Written Answers Nos. 168-176
168. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied to the Dublin central rents unit who have been refused rent supplement and instructed to apply for the housing assistance scheme since 1 January 2017. [23517/17]
View answerSince 1st Jan 2017, the Dublin Central Rents Unit received 705 applications for rent supplement.
Under the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness – Rebuilding Ireland, HAP was rolled out to all Dublin Local Authority areas with effect from the 1st March 2017. Since 1st March, where an application for rent supplement is received from a client with a long term housing need as confirmed by the relevant Local Authority, the client is advised to make an application for HAP to their Housing Authority, in the first instance, as the preferred scheme for long term housing support.
From 1st March 114 applicants who submitted an application for Rent Supplement have been advised to apply for HAP to their relevant Housing Authority. No application for Rent Supplement has been disallowed on the basis that the client may qualify for HAP.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
169. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will permit the early termination of a contract with Turas Nua by a person (details supplied) who has secured an internship in a company that will further their employment prospects. [23521/17]
View answerThe aim of the JobPath service, which is provided for long term unemployed jobseekers only, is to assist them in finding sustainable full-time paid employment by providing intensive individual support and assistance. All decisions regarding the participation by jobseekers on work experience programmes such as the First Steps internship programme are taken by my Department.
I am advised by my officials that the customer concerned has been asked to provide details of the internship to the Department’s local office for a decision and if she is eligible for the First Steps programme, her engagement with the JobPath service will be suspended to allow her to take up the opportunity. If she remains on the live register at the end of the internship, the JobPath company will resume providing support to help her find a full-time sustainable post.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
170. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has not had their appeal for a farm assist payment assessed. [23561/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 11 April 2017, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
171. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in a carer's allowance appeal for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23575/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 5 April 2017, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
172. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional cost that would be incurred if the pre-2012 bands were re-established in the calculation of the State contributory pension in budget 2018; the further cost if this were to be backdated to all who incurred pension reductions as a result of the band changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23577/17]
View answerAs provided for in Budget 2012, from September 2012, new rate bands for State pension (contributory) were introduced. This resulted in one of the bands (in respect of those with a yearly average of 20-47 contributions) being replaced with three bands (in respect of yearly averages of 40-47, 30-39, and 20-29 respectively). These additional bands more accurately reflect the social insurance history of a person and ensure that those who contribute more during a working life are likely to benefit more in retirement than those with lesser contributions.
These bands have been changed a number of times over the years. For example, there was no payment for people with a yearly average below 24 until 1973, or for those below 20 until 1989. Between the years 2000-2012, someone reaching retirement age with a yearly average of 47 contributions qualified for the same rate of payment (98% of the maximum rate) as someone with a yearly average of 20 contributions, despite generally their much more significant PRSI record, and regardless of their means. A person with an average of 48-52 PRSI contributions per year over their working life received a weekly State pension of only €4.50 more than someone with a yearly average of 20 PRSI contributions. This meant that the last 20 years of a person’s contributions to the Social Insurance Fund might have no impact upon their contributory pension entitlements.
When savings were required in 2012, as part of dealing with the fiscal crisis which faced the country, it was decided to make them by addressing this anomaly, rather than cut the core rate of the pension, which would have hit all pensioners, including the poorest, notably those solely dependent upon the State pension.
It is estimated that the cost of reverting to the percentage rate-bands which existed between 2000 and 2012 would be over €60 million in 2018, if introduced from January 2018, and that this annual cost would rise at a rate of some €10 million each year, that is an additional amount of €10 million in each subsequent year would be added to the base amount, e.g. €70 million in 2019, etc.
Calculation of the cost of backdating such a change (i.e. paying a lump sum in respect of the difference between such higher rates and those legislated for in the period 2012-2017) would be very complex, would require analysis of a number of historic datasets, and would be complicated by the fact that the State pension (transition) was abolished during the period in question. There would also be issues as to whether such back-dating applied only in respect of such pensioners who were still in payment at the date a decision was made to backdate such a change, or if there would also be similar payments made to the estates and/or surviving spouses of those pensioners who died beforehand. The effective date of such backdating would also impact upon the cost. It is very tentatively estimated that, depending on the details of such a payment, the cost of such backdating would be in the region of €200 million.
It should be noted that backdating of such an increase and payment as a lump sum would be extremely unusual, in the context of a weekly payment such as the State pension, and there are no plans to make such a payment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
174. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who are employed under the aegis of his Department through agencies in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23936/17]
View answerMy Department does not employ staff through agencies. All staff recruitment for my Department is carried out by the Public Appointments Services with the exception of unestablished Service Officers, Service Attendants and Interns who are recruited directly by the Department.
The number of staff employed by bodies under the aegis of my Department through recruitment agencies are outlined in the table.
|
Agency |
Number of Staff |
|
Citizens Information Board |
2 |
|
Pensions Authority |
1 |
175. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the monetary value of all work contracted out under the aegis of his Department to external agencies or consultancies for work completed or investigations undertaken in human resources and industrial relations including hiring and interviewing of staff and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23961/17]
View answerThe cost of all work including investigations, completed by external agencies/consultants during 2016 in the areas of human resources and industrial relations contracted out by my Department and by the bodies that come under its aegis are outlined in the table.
|
Department/Agency |
Cost |
|
Department of Social Protection |
€52,551 |
|
Citizens Information Board |
€207,128* |
|
Pensions Authority |
Nil |
* €168,216 relates to a one-off project on Internal Change Management.
176. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the purpose of British Royal Navy submarine activities off the west coast; and if there was engagement with authorities here regarding recent reports of a British Royal Navy submarine operating near Achill Island, County Mayo. [23516/17]
View answerOn 9 May last, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was contacted by the British Embassy in Dublin in relation to an emergency medical evacuation of a crew member of a UK Royal Navy submarine, located outside of Ireland’s territorial seas.
Following a request from the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an Irish Coast Guard helicopter carried out an evacuation and the injured party was transferred to hospital for treatment.
