Written Answers Nos. 262-268
262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if arrangements can be made to ensure a basic social welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32044/17]
View answerThe jobseeker's allowance application of the person concerned was disallowed due to the failure to disclose information regarding means to the Department and not due to her homelessness. Their homelessness is as a result of the enforcement of an Order for Ejectment by the Sheriff’s Office of the local District Court due to significant rent arrears being owed to their landlord by the person concerned. The person concerned should contact their local authority to request assistance in addressing their current housing situation.
An appeal of the decision to disallow jobseeker's allowance has been submitted to the independent Appeals Office.
An application for assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme has also been received by the Department and is being considered by the designated person.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
263. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment to address rent arrears can be issued in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32045/17]
View answerThe person concerned has been requested to submit to the Department documentation confirming any change in her circumstances and details of her current weekly income in order to determine her ongoing eligibility to Rent Supplement.
On receipt of this documentation her entitlement to Rent Supplement, to include any arrears due, can be assessed accordingly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
264. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an entitlement to jobseeker's allowance or alternative payment can be made in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32046/17]
View answerThe person concerned has not, as of yet, made an application for payment to the Department, and therefore it is not possible to determine their entitlement to jobseeker's allowance or any alternative payment. If they wish to make an application for payment they must submit the completed relevant application forms to the Department to enable a determination of their eligibility to be made.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
265. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the funding allocated to the social inclusion and community activation programme in each year since being established, in tabular form; the allocation in 2017; the actual amount of expenditure expended in each such year and to date in 2017; and the expenditure incurred under this scheme, by county, in each year and to date in 2017. [31959/17]
View answerMy Department’s Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) was rolled out across communities on 1 April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017, with funding allocated as follows.
|
2015 (9 Months) |
2016 |
2017 |
|
€28 million |
€37.5 million |
€37.5 million |
SICAP operated for a 9 month period for 2015 and the funding allocation included an allocation of €2 million under the European Structural Funds (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020 and €2 million under the Youth Employment Initiative. The SICAP funding allocation for 2016 and 2017 includes an allocation of €3 million for each year under the ESF.
SICAP aims to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations, public sector agencies and other stakeholders.
The following table sets out the requested information regarding expenditure incurred, by county, in 2015 and 2016. Verified data on expenditure to date in 2017, by county, is not available. However, it is generally the case that the bulk of expenditure takes place in the latter half of the year. Please note that SICAP did not commence in Galway County until January 2017 due to a deliberative process. The figures in the following table for Galway in 2015 and 2016 refer to Galway City only.
|
County |
Annual Budget 2015 |
Spend 2015 |
Annual Budget 2016 |
Spend 2016 |
Annual Budget 2017 |
|
Carlow |
402,321 |
399,820 |
536,428 |
536,424 |
536,428 |
|
Cavan |
556,338 |
535,041 |
741,784 |
732,057 |
741,784 |
|
Clare |
641,506 |
583,828 |
855,341 |
855,341 |
855,341 |
|
Cork |
2,309,073 |
2,297,413 |
3,078,956 |
3,077,547 |
3,078,956 |
|
Donegal |
1,480,935 |
1,426,506 |
1,974,580 |
1,970,067 |
1,974,580 |
|
Dublin |
7,149,314 |
6,813,594 |
9,532,555 |
9,509,363 |
9,532,555 |
|
Galway |
487,093 |
487,062 |
649,458 |
649,456 |
2,251,039 |
|
Kerry |
1,222,199 |
1,218,688 |
1,629,598 |
1,628,740 |
1,629,598 |
|
Kildare |
765,170 |
765,170 |
1,020,227 |
1,011,063 |
1,020,227 |
|
Kilkenny |
455,860 |
453,445 |
607,813 |
607,453 |
607,813 |
|
Laois |
423,048 |
418,188 |
564,064 |
554,501 |
564,064 |
|
Leitrim |
393,488 |
350,446 |
524,650 |
516,759 |
524,650 |
|
Limerick |
1,639,070 |
1,632,216 |
2,185,427 |
2,184,407 |
2,185,427 |
|
Longford |
383,669 |
364,255 |
511,559 |
506,590 |
511,559 |
|
Louth |
965,881 |
942,742 |
1,287,841 |
1,287,708 |
1,287,841 |
|
Mayo |
930,908 |
905,177 |
1,241,211 |
1,231,150 |
1,241,211 |
|
Meath |
235,799 |
234,470 |
371,072 |
367,624 |
371,072 |
|
Monaghan |
464,453 |
457,608 |
619,271 |
614,852 |
619,271 |
|
Offaly |
553,736 |
541,373 |
738,314 |
731,383 |
738,314 |
|
Roscommon |
448,762 |
442,318 |
598,350 |
595,357 |
598,350 |
|
Sligo |
439,136 |
408,552 |
585,514 |
585,502 |
585,514 |
|
Tipperary |
841,838 |
835,573 |
1,122,450 |
1,105,851 |
1,122,450 |
|
Waterford |
823,835 |
813,254 |
1,098,446 |
1,095,322 |
1,098,446 |
|
Westmeath |
574,661 |
559,975 |
766,215 |
755,392 |
766,215 |
|
Wexford |
1,276,311 |
1,272,246 |
1,701,748 |
1,698,940 |
1,701,748 |
|
Wicklow |
972,584 |
921,279 |
1,296,777 |
1,288,405 |
1,296,777 |
266. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the funding allocated to the communities facilities scheme in 2017; the expenditure incurred to date in 2017; and the expenditure incurred under this scheme, by county, in tabular form. [31960/17]
View answerMy Department’s Communities Facilities Scheme, which launched on 10 March, has a total allocation of €2 million for 2017. The Scheme is being administered on behalf of the Department by Local Community Development Committees under the remit of the Local Authorities. Each of the 31 Local Authorities will be provided with an equal allocation of €64,500 and arrangements are currently being made for the transfer of these funds to the local authorities.
Further information on the Scheme can be found on the Department's website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/community/local-and-community-development/communities-facilities-scheme.
267. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of houses that have been bought by the Dublin local authorities in other counties in 2016 and 2017; the locations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31978/17]
View answerWhile the acquisition of new and previously-owned houses and apartments through my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme has been a strong feature of social housing delivery, local authorities in Dublin or elsewhere do not acquire properties in other counties.
Statistics for acquisitions completed in 2016 are being finalised, but it is estimated that almost 2,000 houses and apartments were purchased for social housing use last year, involving all the local authorities and also Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Further significant acquisitions will be made this year, including through the allocation of €70m for the Housing Agency to establish a revolving fund to acquire some 1,600 units over the period to 2020 for social housing use. The fund will be replenished by the Agency through the sale of units primarily to the AHB sector.
268. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for a review of the housing adaptation grant; if consideration has been given to changing the financial criteria in respect of the income for all persons; if so, the proposed changes; his views on whether the €30,000 limit is regarded as adequate, in view of construction inflation; if not, if new limits are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32052/17]
View answerI have no plans to further review the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, given that the terms and conditions governing the grants, including the income limits, were revised in 2014. My main focus currently in respect of these grants is in seeking to spread their benefits by further increasing the funding, as has been done for 2017, with a 6% increase bringing an overall funding availability of €59.8m nationally. Some 8,000 households benefitted under this Scheme in 2016, and with this additional funding, an increased number of households should benefit in 2017.
There are no current plans to increase the upper limit of the grant from €30,000. The average individual amount paid under this grant is already lower than the €30,000 upper limit and the current arrangement, therefore, serves to spread the benefits of the available funding to a higher number of recipients.
