Written Answers Nos. 307-326
307. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will liaise with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to examine the supports for working artists in the social protection system; and if the Government will relax activation rules for working artists to allow them to support themselves as they produce the art and cultural pieces of which Ireland is rightly proud. [37065/16]
View answerThe jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseekers’ schemes of €2.8 billion.
It is accepted that periods of unemployment are a normal feature of the acting and artistic professions and people in these professions can qualify for a jobseeker’s payment when they are unemployed. Jobseeker’s payments compensate for periods of involuntary unemployment only and it is not the function of my Department to provide income support through the jobseeker’s schemes to any group, including artists during periods of unemployment, which are voluntary.
For this reason, social welfare legislation provides that all jobseekers must satisfy certain qualifying conditions in order to be entitled to an unemployment payment including, being available for full-time work and be genuinely seeking work. All unemployed persons should avail of reasonable employment opportunities and artists are treated no differently to any other unemployed person.
The jobseeker’s allowance scheme can provide income support to artists. For instance artists including self-employed artists who satisfy the scheme’s conditionality and the means test can qualify for a jobseeker’s allowance payment. Artists who are working part time and are categorised as casual jobseeker’s allowance recipients or those who are self-employed and in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance are not currently activated by my Department.
I have had discussions with my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in relation to supports for working artists and on foot of these our respective officials are in further discussions. The Arts Council, of course, is the main mechanism, through which the Government directs funding to the arts and to artists and the 8% increase in its annual budget will allow the Council to enhance support to artists and arts organisations around the country on both a small and large scale, from locally-based groups to the Abbey Theatre.
It should be noted that in Budget 2017 funding increases across the arts and cultural bodies under the remit of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs were announced including:
- an extra €5m for the Arts Council - an 8% increase;
- €2m extra for the Film Board;
- an extra €1m for Culture Ireland;
- an additional allocation of €3.5m for the national cultural institutions; and
- a new funding stream of €5m for the implementation of a Culture 2025/Ireland 2016 Legacy Programme.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It also re-affirms the commitment of this Government to progressively increase funding for the arts as the economy improves, as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government. These increases will have a positive and distinct impact on arts and cultural provision around the country, especially for artists and other creative workers.
308. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will amend the back-to-education allowance to cover part-time education as those persons who are currently receiving jobseeker's allowance or benefit and wish to study part-time courses in a specific subject due to the unavailability of full-time courses within a reasonable travel distance do not receive adequate support (details supplied). [37525/16]
View answerThe objective of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is to assist those who are distant from the labour market acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system. The BTEA scheme is aligned with the student support schemes under the Department of Education and Skills. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education. In general, most BTEA customers pursuing full-time course will also have certain registration and related college fees paid by SUSI.
The Part-Time Education Option (PTEO) allows a jobseeker to retain their Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit and attend a part-time day or evening course of education or training. The participant must continue to meet the conditions for Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit. This means that they must be able to show they are actively looking for and willing to take up work and that the course is likely to improve their chances of getting employment. If work is offered while on the course they will be expected to accept the job offer.
The Department of Social Protection does not pay any course fees or relocation costs for full-time or part-time studies.
One of the measures announced in Budget 2017 is a new €500 annual Cost of Education Allowance to be made available to full time Back to Education Allowance participants with children. This allowance will incentivise people with children to participate in full time second and third level education and is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to support low-income families. This will be payable for the 2017/2018 academic year.
309. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36851/16]
View answerCarer’s allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned since 13 May 2010 in respect of one care recipient.
I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from him on the 15 September 2016 in respect of a 2nd care recipient resident at a different location from the first.
The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 12 November 2016 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance 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.
310. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a claim for invalidity pension will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied). [36872/16]
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 lady concerned on 12 April 2016. In order to establish medical suitability, forms for completion issued to her on 18 April 2016. Despite the issue of reminders, the completed medical forms were not returned to the department until 14 October 2016.
Following consideration of all the available evidence, the lady concerned has been refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on the 24 November 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.
311. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he plans to address the cost of disability in view of research released by his Department which indicates that persons with disabilities face higher deprivation rates and consistent poverty than the general population, and associated with this, that they and their children are more at risk of experiencing multiple quality of life challenges than any other social group here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36874/16]
View answerI presume that the Deputy is referring to a recently published research briefing entitled “Social Risk and Social Class Patterns in Poverty and Quality of Life in Ireland, 2004 – 2013” that summarises the findings from a report examining poverty and deprivation trends over the ten-year period 2004 to 2013 for such groups as lone parents, people with a disability and children. The report is an output of the Department of Social Protection’s and the Economic and Social Research Institute’s research programme on monitoring poverty trends.
The briefing states that comprehensive measures such as adequate income support, inclusive labour markets and access to quality services are needed to address the complexity of the challenges facing such vulnerable groups. It adds that previous research has shown that social transfers are effective at reducing poverty in Ireland and that there may be limited scope for further improvement in this area. The briefing does not propose the introduction of a cost of disability or identify it as a measure to address consistent poverty. Rather, the briefing identifies the need for broader integrated actions and interventions such as those outlined in the updated National Action Plan for Social Inclusion.
The primary role of the social protection system centres on providing income support and assistance with taking up employment where this is appropriate; it is not the function of the income support system to address the additional costs associated with a disability. Accordingly, I have no plans to establish a cost of disability payment within the social protection system.
In any event, people with disabilities are not a homogeneous group and as such would have widely differing needs with the result that the extra costs of disability would not therefore arise to the same extent in all cases. There is no single comprehensive payment available in respect of the additional costs of disability. However, some of these additional costs are addressed across schemes provided by a number of agencies such as the health service and also the Revenue Commissioners through certain tax reliefs and other supports.
I hope that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
312. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application by a school (details supplied) under the schools meals programme has been received; when a decision will be made on this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36893/16]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of €42 million in 2016.
As part of Budget 2017, I announced an additional €5.7 million for school meals which will benefit over 50,000 children providing breakfasts and lunches. Of these, some 35,000 extra breakfasts will be provided in non-DEIS schools from September 2017 and will be expanded in future years. This is the first time in many years that increased payments will be provided to schools outside of DEIS.
The school referred to by the Deputy, made an application for school meals funding on 16 November 2016. As the school is not a DEIS school it cannot be considered for funding for the current academic year.
Officials in my Department are engaging with colleagues in the Department of Education and Skills in examining options regarding the provision of the additional funding to schools for the next school year. Priority will be provided to those schools where there is most need.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
313. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if the terms and conditions for new rural social scheme participants under the expanded scheme will be the same as on the existing scheme; if it is intended to pay the full-rate rural social scheme payment to all participants as pertained up to the period of the last Government; if it is intended to introduce a cap on the years a participant can partake in the scheme; if so, the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36899/16]
View answer338. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to change the eligibility criteria for the rural social scheme, including the length of time a person is allowed to be on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37440/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 338 together.
The RSS provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen and women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Deputies on all sides of the House are fully aware of the positive benefits derived from schemes like the Rural Social Scheme. While communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen, participants also have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing valuable work in their local communities. Community groups have benefitted from the many projects undertaken through the scheme with minimal cost to the Exchequer. The scheme has also played an important role in sustaining rural communities.
As part of the social welfare budget package for 2017, I announced an increase of €5 a week in the personal rate of payment for rural social scheme (RSS) participants from March 2017. I also announced an additional 500 places on the scheme to be rolled out in 2017. This will increase the overall number of places to 3,100. My Department intends allocating these places as early as possible in 2017, taking into account a number of factors. These include the number of places already allocated, the demand for places in particular areas, work opportunities available and the numbers of farmers and fishermen and women in receipt of income support.
Eligibility for participation on the scheme will continue to remain limited to those in receipt of certain specified social welfare payments and all participants must be also actively engaged in farming or fishing. In future, all new entrants to the RSS will have to be over 25 years of age and, in addition, a 6 year overall participation limit will be introduced on the scheme. This will ensure that there will be a throughput of places available and that younger people will have an opportunity to explore other training or education options before a long term work programme. Almost 50% of the current participants have been on the RSS for over 10 years.
It is proposed to allow the existing cohort of RSS participants to remain on the scheme as long as they continue to satisfy the eligibility conditions of the scheme and the new conditions outlined above will only apply to new RSS entrants.
The rate of RSS payment is currently linked to the participant’s primary social protection payment with a minimum weekly rate of €210.50 increasing to €215.50 from March 2017. Participants may receive extra allowances in respect of qualified adult dependent and qualified child dependents. It is proposed to continue to pay RSS participants in this manner.
314. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the delay in payment of disability allowance to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36935/16]
View answerThis man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 13 January 2016. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 14 December 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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
315. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection when documentation with regard to a carer’s allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) will be sent to the appeals section for consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36942/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 July 2016.
The application was refused on the grounds that the person concerned was not providing full-time care and attention as required.
She was notified on 10 October 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned has appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
All the necessary papers have been submitted to the SWAO for determination on 25 November 2016. The SWAO will be in touch with her in relation to the progress of the appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
316. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of payments issued through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, broken down between exceptional needs payment and urgent needs payment, and further broken down into the payments by each office which issued the payments in each of the years since 2008. [36943/16]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
The Government has provided €30.3 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2016. SWA legislation also provides for assistance in the form of an urgent needs payment (UNP) which can be made to persons who would not normally be entitled to SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or an alternative is not available at that time. The person may be required to pay the money back in respect of a UNP at a later date in certain circumstances.
Details of the number of payments under the ENP and UNP schemes for the years 2008 and to October 2016 are set out in table 1. While statistics are maintained relating to payments under the ENP and UNP schemes, they are not maintained on the number of payments made by each office. Details of the combined number of payments under the ENP and UNP schemes by county are provided for 2013 to date in 2016 in table 2. This detailed information is not available for 2008 to 2012.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1: Number of ENPs and UNPs from 2008 to end October 2016
|
Year |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 (Oct)* |
|
Exceptional Needs Payments |
259,338 |
235,877 |
217,100 |
225,026 |
196,193 |
132,630 |
106,911 |
95,868 |
73,328 |
|
Urgent Needs Payments |
532 |
810 |
900 |
594 |
644 |
360 |
228 |
344 |
207 |
Note: 2016 figures may be subject to change.
Table 2: Number of ENPs and UNPs by County from 2013 to end October 2016
|
County |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 (October)* |
|
Carlow |
1,889 |
1,249 |
1,130 |
890 |
|
Cavan |
1,056 |
786 |
620 |
479 |
|
Clare |
1,842 |
1,596 |
2,150 |
1,717 |
|
Cork |
10,315 |
9,693 |
8,943 |
8,528 |
|
Donegal |
1,786 |
1,549 |
1,580 |
1,278 |
|
Dublin |
60,091 |
46,651 |
37,776 |
25,118 |
|
Galway |
4,022 |
2,658 |
2,153 |
1,376 |
|
Kerry |
2,369 |
2,047 |
2,220 |
2,065 |
|
Kildare |
6,590 |
4,361 |
3,835 |
3,004 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,618 |
2,132 |
1,707 |
964 |
|
Laois |
2,648 |
3,396 |
3,344 |
2,905 |
|
Leitrim |
733 |
815 |
714 |
548 |
|
Limerick |
4,864 |
4,339 |
4,345 |
3,756 |
|
Longford |
1,021 |
1,099 |
1,048 |
991 |
|
Louth |
1,706 |
1,503 |
1,563 |
1,286 |
|
Mayo |
2,810 |
1,603 |
1,877 |
1,777 |
|
Meath |
4,055 |
3,125 |
2,800 |
2,332 |
|
Monaghan |
593 |
495 |
728 |
787 |
|
Offaly |
1,221 |
1,269 |
1,201 |
825 |
|
Roscommon |
1,504 |
843 |
833 |
586 |
|
Sligo |
1,797 |
1,494 |
1,751 |
1,800 |
|
Tipperary |
7,108 |
5,760 |
5,289 |
3,344 |
|
Waterford |
2,412 |
2,584 |
2,269 |
1,950 |
|
Westmeath |
2,128 |
2,239 |
2,453 |
2,315 |
|
Wexford |
2,192 |
1,309 |
859 |
643 |
|
Wicklow |
3,620 |
2,544 |
3,024 |
2,271 |
|
Total |
132,990 |
107,139 |
96,212 |
73,535 |
Note: 2016 figures may be subject to change.
317. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff from his Department currently seconded to other Departments or agencies in the Civil Cervice per annum from 2010 to date in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36971/16]
View answerThe number of staff from my Department currently seconded to other Departments or Agencies, including staff seconded to wholly funded state bodies delivering public services, each year from 2010 to date is outlined in the table:
|
Year |
Number of Officers seconded to other Depts. or Agencies |
|
2010 |
7 |
|
2011 |
13 |
|
2012 |
17 |
|
2013 |
17 |
|
2014 |
20 |
|
2015 |
21 |
|
2016 |
24 |
318. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff from his Department who have appealed against secondment per annum from 2010 to date in 2016, in tabular form; the appeals mechanism involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36987/16]
View answerI am not aware of any staff in my Department having appealed against secondment in the years 2010 to 2016.
319. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff from his Department currently seconded to a firm in the private sector per annum from 2010 to date in 2016, in tabular form; the details of the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37003/16]
View answerThere are no staff from my Department currently seconded to firms in the private sector.
320. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff from his Department currently seconded from a firm in the private sector per annum from 2010 to date in 2016, in tabular form; the details of the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37019/16]
View answerThere are no officers in my Department currently seconded from firms in the private sector.
321. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a review in respect of a person (details supplied) under the invalidity pension scheme. [37024/16]
View answerThe department received a claim for invalidity pension (IP) from the gentleman concerned on the 03 August 2016. He was refused IP on the grounds that, based upon the evidence supplied, the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. He was notified on the 17 October 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his rights of review and appeal.
He requested a review of this decision and submitted further medical evidence in support of his request. Following a review of all the information available it has been decided that there is no change to the original decision. He was notified on 25 November 2016 of the outcome of the review and of his right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
322. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to complaints from companies concerning the effectiveness of an online vacancy and job-matching service (details supplied), specifically the low number of applicants yielded from the advertisement of opportunities on the site; the process by which notifications of new vacancies are communicated to his Department's officials for the purpose of matching candidates to positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37036/16]
View answerJobsireland.ie is a free online jobs site that enables employers to post job opportunities and jobseekers to search and apply for these opportunities online. The new service has been available since 28th July 2016, replacing an older site that enabled jobseekers to search for job opportunities based on job type and location, but did not facilitate employers to search for suitable jobseekers on the site – they had to rely on candidates finding and applying for a job from among the many thousands hosted on the system.
Accordingly, the Department commissioned the development and implementation of a new service that would enable both employers and jobseekers to search for each other using competencies and skill sets as well as the traditional job-type classifications. As part of the new service, candidate profiles will be automatically matched to job specifications posted by employers with both candidate and the employer notified when a suitable match is found. Candidates can also use the site to apply for the jobs advertised. The system will also integrate with the Department of Social Protection’s Intreo service and will include other new features such as allowing jobseekers to post CVs and video profiles if they wish.
The service is being implemented on phased basis which means, unfortunately, that there is some service disruption while work is ongoing. There have also been some teething problems with the first phase implementation, but the Department is working with the supplier to resolve these and improve and add new functionality over the coming weeks and months.
A significant upgrade was implemented on the weekend of 26/27 November. This upgrade has resolved many of the teething issues and is now expected that service performance will improve markedly.
Employers or any person experiencing difficulties with the website can contact the Department’s National Contact Centre on 1890 800 024 for assistance. Additional resources have been assigned to expedite queries.
323. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection if the age limits for community employment schemes are currently being reviewed; if any decision has been taken, if a review is in place; and if a person (details supplied) will receive a reduction in payments if they have to give up their community employment scheme when they reach 59 years of age which is when the current community employment scheme finishes. [37047/16]
View answerMy Department provides a range of activation supports and programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. This includes programmes such as Community Employment (CE).
As the Deputy will be aware, CE schemes provide part-time temporary work in their local communities, including opportunities for training and development as a stepping-stone back to employment, for people in receipt of a range of social welfare payments, including those on a long-term jobseeker’s payment.
These schemes help to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. My Department is also conscious of the valuable contribution the schemes are making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
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, are all being considered. I hope to be in a position to bring a Memo to Government on these matters in the coming weeks. If there are any changes to be made to the CE scheme, consultations with stakeholders will be facilitated.
The CE participant referred to in your question commenced on Community Employment on the 20th September 2010. To date he is over 6 years on CE and his participation is due to finish on the 22nd September, 2017. At that stage he will have received his full CE participation eligibility of 7 years which is inclusive of the extra disability year. When he finishes his CE participation he will revert to his disability related payment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
324. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the pension scheme entitlements available to former residents of the Magdalen laundries; and if such payments impact on any other social protection payments, such as the fuel allowance or the household package. [37058/16]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection processes an ex-gratia payment/administrative scheme, under the recommendations of the Magdalen Commission Report of Mr Justice John Quirke, on behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality.
This scheme provides for payments equalling the maximum rate of State pension (contributory), currently set at €233.30 per week, to eligible customers aged over 66 years. For eligible customers who have yet to reach the pension age, a minimum payment of €100 per week applies. These payments are not payable in addition to existing welfare benefits but rather as a payment sufficient to top this up to the applicable rate. In calculating the payment due to a customer, secondary benefits payable by this Department are not taken into account.
In addition, regulations also provide that payments under the Magdalen Scheme will be disregarded for means purposes if the customer is being means tested for any welfare assistance payments and that also includes means tests for fuel allowance or household benefits in some instances.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
325. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the appropriate payment available to a person (details supplied) previously in receipt of the one-parent family allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37165/16]
View answerThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment at the maximum statutory rate for an adult and two qualifying children. The person concerned submitted medical certs but is not entitled to an illness benefit payment as he does not satisfy the qualifying criteria in the governing contribution year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
326. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in low paid employment can qualify for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37168/16]
View answerThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs of clothing and footwear when children start school each autumn. BSCFA payments have issued to over 150,000 families in 2016 at a cost of over €39 million.
A person may qualify for payment of BSCFA in respect of a qualified child if they are in receipt of a qualifying payment, or participating in an approved employment scheme, or attending a recognised education and training course, and have household income at or below certain set levels. BSCFA qualifying payments that support low income working families include family income supplement and the back to work family dividend.
Further information is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Back-to-School-Clothing-and-Footwear-Allowance.aspx
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
