Written Answers Nos. 281-300
281. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.50 for all employees directly employed or in agencies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24160/16]
View answerPayment of salaries to staff of my Department is made in line with pay scales approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If a minimum payment of €11.50 an hour were introduced, the additional costs for my Department are estimated to be in the region of €10,000 (not including Employer’s PRSI). This figure reduces as and when the staff concerned progress along an incremental scale and may be marginally affected by any staff transfers currently underway arising from the Transfer of Functions between different Departments.
Information in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the bodies concerned and is not available in my Department.
282. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions his Department has had with suppliers or service contractors to his Department or to agencies of his Department to ensure that employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage of €11.50 per hour; the cost of implementing this wage for these employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24175/16]
View answerThe Living Wage is voluntary, has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement; it cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors. Matters of employee payment rates are a matter for the employer and employees concerned, subject to compliance with employment legislation. My Department has consequently had no discussions with suppliers or service contractors in regard to the rate of pay of their employees.
Such operational arrangements for agencies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the bodies concerned and my Department does not hold information in relation to this.
283. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide an update on the Legan sewerage line upgrade. [24223/16]
View answerLongford County Council has included the Group Sewerage Scheme in question in its application to my Department for funding under the new Rural Water Multi-Annual Funding Programme for the period 2016 to 2018. My Department is currently considering local authorities’ bids for funding and allocations to authorities for funding under the new programme will be provided shortly.
284. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money utilised by the local authorities in counties Carlow and Kilkenny specifically for the provision of building social housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24238/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, this week I published Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. Over the period of the Plan, 47,000 homes will be delivered under the various social housing programmes, together with an expansion of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme nationwide. This delivery will be achieved through collaboration between local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the National Treasury Management Agency and the private sector.
Previous to this week's launch of the new Action Plan, social housing targets and funding allocations had issued under the Social Housing Strategy to all local authorities in April of last year. Over €1.5 billion in funding allocations was announced to support all local authorities to deliver social housing via a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes out to 2017. Those allocations and associated targets for each local authority, including Carlow and Kilkenny, are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/minsters-kelly-coffey-announce-eu15-billion-social-housing-targets-local.
Following this notification of targets, announcements in respect of a substantial new set of social housing projects were made in May 2015, in July 2015 and in January 2016. Between these three announcements, almost €680 million has been allocated for over 3,900 social housing new builds, turnkey developments and acquisitions. Details of these project approvals, including those for Kilkenny and Carlow, are available on my Department's website at the following links:
www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm
www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,42225,en.htm
www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/ministers-kelly-coffey-announce-further-1000-social-housing-units.
I am keen that local authorities advance these projects as soon as possible and have assured them that funding is available to fully support their efforts in this regard. In 2015, Carlow County Council delivered six new social houses through construction, while Kilkenny County Council delivered one. In 2015 and to end-June 2016, an amount of €776,000 was expended on social housing construction by the local authority in Carlow and the equivalent figure for Kilkenny was €1,764,623. As per the project approvals set out at the links above, I anticipate a notable ramping up in terms of both construction spend and delivery over the next year and the measures set out in Rebuilding Ireland, an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, including the establishment of a new Housing Delivery Office within my Department, will have a direct benefit in that regard.
While social housing construction projects are being advanced, acquisitions of new and second-hand houses and apartments remains an effective means of meeting immediate social housing need. In 2015, Kilkenny and Carlow County Councils secured the purchase of 37 and 19 new social housing units, respectively. Some of these acquisitions, as well as some of the approved construction projects, were under the Capital Assistance Scheme whereby Approved Housing Bodies deliver social housing for those with specific needs such as elderly people, persons with intellectual or physical disability and homeless persons.
285. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of FOI requests received by his Department to date in 2016; the number of requests fully refused; and the number of requests partially refused. [24281/16]
View answerAs of 20 July 2016, a total of 239 Freedom of Information requests have been received by my Department in 2016, of which 35 have not yet been decided. Of the finalised requests, 61 were partially refused and 50 were fully refused.
286. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of miles claimed for and the travel expenses paid to him and each Minister of State in his Department in respect of their functions as a Minister in his Department between 1 January 2016 and 10 March 2016; between 11 March 2016 and 6 May 2016; and since 7 May 2016. [24296/16]
View answerThe Information sought by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at:www.environ.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/20160520-ministerial_expenses-for_website-final.pdf,
www.environ.ie/corporate/transparency-data/ministerial-expenses/simon-coveney-2016
and
www.environ.ie/corporate/transparency-data/ministerial-expenses/damien-english-2016.
287. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide the name, position and annual salary awarded to his special advisers; to provide details for requests, if any, for an increase above the special advisers' pay cap as set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24313/16]
View answerThe information requested is set out in the following table:
|
Name |
Grade Equivalent |
Salary Scale |
|
Caitríona Fitzpatrick Special Adviser |
Principal Officer (Standard) Non PPC Scale |
€75,647 – €87,248 |
|
Bob Jordan Special Adviser |
Principal Officer (Standard) PPC Scale |
€79,401 – €91,624 |
No request has been made for an increase above the special advisers’ pay as set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
288. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any similarities between an insolvent pension scheme (details supplied) participating in PIPS through his Department and the insolvent pension scheme of Waterford Crystal, where workers reached a settlement with Government when their company failed leaving a large deficit in their pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23892/16]
View answerThe two pension schemes mentioned fall within the scope of the ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the Insolvency Directive (2008/94). That ruling was in response to a reference by the High Court seeking clarification of the interpretation of European law emanating from EU Directive 2008/94EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer.
The ECJ ruling has implications for any defined benefit pension scheme where, on the date of the wind up, both the scheme and the employer are insolvent (double insolvency) and where the date of wind-up was after the date of the ECJ ruling in the UK Robins case of 25 January 2007. Legislative changes were made to the Social Welfare and Pensions Act in 2013 and 2014 amending the Pensions Act 1990 to address the issue of double insolvencies.
With reference to the detailed pension scheme, it along with a number of other schemes have applied to the Pensions Authority for certification as an eligible scheme as outlined in legislation. My Department is presently designing a scheme to assist in establishing any liability arising from an affected pension scheme where the State may have a liability for a shortfall in funding of that scheme.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
289. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on funding for supervision on community employment schemes that has been withdrawn by his Department when supervisors-assistants reach State pension age; if there are equality matters associated with this procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24021/16]
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. The Equality Authority has confirmed the Department’s procedure for cessation of funding under CE at State Pension age does not constitute age-related discrimination.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
290. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23375/16]
View answerThis is a matter for my colleague, the Minister of Health.
291. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23376/16]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned since 16 June 2005 in respect of one care recipient.
I confirm that my department received an application for CA on 11 March 2016 from the person concerned in respect of a second care recipient. The application was referred to a local social welfare investigative officer (SWI) on 22 June 2016 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.
Once the SWI has reported, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
292. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23377/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer's allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 21 June 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 person concerned is in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
293. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23379/16]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 June 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 27 June 2016 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
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.
294. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23381/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer's allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 April 2016. Additional information in relation to the person's application, which is necessary in order to make a decision but which was omitted from the application, has been requested by a deciding officer on 22 June 2016. Once the information is received from the person concerned, the application will be processed without delay and he will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
295. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23382/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 December 2015.
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons habitually resident in the State, who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
The requirement for full-time care is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
There are further conditions for receipt of CA which require the applicant to be habitually resident in the State, to fully disclose their means and to be providing a level of care that is full-time.
A deciding officer has also decided that none of these conditions have been satisfied. Accordingly the application for CA has been disallowed.
The person concerned was notified on 20 July 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.
296. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) under the partial capacity scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23384/16]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 8 July 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
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.
297. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a primary care certificate for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23387/16]
View answerThis is a matter for my colleague, the Minister of Health.
298. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23388/16]
View answerThe application for carer's allowance (CA) in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 8 July 2016 in respect of second care recipient.
The first payment of CA at the higher rate of payment issued to the person's nominated bank account on 14 July 2016.
Arrears of allowance due from 4 February 2016 to 13 July 2016 have also issued to the bank. The person concerned was notified of these details on 8 July 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
299. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme. [23389/16]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned since 3 October 2013 in respect of one care recipient.
I confirm that my department received an application for Carer's Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 24 February 2016 in respect of a second care recipient. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 20 June 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned has requested a review of this decision and submitted additional evidence in support of her application. The review is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
300. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme. [23390/16]
View answerFirstly, on behalf of myself and my department, I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the family of the care recipient in question on their recent bereavement.
The application for carer's allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 22 June 2016 and the first payment was issued to the person's nominated post office on 30 June 2016.
Arrears of allowance due from 18 February 2016 to 15 June 2016 have also issued to the nominated post office. The person concerned was notified of these details on 22 June 2016.
Payment will continue for 12 weeks after the date of the bereavement.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
