Written Answers Nos. 127-139
127. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent to which it is possible to re-examine the possibility of providing assistance under the pyrite remediation scheme in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6629/17]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework within which the pyrite remediation scheme must operate. It is not a compensation scheme and section 14(8) of the Act specifically states that homeowners cannot seek the recoupment of costs associated with the remediation of a dwelling undertaken either prior to the commencement, or outside, of the scheme. This is in line with how similar Government schemes operate or have operated in the past, where prior approval is a key eligibility requirement for inclusion in a scheme.
The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress. The full conditions for eligibility are set out in the scheme, which is available on the Board’s website ( www.pyriteboard.ie). The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. It is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. In addition, applicants under the scheme must be able to demonstrate to the Board that they have no practicable options, other than under the scheme, to secure the remediation of their homes. I have no plans to amend the legislation in this regard.
129. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applicants in 2016 for carer's allowance, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance, invalidity pensions and illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6422/17]
View answer130. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications refused in 2016 for carer's allowance, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance, invalidity pensions and illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6423/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 130 together.
The table shows the number of applications received and the number of applications disallowed for carer's allowance (CA), disability allowance (DA), domiciliary care allowance (DCA), invalidity pensions (INVP) and illness benefit (IB) in 2016. The grounds for disallowing an application for one of these schemes include a failure to satisfy the statutory conditions regarding means, medical criteria, level of care provided or social insurance contributions (this latter only in the case of invalidity pension).
|
SCHEME |
RECEIVED |
DISALLOWED |
|
CA |
22,722 |
12,573 |
|
DA |
23,804 |
12,027 |
|
DCA |
7,434 |
1,683 |
|
IB |
209,685 |
46,118 |
|
INVP |
9,134 |
3,909 |
131. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications appealed on refusal in 2016 for carer's allowance, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance, invalidity pensions and illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6424/17]
View answer132. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications successfully appealed in 2016 for carer's allowance, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance, invalidity pensions and illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6425/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together.
The table provides the details which have been requested by the Deputy in relation to appeal receipts and successful appeal outcomes during 2016 for carer's allowance, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance, invalidity pension and illness benefit.
The number of carer’s allowance appeals received during 2016 (3,887) increased by 21.9% when compared with the equivalent figure for appeals relating to that scheme in 2015 (3,188). However, there was a downward trend in appeal receipts between 2015 and 2016 in all of the other schemes mentioned by the Deputy: 4,912 disability allowance appeals were received during 2016 compared with 6,435 received in 2015; 1,198 domiciliary care allowance appeals were received in 2016 (1,258 in 2015); 1,362 invalidity pension appeals were received in 2016 (1,857 in 2015); and 819 illness benefit appeals were received in 2016 (1,204 in 2015).
In terms of the outcome of the appeals in question which were determined during 2016, some 64.4% of Carer’s Allowance appeals had a favourable outcome i.e. were either allowed or partially allowed by an Appeals Officer, or revised in favour of the appellant by the Department’s Deciding Officer or Designated Person in light of the appeal contentions and evidence adduced in support of the appeal. Some 72.1% of disability allowance appeals determined during 2016 had a successful outcome; as had 80.5% of domiciliary care allowance appeals; 80.6% of invalidity pension appeals and 54.8% of illness benefit appeals determined during 2016.
There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was wrong.
Where new evidence is provided with an appeal, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the case in some 34.4% of the 8,967 appeals which had a favourable outcome in 2016 in respect of the above schemes. Where the decision is not revised in the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds. In addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may also influence the outcome of the appeal.
Appeals Received and Finalised 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2016
|
Scheme |
Appeals Received |
Appeals Finalised |
Favourable outcome |
Disallowed |
Withdrawn |
||
|
Revised Deciding Officer Decision |
Allowed by AO |
Partially Allowed by AO |
|||||
|
Carer’s Allowance |
3.887 |
3,624 |
815 |
1,375 |
145 |
1,237 |
52 |
|
Disability Allowance |
4,912 |
5,175 |
815 |
2,830 |
88 |
1,367 |
75 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
1,198 |
1,344 |
469 |
596 |
18 |
250 |
11 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,362 |
1,654 |
642 |
682 |
10 |
302 |
18 |
|
Illness Benefit |
819 |
880 |
341 |
136 |
5 |
168 |
230 |
133. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the outcome of his recent meeting with the UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; his main objectives ahead of the meeting and his views on the discussion concerning the continuation of the reciprocal rights that allow pensioners to claim the State benefit regardless of where they live in the two countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6426/17]
View answerI met with the UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Right Hon. Damian Green, M.P. on Thursday, 2nd February 2017 to discuss two main issues, namely:
1. Information exchange on the UK’s welfare reforms with regard to pensions, working age and also illness payments; and
2. The social protection implications of the vote by the UK to leave the EU.
Social security is, clearly, one of the major issues as part of the Brexit process as it impacts on the daily lives of people. My meeting with the Secretary of State was part of the wider engagement by Government with our fellow EU Member States including the UK. Ireland, of course, will negotiate as part of the EU 27, when the UK triggers Article 50 and will be working with the UK and our EU partners to deliver the best possible result.
At present, and as with all EU and EEA Member States and Switzerland, the UK is part of the EU Regulations that co-ordinate the social security entitlements of people who work, live and move within the EU. These co-ordinating regulations do not harmonise the social security system of Member States but, rather, support free movement throughout the EU/EEA by removing barriers to workers. These arrangements will continue to apply and entitlements will remain unchanged until such time as the UK leaves the EU.
Ireland also has a Bilateral Agreement with the UK on social security [S.I. No 701/2007 – Convention on Social Security between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]. This Agreement consolidated the terms of earlier agreements, modified them to take account of legislative changes in both countries and extended their scope to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
I emphasised to the Secretary of State that our long-term objective is to ensure that the reciprocity of civic rights and, specifically in the context of the meeting, social welfare rights and entitlements, which currently exist for Irish and UK citizens moving within Ireland and between Ireland and Britain under the Common Travel Area (CTA), are safeguarded and maintained. The meeting was very positive and constructive and it was agreed that officials from both Departments will work together and share information towards finding practical solutions.
134. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions he will take in response to the survey on income and living conditions 2015 figures released recently, specifically regarding the increase in consistent poverty among lone parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6427/17]
View answerThe latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2015 shows that the consistent poverty rate for lone parent households is 26.2%, up from 25% in 2014. The deprivation rate for lone parent households fell from 58.7% in 2014 to 57.9% in 2015. The at-risk-of-poverty rate for lone parent households is largely unchanged in 2015 at 36.2%, compared to 36.5% in 2014.
The full impact of the recovery is not reflected in these 2015 figures. Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth since then. Unemployment has fallen from 9.5% in mid-2015 to 7.1% now. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports continued to fall. The full impact of the reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) and the positive impact of recent Budgets on lone parents are also not reflected in these figures.
In Budget 2016 lone parents benefited from a number of measures including increases in child benefit, changes to the means test on the jobseeker’s transitional payment to align it with the more generous means test on the one-parent family payment, and increases in the family income supplement thresholds. In Budget 2017 all lone parents on OFP, the jobseeker’s transitional payment (JST) and jobseeker’s allowance (JA) will benefit from the €5 increase in the weekly rates of payment from March. A new €500 annual Cost of Education Allowance will be made available to Back to Education Allowance participants with children from the next academic year in September. In addition, the income disregards for OFP and JST have risen by €20 from January this year, from €90 to €110 per week, reversing in part previous reductions, to encourage one parent families to stay in, and return to, work. During that time the national minimum wage also increased from €8.65 to €9.25 per hour.
The improvement in the economy combined with these Budget measures is likely to have supported a reduction in poverty since the period in 2015 to which the SILC publication refers. This improvement is expected to continue with further rises in incomes and living standards.
The Department of Social Protection’s social impact assessment of Budget 2017 showed that average household incomes increase by 1%. Non-earning lone parents were the biggest beneficiary of Budget 2017 with gains of 4.5%. Working lone parents also experienced above average gains at almost 1.2%. This represents a cumulative increase across Budgets 2015, 2016 and 2017 of 4% or almost €27 per week for working lone parents and 6.9% or just over €24 per week for lone parents who are not working.
Initial indicative data from the latest Quarterly National Household Survey also shows that there has been a significant increase in the percentage of lone parents in employment in the year since the end of June 2016. This increase relates to all lone parents in the State and reflects the increase in economic and employment growth generally. The magnitude of the increase for lone parents specifically, however, is clearly significant and cannot be dismissed.
We know that social transfers are very effective in reducing poverty and that Eurostat data shows that Ireland performs well in this regard. But we also know that reducing poverty for lone parents is not just about income support. It is also about supporting lone parents to make the transition into employment and assisting these families through the provision of quality services in areas such as activation including education, training and employment supports, and childcare.
As part of the OFP reforms the Department has begun engaging with lone parents whose youngest child is seven years and older, on a proactive and supported basis. To date over 9,000 lone parents, of the 14,500 lone parents who are on the jobseeker’s transitional payment, have been selected for activation. This is a very significant step forward in addressing the poverty rates for these families. Over 6,000 of those 9,000 lone parents have already been selected for activation and have been case managed, are scheduled for an engagement or are awaiting an appointment time. The remaining 3,000 individuals have been fully case managed which means they have met with a case officer, have agreed a personal plan and are progressing with this plan which includes moving into education and training on foot of their engagement. It will take time to see the full impact of these activation engagements as it will take time for lone parents to complete the education, training or employment support programmes.
Continued economic recovery, together with the actions outlined above will support further reductions in poverty over the coming years. The independent review of the one-parent family payment reforms, once completed, will also assist with discussions in my Department on measures for lone parents in Budget 2018.
135. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions he will take in response to the survey on income and living conditions 2015 figures released recently, specifically regarding the working poor in view of the fact that over 100,000 persons are employed and living in poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6428/17]
View answerEurostat data, based on the latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2015, shows that Ireland has one of the lowest in-work poverty rates among the EU-28 member states. The EU average is 9.5%. Ireland ranks 4th lowest with a rate of 4.8%.
The full impact of the recovery is not reflected in these 2015 figures. Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth since then. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports has continued to fall.
With these improvements, the Government was in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases from 2016 onwards. Measures include increases in core weekly rates for working-age adults, child benefit, income disregards for lone parents, rent limits for housing support payments and new initiatives to make work pay, such as the Back to Work Family Dividend.
Income supports play an important role in addressing poverty. The Family Income Supplement (FIS) and Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) are important in-work supports for this group. FIS is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. It is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. The BTWFD is a targeted scheme designed to further improve the incentive to take-up employment or self-employment for welfare recipients with children. In 2015, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate for people of working-age from 35.3% to 18.2%. This equates to a poverty reduction effect of 52% in 2015.
Recent budgets have been forward looking, allocating limited resources in a prudent way, to make sure that everyone benefits from the recovery. The focus of these budgets has also been on the provision of services rather than simply on income supports (e.g. extension of the School Meals Scheme and the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme).
The Social Impact Assessment of Budgets 2016 and 2017 show average household incomes increasing by 1.6% (€14.30 per week) and 1% (€9.20 per week) respectively. They also provided greater rewards for working, with over 80% of the unemployed substantially better-off in work and almost 70% of the working population experiencing a reduction in their Marginal Effective Tax Rate.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, are likely to have supported a reduction in poverty since the period in 2015 to which the SILC publication refers. This improvement is expected to continue with further rises in incomes and living standards.
The Government’s strategy for addressing poverty and social exclusion is set out in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion. The Plan identifies a wide range of targeted actions and interventions to achieve the overall objective of reducing consistent poverty. The Department will review the Plan this year, as it reaches the end of its current term, with a view to developing an updated plan for future periods. The Department will also review the national social target for poverty reduction. This review will be undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
136. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions he will take in response to the survey on income and living conditions 2015 figures released recently, specifically the fact that 750,000 persons are living on a weekly income of less than €230; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6429/17]
View answerThe latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2015 shows that the at-risk-of-poverty threshold – 60% of the median income for all households – in 2015 was €230 per week for a single person, compared with €217 in 2014. This reflects the rise in real median disposable income of 6.2% in 2015, driven by employment growth and the safeguarding of social welfare payments.
The Government’s strategy for addressing poverty and social exclusion is set out in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion. The Plan identifies a wide range of targeted actions and interventions to achieve the overall objective of reducing consistent poverty. The Department will review the Plan this year, as it reaches the end of its current term, with a view to developing an updated plan for future periods. The Department will also review the national social target for poverty reduction. This review will be undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Income supports will continue to play an important role in addressing social exclusion and income inequality. During 2017, more than 840,000 people will benefit from the first increase in weekly payments for working-age adults since 2009. Using Eurostat data for 2015, social transfers (excluding pensions) reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate in Ireland from 36.2% to 16.3%, thereby lifting a fifth of the population out of income poverty. This represents a poverty reduction effect at 55%, far in excess of the EU norm of 33.5%. Ireland is the best performing EU member state in reducing poverty through social transfers.
Income support is only one aspect of the whole-of-government policy response to addressing poverty. The other components are inclusive labour markets and access to quality services. Growing employment and providing access to the labour market is important for tackling poverty, particularly in welfare-dependent households. The Pathways to Work 2016 - 2020 Strategy focuses on ensuring jobseekers can access good quality work, training and education opportunities. It continues to prioritise the activation of the long-term and young unemployed people, with supports provided through the network of Intreo offices.
Recent budgets have been forward looking, allocating limited resources in a prudent way, to make sure that everyone benefits from the recovery. The focus of these budgets has also been on the provision of services rather than simply on income supports (e.g. extension of the School Meals Scheme and the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme).
More broadly, the updated National Action Plan for Social Inclusion reflects the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. The policy goals include a focus on early childhood development, youth exclusion, access to the labour market including measures for people with disabilities, migrant integration, social housing and affordable energy.
137. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the stage the report on the impact of Government reforms to the one-parent family payment is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6432/17]
View answerDuring the debate on the Social Welfare (SW) Bill 2016, I agreed that my Department would commission an independent report on the OFP reforms to examine the financial and social effects of the amendments to the scheme made since 1 January 2012, taking into account the poverty rates and welfare dependency of those impacted by the reforms. This is now in legislation. I am committed to producing the report as quickly as possible, and no later than August 2017 so that it can inform Budget 2018 discussions.
Under procurement rules it is not yet possible to provide further information on the nature of the report. However, I can confirm that my Department has already liaised with the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) on the most efficient way forward. On their advice an outline of the Request for Tender (RFT) was issued in December 2016 to potential providers seeking expressions of interest by 11th January 2017. The responses received confirmed that the RFT can issue under an existing OGP framework which is the most efficient way of procuring this evaluation.
The drafting of the RFT is well underway within my Department. It is critical that the RFT fully reflects the nature and scope of the report required and so it is important to dedicate the necessary time and effort to this step. This is to ensure that the resultant tenders are of a high quality and that the end result is an effective and comprehensive evaluation. My Departmental officials met with officials of the OGP on 6th February 2017 to discuss further the RFT and the procurement process. Once the RFT is finalised it will be issued by the OGP to relevant providers under their framework for response.
The timeframe for this report is ambitious but my Department is making every effort to progress this quickly taking account of the procurement rules.
138. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the stage the report on the impact of reduced jobseeker's allowance for under 26s is at; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6433/17]
View answerThe CSO’s latest monthly unemployment figures report that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for persons aged 15-24 years (youth unemployment rate) was 13.5% in January 2017, a decrease from 14.4% in December 2016. This is a significant decrease of almost 5 percentage points, from 18.1%, in the past 12 months. The overall unemployment rate has fallen by 1.4 percentage points from 8.5% in January 2016 to 7.1% in January 2017.
Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 and were further extended in subsequent budgets to apply to jobseekers under 26 years of age.
These measures were introduced as they were considered to prevent young people from entering welfare dependency by providing young jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training or to take up employment. Should a young jobseeker on a reduced jobseeker’s allowance payment participate on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160. This rate will be further increased to €193 per week from September 2017.
The review of jobseeker’s allowance rates for young persons under 26 years of age will examine the effectiveness of the reduced rates in encouraging young jobseekers to avail of education, training, employment programmes and opportunities. As part of a wider effort to encourage and promote research based on the Department’s administrative data, researchers from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth have been provided with data on all JA claims since 2007 for persons aged under 28 years. They intend looking specifically at the impact of changes in rates on the duration of young people’s claims and on their subsequent employment experience after exiting from unemployment. Some preliminary analysis has been done and work is ongoing. I hope that this review will be completed in the coming months, subject to the necessary data being available and the required level of analysis involved being completed.
I am committed to ensuring my Department identifies effective measures to incentivise and support young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. The best way to do this is through engagement processes and by incentivising them to avail of educational and training opportunities, thereby enhancing their employment prospects.
139. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a person’s (details supplied) application for back to work allowance; and when they can expect a decision on their case. [6435/17]
View answerA copy of the decision, and reason for same, in respect of the back to work allowance application made by the person concerned was issued to him by post on 31st January 2017.
He has since been in contact with his case officer who will continue to work with him in relation to possible options.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
