Written Answers Nos. 682-708
682. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing an application for domiciliary care allowance which was lodged at the end of April 2016 for a person (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24520/16]
View answerThe person concerned was notified on 1 September 2016 that her domiciliary care allowance, received on 5 May 2016, has been awarded from 1 June 2016. The first payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, will issue on 20 September 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
683. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reinstate the bereavement grant payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24545/16]
View answerIn recent Budgets the Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving. This allowed the Department to protect other social welfare payments such as the State pension.
There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the grant. These include a weekly-paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension continue in payment for six weeks following a death. In Budget 2016, the Government increased the payment after death period to 12 weeks for carer’s allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure including help with funeral and burial expenses which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. However, there is no automatic entitlement to such a payment. An ENP is a means tested payment payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances.
Any decision to restore the bereavement grant would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
684. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if students of the Masters in Translation Studies course offered at DCU are eligible to apply for the back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24552/16]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.
Access to BTEA at postgraduate level is limited. BTEA is only payable to persons who wish to pursue a postgraduate course of study that leads to a higher diploma (H-Dip) qualification in any discipline or to persons in pursuit of a professional masters of education (primary and secondary school teaching). An exception to the eligibility rule for masters is made whereby a person is admitted to a master’s programme based solely on life experience and provided the applicant is not the holder of any third level qualification.
Administration of BTEA is aligned with the student support schemes under the Department of Education and Skills. BTEA should not be viewed as an alternative to the student grant system.
I have no plans to alter the current range of courses covered by the scheme.
685. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will set social protection payments at the poverty line as part of his plans to reform the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24582/16]
View answerAnalysis in the Social Inclusion Monitor 2014 shows the crucial role that Ireland’s social protection system plays in alleviating poverty, cushioning people from the worst effects of unemployment and ensuring an adequate standard of living.
Using Eurostat data for 2014, social transfers (excluding pensions) reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate in Ireland from 37.2% to 15.6%, thereby lifting over a fifth of the population out of income poverty. Ireland is the best performing EU member state in reducing poverty through social transfers. The poverty reduction effect at 58.9% is the highest in Europe, almost twice the EU average.
The latest poverty data are for 2014 and do not fully reflect the impact of the recovery in economic growth and employment. The unemployment rate in 2014 was 11.3%, down from a peak of 15% in 2012. Since then, the unemployment rate has fallen further, to 8.3% in August 2016. As unemployment is strongly linked to poverty, we can expect to see further decreases in basic deprivation and consistent poverty.
In line with this, the Pathways to Work Strategy 2016-2020 sets out comprehensive plans to increase labour market participation and make work pay. It continues to prioritise the activation of the long-term and young unemployed people, with supports provided through the network of Intreo offices.
A range of welfare and income tax measures were introduced in Budgets 2015 and 2016 to further incentivise work and improve living standards. The social impact assessment of the Budget shows greater rewards for working, with over 80% of the unemployed substantially better-off in work. The Government is committed to restoring living standards to ensure that everyone will benefit from the recovery.
Looking ahead, the new Programme for a Partnership Government contains a number of significant commitments to enhance the welfare system in the years ahead, including above-inflation rate increases for pensioners.
The appropriate rates of welfare supports in the year ahead will be considered by Government as part of its deliberations on the next Budget over the coming weeks. In this regard, it should be noted that each €1 increase in all weekly social welfare payments is estimated to cost €71.7 million in 2017.
686. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has received a letter from the Local Social Protection Office advising that they participate in a training programme which offers a recognised qualification which is lower than the level of qualification that the person currently holds and in the same area of study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24599/16]
View answerThe person concerned had a recent meeting with a Departmental Case Officer in Letterkenny, where he was advised to contact the Educational Training Board (ETB) regarding appropriate daytime and evening classes. He was also advised in relation to opportunities available on the Jobsireland website and various other options including e-college.
In August 2016, the person was then selected for the Department JobPath employment activation programme which caters mainly for people who are long-term unemployed (over 12 months) to assist them to secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment.
Jobseekers are selected on a random basis for referral to JobPath. Participants receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them in finding jobs. This includes assistance with the preparation of their curriculum vitae and with interviewing skills. The person concerned will now spend a year on this programme and if they are placed into a job they may continue to receive support for the first year of employment. They may also be referred for further education and training opportunities by the JobPath provider.
687. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the youth guarantee pilot project was not rolled out nationally after its success in Ballymun, Dublin 11. [24600/16]
View answerThe Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the right environment for a strong economic recovery through effective policies. In doing so it is hoped to promote competitiveness and productivity.
Under the European Commission’s call for proposals for preparatory actions under the 'Youth Guarantee', the Department of Social Protection obtained EU funding to pilot a Youth Guarantee Scheme in Ballymun. This was a once-off call for pilot projects. The purpose of the Ballymun Youth Guarantee (BYG) pilot project was to test key elements to inform the national roll-out of the Youth Guarantee. The project officially finished on the 31st December 2014.
Lessons learned from the Ballymun Youth Guarantee pilot project have informed the national roll-out of the Youth Guarantee in a number of ways. First, the BYG project showed the importance of close engagement by case officers with young jobseekers. This has informed reforms to Intreo processes such that there is now monthly engagement with all young people by case officers to discuss and achieve personal progression plans. Second, the BYG project identified a need for a more intensive approach with disadvantaged youth distant from the labour market, to build employability and work readiness skills. This approach has been taken forward in the First Steps programme. A third learning was the importance of career guidance. Pathways to Work 2016-2020 commits to designing, developing and implementing an accredited professional development programme for Intreo case officers. This will benefit all jobseekers, including young jobseekers, and will contribute to improving the quality of Intreo services. Finally, the BYG project was progressed through partnership working at national and local levels. The scale, scope and nature of this partnership working was facilitated by extensive, pre-existing community infrastructures and relationships. It is not feasible or necessarily desirable to replicate these structures in every community in which Intreo offices operate. Nevertheless, Pathways to Work 2016-2020 contains a number of actions to strengthen local working arrangements and protocols, including for example through Regional Skills Fora, which will include a specific focus on youth.
I am satisfied that these measures drawn from the learning of the BYG project, together with other measures and the Government’s strategy to tackle youth unemployment by creating the right environment for a strong economic recovery through effective policies, will continue to address youth unemployment.
688. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Question No. 514 of 31 May 2016, the average length of stay for families housed in the 148 emergency accommodation units in use by the New Communities Units. [24630/16]
View answer690. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the new communities unit shares information on the persons they accommodate with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government or other authority with responsibility for housing. [24632/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 690 together.
As the Deputy is aware from the response to an earlier parliamentary question, the New Communities Unit (NCU) of my Department offers assistance to families who are primarily non-Irish, homeless and generally without recourse to any weekly income. The main focus of this unit is to ensure that families with an entitlement receive an income maintenance payment, under the terms of the relevant legislation. In addition, non-Irish homeless families have been referred to this unit directly by the Central Placement Service, operated on behalf of the four local authorities by Dublin City Council, and the staff in the NCU have facilitated booking these people into emergency accommodation. This accommodation is sourced and funded by Dublin City Council under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. The practice, whereby staff in the NCU act as booking agents in such circumstances, is a residual one from when the NCU was based in the HSE. Officials from my Department are considering the appropriateness and nature of the NCU’s involvement in the delivery of this service at present.
Information in relation to the average length of stay of families booked to emergency accommodation by the NCU is not collated or retained by my Department. In facilitating the booking of people to emergency accommodation, the NCU contacts the accommodation provider directly to make the booking. Notification in relation to those persons accommodated in emergency accommodation is part of the reporting relationship between the accommodation provider and its funder and the NCU does not have a role in this.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
689. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a record of the number of families that have been moved into private rented accommodation or other homeless services from new communities unit emergency accommodation units. [24631/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware from the response to an earlier parliamentary question, the New Communities Unit (NCU) of my Department offers assistance to families who are primarily non-Irish, homeless and generally without recourse to any weekly income. The main focus of this unit is to ensure that families who have an entitlement receive an income maintenance payment, under the terms of the relevant legislation. In addition, non-Irish homeless families have been referred to this unit directly by the Central Placement Service, operated on behalf of the four local authorities by Dublin City Council, and the staff in the NCU have facilitated booking these people into emergency accommodation. This accommodation is sourced and funded by Dublin City Council under Section 10 of the Housing Act (1988). The practice, whereby staff in the NCU act as booking agents in such circumstances, is a residual one from when the NCU was based in the HSE. Officials from my Department are considering the appropriateness and nature of the NCU’s involvement in the delivery of this service at present.
Information in relation to the number of families that have moved out of emergency accommodation, booked by the NCU, to private rented accommodation or alternative emergency accommodation is not collated nor retained by my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
691. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 349 of 12 July 2016, the reason certain compensation awards are exempted when others are not; the criteria used when deciding which compensation awards would be exempt; his plans to amend legislation to include other awards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24641/16]
View answerAs outlined in response to Question No. 349 of 12 July 2016, social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person for social assistance schemes.
This includes all income derived from compensation awarded by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal, by the Residential Institutions Redress Board and in relation to disability caused by thalidomide. Any payment made by the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board is similarly disregarded. In addition, ex gratia payments made through the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme or to women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen Laundries are also disregarded.
These compensation awards and payments were disregarded over the years as a result of Government decisions and the enactment of corresponding legislation. All other compensation or court awards which are not provided for in social welfare legislation are assessed in the normal manner. There are currently no plans to amend the legislation to include other awards.
692. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason he declined an application by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; the reason moneys that were awarded to provide for the future care for the person following damages were assessed against the person when certain award damages are exempt; if such moneys should be considered as weekly means considering that they are to provide for the persons future care; and if he will consider the legislation surrounding the awarding of damages and their impact on a person's disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24642/16]
View answerIn the case of means-tested payments from my department, such as disability allowance (DA), applicants are assessed with any cash income, property other than the home, and investments. Within all means-tested schemes, there is an initial amount of capital that is disregarded for means assessment purposes. For most schemes this disregard is €20,000 but, in the case of DA, it is €50,000. This means that a DA applicant with €50,000 in savings (and no other means) can be assessed as having nil means and, as a result, receive the maximum rate of DA.
Social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person for social assistance schemes, including DA. The disregards for social welfare means assessment purposes include all income derived from compensation awarded by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal, by the Residential Institutions Redress Board and in relation to disability caused by thalidomide. Any payment made by the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board is similarly disregarded. In addition, ex gratia payments made to women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen Laundries or through the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme are also disregarded in social welfare means assessments. All other compensation or court awards which are not provided for in social welfare legislation are assessed in the normal manner.
The statutory formula for assessing means from capital for DA is as follows:
|
Capital |
Weekly means assessed |
|
First €50,000 |
Nil |
|
Next €10,000 |
€1 per €1,000 |
|
Next €10,000 |
€2 per €1,000 |
|
Balance (any capital over €70,000) |
€4 per €1,000 |
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
693. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to persons on carer's allowance receiving PRSI credits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24656/16]
View answerThe new partnership Government is committed 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 (subject to a maximum of 20 years) are disregarded when calculating the state pension (contributory) rate of payment.
My priority is to make progress on the commitment in our Programme regarding the level of support for carers, subject to the resources available.
694. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to address the problem of persons who are not counted among the live register figures and who do not have access to education, training and activation options of those who are included in the Live Register; and if his attention has been drawn to the social exclusion felt by these persons. [24660/16]
View answerThe key objective of current activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly, the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused, in the first instance, on this cohort of unemployed people.
For those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit, it is a condition of their payment to engage in activation measures. Recipients of other payments, including disability allowance (DA) and the one parent family payment (OFP), can voluntarily avail of activation services and supports. The JobBridge internship scheme, for example, is available to recipients of a wide range of payments (DA; OFP; Blind Persons Pension; Deserted Wives Allowance/ Deserted Wives Benefit; Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s contributory/non-contributory Pension). Recipients of these payments are not counted on the Live Register.
In addition, unemployed persons (including those formerly self-employed) not in receipt of qualifying payments may be eligible to avail of upskilling opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people (at present there are 1,009 upcoming day courses and 552 upcoming evening courses). Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation. Springboard and Skillnets courses for unemployed people, funded through the Department of Education and Skills, are also open to people regardless of their social welfare status.
Many other services are also available to people who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. For example, employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department’s employment services offices regardless of their social welfare status.
An unemployed person who does not qualify for a social welfare payment due to the assessment of their means may be eligible to sign for social insurance contribution credits. Persons who sign for credits for three months (78 days) of the last six months are eligible to participate in the JobBridge programme. Persons signing on for credits for 12 months or longer over the previous 18 months are entitled to participate on Momentum courses through Solas, provided that they have been actively seeking work, however they will not receive any payment. Persons signing for credits for six months or more are entitled to participate on ETB-run VTOS courses subject to availability. In the case of VTOS courses, such participants do not receive a training allowance but may receive travel and lunch allowances.
The new Pathways to Work 2016 - 2020 strategy reflects a shift in focus from ‘activation in a time of recession’ to ‘activation in a time of recovery and growth’. Taking on board extensive inputs into the strategy from a range of stakeholders, it has two main objectives:
- First, to continue and consolidate the progress made to date with an initial focus on working with unemployed jobseekers, in particular people who are long-term unemployed.
- Second, to extend the approach of activation to other people who, although not classified as unemployed jobseekers, have the potential and the desire to play a more active role in the labour force.
Accordingly Pathways to Work 2016–2020 includes numerous, specific actions to increase labour market participation and employment progression of people who are not currently active in the labour market and to apply the concept of active inclusion as a guiding principle – particularly in the period from 2018 – 2020.
In short, the Government is committed to supporting as many people as possible to participate more fully in employment and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers they may encounter in finding and sustaining employment. Through these efforts it is also hoped to improve their quality of life, reduce poverty and promote social inclusion.
695. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a claim for Disability Allowance was registered with his Department in May 2015 in respect of a person (details supplied); when a decision will be reached on this case; and if the inspectors report is available. [24730/16]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 10 June 2015. The first payment will issue by his selected payment method on 5 October 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 hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
696. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of credit cards issued to Ministers and officials working in his Department; the amount spent on credit cards by his Department in 2014 and in 2015; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work-related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24748/16]
View answer697. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of credit cards issued to staff working in each State agency funded by his Department, in tabular form; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24763/16]
View answer698. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of credit cards issued to staff working in any third party agency funded by his Department, in tabular form; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work related expense; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24778/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 696 to 698, inclusive, together.
There are six credit cards administered by my Department. Five are held by officials and one is held by the Pensions Ombudsman. No credit cards have been issued to Ministers of my Department.
Credit cards are only issued following approval by the Department’s Accounts Branch.
The amount spent on credit cards and interest paid is detailed in tabular format:
|
- |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Expenditure* |
156,948.85 |
109,386.18 |
|
Interest Paid |
17.51 |
2.40 |
*The yearly totals include expenditure on room booking for Decision Appeal hearings nationwide - 65% of total credit card expenditure in 2014 and 75% in 2015.
All staff members issued with cards are requested to sign a conditions form for the use of the card.
The conditions include the following control measures:
a) The card is kept safely and that it is immediately reported if the card is lost or stolen
b) The card is only used by the card holder
c) The credit limit is not exceeded
d) The card is used for official purposes only and that rules governing the expenditure involved are strictly adhered to
e) Bills are paid promptly –the necessary documentation must be submitted to the department’s Accounts Branch in order for the bill to be paid on time
f) The card is cleared of any liabilities and submitted to the department’s Accounts Branch for cancellation on moving from the job in respect of which the card is required.
Invoices and/or receipts must be provided for all expenditure, and these are sought and matched to credit card statements by my department’s Accounts Branch, who process all departmental credit card bill payments. Accounts Branch review all invoices and/or receipts and credit card statements to ensure compliance with conditions. Credit Card expenditure is controlled as set out above, and is not subject to further review at this present time.
The statutory bodies funded by the department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal. As mentioned previously, the credit card for the Pensions Ombudsman is administered by my department. Information in relation to the other statutory bodies is set out in the following tables.
2014 Expenditure
|
Body |
Cards Issued |
Amount Spent |
Bank Interest paid |
|
Citizens Information Board |
1 |
€2,327 |
0 |
|
Social Welfare Tribunal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Pensions Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2015 Expenditure
|
Body |
Cards Issued |
Amount Spent |
Bank Interest paid |
|
Citizens Information Board |
1 |
€2,919 |
0 |
|
Social Welfare Tribunal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Pensions Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Controls
|
Body |
Controls in place to monitor the issuing of credits cards |
Controls in place to monitor the expenditure on personally held credits cards |
Control reviews |
|
Citizens Information Board |
Credit card(s) only issued following approval of two senior CIB personnel including CEO, Chair or senior managers |
CIB has a control policy in place to monitor the issue and use of credit cards. Controls include the raising of a Purchase Order prior to each transaction, maintenance of a transaction log which is checked monthly by the CEO and retention of all documentation associated with the purchases paid for using the card |
Policy due to be reviewed later this year |
|
Social Welfare Tribunal |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Pensions Council |
N/A |
N/A |
699. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the date of commencement for fathers to avail of Paternity Leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24818/16]
View answerThe Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides for 2 weeks paid paternity leave for children born or in the case of adoption from the date of placement on or after 1 September 2016.
Eligible parents can avail of paid Paternity Leave at any time within the first 26 weeks following the birth or date of placement of the child.
Paternity Benefit is available for employed and self-employed people who are on paternity leave from work and covered by social insurance (PRSI). Applicants must fill out an application form, which is available from my Department’s website.
To claim Paternity Benefit, an applicant must complete an employer certificate (where employers certify that an individual is entitled to the leave) and also a medical certificate from their spouse or partner's doctor confirming when the baby is due.
This mirrors the same application process which applies for Maternity Benefit. In the case of adoption, a certificate of placement must be produced in relation to the child.
Applications for Paternity Benefit can be made online at www.mywelfare.ie. A person must have a Public Services Card (PSC) to apply for Paternity Benefit online. If they do not already have a PSC, they can make an appointment to get one at www.mywelfare.ie. Once they receive their PSC they can then upload their supporting documentation via their account and submit it online with the application. Paper applications are also being accepted and can be downloaded at www.welfare.ie.
Employees should provide notification to their employer at least 4 weeks before taking paternity leave. Self-employed persons should apply for Paternity Benefit 12 weeks in advance.
700. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal for Domiciliary Care Allowance in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24828/16]
View answerThe person concerned applied for domiciliary care allowance in respect of her child on 1 February 2016. The application was not allowed as it was considered that the child did not meet the eligibility criteria for the allowance. A decision letter issued to her on 9 May 2016.
An appeal of this decision was registered on 16 June 2016 and additional information on her child’s condition/care needs has been supplied. The application together with the new information supplied has been forwarded to a Medical Assessor for their professional opinion. Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined by a deciding officer, who will revise the original decision if warranted or alternatively, forward the case for consideration by the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Such reviews can take up to 12 weeks to complete at present.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
701. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal for Invalidity Pension by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24832/16]
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 10 February 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 20 July 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 further medical evidence on the 5 August 2016 in support of her request. Following a review of all the information available it was decided that there was no change to the original decision. The person concerned was notified on the 6 September 2016 of the outcome of the review and of her right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
702. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position or procedure to be followed by a person (details supplied) whose One Parent Family Payment is due to cease on 24 August, 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24915/16]
View answerThe entitlement to a one-parent family payment (OFP) in the case of the person concerned ceased with effect from 25 August 2016 due to age related budgetary changes. Upon cessation of this payment a review of her family income supplement (FIS) entitlement was undertaken, and her FIS payment increased to €125 a week with effect from 25 August 2016.
The person concerned may also have an entitlement to a back to work family dividend (BTWFD) payment. An application form for a BTWFD has been posted to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
703. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been refused Disability Allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24918/16]
View answerDisability allowance (DA) is a means tested scheme and the way means are assessed is laid down in social welfare legislation. In summary, any income, with some exceptions, belonging to the person is assessable as means for DA purposes.
Where a person leaves his/her home on a temporary basis, or for an indefinite period as a result of old age or illness, the capital value of his/her home is not assessed as means unless it is put to profitable use.
The person concerned has rented out their property. Therefore, this property is subject to assessment as means, in accordance with the relevant legislation. The assessment is based on the estimated market value of the property less any outstanding mortgage.
The statutory formula for assessing means from capital for DA is as follows:
|
Capital |
Weekly means assessed |
|
First €50,000 |
Nil |
|
Next €10,000 |
€1 per €1,000 |
|
Next €10,000 |
€2 per €1,000 |
|
Balance (any capital over €70,000) |
€4 per €1,000 |
The rate of DA awarded to the person in question is correct and in accordance with the scheme rules.
704. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase Back to School Allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24960/16]
View answerThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The BSCFA is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but to provide assistance towards these costs. The Government has provided €38.8 million for the scheme in 2016.
The BSCFA rates are currently €100 for children aged 4-11 and €200 for children aged 12 -22 (children aged 18 years and over must be attending second level education to qualify). Changes to increase the rate of payment to any scheme administered by my Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
705. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase Back to Education Allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24961/16]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables social welfare customers in receipt of certain payments to pursue full-time education courses and to continue to receive income support in the form of an allowance. The BTEA is paid for the duration of the course of study, subject to the customer continuing to meet the conditions of the allowance and remaining eligible for a DSP payment. The allowance is paid weekly and replaces the customer’s qualifying payment. In general, most customers will also have certain registration and related college fees paid by SUSI.
The operation of the BTEA has been comprehensively revised over the past three years and I have no plans to further revise the current arrangements. Overall, the Deputy should note that some €144 million has been provided in 2016 to meet the cost of allowances paid by my Department. This represents a considerable investment in supporting some 18,000 customers in the past year to acquire the necessary education and skills to re-enter the labour market.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
708. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given further consideration to approving Child Benefit for students who are in full-time education even though they have reached 18 years of age, given that it is a very expensive time for parents and families when the students are coming up to the Leaving Certificate to withdraw this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25005/16]
View answerChild Benefit is currently paid to around 624,000 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure in the order of over €2 billion in 2016. Child Benefit is an important source of income for all families and in Budget 2016 the Government increased Child Benefit by €5 per month, at a cost of €72 million.
Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for Child Benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years.
The cost of extending child benefit to 18 year olds in second level education is estimated at €62.5 million. As Child Benefit is a universal payment, this proposal would not be targeted. Families on low incomes can avail of a number of provisions to social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- qualified child increases (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- family income supplement (FIS) for low-paid employees with children;
- the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families (paid at the full-time second level education rate).
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked with household income and thereby supports low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
Extending Child Benefit to students who are in full-time secondary education and who have reached 18 years of age would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
