Wednesday, 12 Apr 2017

Written Answers Nos. 212-218

Household Benefits Scheme

Questions (212)

John Brady

Question:

212. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of reinstating the household benefits package in full, including the telephone allowance. [18588/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The savings arising from the initial reduction and subsequent discontinuance of the telephone allowance meant that my Department was able to retain the other valuable elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. My Department will spend approximately €232 million this year on these elements of the household benefits package for over 425,000 customers. The cost of the telephone allowance scheme had risen significantly each year, as the number of eligible customers grew. At the end of September 2013 there were almost 396,000 receiving the telephone allowance compared to approximately 316,000 people in 2007. This was an increase of 25%, or an average increase of nearly 4% per annum.

In 2013 the value of the telephone allowance was €114 per annum. The cost of restoring the allowance at 2013 levels in 2017 was estimated to be in the region of €48 million per annum. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients that would be eligible, were such a measure to be introduced for 2018.

	2017	2018
Telephone Allowance	€48m approximately	€50m approximately

The Government is keenly aware of the impact of Budget decisions on the Department’s clients, and strives to ensure that the money available is targeted in the most effective way. In Budget 2016, the first increase in the basic rate of the State pension in seven years was given. This has increased the personal rate of the non-contributory pension to €222, and that of the contributory pension to €233.30. There was also a €2.50 increase in the rate of the Fuel Allowance, from €20 to €22.50 per week.

In Budget 2017, it was announced that there would be a further increase in the rate of State pensions, by €5, which increased the maximum personal rate of the State pension (contributory) to €238.30.

Therefore, over the past two Budgets, the maximum weekly rate for State Pensions has increased by €8 per week, which is the equivalent of over €34 per month. The value of these increases is in excess of the value of the telephone allowance previously provided.

Any decision to restore the telephone allowance would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations. On this occasion, the Government has concentrated resources on increasing the rate of the pension, rather than on the Household Benefits package.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Invalidity Pension Applications

Questions (213)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18603/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The lady referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 9 March 2017. Payment will issue to her nominated post office on 20 April 2017. Any arrears due from 9 March 2017 to 19 April 2017, less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment, will issue in due course. The lady in question was notified of this decision on 11 April 2017.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Jobs Initiative

Questions (214)

James Lawless

Question:

214. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will investigate the difficulty had by a person (details supplied) on the Tús programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18605/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The activation supports and services which are available to those who are long-term unemployed include the JobPath employment activation service and work experience and training schemes such as Community Employment, CE, and Tús.

The aim of the JobPath service is to assist participants in finding sustainable full-time paid employment. It is distinct from the Tús scheme which provides part-time employment and training opportunities in local communities for people in receipt of long-term unemployment payments as a stepping stone back to employment. Tús does not, nor is it intended to, provide full-time sustainable employment.

Jobseekers can only participate with one activation scheme or service at a time; this is to allow the scheme and service providers time to work with the participants and also to ensure that the best use is made of the available places.

Placement on Tús is only permitted if the offer has been made prior to the JobPath referral date and there is an agreed start date within four weeks of the JobPath referral date. The person concerned was randomly selected for the JobPath initiative on 27 February 2017, at that time they did not have a signed agreement to commence Tús therefore they remained eligible to commence on Jobpath and will be required to remain on Jobpath.

The person concerned will continue to receive intensive individual support and assistance from their personal advisor to look for employment. At the end of 52 weeks, if they have not been successful in finding suitable employment they may, subject to an assessment by an Intreo case officer, apply for other activation supports such as Tús.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Community Employment Schemes Places

Questions (215)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

215. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that have applied for placement on a community employment scheme and have been refused a place; the number of community employment schemes that have been unable to fill all their places in County Donegal in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18625/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department does not refuse places on Community Employment schemes; the primary role of the Department in relation to the filling of vacancies is to check the person’s eligibility to participate. Once a person is deemed eligible it is the Sponsor’s responsibility to recruit the approved number of participants.

It is not possible to say the number of Community Employment schemes that have been unable to fill all of their places as, at any point in time, there will inevitably be vacancies on Community Employment schemes, these vacancies can arise for a variety of reason including:

- the natural turnover of vacancies where gaps can arise between an individual leaving a scheme and the fresh recruitment taking place,

- a participant may have left the scheme unexpectedly e.g. into employment or further education, or

- a lack of suitable and eligible candidates prepared to participate on the scheme in that location.

Where a scheme is having any difficulty in recruiting suitable candidates they should contact their local Intreo Centre who will be happy to assist with the process.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Jobs Initiative

Questions (216)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

216. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to review the Tús scheme to allow persons to have a two-year placement and to allow persons over 55 years of age to be eligible for another placement after one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18626/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Tús provides part-time temporary work in the communities, as a stepping stone back to employment for people on a long term jobseeker’s payment. However, Tús placements are not full-time sustainable jobs. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market. Tús participants work for an average of 19½ hours a week and placements last for maximum of 12 months.

The twelve month duration of the Tús contract is set to reflect a number of inter-related elements. These include the need to ensure the benefit of participation on a work scheme is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers and that weaknesses identified in other work programmes with longer duration placements are not replicated in Tús. Accordingly, there are no plans to extend the scheme to longer than a 12 months duration or change the eligibility conditions for persons over 55 years of age. After 3 years, a person can become eligible for a further 12 month placement on Tús.

When a person has completed their year on Tús, they should arrange to meet with a departmental case officer to explore other opportunities to assist them to return to employment. Opportunities may be available on a community employment (CE) scheme where a person is interested in pursuing a work placement that may have a longer duration in order to complete certified training. Time spent on Tús is considered for accessing CE.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Paternity Leave Scheme

Questions (217)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

217. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of statutory paternity benefit in 2016; and the number of men who availed of the full two weeks. [18667/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The paternity benefit scheme was introduced on 1 September 2016 and provides a benefit payment of €235 per week to cover two weeks paternity leave, to be taken within 26 weeks of the birth of the baby. The detail requested on the total number of claims awarded in 2016, covering the period from 1 September to year end, along with the expenditure on the scheme is set out in the table:

Dates	Claims Awarded	Expenditure
01/09/2016 to 31/12/2016	5,013	€2,017,671.02

The Department does not collate statistics on the number of claimants who take a shorter paternity leave, so it is not possible to state how many availed of the full two weeks.

Maternity Benefit Data

Questions (218)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

218. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of statutory maternity benefit in 2016; and the number of women who availed of the full 26 weeks. [18668/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The detail requested on the total number of maternity benefit claims received and awarded in 2016, along with the expenditure on the scheme is set out in the table:

Maternity Benefit	Received	Awarded	Expenditure
2016	44,930	41,406	€253,798,390.28

The Department does not collate statistics on the number of claimants who take a shorter maternity leave, so it is not possible to state how many women availed of the full 26 weeks.