Written Answers Nos. 1187-1206
1187. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who gained employment in County Tipperary following referral to the Turas Nua scheme since the scheme was introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33693/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment.
The JobPath service commenced operations in Tipperary in October 2015. To date, almost 4,500 people have commenced their engagement period with the service in Tipperary.
In relation to the number of participants to find employment, it is important to note that jobseekers may be supported through the service for up to 30 months - under the service jobseekers have access to a personal adviser (PA) who works with them over two phases. During the first phase, of 12 months duration, the PA provides practical assistance in searching, preparing for, securing and sustaining employment. The second phase starts if the jobseeker is successful in finding work. During this phase the PA continues to work with the jobseeker for a further period of at least three months, and up to 12 months. In addition to the two phases jobseekers may also undertake training while with the service and this may extend the period the jobseeker is supported through the service for up to a further 6 months.
It will therefore take time to accumulate a sufficient number of clients (who have completed their engagement period with the service) for complete and robust outcome data to be available. With this in mind, it is intended that an econometric evaluation of the service will commence at the end of 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1188. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33804/17]
View answerThe case referred to by the Deputy concerns the registration of a birth. The General Registry (GRO) comes within the remit of my Department. The Registrar General (An tÁrd Chlaraitheoir) has specific statutory functions in this regard. Responsibility for local registration services is assigned to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the administration of the system of civil registration in the State which is done through the Superintendent Registrars and Registrars each registration area.
I understand that in this case the position is as follows;
The birth in question occurred on 2 June 2017. Section 30 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, provides that the chief officer of the hospital or other institution in which a child is born shall notify the Superintendent Registrar of the occurrence of births in the hospital or institution. In this case, the notification was received by the Superintendent Registrar on 5 July 2017. Section 30 does not specify any time limit for the notification of births by a hospital. I understand that local registrar will shortly be in touch with the mother asking her to contact the office to make an appointment to attend at the registrar’s office to register the birth of her child.
In terms of providing financial assistance, the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme in my Department can make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure or an urgent needs payment (UNP) to people who would not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources where no alternative is available.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP or UNP should contact the Community Welfare Service of the Department at their local Intreo centre.
1189. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the current qualifying criteria for the widowed surviving civil partner parent grant; her further plans to extend this grant to children of long-term cohabiting parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33845/17]
View answerThe Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant is a once-off payment to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners with dependent children.
This grant is available to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners who have one or more dependent children living with them at the time of death; or a widow or surviving civil partner whose child is born within 10 months of the date of death of her spouse or civil partner.
In order to qualify for the grant, a person must satisfy certain social insurance conditions and be a widow, widower or (since 1 January 2011) a surviving civil partner, and not be in a cohabiting relationship. The contributions must have been paid on one of the spouse/civil partners’ social insurance records and all must have been made before the death of the spouse/civil partner.
The legal context governing relationships such as marriage is broader than the social protection system. Where that context changes, the social welfare code is examined for appropriate changes, e.g., the scheme was introduced for widows on 1st January 1936; it was extended to widowers on 28th October 1994 in light of gender equality issues that had not been considered in the 1930s; and extended to surviving civil partners from 1st January 2011 following the introduction of civil partnership.
Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a legal act, which confers both rights and obligations on both parties, which do not exist in a legal sense between co-habiting couples. Widows, widowers and surviving civil partners, who become bereaved, therefore, in addition to their personal loss, also lose someone who had legal duties towards them. In some cases those legal duties were, in part, financial in nature, and the social welfare code recognises that potential loss by providing a pension to them, subject to certain conditions.
At this time, there are no plans to extend the eligibility for the scheme.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1190. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person's mortgage repayments are taken into account when calculating a person's allowance entitlement as part of the family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33907/17]
View answerOne of the qualifying conditions for Family Income Supplement (FIS) is that the weekly family income must be less than a set limit for their family size.
Weekly Family Income is the amount of all income received in a week by a family. Examples of family income are earnings, social welfare payments, maintenance payments, income from self-employment, rental income, farm income or any contribution to your household from an ex-spouse, ex-civil partner, ex-cohabitant or the parent(s) of any of your children.
Social Welfare legislation does not allow for the disregard from weekly family income of expenditure on capital improvements or paying the mortgage(s) on your primary or secondary residences, management fees or expenditure on weekly groceries.
However, unlike other Social Welfare schemes which are Means-Tested, FIS is an income supplement and is an income-tested scheme.
Capital assessments are not carried out.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1191. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) can appeal a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34023/17]
View answerThe person concerned made an application for an Exceptional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that some decisions taken by officers of my Department are administrative in nature and are therefore not open to appeal to that office. Exceptional Needs Payments made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme fall into this category of administrative decisions. While these decisions cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, there is an option of a review of the decision by a more senior officer. I am advised that the person concerned did avail of this review option, but the decision to disallow the payment was upheld by a more senior officer.
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.
1192. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department is improving services and increasing supports for persons with disabilities during 2017. [34038/17]
View answerThe Government has stated its ongoing commitment to improving services and supports for people with disabilities within the Programme for a Partnership Government and through the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for people with disabilities.
As part of delivering on this commitment, Budget 2017 provided for €5 increases in the maximum weekly rates of all social insurance and social assistance payments, including the blind pension, disability allowance, illness benefit and invalidity pension. It also provided for the extension of entitlement to invalidity pension and treatment benefit to the self-employed and for a new pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities.
Under the CES an interdepartmental “Make Work Pay” group was established and its report, published earlier this year, included a number of recommendations designed to assist people with disabilities achieve their employment ambitions. In launching the report, the Government announced that people with a long-term disability payment who move off the payment to get a job will retain their free travel pass for a period of five years. The Government has also decided to accept the report’s recommendation to dispense with the requirement that work be of a ‘rehabilitative nature’ for the disability allowance earnings disregard. This means that a report from a doctor is no longer required before commencing work and that the focus is on capacity rather than incapacity. Other recommendations relate to extending the principle of “early intervention” to disability allowance and other disability payments. The Government has promised a period of consultation with persons with disabilities on these recommendations in particular. The Department of Social Protection has started this process of consultation with the disability sector.
Also under the CES, the Department has in recent years rolled out its full Intreo service to people with disabilities who wish to avail of the service on a voluntary basis. In such cases, people with disabilities who present at an Intreo Centre will be offered an interview by an employment support officer with a view to agreeing a suitable action plan. Progress in implementing actions under the Strategy is regularly reported by the Department to the Comprehensive Employment Strategy Implementation Group. The Chair of this Group, Mr Fergus Finlay, presented his first progress report in March 2017. The report notes the work advanced by the Department to build the capacity of its Intreo service to better support persons with disabilities who want to pursue further education, training or work opportunities and the progress being made in upskilling staff to better support claimants with disabilities.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
1193. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection the investment by her Department since March 2016 in County Louth and parts of east County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34073/17]
View answerThe Department in conjunction with the OPW has made the following Intreo project capital investments in County Louth and parts of east County Meath from April 2016 to June 2017.
The capital expenditure details are as follows:
|
Location |
Capital Costs* |
|
Navan Intreo, Kennedy House, Kennedy Rd, Navan, Co Meath |
€808,939 |
|
Abbey Buildings, Abbey Mall, Navan, Co. Meath |
€326,770 |
* Capital costs excludes signage and furniture costs
The delivery of the Intreo Centre in Navan involved a bi-location solution. This involved a complete refurbishment of two premises.
The OPW may also have invested in other capital projects related to the provision of accommodation for DSP staff in the same areas from the OPW vote.
1194. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34089/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21st June 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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.
1195. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34096/17]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement.
CA is in payment to the person concerned since 21 July 2008 and a review of means was recently carried out. The outcome of this review is that the person concerned was assessed with means of €61.92 per week. This is the amount assessable from her Department of Education pension and her savings after applying the statutory disregards. As a result of this increase in her weekly means, her CA will be reduced from €202.00 to €192.00 per week with effect from 3 August 2017.
The person concerned was notified on 3 July 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.
1196. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend the free travel scheme to cater for such persons who are not entitled to the travel scheme but that are severely ill or disabled with limited means. [34149/17]
View answerThe current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by almost 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 882,000 customers in receipt of free travel.
Persons resident in Ireland who are over 66 and persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments are eligible for the scheme. The social welfare payments that allow persons aged under 66 to a free travel pass include disability allowance, invalidity pension, carer’s allowance and partial capacity benefit. In most cases, if someone has a disability and is of limited means, they would be in a position to qualify for Disability Allowance, and would have an entitlement to free travel under the scheme.
There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria of the free travel scheme or to introduce discretionary passes at this time.
If the free travel scheme was to be extended to people who are not eligible for a qualifying payment, an assessment process would be required for all such applications, changing the nature of the scheme. Successive Governments have instead used existing underlying entitlements to confer eligibility for this scheme.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Social Protection may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to persons who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1197. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer’s allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34216/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3 July 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.
1198. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a social welfare appeal for an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34217/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3 July 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.
1199. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34218/17]
View answerThis lady has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 10 May 2017. The first payment will be made by her chosen payment method on 9 August 2017. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1200. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of money paid out under the humanitarian assistance scheme per annum in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34237/17]
View answer1201. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting times for payment under the humanitarian assistance scheme in 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34238/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1200 and 1201 together.
The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, my Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding.
The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to prevent hardship by providing income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair.
Expenditure under the scheme for the period from 2010 to 2016 is some €5 million and a yearly breakdown of this expenditure is provided in the following tabular statement. Expenditure to date in 2017 is €120,500. There was expenditure of over €2.05 million to assist householders affected following the flooding in the 2015/16 winter, which was the wettest winter ever recorded in Ireland.
Following a severe weather event staff, in my Department’s Community Welfare Service, closely monitor the situation on the ground and engage with the relevant local authorities and other agencies to ensure supports are provided to those affected as swiftly as possible. Emergency income support payments to cover essential items such as food, clothing and personal items are quickly issued in the immediate aftermath of the event. Financial supports towards the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items may take longer as it is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes will become known. The longer term financial support covers necessary remedial works and can include plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting. It could take several months before this stage of the response is completed and final payments issue. Statistics are not maintained on the average waiting times for payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Expenditure under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme 2010 – 2016
|
Year |
Outturn - €000 |
|
2010 |
1,045 |
|
2011 |
1 |
|
2012 |
714 |
|
2013 |
118 |
|
2014 |
1,189 |
|
2015 |
233 |
|
2016 |
1,682 |
1202. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons aged 65 years of age who are currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit; the way this has changed in each year since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34255/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table.
|
Date |
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
Jobseeker’s Benefit |
|
30th June 2017 |
2,683 |
2,593 |
|
30th June 2016 |
2,638 |
2,481 |
|
30th June 2015 |
2,390 |
2,401 |
|
30th June 2014 |
1,764 |
1,247 |
|
30th June 2013 |
1,259 |
540 |
|
30th June 2012 |
1,064 |
664 |
|
30th June 2011 |
782 |
723 |
1203. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are delays in her Department in issuing payments that fall under her Department's remit; if so, the payments that are affected; the timeframe the payment is supposed to be paid in; the actual time it is taking to issue the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34301/17]
View answerThe issuing of payments from the Department of Social Protection is broken down into two parts; the process of determining whether a claim is valid and the payment of the awarded claim. There is no delay in the payment of claims, once awarded, by the Department.
The current timeframes with regard to the determination process of whether claims are valid and can be awarded is as follows:
Social Welfare claims by average waiting times 31 May 2017
|
Scheme |
Average Waiting time - (weeks) |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
1 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
2 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
5 |
|
State Pension Contributory |
5 |
|
Widow’s, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension |
1 |
|
State Pension Non-Contributory |
12 |
|
Household Benefits |
2 |
|
Free Travel |
2 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
18 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
1 |
|
Child Benefit (Domestic & FRA) |
3 |
|
Child Benefit (EU Regulation) |
29 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
6 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
6* |
|
Paternity Benefit |
6* |
|
Family Income Supplement (New) |
3 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
13 |
|
Carer’s Benefit |
7 |
|
Disability Allowance |
12 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
7 |
|
Illness Benefit |
1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
1 |
*April figures.
1204. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of complaints since commencement to date that have been made against the two companies tasked with delivering JobPath; the actions taken to investigate such complaints; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34302/17]
View answerThe overall reaction to JobPath has been very positive. To date 105,640 Jobseekers have been referred to the service, with 332 complaints received in total – 0.31 per cent.
Of these 267 have been responded to and are now closed, 65 are in progress.
Each JobPath provider has a comprehensive Complaints Procedure which is advertised in every location. The procedure contains levels of escalation whereby complaints are dealt with at the appropriate level of authority and ensuring that matters are fully addressed. In the event a customer has availed of this procedure but remains dissatisfied with the response to their complaint, they may request my Department to carry out a review. Customers may also refer a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman for review once they have exhausted the available complaints process.
To date only two customers have requested my Department to review their complaint, both have been finalised, and no complaints related to the JobPath providers have been referred to the Ombudsman.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1205. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take following the Citizens Assembly recommendations regarding the need for a mandatory pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34303/17]
View answerThe rate of supplementary pension coverage in Ireland is estimated at just 35% of the working population when the private sector is considered in isolation. If measures are not taken to address this low rate of coverage, many future retirees will experience unwanted reductions in their living standards when they reach retirement. Therefore, I both welcome and support the outcome of the Citizen’s Assembly deliberations regarding retirement income which saw 87% of eligible voters agreeing that the Government should introduce some form of mandatory pension scheme to supplement the State pension.
To this end, I have previously confirmed that it is my intention to publish and commence the implementation of an Action Plan for the reform of pensions over the coming months. As well as a range of other reform measures, this Action Plan will set out proposals for a transition from the current and purely voluntary supplementary pension system to one which will automatically enrol eligible employees into a quality assured retirement savings system. This reform, where the saver will maintain the freedom of choice to opt-out, will encourage long term saving and asset accumulation amongst those who may otherwise suffer a reduction in living standards at retirement and will increase the wellbeing, financial security, and independence of future retirees.
Following the publication of this Action Plan and in order to guide future Government decisions, it is intended that the detailed evidence building and consultation required to deliver automatic enrolment will be undertaken over an initial project planning phase. This work is needed to inform fundamental choices regarding the preferred operational structure and organisational governance for the new system as well as design elements such as the required contributions, financial incentives and target membership. Correctly positioning/designing each of these will be critical to the success of any system.
Initial consultations have taken place with Irish sectorial interests and international experts in this field. Whilst there is also much to learn by looking at the strengths and weaknesses apparent in aspects of other countries’ pension systems, any solution must be tailored to fit the Irish situation. Therefore, as work progresses, I will ensure that extensive efforts are made to build consensus across political, business and civil society lines and to consider the manner in which such a system would be best delivered.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1206. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons by payment who have been refused a social welfare payment; the number that subsequently were awarded a payment on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34304/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy shortly.
