Written Answers Nos. 309-23
309. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the savings limit of €20,000 for a single person that is in receipt of the State pension non-contributory (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11463/17]
View answerIn assessing means for social assistance payments, account is taken of the income and the value of capital and property of the claimant.
Social welfare legislation provides that the yearly value of property (including capital) owned but not personally used or enjoyed is assessable for means testing purposes for social assistance payments. Such property includes all monies held in financial institutions or otherwise, the market value of shares and houses and premises owned by a claimant which may or may not be put to commercial use. However, it does not include property such as the family home or, for example, a premises used by the claimant in carrying out a business.
For assessment purposes, savings are assessed by reference to the following, as follows:
Capital – Assessment Formula
|
AMOUNT OF CAPITAL |
WEEKLY MEANS ASSESSED |
|
Up to €20,000 |
Nil |
|
€20,000 - €30,000 |
€1 per each €1,000 |
|
€30,000 - €40,000 |
€2 per each €1,000 |
|
Over €40,000 |
€4 per each €1,000 |
It should be noted that for the purposes of the State pension non-contributory, the amounts above are doubled in the case of a couple. In addition, the State Pension Non Contributory has a general means disregard of €30 per week.
This means that a single claimant of SPNC with no other income can have savings of €40,000 (which would result in a weekly means assessment from capital of €30) and this would have no impact on their SPNC payment. Similarly, a SPNC claimant who is one of a couple can have savings of €80,000 (and no other means) and the claimant would still receive the maximum weekly rate of SPNC. Note that each member of the couple is assessed with half of the total property and income of the couple.
Furthermore, no account is taken of interest or dividend payments received in the means assessment. The assessment formula reflects the fact that there is an expectation that persons with reasonable amounts of capital and property are in a position to use that capital or to realise the value of property to support themselves without having to rely solely on a means tested welfare payment.
If the threshold were to be increased, the people who would benefit would be those who had income or assets of varying levels and, accordingly, such claimants would be treated more favourably than claimants who had fewer or no personal resources. Any changes to the current arrangements would have to be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context.
310. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of community employment scheme projects for each of the years 2012 to 2016, by county, in tabular form; the total number of participants for each of the years 2012 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11477/17]
View answer311. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of projects supported through the community employment scheme which have been amalgamated for each of the years 2012 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11478/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 310 and 311 together.
The number of community employment (CE) scheme projects for each of the years 2012 to 2016, by county, in tabular form is provided in the following table 1. In addition, the total number of participants for each of the years 2012 to 2016 is provided in table 2.
Table 1 :CE Projects by County (Year End Figures)
|
County |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Carlow |
18 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
|
Cavan |
6 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
12 |
|
Clare |
32 |
31 |
31 |
29 |
25 |
|
Cork |
99 |
99 |
88 |
84 |
83 |
|
Donegal |
62 |
59 |
57 |
55 |
51 |
|
Dublin |
231 |
240 |
247 |
235 |
218 |
|
Galway |
70 |
71 |
70 |
67 |
66 |
|
Kerry |
46 |
50 |
47 |
45 |
44 |
|
Kildare |
30 |
32 |
27 |
30 |
30 |
|
Kilkenny |
16 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
|
Laois |
17 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
|
Leitrim |
10 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
Limerick |
68 |
62 |
56 |
49 |
51 |
|
Longford |
16 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
|
Louth |
29 |
30 |
28 |
27 |
25 |
|
Mayo |
38 |
38 |
36 |
36 |
34 |
|
Meath |
14 |
17 |
14 |
18 |
18 |
|
Monaghan |
13 |
13 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
|
Offaly |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
|
Roscommon |
15 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
|
Sligo |
21 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
|
Tipperary North |
26 |
26 |
24 |
21 |
22 |
|
Tipperary South |
31 |
35 |
34 |
28 |
26 |
|
Waterford |
36 |
39 |
41 |
39 |
37 |
|
Westmeath |
24 |
23 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
|
Wexford |
45 |
47 |
45 |
45 |
44 |
|
Wicklow |
30 |
26 |
25 |
23 |
23 |
|
Total |
1061 |
1075 |
1038 |
998 |
962 |
Table 2 - Number of CE Participants and Supervisors, (Year End Figures)
|
County/Area |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Total |
22,445 |
23,943 |
24,645 |
24,218 |
23,733 |
Details of the projects that have amalgamated for each of the years 2012 to 2016 is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
312. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review of an invalidity pension application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11491/17]
View answerFollowing a review of all the information available it has been established that the lady referred to satisfies the medical conditions for Invalidity Pension (IP). She has been awarded the personal rate of IP with effect from 28 July 2016. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 23 March 2017 and she was notified of this decision on the 06 March 2017.
She has applied for an increase for a qualified adult and a qualified child. Her entitlement to these increases is being assessed and when finalised she will be notified directly of the decision. Any arrears due from 28 July 2016 to 22 March 2017 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
313. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the refusal of a domiciliary care allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11493/17]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received on the 20th October 2016. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 2nd February 2017 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
An appeal of this decision was registered on 2nd March 2017 and additional information on the child’s condition/care needs was supplied. The application together with the new information supplied will be forwarded to a Medical Assessor for their professional opinion. Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined by a deciding officer, who will revise the original decision if warranted or alternatively, forward the case for consideration by the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
314. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of old age pensioners whose weekly State pension payment is affected by his Department's practice of averaging contributions; his views on whether it is grossly unfair that some persons receive the full State pension with considerably less contributions than some persons that receive a reduced rate pension; the steps being taken to rectify this unfair anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11495/17]
View answerAt present, entitlement to the contributory pension is determined by means of a ‘yearly average’ calculation, where the total contributions paid or credited are divided by the number of years of the working life (i.e. the period between when they first entered insurable employment and the year pension age). The yearly average test has been in existence since 1961 when contributory pensions were first introduced. Payment rates are banded, e.g., someone with a yearly average of 48 or more contributions will qualify for a full pension, whereas someone with a yearly average of 20-29 will qualify for a pension at the 85% rate.
In most cases people will have a working life of between 40 and 50 years. However there would be a small number of cases where someone first entered employment in their early 50s, make 10 years of paid PRSI contributions, and manage to qualify for a full rate pension if their yearly average is 48 or higher. As the Deputy suggests, this is an anomaly, and has been inherent in the contributory pension since its introduction over 50 years ago.
The switch to a Total Contributions Approach is one of a number of planned reforms to State pensions set out in the National Pensions Framework (NPF) commissioned by the then Government and published in March 2010, and this will remove this anomaly. The aim of the total contributions approach is to make the rate of contributory pension more closely match contributions made by a person. Officials of my Department are currently working on the detailed development of the Total Contributions Approach with a view to making proposals for consideration later in the year. This is a very significant reform with considerable legal, administrative, and technical elements in its implementation. An important element in the final design of the scheme will be the position of women who have gaps in their contribution records as a result of caring duties, and this factor is being considered very carefully in developing this reform. When data becomes available from the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund which is currently underway, it will be used to draft material for use in the consultation phase of this reform. This is expected in the middle of this year.
For those with insufficient contributions to meet the requirements for a State pension (contributory), they may qualify for a means tested State pension (non-contributory), the maximum personal rate for which is €222 (95% of the maximum rate of the contributory pension). This will rise by €5 this month.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
315. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11501/17]
View answerI confirm that the application for disability allowance was withdrawn by this lady on 28 February 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
316. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive credited contributions for the period they have been in receipt of disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11522/17]
View answerThe person in question was in receipt of disability allowance for the period 8 October 2008 to 28 February 2017. Notification has been issued to the relevant area to update the credited contributions for this period of time.
317. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11542/17]
View answerUnder the arrangements set out in Circular 1 of 2013, the OPW act as an agent for any building works carried out by the Department of Social Protection.
Providing a centralised service for the provision and management of accommodation is the most economic way of protecting the State property portfolio. OPW has the relevant expertise and trained personnel both in the procurement and undertaking of construction works. They place works contracts, certify works and pay contractors on behalf of the Department of Social Protection.
Details in relation to the level of construction inflation and how it is monitored are the responsibility of the OPW and should be addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
318. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of participants at 31 December 2014, 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2016 from each activation scheme currently in operation; the number that subsequently took up employment within three, six, nine and 12 months after commencing an activation scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11552/17]
View answerGovernment policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register.
To date, these policies have been effective in reducing unemployment. The unemployment rate has fallen from 14.8% in July 2012 to 6.6% in February 2017. The actual number of unemployed has fallen from 316,100 to 145,100 over this period. Irish unemployment is now significantly below the EU average.
The total number of participants at end 2014, end 2015 and end 2016 from each Department of Social Protection activation scheme currently in operation is given in Table 1.
Table 1 Live Register Activation Programmes (Number) by Type of Activation
|
Programme and Year |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Back to work allowance scheme - employee strand |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Back to work enterprise allowance scheme - self-employed strand |
11,166 |
11,881 |
10,977 |
|
Short-term enterprise allowance |
479 |
396 |
409 |
|
Total back to work payments |
11648 |
12277 |
11386 |
|
Other activation programmes - DSP part-time job incentive |
397 |
421 |
482 |
|
Other activation programmes - TUS - community work placement initiative |
7,877 |
7,939 |
7,273 |
|
Other activation programmes – JobBridge1 |
6,371 |
4,683 |
3,390 |
|
Other activation programmes - Gateway |
1,685 |
2,350 |
692 |
|
Total other activation programmes |
16,330 |
15,393 |
11,837 |
|
Community employment schemes (excluding supervisors) |
23,249 |
22,813 |
22,356 |
|
Back to education courses - back to education allowance (BTEA) |
23,366 |
18,345 |
14,386 |
|
Total back to education courses2 |
23,366 |
18,345 |
14,386 |
|
Total activation programmes3 |
79,593 |
73,828 |
64,965 |
1). JobBridge is closed to new entrants (last start date November 2016). JobBridge figure estimated at 3,390 December 2016 as data unavailable at time of publication.
2). Excludes DES/SOLAS schemes (FAS full-time training; Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)).
3). Less DES/SOLAS schemes.
While systemised data are not readily available on employment outcomes on all programmes, some indicative figures are available. For example:
- The evaluation of JobBridge by Indecon (report published October 2016), shows on the basis of self-reported survey results that 64.2% of interns were currently in employment at the time of the survey. Overall, individuals similar to those who participated in JobBridge had a 36.6% probability of securing employment within one year, whereas the JobBridge interns’ probability of securing employment within one year increased to 48.4% (an 11.8 percentage point difference and a 32% increase in the probability of becoming employed).
- JobsPlus provides subsidies to employers for the full-time employment of those formerly long-term unemployed on the Live Register. In December 2016 there were 4,627 participants benefitting from JobsPlus.
- During 2015 3,100 (31%) of Community Employment leavers were reported to have progressed into employment.
I am confident that these measures, together with the continuing economic recovery, will support further reductions in unemployment.
319. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the rural social scheme to levels of 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, 5,000, and 5,500 places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11569/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, I have allocated an additional 500 places on the rural social scheme (RSS) as part of the social welfare budget package for 2017. This is the first increase in places since 2006 and will expand the overall number of participants from 2,600 to 3,100. The question of further additional places will be considered in the context of future Budgets.
The objective of the RSS is to provide income support for farmers and fishermen and all participants must be actively engaged in farming or fishing. In allocating the additional places, the Government recognises the benefits the RSS provides for participants and their families, as well as the valuable contribution the scheme makes to the provision of services in communities across Ireland.
Assuming that the participants supported by the RSS remain at the current payment rate, the full year cost of an additional 500 places is estimated at €8.5m, while the net cost is estimated at €3.8m. This costing consists of wages paid to participants, fuel allowance, supervisory costs, fees to implementing bodies, fees to the payroll provider and provision of input costs for implementing bodies.
Table 1 below provides an estimate of the full year costs for the various participant numbers outlined in the Deputy’s question.
|
Number of RSS participants |
Estimated full year programme total cost - € million |
|
3,500 |
€56.46m |
|
4,000 |
€64.96m |
|
4,500 |
€73.46m |
|
5,000 |
€81.96m |
|
5,500 |
€90.46m |
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
320. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of jobseeker's allowance in County Kerry at 31 January in each of the years 2004 to 2011, by age, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11581/17]
View answerDue to changes in data systems in the Department, this level of breakdown is not available before 2012. However, the Central Statistics Office publishes a breakdown of the live register by age and county on its website monthly. I have collated, for the Deputy’s convenience and information, the number of persons who were under 25 and those who were over 25 in Kerry that were recorded as being on the live register at the end of January in each of the years 2004 to 2011. This information is detailed in the following tabular statement. An official from my office recently sent an email detailing some other figures that will be of interest to you. Please don’t hesitate to contact him about this email.
Number of persons on the live register in County Kerry at the end of January in each of the years 2004 - 2011
|
Year |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
Under 25 years |
1,189 |
1,127 |
1,110 |
1,176 |
1,380 |
2,533 |
3,016 |
2,802 |
|
25 years and over |
5,959 |
5,844 |
5,709 |
5,945 |
6,550 |
10,770 |
13,902 |
14,343 |
|
All ages |
7,148 |
6,971 |
6,819 |
7,121 |
7,930 |
13,303 |
16,918 |
17,145 |
Source: http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?Maintable=LRM07&PLanguage=0.
321. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedures that are in place to ensure that sponsors of community employment, CE, schemes manage and operate in accordance with the guidance as set out in the CE procedures manual, in particular the implementation of the 12 week exit plan for participants, adequate in situ on-the-job training and the three-month follow-up on exiting the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11596/17]
View answer322. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Social Protection the accountability measures in existence for sponsors and managers of community employment schemes that fail to implement the programme as set out in the community employment procedures manual; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11597/17]
View answer323. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Social Protection the avenues and protections that are in place for participants on community employment, CE, schemes who wish to complain regarding the management and operation of a CE scheme by a sponsor or manager; if consideration will be given to the appointment of CE advocates to facilitate in providing an impartial and neutral place for participants to air concerns without fear of recriminations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11598/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 321, 322 and 323 together.
The Department of Social Protection (DSP) undertakes periodic Programme & Training Monitoring visits of all Community Employment (CE) schemes (at least one per year) in accordance with standard operating procedures. There is also a separate comprehensive monitor carried out on the financial aspects of each CE project every year. It is incumbent on every Sponsor to be compliant in all aspects of the operation of Community Employment.
Schemes that are found to be non-compliant as a result of a monitoring visit are given an opportunity to rectify any issues arising. DSP reserves the right, as per clause 16 of the Community Employment Agreement with the Sponsor, to terminate the agreement should the Sponsor fail to operate and administer the project to the satisfaction of DSP and in accordance with the specific conditions of the Agreement.
With respect to disputes arising within a CE scheme, complaints related to employment matters should be addressed to the complainant’s Supervisor in the first instance. If the complaint remains unresolved, it should be referred to the complainant’s employer, i.e. the Sponsor of the project.
Complaints related to the Sponsor’s management of the programme should be referred to the local DSP Intreo Officer with responsibility for the project. If the complaint remains unresolved, it should then be referred to the local Area Manager with responsibility for CE schemes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
