Written Answers Nos. 240 - 259
240. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if and when he established the advisory council pursuant to section 9(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015; the names of its chairperson and members; if and how often it has met; the recommendations it has made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16171/16]
View answerIn accordance with Section 8(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, the Climate Change Advisory Council was established on 18th January 2016 by Ministerial Order. The composition of the Council is as follows:
|
Composition of Council |
- |
|
Professor John FitzGerald (Chairperson), |
formerly of the ESRI |
|
Professor Dr Ottmar Edenhofer |
Professor of Economics of Climate Change at the Technical University of Berlin and Deputy Director and Chief Economist of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research |
|
Professor Frank Convery |
Chief Economist, Environmental Defence Fund, New York |
|
Professor J. Peter Clinch |
Jean Monnet Professor of Economic Integration (Environmental Policy) and UCD Professor of Public Policy |
|
Professor Anna Davies |
Professor of Geography at Trinity College Dublin |
|
Professor Alan Matthews |
Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at Trinity College Dublin |
|
Mr Joseph Curtin |
Senior Research Fellow, IIEA |
|
Ms Laura Burke |
Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency |
|
Mr Jim Gannon |
Chief Executive of Sustainable Energy Ireland |
|
Professor Gerry Boyle |
Director of Teagasc |
|
Professor Alan Barrett |
Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute |
In line with the provisions of Section 11(3) of the Act, the Council is independent in the performance of its functions. It is therefore completely a matter for the Council to determine the frequency of its meetings. Notwithstanding this, you may wish to note that the Council has already met on several occasions, including during its interim period of operation from June 2015 to January 2016.
The Council will in time be preparing material to be included in its annual and periodic reporting requirements as set out under the legislation. To date, the Council has provided formal recommendations on one occasion where recommendations in relation to the proposal for Phase IV of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) were received.
241. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will make the payments retrospective to anyone who would qualify on or after 1 September 2016 in relation to the Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2016, given that this scheme was promised to be effected from 1 September 2016 and it now appears that it will not come into effect until 30 September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18054/16]
View answerAs part of Budget 2016, the Government announced its plan to introduce two weeks paid paternity leave in September 2016.
The legislative proposals for the introduction of paternity leave and paternity benefit are currently being debated in the Houses of the Oireachtas. When enacted, this legislation will allow new fathers, including fathers of adopted children, to start the combined package of paternity leave and paternity benefit at any time within the first six months following the birth of the child or, in the case of adoptions the day of placement. The Bill also provides for same sex couples on an equal basis with other couples. In relation to the operation of the Scheme, my Department will provide a minimum of paid paternity benefit of €230 per week for the two weeks of paternity leave.
Every scheme must have a start date and a Government decision was made that the paternity leave and paternity benefit scheme would come into effect on 30th September 2016. As a result, paternity benefit will only be payable for a child born or placed on or after the 30th September 2016.
It is very difficult to estimate the numbers that will take up paternity leave and paternity benefit. My Department estimates that it could be 30,000 to 40,000 fathers who will receive paternity benefit in a full year, at a cost of €20 million. This year, 2016, the payment is expected to cost the exchequer €5 million, which equates to one quarter of the expected full year cost.
242. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that supervisors working on community employment schemes reaching 66 years of age are being forced to retire from their jobs as funding for their salaries is being withdrawn when in fact there is no legal retirement age here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18176/16]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) is a non-statutory scheme put in place to support persons who are long-term unemployed and other vulnerable groups to gain the confidence and skills to re-enter the labour market. Schemes are sponsored by local community and voluntary groups who provide valuable support services to local communities. These sponsoring organisations employ supervisory staff to administer the scheme.
Funding is provided by the Department to the sponsoring organisations for the employment of staff up to state pension age. Once the staff member reaches state pension age (currently 66 years of age), that person can no longer be funded under CE. This is a long-established procedure which sponsoring organisations have signed up to as part of their contractual arrangement with the Department and it is applied equally across all schemes participating on CE. I have no current plans to change these arrangements.
243. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the gap in provision for essential equipment for a person (details supplied) on a training course who is expected to pay €500 for tools because his or her address is different from other participants on the same course who have been provided with the same equipment without charge. [18274/16]
View answerThere is no provision within the existing funding streams of the Department of Social Protection to cover tools or other similar accoutrements that can assist a trainee in their work. The Department’s network of Intreo Offices does not have access to a grant or subsidy to pay for the provision of such equipment.
The Department of Social Protection contracts for the provision of a Local Employment Service (LES) with 23 organisations across the State in areas of particular disadvantage. LES services include mediation support to clients living within a specified catchment to help place them into jobs. The mediators have access to a limited Mediator Fund. This fund is available where a mediator identifies that a client needs an additional support to facilitate their entry into the labour market and that this need cannot be met by any state provider. The Mediator Fund can be used to support a client to purchase tools to allow him/her to take up a particular job.
There are a number of LES organisations serving clients in the north Dublin area based in Ballymun, Finglas and Coolock. There is no LES in the Swords area and therefore no additional support of this nature is available to clients living in that catchment area.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
244. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection in regard to a finding that a person who is one of a couple has no entitlement following an assessment of household means, if it is unfair that this person is not entitled to a basic income similar to that of a dependent jobseeker who is under 25 years of age, where legislation allows that young persons dependent on their parents are allowed a minimum of €40 per week; if he will allow for a basic minimum income for adults in households to allow them some level of financial independence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17917/16]
View answerJobseeker’s allowance is a means tested social assistance scheme. In the case of a couple, account is taken of the means of both members of the couple and this reflects the fact that married couples, civil partners and cohabitants are financially interdependent on each other.
The jobseeker’s allowance scheme features a range of disregards and tapering arrangements where one or both members of the couple are working. Where, for example, the spouse, civil partner or cohabitee is in employment, the employed person can earn up to €31,410 per annum (gross) before entitlement is fully withdrawn from the jobseeker’s allowance claimant (assuming no other means). In the case of a couple with two children, the equivalent figure is €36,815 per annum. The introduction of a minimum level of entitlement where, ordinarily, there is no entitlement because of the level of means of one or both of the parties would represent a significant change to the provision of means-tested payments in Ireland and would target additional resources at households not currently entitled including some higher income households.
Where a jobseeker’s allowance claimant is aged under 25, the value of the benefit and privilege derived from living with a parent or step-parent is assessed for means test purposes. In practice, benefit and privilege is taken to mean the value of board and lodging to applicants residing in the home of parents and the value of same is assessed by reference to a formula (with a wide range of income disregards). The purpose of the assessment is to achieve a degree of equity as between applicants who have this benefit and those who have not, and between people living in relatively better-off households and those whose circumstances are less well off.
Where the claimant’s means (from the value of any benefit and privilege and any other means) are in excess of the statutory rate of jobseeker’s allowance, no payment is made. Where the claimant’s means result in an entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance of a rate of €1 per week or less than €40 per week, a minimum payment of €40 per week is paid. Accordingly, the current arrangements guarantee a minimum rate of payment where there is an underlying entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance in the first instance and does not apply where this is not the case. It should be noted, in this regard, that the assessment of the value of benefit and privilege does not imply that there is a direct financial transfer from a parent to the adult child and the current arrangements ensure that the jobseeker has access to some direct cash support. Such arrangements are not available to jobseekers who do not have an underlying entitlement to a payment because they reside in higher income parental households.
Any changes to the means testing arrangements of jobseeker’s allowance would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
245. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will process an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17922/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 15 March 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, the spouse of the person concerned is in receipt of a weekly social welfare support for the family.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
247. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a query (details supplied) regarding persons wanting to receive their social welfare payments through their local post offices instead of banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17936/16]
View answer283. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Social Protection why he continues to correspond with persons in receipt of social welfare payments requesting them to consider opting for payment by electronic fund transfer despite the fact these same persons have indicated they want to continue using the post office; if he is aware of the importance of these transactions to the post office network; why he is continuing with this policy while a Government backed process is under way to secure and develop the post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18230/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 283 together.
I can assure the Deputy that my department is not undertaking any measures which seek to influence customer choice in the manner of payment away from cash payments at the Post Office.
To specifically address the deputy’s query my department has a cohort of jobseeker customers who are classified as casual jobseekers. These are in-work customers who can claim a jobseekers 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 did write 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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct rate of payment due to a person (details supplied) whose appeal has been allowed under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17966/16]
View answerI confirm that my department was notified by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 21 June 2016 that the appeal for the person in question against a disallowance of disability allowance was upheld.
Her file has been passed to a deciding officer to implement the appeals officer’s decision and the person concerned will be notified in writing of the details as soon as possible.
249. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person selected for JobPath is prohibited from applying for a community employment scheme. [17971/16]
View answer280. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons selected for JobPath can transfer onto community employment, JobBridge or Gateway schemes. [18196/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 280 together.
Given the need to manage the allocation of places effectively, the Department does not, in general, facilitate or encourage jobseekers to transfer from or leave one activation support scheme to take up a place on another activation support scheme. However JobPath participants may apply to participate on other schemes and can, subject to assessment by a case officer, commence on other schemes following completion of their JobPath engagement. The period of engagement on JobPath is typically 12 months.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them tackle barriers to employment and to assist them in finding full-time paid sustainable employment. Each person is assigned to a personal adviser who assesses a person’s skills, experience, challenges and work goals. The personal adviser and the participant draw up a personal progression plan that includes a schedule of activities, actions and job-focused targets which may include work experience via the JobBridge internship scheme provided that this internship is undertaken voluntarily by the jobseeker and does not substitute for provision of the JobPath advisory service. If a jobseeker receiving support under JobPath takes up a JobBridge opportunity they will continue to work with their JobPath adviser during the internship programme. If they are subsequently placed into a job they will continue to receive support for at least three months, and up to twelve months, while in employment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
250. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an entitlement to a carer's support grant for a person (details supplied). [17985/16]
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 post office on 2 June 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
251. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will prioritise and grant an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17992/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 24 May 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.
252. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing applications for the free travel pass at the Bishop Street office of Intreo in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17993/16]
View answerThe purpose of the Public Services Card (PSC) is to enable individuals to gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible. The PSC is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the free travel pass and the social services card of this Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers. Intreo Centre Bishops Square currently processes PSC applications for customers within the Dublin 6, 6W and 12 areas. Customers that are currently in receipt of a free travel pass but do not have a PSC are invited to attend a scheduled appointment to complete the SAFE process in Intreo Centre Bishops Square and when their PSC card issues it will incorporate their free travel pass. Department customers can also book an appointment online to apply for their PSC or alternatively they can walk in and book an appointment in the office. The issuing of PSCs with the free travel pass is an ongoing process in Intreo Centre Bishops Square and any delay in processing these applications is regrettable, however the Department is endeavouring to ensure that all its customers are facilitated with an appointment without any undue delay.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
253. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider changing the family income supplement regulations for a person accessing a higher paying job that surpasses the income limit from losing all support, to a graduated system that would allow a person to get a promotion or higher paying job while also maintaining some level of family income support throughout the set transition period. [17996/16]
View answerThe Family Income Supplement (FIS) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. FIS is designed to prevent child and family poverty and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment as compared to social welfare payments. Expenditure on FIS for 2016 is estimated to be of the order of €410 million and it is currently paid to some 56,000 families in respect of almost 123,000 children.
As part of Budget 2016 Family Income Supplement income thresholds were increased by €5 for families with one child and €10 for families with two or more children.
An integral part of FIS is that the payment continues at the same rate for a period of 52 weeks, assuming the eligibility requirements continue to be met, except in the following circumstances:
- If a claimant starts to care for an additional child in the course of the 52 weeks.
- If a claimant was getting a one-parent family payment and this payment was stopped because their youngest child reached the relevant age limit.
The rate of payment will not change if there is an increase or decrease in earnings. The advantage of this approach, which is unique to the FIS scheme, is that claimants will receive a guaranteed level of income support throughout the period. This certainty is important to the success of the scheme as it provides an incentive to claimants to maximise their earnings from employment (e.g. more hours, higher wages). For those who experience a reduction in earnings, the rate of payment will be reassessed at renewal of their FIS claim.
There are currently no plans to introduce a graduated FIS scheme, which would continue to pay FIS above the current family thresholds. The introduction of such a system could have significant financial implications for the Exchequer and would have to be considered carefully in an overall budgetary context.
254. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider changing the rules whereby persons who are third level students and are not in college, are fully available for work, seeking work but not able to find work during the summer months, would be allowed sign for jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17997/16]
View answerThe jobseeker’s allowance scheme provides income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s allowance scheme of €2.45 billion.
Social welfare legislation states that a person is not entitled to jobseeker’s allowance while attending a course of study. This disqualification also extends to the holiday periods, including the summer holidays. It also provides that a person shall be regarded as attending a course of study:
- for 3 months immediately following the completion or the leaving by that person of second level education or the completion by him or her of the leaving certificate examination of the Department of Education and Skills, whichever is the later;
- for the duration of an academic year, or
- for the period immediately following the completion of one academic year, other than the final academic year of a course of study, up to the beginning of the following year.
The disqualification for receipt of jobseeker’s benefit or allowance does not apply in the case of mature students during the period between two academic years. During this period a mature student can apply for jobseeker’s benefit or allowance, subject to satisfying the standard qualifying conditions, including that of being available for full-time work.
The disqualification for three months is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. If college students were eligible for a jobseeker’s payment for the summer months it could prove a significant disincentive for them to continue their education.
There are therefore no plans to amend jobseeker’s allowance legislation in relation to this issue.
255. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection when a new Intreo office (details supplied) will open to the public; the services which will be available at the office; the amount spent to date on the building, fit out and ancillary works; when his Department acquired the building and site from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17999/16]
View answerThe new Intreo office in Carrigaline, County Cork, is expected to open during July 2016. This means that the totality of Intreo services will be offered from two locations in the town. These services include income support, employment support, social welfare inspectorate, community welfare and a public service card facility.
Expenditure on this Intreo project amounts to €0.9m. The OPW has leased this property from the HSE with effect from the 1st of January 2015.
256. Deputy Peter Burke 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. [18027/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 20 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.
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 his needs he should apply for a means-tested supplementary welfare allowance from her local community welfare service.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
257. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the threshold of savings considered under the State pension (non-contributory) scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18039/16]
View answerIn assessing means for social assistance payments, account is taken of the income and the value of capital and property of the claimant and their spouse/partner.
Social welfare legislation provides that the yearly value of property (including capital) owned but not personally used or enjoyed is assessable for means testing purposes for social assistance payments. Such property includes all monies held in financial institutions or otherwise, the market value of shares and houses and premises owned by a claimant which may or may not be put to commercial use. However, it does not include property such as the family home or, for example, a premises used by the claimant in carrying out a business.
For assessment purposes, savings are assessed by reference to the following, as follows:
Capital - Assessment Formula
|
AMOUNT OF CAPITAL |
WEEKLY MEANS ASSESSED |
|
Up to €20,000 |
Nil |
|
€20,000 - €30,000 |
€1 per each €1,000 |
|
€30,000 - €40,000 |
€2 per each €1,000 |
|
Over €40,000 |
€4 per each €1,000 |
It should be noted that for the purposes of the State pension non-contributory, the amounts above are doubled in the case of a couple.
No account is taken of interest or dividend payments received in the means assessment. The assessment formula reflects the fact that there is an expectation that persons with reasonable amounts of capital and property are in a position to use that capital or to realise the value of property to support themselves without having to rely solely on a means tested welfare payment.
If the threshold were to be increased, the people who would benefit would be those who had income or assets of varying levels and, accordingly, such claimants would be treated more favourably than claimants who had fewer or no personal resources. Any changes to the current arrangements would have to be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context.
258. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is assessing payments under the disability allowance scheme and the family income supplement scheme for rent purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18042/16]
View answerThis is a matter for housing authorities, operating under the Housing Acts 1966 -2014, which come under the remit of the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. The Minister for Social Protection has no role in relation to this matter.
259. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will issue a decision to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18049/16]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 11 May 2016. The first payment was made by his chosen payment method on 22 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).
