Written Answers Nos. 127-134
127. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18578/16]
View answerI confirm that my department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 10 June 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.
128. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18645/16]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
129. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the jobseeker's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18646/16]
View answerThe Jobseeker’s Allowance application for the person concerned has now been processed and payment approved from 17th February 2016. The first payment will issue on 30th June 2016. Any arrears due will be included in the first payment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
130. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection why he does not accept that a person (details supplied) cares for another person 24 hours a day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18650/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for Carer's Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 5 November 2015.
It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the carer must be providing full-time care and attention. It is a further condition that the person being cared for must require full-time care and attention.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and a deciding officer (DO) decided that the person in question was not entitled to CA on the grounds that neither of these conditions was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 22 February 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of this decision and submitted additional evidence in support. On review of the supplementary information, it has been decided that the person being cared for does require full-time care and attention.
In relation to the condition of provision of full-time care, the deciding officer has referred the application to a local social welfare investigative officer (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the SWI has reported, the review will be completed and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
131. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will forward a file for a person (details supplied) to the Social Welfare Appeals Office regarding the illness benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18660/16]
View answerIllness Benefit is a payment for people who are incapable of work and who satisfy certain insurance contribution (PRSI) conditions.
The person concerned was examined by one of my Department’s medical assessors in July 2015 who expressed the opinion that they were capable of work. This view was upheld by a deciding officer.
The decision was appealed and, as part of the appeal process, a further medical examination by another medical assessor was held in December 2015. The opinion was that the person concerned was capable of work.
The papers on the case were inadvertently filed away and the matter was not referred at that stage to the Appeals Office. This has now been done and the procedure for processing the appeal will proceed. The appeals office will contact the person concerned directly.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy and my Department apologises for the delay in processing the case.
132. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection why it is necessary to provide an up-to-date Irish passport with an application under the public services card scheme; why an out-of-date passport, where available, is not acceptable as proof of citizenship, particularly where a welfare recipient has no further need for a passport; if he will meet the cost of acquiring a new passport solely for this purpose; and if there is any other avenue available to a person who no longer holds a valid passport but requires proof of citizenship. [18734/16]
View answerThe Public Services Card (PSC) is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the social services card and free travel pass and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customer. A PSC is issued following a registration process called SAFE, which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data. Details of the registration process and information on the documents which a person should provide are available on the Department’s website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Public-Services-Card_holder.aspx.
Ordinarily, the identity document required for a person who is not an EU citizen is in line with immigration requirements, i.e., a current, valid passport. Out of date documentary evidence is not generally accepted for registration with the exception of Irish and UK passports which may be accepted up to 12 months after their expiry date.
Cases such as that referred to by the Deputy are considered, on a case-by-case basis, by the Department’s Client Identity Services Division, and where it is considered appropriate, they are permitted to proceed through the SAFE registration process. This person’s case can be so considered if the Deputy is willing to provide their details.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
133. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the provision in the community employment programme for older jobseekers over 62 years of age which restricts the number that an area project manager can employ on a scheme, as it discriminates on the basis of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18766/16]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which helps long-term unemployed people (those 12-months or more in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment) and other disadvantaged groups to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. It is designed to be a temporary fixed-term activation intervention. The programme assists participants to enhance and develop both their technical and personal skills which can then be used in the workplace.
CE is open to participants aged up to 65 years of age who meet the current eligibility criteria. A pilot initiative was introduced in December 2015 to enable those aged 62 and over to extend their participation beyond the standard maximum participation limits (currently set at 6 years cumulative lifetime participation) providing the eligibility conditions are met. Participants aged 62 and over are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the state pension age, subject to satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by the Department. The total number of places allocated for these participants within each individual CE scheme is limited to 7% of each scheme’s overall budgeted places.
The limitation on such places per scheme is in place to maintain the overall throughput on the programme. The participation limits set allow for the highest utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons and aim to ensure the benefit of these schemes are available to the widest possible number of jobseekers.
My Department is not aware of any issues arising with the limits in place at present. If the Deputy has details of a specific case I would ask that he bring it to the attention of my office. All aspects of the operation of activation programmes are kept under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
134. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the invalidity pension scheme; if same will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18789/16]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 29 January 2016. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on the 27 June 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
