)
Eugene Murphy
Question:328. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason payment of carer's allowance is seen as an extra income for carers when, in many situations, it enables a loved one to stay in their home as opposed to costing the State thousands of euro in residential care; and if he will ensure that carer's allowance is means tested to ensure families can continue to look after their loved ones. [14753/16]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to acknowledge the key role that carers have in our society. The importance of their contribution is reflected in the range of significant supports provided by my Department to support carers in their caring role and ameliorate the financial burden of caring - indeed it is worth pointing out that the income supports that carers receive from my Department are among the highest rates in Europe.
The income supports for carers from my Department include carer’s benefit (CB), carers allowance (CA) (including half-rate carer’s allowance), carer’s support grant (CSG), domiciliary care allowance (DCA), household benefits package (HBP) (to carers residing with the recipient of care), and the free travel scheme.
CA is a means tested payment for people who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who needs it. Carers providing care to more than one person are entitled to a 50% additional payment.
I must point out that the income disregard and means test for carers is the most generous within the social welfare system and the amount of weekly earnings disregarded is €332.50 for a single person and €665 for a couple. A couple under 66 with two children, earning a joint annual income of up to €35,400 can qualify for maximum payment Carer’s Allowance while such a couple earning €59,300 will still qualify for the minimum rate.
Disability Allowance Applications
Questions (329)
Pat Breen
Question:329. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14760/16]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that my department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 28 April 2016. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (330)
Robert Troy
Question:330. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection to expedite a carer's allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14780/16]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 20 January 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.
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, 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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.