Written Answers Nos. 86-109
86. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31047/16]
View answerThe lady referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 28 July 2016. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 03 November 2016. Any arrears due from 28 July 2016 to 2 November 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 17 October 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when jobseeker's allowance will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31048/16]
View answerThe Jobseeker’s Allowance payment of the person concerned has been restored. Payment for the period 14/09/2016 to 18/10/2016 was available for collection on 18/10/2016.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
88. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if he will resolve this case where an Irish citizen, who is now living abroad, cannot access social welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31055/16]
View answerIn order to qualify for disability allowance (DA), a person must be aged between 16 and 66, satisfy a medical and means test and be habitually resident in the state. I confirm that this lady was in receipt of DA from 2 November 2005. Payment ceased with effect from 13 April 2015 when she notified the Department of her intention to live abroad.
Her entitlement to social protection while resident in another EU State is a matter for the authorities in that State to determine.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
89. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a back to education application was not processed for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31063/16]
View answerThe person concerned made a claim to illness benefit from 5 Aug 2016. Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. One of the conditions is that a person have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the tax year governing the claim. Claims made in 2016 are governed by the 2014 tax year. According to my Department’s records the person concerned has no reckonable contributions in 2014 and, therefore, they do not qualify for payment of illness benefit at this time.
The back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for people who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments for a specified period and who wish to pursue second or third level courses of education.
To qualify for BTEA illness benefit customers must be getting their payment for two years or more. A combination of illness benefit and another qualifying payment may be used to satisfy the two years rule. One year, however, must be in respect of illness benefit.
The person concerned made an application to participate in the BTEA scheme which was refused on the grounds that they were not in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment for the required two years.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
90. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the expansion of the rural social scheme following budget 2017; the way the extra places will be spread throughout the country; when this will take place; the funding that is being put forward for the scheme in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31068/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. The Government, as part of the budget package for 2017, announced 500 additional places on the scheme which will increase the overall number to 3,100.
My Department intends allocating these places as soon as possible taking into account many factors including existing places, demand for places in particular areas, work opportunities available in local areas and the number of farmers in receipt of income support.
The budget allocated to the RSS in 2016 is €44.3m. The level of funding allocated to the RSS for 2017 is expected to be in the region of €47.5m. In allocating the additional places, the Government recognises the valuable contribution the RSS is making to the provision of services to communities across Ireland.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
91. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of his Department's plans for the Tús scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31070/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of Tús is to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than one year. It helps to break the cycle of unemployment and improves a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. My Department is also conscious of the valuable contribution the scheme is making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
Tús was introduced as a direct response to the growth in the level of unemployment during the financial crisis. With the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, issues such as the appropriate level of expenditure, the number of places and the criteria for participation on employment schemes, including CE and Tús, are all being considered. I hope to be in a position to bring a Memo to Government by the end of the year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
92. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reinstate a jobseeker's allowance payment in respect of a person (details supplied). [31076/16]
View answerThe jobseekers allowance payment of the person concerned has been reinstated following the submission of additional information by her in relation to her claim.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
93. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been denied an opportunity to enhance their employability through a master's degree, by the rejection of an application for back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31097/16]
View answerThe person concerned applied for a payment under the back to education scheme for a postgraduate course (a Master of Education – Level 9) on 19 May 2016 for the 2016/2017 academic year. As this person already holds a post graduate qualification (a Higher Diploma in Further Education), the application was refused on the basis that a person who holds a Higher Diploma cannot pursue a Masters qualification under this scheme. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
94. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide further details on the additional €2 million allocated in budget 2017 to pre-activation supports for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31115/16]
View answerThe objective of the pre-activation support programme for people with disabilities, announced in Budget 2017, will be to bring participants with a disability, who are not work ready, nearer to the labour market through engagement in training and personal development activities. It is anticipated that the focus of such a programme will be on young people with disabilities and will be designed to assist in their transition from school to further education and employment. The processes required for the operation of this programme are currently being worked out and the details in this regard will be announced in due course.
95. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will acknowledge the work that has been completed by the local boards of citizens information and MABS, Money Advice and Budgeting Service, and that their input has contributed significantly to the success of these organisations; his plans to enhance their continued input at the local board level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31182/16]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for providing information, advice (including money and budgeting advice service) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers on this remit through a network of delivery partners which includes 51 local Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) and 42 local Citizens Information Services (CIS). In 2016, CIB has a budget allocation of €50m from the Department of Social Protection, of which €20.6m is allocated to MABS and €14.8m is allocated to CIS.
I want to reassure the Deputy that the Government is committed to maintaining and, where appropriate, strengthening the local services delivered by the CIS and MABS. I acknowledge the cooperation of MABS in implementing the recently extended range of supports and services available to borrowers in serious mortgage arrears under a series of Government initiatives, most recently through ABHAILE, the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service. Similarly, I want to acknowledge the developments on the CIS side in relation to advocacy. These MABS and CIS developments are funded and supported by my Department, including through the provision of additional staffing and other resources where required. This demonstrates my ongoing support for MABS and CIS, and my commitment to investment in local, enhanced service availability for citizens.
While local CIS and MABS services are well regarded in their respective communities, particularly by those who need and use their services, there is nonetheless a need to streamline and improve the governance arrangements for this large number of companies, which will include a reduction in the overall number of Boards of Management. The existing structure comprises 93 independent local companies (51 MABS and 42 CISs), under the remit of CIB, each with separate voluntary Boards of Management, comprising an average of 9.2 members serving. This results in a governance structure of over 850 people, with 93 companies operating individual administration systems and processes, such as payroll and financial systems. There is a significant administrative and resource effort required to continue to support such a model, and opportunities for greater efficiencies in the use of public funds and staff resources exist, including the delivery of enhancing frontline services for citizens.
An independent report in 2014, followed by consultation with the services and work by a design group resulted in a restructuring proposal for a regional model for MABS, reducing the number of companies from fifty one to six, and for CIS, reducing the number of companies from forty two to six. The proposal has recently been considered by the Board of CIB which has decided to establish a Restructuring Sub Committee comprising a number of CIB Board members, a number of staff of CIB, and representatives of the service delivery partners CIS and MABS, to develop an optimal regional structure for the network of companies together with an implementation plan. The Sub Committee is due to report back to the Board of CIB in early 2017.
I can assure the Deputy that, irrespective of the regional structure chosen, there will be no diminution of locally provided services to the public, no closure of service locations, and no staff redundancies. In fact, the aim of this Board restructuring is to ensure that any efficiencies and savings achieved in governance arrangements can be used to expand and enhance local service delivery.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
96. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of illegal Irish immigrants in the US; if discussions have taken place with the US authorities in regard to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31130/16]
View answerAchieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US and agreement on a facility for future legal migration between Ireland and the US remain key objectives for the Government. Our Embassy in Washington and Consulates elsewhere in the US are very active in advocating for immigration reform, while the issue is also regularly addressed in high level political contacts between Ireland and the US Government.
The Taoiseach discussed the prospects for immigration reform with Vice President Biden during his visit to Ireland in July. While in Washington for St. Patrick’s Day, the Taoiseach and I met President Obama, Vice President Biden, Speaker Ryan, Senator Chuck Schumer and other key Congressional contacts from both sides of the aisle. During these meetings we emphasised the plight of the undocumented Irish in the US and encouraged both Houses of Congress to work on a bipartisan basis towards a comprehensive package of immigration reform measures.
I also availed of my visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly last month to meet Irish community leaders in the United States, to discuss with them the prospects for achieving immigration reform and to reassure them of the Government’s commitment to the issue. In addition, Minister of State McHugh met representatives of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, representing a broad group of Irish centres across the United States, in New York on 20 September. That meeting was also attended by Senator Billy Lawless of Seanad Éireann.
The Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our Embassy in Washington continue to work closely with Irish American community leaders in actively pursuing all viable opportunities to advance immigration reform. While there is little prospect of comprehensive reform being achieved within the lifetime of the current Congress, our Ambassador and Embassy staff are working with their contacts on both sides of the political aisle to prepare the basis for a renewed initiative once a new Administration and Congress have been established in Washington DC.
97. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a map outlining the geographic extent of the region described as the Gort Lowlands by the OPW recently. [31030/16]
View answer98. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent of the funding being provided to Galway County Council to facilitate it in becoming the lead agency in the delivery of flood relief solutions for the Gort Lowlands. [31031/16]
View answer99. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to ensure that a sufficient level of engagement occurs between the team of engineers and the local community for his approval of the establishment of a team of engineers to deliver flood relief solutions to the Gort Lowlands. [31033/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 97 to 99, inclusive, together.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) and Galway County Council (GCC) have been working together in relation to the flooding issues in South Galway, which incorporates the Gort Lowlands, and on how best to advance a possible flood relief scheme for the area. GCC wrote to the OPW in September 2016 setting out its proposals in this regard. The OPW, in reply, confirmed its agreement in principle to the advancement of a potential scheme for South Galway and to provide any technical assistance that the Council may require as the Council will be the Contracting Authority in this case.
Specific funding arrangements have not been set out as it is too early in the process. Once the tendering process for the required consultants has been completed the Council will revert to the OPW in relation to specific funding requests before entering into any contractual agreements. If approved, funding will be provided to the Council for the appointment of the consultants to examine options and develop potential solutions to deal with the problem and to undertake any surveys which may be required. Due to the particular geological and ecological characteristics of the area, the development of a possible scheme will be more complex than is normally the case with a flood relief scheme. The study area has yet to be defined and agreed and so a map of the area cannot be provided at this time. The Council will prepare a map outlining the extent of the study area as part of the procurement process for consultants. Subject to a viable scheme emerging which is both cost beneficial and environmentally acceptable and which meets with general public acceptance, the Council may request confirmation of funding arrangements from OPW to undertake its construction.
As part of the investigation into the problem there will be significant consultation with statutory bodies and the general public during the course of the scheme development where input and knowledge from the local community will be considered very important. If a viable solution emerges it will have to be brought forward through planning either under the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Acts or the Planning and Development Regulations at which stage the public will have every opportunity to make further submissions on the proposals.
100. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to ensure that the OPW's social media page (details supplied) last updated in 2013 and will become an effective tool for communicating with communities which have been affected by flooding. [31046/16]
View answerI am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the social media page referred to in the Question was not created and is not operated by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The OPW communicates with the public, including those affected by flooding, through various fora, including through its websites www.opw.ie, www.flooding.ie, www.waterlevel.ie, www.floodmaps.ie and through Twitter and public notices, and publications.
101. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the contract for the construction of a coastguard station was terminated at Greystones, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31057/16]
View answer102. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW supplies funding for projects such as the construction of a coastguard station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31058/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
The Coast Guard is a Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) and is responsible for the coordination of maritime search and rescue in Ireland including oversight and the funding of all Coast Guard projects. OPW manages projects for the delivery of Coast Guard buildings on behalf of the Department and the Coast Guard Service.
On 20th September the Department and the Coast Guard Service decided that the project could not be funded at the level of cost within the tenders received. The OPW have been asked to advise on more affordable alternatives.
103. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 885 of 16 September 2016, the reason he has no plans to review the spouse's and children's payment scheme; and if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the scheme as it stands, including its mandatory nature regardless of marital status. [31061/16]
View answerThe public service operates a Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension Scheme. This provides benefits to Spouses or Children of deceased members. In summary, when a member dies after retirement, a spouse's pension of one-half of the former member's pension is payable. Dependent children are also entitled to a child's pension of one-third of the spouse's pension for each of the first three eligible children.
The original pre 1984 scheme did not allow for the payment of a pension to a spouse who married or had children post retirement. Thus, the scheme allowed a refund of contributions if the individual had not been married up to the point of retirement.
In 1984, a revised Scheme which extended eligibility for benefits to spouses who married or had children after retirement was introduced and members of the original scheme and certain retirees were given the option of transferring to the revised Scheme.
One of the benefits of the Revised Scheme was that the spouse of a post retirement marriage was eligible for a spouse's pension. The disadvantage of the Scheme was that there was no facility for repayment of contributions on retirement if the individual concerned did not have a spouse and would not therefore be in a position to avail of any benefit under the Scheme.
For members who remained in the original Scheme there was an entitlement to claim a refund of contributions in the event that the member remained unmarried at the date of retirement. Many members of the scheme availed of this option and received a refund.
Members of the Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension Scheme regardless of their marital status i.e. persons in civil partnerships or those in opposite or same sex marriages are not discriminated under any aspect of the public service pension schemes.
Public service spouses' and children's schemes are structured on a group insurance basis and the member contribution rates take account of the fact that payment of benefits will not arise in respect of all members. On that basis I have no plans to review the scheme at present.
104. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 26 May 2016, if he will arrange for the OPW to reassess a river (details supplied) in County Donegal, in view of the fact that the local authority has stated the river is not under its remit; if there is any support available from his Department to assist private landowners should the OPW or the local authority not take responsibility for the river; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31077/16]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has maintenance responsibility only for those Catchment Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief Schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.
The River Bulba, Co. Donegal does not form part of an arterial drainage scheme under the auspices of this Office and as such we have no responsibility for its maintenance.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, are published on the OPW website at http://www.opw.ie. It is open to Kerry County Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the overall availability of resources for flood risk management and the scheme's eligibility criteria, available on the OPW website.
105. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he remains satisfied that public expenditure projections remain on course and are likely to remain on course throughout the current year; the specific areas of a vital infrastructural nature which might require extra expenditure; if such expenditure remains possible while maintaining prudent management principles and objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31169/16]
View answer106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which the economy continues to benefit from public sector and general reform over the past number of years; if he expects the benefits from such reforms to continue to accrue into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31170/16]
View answer107. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he continues to take account of and have regard for the impact of wage restraints and cost cutting throughout the public sector with particular reference to the impact on individual public service at all levels in view of the impact of the ongoing economic situation; if he envisages any particular areas that might offer some relief in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31171/16]
View answer108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will identify the most effective policies pursued by his Department over the past five years in terms of addressing the economic needs of the country with a view to identifying the most likely and effective strategy to be followed in terms of public expenditure and reform for the future and the future economic needs of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31172/16]
View answer109. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the budget for each Department to meet its requirements over the next 12 months; if any particular measures are required to address specific issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31173/16]
View answer111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which reform, as a component in economic strategy, continues to achieve savings in line with projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31175/16]
View answer112. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which ongoing analysis takes place throughout each Department and its subsidiary bodies to identify where any adjustments might be possible to encourage economic growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31176/16]
View answer113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects to be in a position in the course of the next year to address increased expenditure requirements where infrastructural deficits have been identified which might require capital expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31177/16]
View answer114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects to be in a position to reward or incentivise Departments or authorities, State or semi-State bodies that have achieved particularly satisfactory results over the past four years to date in respect of targets set to achieve savings or cuts in public expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31178/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 105 to 109, inclusive, and 111 to 114, inclusive, together.
Reviewing voted expenditure for the current year, gross voted expenditure of €39,836 million to end-September was €439 million (1.1%) below profile, with gross voted current expenditure €364 million (1.0%) below profile and gross voted capital expenditure €76 million (3.4%) below profile. In relation to specific areas of an infrastructural nature which might require extra expenditure, as set out in the Expenditure Report 2017, it is estimated that an additional €200 million of capital funding will be required for necessary repair work to transport infrastructure arising from flood damage at the start of the year and for expenditure arising from the rescheduling of school building works. This was signalled in the Mid-Year Expenditure Report in July and the inclusion of this capital expenditure in the revised expenditure ceiling for 2016 was set out in the Expenditure Report published last week.
Over the last number of years, my Department had a key role in ensuring Ireland met or exceeded its key fiscal targets in each year of the EU/IMF programme of financial support resulting in a successful exit from the programme in December 2013 and from the Excessive Deficit Procedure at the end of 2015. Sustainable public finances will remain essential for continued economic and social progress. The reformed Stability and Growth Pact will also be an important aspect of budgetary planning in the future, ensuring a closer alignment of expenditure growth with the medium-term potential growth rate of the economy.
There is an ongoing requirement to implement reforms that improve how public services are delivered, and that achieve savings which can be reinvested in frontline services. The Public Service has delivered significant productivity gains and service improvements over the last number of years, as set out in the Annual Progress Report on the Public Service Reform Plan (published April 2016). We must build on this progress, and it is essential that targeted recruitment and investment in public services is done in tandem with further public service reform measures. This includes, for example, more digital delivery of services, improved customer service and business processes, and greater use of shared services. When Departments identify savings arising from such reform measures, such savings are in general made available to Departments to reinvest in the delivery of services. It is also very important to ensure that the public service workforce operates in a manner which maximises the positive impact on public service provision of the increased numbers announced in the Estimates for 2017.
In my Statement on the Expenditure Estimates on Budget day I announced that a spending review will take place in advance of Budget 2018. It is anticipated that this review will provide more policy options on a number of Government priorities. As set out in the Expenditure Report 2017, between 2014 and 2017, gross voted expenditure is forecast to grow by 9%. This is in comparison to three year expenditure growth figures of between 26% and 57% experienced in the 1999 to 2008 period. A return to such unsustainable levels of increase is not possible. Therefore, with an ongoing requirement for cost restraint, the systematic examination of baseline expenditure is required to ensure that resources are directed towards emerging and agreed public service priorities.
Policy decisions for a wide variety of expenditure items are informed by an ongoing level of analysis. An example of this is the work carried out by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). Several policy papers were published alongside Budget 2017 and are available on the Budget.gov.ie website. Furthermore, a review of the Capital Plan will take place in 2017. While the final details of the process for the review are currently being put in place, previously this type of process has involved rigorous analysis, both internally in my Department as well as in other Government Departments, on how best to allocate our scarce capital resources in order to achieve the best value for money while also meeting the Government's priorities for economic and social progress. As set out in the Mid-year Expenditure Report, the Government is committed to investing a further €5.14 billion in the period 2017 to 2021, over and above the amounts included in the Capital Plan published in September last year. The first part of this additional amount is reflected in the allocations for 2017 set out in the Budget Estimates.
Regarding the issue of Departmental allocations being sufficient, Budget 2017 represents the third consecutive year in which the Government was in a position to allocate additional resources to public spending. Gross voted expenditure in 2017 is to increase by €1.9 billion compared to 2016. As well as including €0.9 billion for various expenditure pre-commitments such as demographic related costs and the Lansdowne Road Agreement, there was €1 billion allocated for additional measures including: additional staffing in Health, Justice and Education; progressing the Action Plan for Housing in 2017; the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme; and a number of increases to Social Welfare rates.
The Deputy will appreciate, in light of the foregoing, that a series of important measures are in place or being planned in order to ensure that, for the future, that is an intensified ongoing focus on the totality of resources allocated to current and capital public spending, rather than on the proportionately small volume of additional new resources available for funding service developments announced at budget time.
