Thursday, 16 Feb 2017

Carer's Allowance Payments

Questions (161)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

161. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which and when an overpayment occurred in respect of a person (details supplied) receiving carer's allowance. [7894/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Carer’s allowance (CA) was awarded to the person concerned from 5 August 1999 to provide full-time care and attention to her parents. She was awarded a reduced rate due to her husband’s earnings from employment. When her late father died in October 1999, her CA should have ceased as her means were in excess of the statutory limit for a person caring for one care recipient.

Due to a Departmental error, payment of CA continued. When it was realised that this had happened, her CA was stopped and a debt amounting to €3,638.64 was assessed against the person concerned in respect of overpayment of CA.

Due to budgetary changes, the person concerned requalified for CA from 5 April 2001 and deductions were made from her weekly payments and offset against her debt. In addition, a deduction was made from arrears of domiciliary care allowance which was recently awarded to her.

My Department has now re-examined this case and it has been decided that, because the person concerned could not reasonably have known that she was being overpaid after her father's death in 1999, the debt should now be cancelled.

Arrangements are being made to refund all monies deducted to date from her social welfare payments and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 162 withdrawn.

JobsIreland Service

Questions (163)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

163. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address the consistent lack of computer facilities for jobseekers in the Dún Laoghaire social welfare office (details supplied); the reason new computer facilities have yet to be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7900/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Intreo Centre in Dún Laoghaire assists jobseekers in their search for employment by providing a range of activation supports that can be accessed with the support and assistance of case officers.

The JobsIreland website is currently being re-developed and will enhance online job searching and matching. Once the re-development has been completed appropriate computer supports will be available for customers in the Intreo Centre. In the interim case officers have the facility to provide a comprehensive service to customers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Code

Questions (164)

Clare Daly

Question:

164. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reverse the 2012 change to widow's, widower's and surviving civil partner's contributory pension in order that persons in receipt of this payment may also receive illness benefit. [7919/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The social welfare system is primarily a contingency-based system, with entitlement based on a number of defined contingencies such as sickness, unemployment, old age or widowhood.

There are two basic principles which underpin the Irish social insurance system. Firstly there is the contributory principle. Under this principle there is a direct link between the PRSI contributions that a person has paid and entitlement to a varying range of benefits and pensions. Where a person has sufficient PRSI contributions, then benefits and pensions may be paid as of right, where a particular contingency arises and without a means test.

Secondly there is the solidarity principle. Under this principle the benefits and pensions that are paid are not directly related to the amount of PRSI contributions paid by insured persons. PRSI contribution income is instead redistributed to support contributors who are more vulnerable. In this regard, it should be noted that some PRSI contributors do not experience all of the contingencies during their life, or may not be in a position to benefit from one or more such payment. For example, one contributor may never require access to Invalidity Pension whereas it may be a crucial support for another. Similarly, there will be many contributors who will never require coverage for Maternity Benefit, but who nevertheless continue to be levied PRSI at the full rate during their working years.

In addition, there is a general principle of one person, one payment. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time. For example, an unemployed person may become sick. The general approach is that if a person experiences more than one of these contingencies at the same time, he or she can receive only one of those payments. This principle is common to social security systems across the world.

There were a limited number of exceptions in the social insurance system to the general principle of one person, one payment. These exceptions usually applied in the context of short-term benefits. For instance, recipients of One-Parent Family Payment, Widows and Widowers Pensioners etc. could, until recent years, also receive short-term social insurance benefits, such as Illness Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit at half-rate at the same time. These overlapping payment arrangements were introduced in the early 1950s when the social insurance system was first established, at a time when there were only 10 individual social welfare payments and when rates were significantly lower in real terms than they are now. The social welfare system has been significantly developed over the intervening period, with the result that the number of possible combinations of concurrent contingencies has increased greatly.

In the context of the difficult fiscal environment in recent years and the Government's commitment to maintain existing core rates of primary payments for social welfare recipients, the concurrent payment of half-rate Illness Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit in addition to One-Parent Family Payment, Widows and Widowers Pensions etc. was discontinued from January 2012.

It is realistic and prudent to maintain the underlying principle of entitlement to only one payment at any one time, i.e. one person, one payment. To do otherwise could potentially involve very significant and unsustainable additional expenditure in the long term.

Finally, it should be noted that the last Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund published in 2012 found that Fund has a strong redistributive nature. This is demonstrated by the fact that those on lower incomes fare considerably better than those on higher incomes and the Fund provides better value to female rather than male contributors.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Rent Supplement Scheme Applications

Questions (165)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if rent increase in line with notice from landlord can be approved in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7965/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The client concerned should provide the Department with an up-to-date Rent Supplement application form, lease agreement and 90 days written notice from her Landlord confirming any increase in their monthly rent. On receipt of same, the client's entitlement can be re-assessed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Questions (166)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

166. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when one parent family allowance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7974/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information provided by the Deputy is insufficient to correctly identify the customer in this case. The Deputy has provided the PPSN of the mother of the person. If the Deputy provides the PPSN of the person, the circumstances of the particular case can be examined. This can be sent to Philip in my office.

The objective of the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) is to assist those who are distant from the labour market to acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system. The BTEA, which is designed to support second chance education, 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.

A person wishing to pursue a course of study on the BTEA must be pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification and progressing in their level of education.

BTEA can be approved for a jobseeker who is aged at least 18 but under 21 years old provided that they have been out of formal education for at least 2 years prior to commencement of the proposed course of study. Periods spent on SOLAS/FÁS full-time training courses or Youthreach can count towards the relevant qualifying period and may be regarded as periods out of formal education.

The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education. The eligibility rules that govern the payment of a student maintenance grant are a matter for that Department.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Questions (176)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

176. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlement to jobseeker's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) after expiry of the person's entitlement to jobseeker's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7989/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The records of this Department are at variance with the details supplied for this question in relation to the address of the person concerned. The person concerned will be contacted and a review of the case of the person concerned will be undertaken.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Carer's Allowance Applications

Questions (177)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

177. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when carer's allowance will to be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7990/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on the 15 December 2016 for two care recipients.

The application is currently being processed for one care recipient and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. Additional information for the second care recipient has been requested. Once this information is received, the application for the second care recipient will be processed without delay.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 178 withdrawn.

Illness Benefit Payments

Questions (179)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

179. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in granting an illness benefit claim for a person (details supplied) who has been on sick leave since 28 November 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8008/17]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. These conditions have now been satisfied by the person concerned.

An application was received on 23 December 2016 but further information was required and requested from the person concerned. This has now been received and payment from 5 December 2016, the seventh day of incapacity, to 30 December 2016 the date of the latest evidence of work incapacity received, has gone into their bank account today, 16 February 2017.

If the person concerned remains incapable of work due to illness, further certificates in respect of work incapacity should be submitted so that payment can be continued.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Insurance

Questions (180)

Niall Collins

Question:

180. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending social protection supports to the self-employed and permitting such persons to opt into the existing class A structure, paying the rate corresponding to their income level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8027/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Government is committed to encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship. This includes enhancing the position of the self-employed through a supportive tax regime and, very importantly, improving the level of PRSI based benefits available to self-employed workers.

This has been one of my key priorities since becoming Minister in this Department. On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce important measures which will directly benefit the self-employed.

From March 2017, the self-employed will have access to the treatment benefit scheme which includes free eye and dental examinations, and contributions towards the cost of hearings aids. Treatment benefit entitlements will also be extended from October 2017 so as to provide further dental and optical benefits.

Even more significantly, self-employed contributors will be eligible for the Invalidity Pension from December 2017. The measure is expected to benefit approximately 1,400 people in 2017 at a cost of €1.5 million while the cost for 2018 will be a little over €23 million with 2,500 people benefitting from the scheme. For the first time, this will give the self-employed access to the safety net of State income supports if they become permanently incapable of work as a result of an illness or disability without having to go through a means test. This is a real advance in the level of cover available to the self-employed.

I plan to continue extending cover for the self-employed to other benefits on a phased basis in future Budgets. In 2017, my Department is examining the costs and financing of the extension of social insurance to cover new risks and contingencies, including developing proposals on a form of jobseeker’s benefit where a person's business fails or they can no longer continue working in their profession or trade. This examination will include the level of appropriate additional contribution required to fund additional benefits. The cost of extended social insurance cover for the self-employed will also be addressed in the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund as at 31 December 2015 which is currently underway. This report will be available later in 2017.