Pat Breen
Question:313. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24067/17]
View answerCarer's Allowance Applications
Questions (313)
Written answers
I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 22 February 2017. Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a deciding officer on 10 May 2017.
Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Disability Allowance Applications
Questions (314)
Pat Breen
Question:314. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24068/17]
View answerWritten answers
An application for disability allowance was received from the person in question by the department on 12 December 2016. The claim, based upon the evidence submitted, was disallowed by a deciding officer (DO) on medical grounds on 14 March 2017.
Further medical evidence was received and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 17 May 2017. They will also be advised of their right to appeal this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (315)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:315. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24071/17]
View answerWritten answers
My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 15 February 2017.
The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 25 April 2017 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Enquiries by the SWI are continuing. Once the SWI report is received, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times
Questions (316)
James Lawless
Question:316. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in moving social welfare payments for a person (details supplied); if he will expedite the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24079/17]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has not received a request from the customer concerned in regard to the Rural Social Scheme. Officials from my Department will be contacting the customer to establish the detail of the matter.
Labour Activation Measures
Questions (317)
Willie O'Dea
Question:317. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that have been subject to sanctions for non-engagement with activation services in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24082/17]
View answerWritten answers
Penalty rates were introduced as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage with activation measures and co-operate with efforts of the Department to assist them in securing employment. The Department is committed, under Pathways to Work, to incentivise the take-up of activation opportunities, including implementing sanctions for failure to engage.
The legislation underpinning the application of penalty rates is provided for in Social Welfare legislation. The application of the penalty provisions can only be applied in specific circumstances and the decision to impose a penalty can only be made by a Deciding Officer of the Department. If dissatisfied with that decision it is open to the Jobseeker to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
Details of the numbers of penalty rates applied in the specific years up May 2017, as sought by the Deputy, can be found in the following table.
Number of Penalty Rates applied
|
Year |
PR |
|
2011 |
359 |
|
2012 |
1,519 |
|
2013 |
3,395 |
|
2014 |
5,325 |
|
2015 |
6,743 |
|
2016 |
10,867 |
|
2017 |
5,822 |
|
Total: |
34,030 |
Poverty Data
Questions (318)
Willie O'Dea
Question:318. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the rate of severe material deprivation for lone parent households here as measured by EUROSTAT in tabular form; the way in which this rate compares to the EU average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24083/17]
View answerWritten answers
The latest Eurostat European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data show that the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households was 22.6% in Ireland in 2015. This is the second successive year the rate reduced – representing a 9.7 percentage point reduction on the 2013 rate of 32.3%. The Irish rate compares to the EU average of 17.1% in 2015 (see Table 1 attached).
The full impact of the recovery is not reflected in these figures, which relate to 2015. Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth since then. Unemployment has fallen from 9.4% in mid-2015 to 6.2% now. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports has also continued to fall.
With these improvements, the Government was in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases from 2016 onwards. This includes a package of measures to support lone parents, encouraging them into the workplace and into education and helping to reduce their childcare costs. In Budget 2017 all lone parents on the one-parent family payment, the jobseeker’s transitional payment and jobseeker’s allowance have benefitted 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 the one-parent family payment and the jobseeker’s transitional payment increased by €20 from January, from €90 to €110 per week, reversing in part previous reductions, to encourage one parent families to stay in, and return to, work.
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%.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, are likely to have supported a further reduction in severe material deprivation in the period since 2015. This improvement is expected to continue with further rises in incomes and living standards.
Table 1: Severe Material Deprivation rate in lone parent households 2010 to 2015
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
Ireland |
12.8% |
23.3% |
27.4% |
32.3% |
25.1% |
22.6% |
|
EU-28 |
17.1% |
18.4% |
21.5% |
20.7% |
19.2% |
17.1% |
Source: Eurostat EU-SILC, various years. Extracted 17/05/2017.
Unemployment Levels
Questions (319)
Willie O'Dea
Question:319. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the long-term unemployment rate here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24084/17]
View answerWritten answers
Based on Eurostat Labour Force Survey data, the Irish long-term unemployment rate was 3.6% in Q4 2016, as compared with 3.8% in the EU overall. The situation in Ireland has improved substantially both in absolute terms and relative to the EU average in the last few years. The long-term unemployment rate here peaked at 9.5% in Q1 2012 at a time when the EU average rate was 4.5%.
The rapid improvement in long-term unemployment reflects the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market.
Government 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 as possible of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register.
The Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy continues to prioritise actions for the long-term unemployed. This includes the payment-by-results services of JobPath to engage more systematically with the long-term unemployed; providing targeted wage subsidies under JobsPlus; and through reserved places for long-term unemployed jobseekers on employment and training programmes.
I am confident these measures, and continuing economic recovery, will support further reductions in long-term unemployment and add to the substantial improvements that have already been seen over the last few years.
Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications
Questions (320)
Seán Sherlock
Question:320. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a domiciliary care allowance claim by a person (details supplied). [24093/17]
View answerWritten answers
An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from this lady on the 22nd March 2017. The application will be considered by a Deciding Officer and the decision notified as soon as possible. Applications are processed in date of receipt order; it can currently take 16 weeks to process an application for DCA.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (321)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:321. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24127/17]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 April 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (322)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:322. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24172/17]
View answerWritten answers
My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 January 2017.
As the spouse of the applicant is self-employed in construction, the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 20 March 2017 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Enquiries by the SWI are continuing. Once the SWI report is received, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (323)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:323. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24180/17]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 15 May 2017 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been determined.
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.
Disability Allowance
Questions (324)
Alan Kelly
Question:324. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in the event of a person in receipt of disability allowance taking up employment that places them above the means threshold, there is a period of time whereby they can return to receiving disability allowance without a new application if the employment is terminated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24198/17]
View answerWritten answers
A person on disability allowance may take up rehabilitative work and earn up to €120 per week without their payment being affected. Earnings of between €121 and €350 per week are assessed at 50% for means test purposes. If their weekly means exceed the statutory limit allowable under legislation for their family size then their payments are stopped.
In the event that a disability allowance claimant, having taken up work, finds that they are unable to continue with their employment and where the break in their DA claim is of a reasonably short duration, their payment is restored immediately upon confirmation of the cessation or reduction in employment but may be subject to review in the future as appropriate. However, where the break in eligibility is of a longer duration, it may be necessary to fully reassess eligibility before payment is restored in order to confirm that the conditions are still met.
Through the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES), the Government is committed to increasing the share of people with disabilities working in the open labour market, given that employment plays a key role in helping to ensure economic independence and offering the best protection against poverty. As part of delivering the CES, an interdepartmental group was set up to identify any significant disincentives for people with disabilities in taking up or returning to work. The findings and recommendations of this group are set out in the “Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities” report, which was recently published. One focus of the report is on appropriate support to be provided for people on a long-term disability payment who move off the payment to get a job. The report notes some level of concern among people with disabilities about what could happen if they take up a job which subsequently does not work out because of, say, the individual’s impairment or stamina levels, or as a result of a health relapse. In response, the report recommends that there should be a fast-tracked reinstatement of social welfare payments for people with disabilities who have returned to work, and who have subsequently had to leave their job within one year.
At the launch of the report, it was announced that protocols would be put in place by the Department of Social Protection to allow people to return seamlessly to a long-term disability payment, including disability allowance, if work doesn’t work out within a year. The report cited the first quarter of 2018 as the recommended implementation timeframe for this measure.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications
Questions (325)
Mary Butler
Question:325. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24212/17]
View answerWritten answers
An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from this lady on the 24th January 2017. This lady was notified on the 18th May 2017 that her domiciliary care allowance claim has been awarded from 1st February 2017. The first payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, will issue on the 20th June 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Fraud
Questions (326)
Peter Burke
Question:326. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which fraud is being tackled in his Department; the number of persons he has sanctioned to investigate claims; the number of licensed investigators that are operating here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24224/17]
View answerWritten answers
The majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an ongoing reality and must be tackled. Anti-fraud measures are set out in the Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 and are designed to prevent, deter and detect fraud and to ensure effective oversight of schemes and recovery of any sums overpaid.
Nearly 950,000 entitlement reviews and investigations were conducted across the Department’s schemes in 2016. These reviews yielded €506 million in control savings for the year. My Department recorded overpayment of entitlements of some €110 million in 2016 of which €41 million related to fraud in 16,225 cases.
A number of measures are used to prevent fraud from entering the social welfare system, allied to actions to deter fraudulent behaviour. The continued roll-out of the Public Services Card has considerably reduced the potential for identity fraud. Additional developments have seen the introduction of data analytics software and techniques, improved data-matching capacity and data-sharing arrangements, both internally and with the Revenue Commissioners and with other state agencies. A new debt management system became operational at the end of 2014 and has supported the roll-out of improved debt management capacity. Staff who are engaged in claim reviews and investigations receive training to identify instances of fraudulent claiming. The Department continues to improve its technical ability to identify risks, to ensure cross-referencing of information held in respect of claimants, to reinforce its fraud prevention work and to use the statutory powers granted by the Oireachtas.
Members of the public also play an important role in supporting anti-fraud activities. Some 19,000 reports from concerned members of the public were received during 2016. The recent fraud awareness campaign has helped to highlight the positive role that members of the public can play in supporting the Department to protect the social welfare system. Since the launch of the campaign on 18 April, the recorded number of reports received has exceeded 3,000 when account is taken of vexatious and frivolous reports.
Additional control work undertaken includes an annual programme of fraud and error surveys which are agreed with the Comptroller and Auditor General. During 2016, the Department published surveys on Farm Assist, on the Household Benefits package where no other social welfare payment is made and on Family Income Supplement. A further three surveys will be completed and published during 2017.
The Deputy will be aware that I recently published legislative proposals to introduce sanctions on persons who have been convicted by the courts of social welfare fraud. At present, no social welfare sanctions exist for persons who are convicted other than a requirement to repay the sums defrauded. The measures I have included in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017 will see the names of persons who are convicted of social welfare fraud being published on a quarterly basis and a disqualification from part of a person’s weekly social welfare payment imposed for a period of nine weeks following conviction.
Some 350 social welfare inspectors are specially assigned with powers to investigate claims and inspect employers. In addition, there are 110 trained investigators in the Special Investigations Unit. Additionally, the Deputy should note that control work forms a central part of the work of all staff across the Department, including those who work in support roles such as systems development, IT, financial and corporate management, as well as front-line staff in Intreo Centres and centralised scheme areas. Separately, 40 staff work in the central control area, 22 staff deal with identity services and a further 44 staff are assigned to overpayment administration and recovery.
The Department has no information on the number of licensed investigators that are operating within the jurisdiction and does not contract such external expertise for social welfare investigation work.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Disability Allowance Payments
Questions (327)
Michael Ring
Question:327. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision regarding disability allowance arrears; and the reason for the delay. [24232/17]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned is repaying a debt he incurred while on disability allowance and supplementary welfare payments and which he owes the Department. The original debt amounted to €46,069.87 and the balance as of 18 May 2017 is €43,985.27.
My department is obliged to recoup any debt owing to it in an appropriate and timely manner. The person concerned was notified on 24 April 2017 the Department was withholding €2,000.00 of his total arrears in lieu of his debt. A cheque for the outstanding arrears due to the amount of €6,212.10 was issued to his home address on 24 April 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Information and Communications Technology
Questions (328)
Stephen Donnelly
Question:328. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that is available for the provision of information technology access and training for older persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24233/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Community Services Programme (CSP) provides financial support to community companies and social enterprises that deliver revenue generating services of a socially inclusive nature. The provision of local social, economic and environmental services is the core aim of the CSP.
I recently announced a call for proposals under strand 3 of CSP, which focuses on social enterprises that employ those people who are most distant from the labour market. Given the information provided by the Deputy, it would appear that the service in question would not fall into this category. However, from time to time and as resources allow, my Department does process new applications received from organisations that have expressed an interest in and are considered eligible under the Programme.
It should also be noted that IT and training services are not considered to be the best fit for the CSP as they may qualify for more suitable funding from other government sources. Full details on the criteria for CSP funding can be found on the Pobal website at www.pobal.ie. Any not-for-profit company wishing to be considered for the programme can request an expression of interest form from my Department by email at cspinfo@welfare.ie.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments Administration
Questions (329)
Seán Haughey
Question:329. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of legislation to exclude compensation awards arising from the Stardust fire as means for social welfare purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24243/17]
View answerWritten answers
Social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person for social assistance purposes.
My Department is currently drafting legislation which will result in awards from the Stardust compensation scheme being disregarded as means for social welfare purposes.
Pending the passage of this legislation, it was decided in December last year to disregard these awards on an administrative basis from 15 December 2016.
Disability Allowance Appeals
Questions (330)
Alan Kelly
Question:330. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an appeal of the decision not to award disability allowance to a person (details supplied). [24279/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 11th May 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.
Farm Assist Scheme Applications Data
Questions (331)
Michael Moynihan
Question:331. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in respect of the farm assist payment that have been submitted; the number of those which have been granted; and the number which have been refused in the past 12 months. [24281/17]
View answerWritten answers
At the end of April there were 7,421 recipients of a farm assist payment.
Data on applications received and numbers of awarded or rejected claims for Farm Assist is only available in my Department’s information systems aggregated together with the corresponding data for Jobseeker’s Allowance claims, so that it is not possible to provide the requested disaggregated information for Farm Assist.
Invalidity Pension Applications Data
Questions (332)
Michael Moynihan
Question:332. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in respect of invalidity pensions that have been submitted; the number of those which have been granted; and the number which have been refused in the past 12 months. [24282/17]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table.
Invalidity Pension claims registered, awarded and rejected 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2017
|
Registered |
Awarded |
Rejected |
|
9,519 |
8,235 |
4,180 |
Disability Allowance Data
Questions (333)
Michael Moynihan
Question:333. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in respect of disability allowance that have been submitted; the number of those which have been granted; and the number which been refused in the past 12 months. [24283/17]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table.
Disability Allowance claims registered, awarded and rejected 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2017
|
Registered |
Awarded |
Rejected |
|
24,196 |
17,318 |
12,094 |
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (334)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:334. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24298/17]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 26 April 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Questions (335)
Pat Breen
Question:335. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24311/17]
View answerWritten answers
I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 February 2017.
In order to qualify for CA where the care recipient is aged less than 16 years of age, domiciliary care allowance (DCA) must be in payment in respect of them.
As DCA is not in payment in respect of this care recipient, the application for CA has been refused. The person concerned was notified on 5 April 2017 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.