Written Answers Nos. 1809-1828
1809. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the partial capacity scheme for public sector workers that wish to work part time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37377/17]
View answerPartial capacity benefit (PCB) allows a person to return to work if they have reduced capacity, and continue to receive a payment from the Department. To qualify for the PCB scheme, a person needs to be currently in receipt of either illness benefit (for a minimum of 6 months) or invalidity pension.
Public servants who were in employment before 6 April 1995 and continued to be so employed without a break in service, are insured at the modified rates of PRSI contribution, classes B, C and D. Persons paying such contributions are not eligible for the PCB scheme as the qualifying schemes, illness benefit or invalidity pension, are not covered by these contributions. Public servants therefore, who were recruited after 6 April 1995 pay PRSI class A and are eligible for the full range of benefits under the social insurance schemes, including PCB.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1810. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37378/17]
View answerThe Department is currently experiencing delays in the processing of Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) claims due to an increase in claim volumes and the need for more detailed decisions to be provided following a High Court ruling. Corrective actions are in place, including additional deciding officers assigned to the scheme. As a result average processing times have reduced over recent weeks, at present it is taking on average 17 weeks to finalise an application.
Applications are processed in date of receipt order, having regard to the complexity of each individual case. An application for DCA in respect of this child was received on 24 April 2017. While it is not feasible to provide an exact date of when a particular application will be finalised, the applications currently being finalised were received in April 2017. This application will be considered by a Deciding Officer and the decision notified as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1811. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) whose application was received on 3 June 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37379/17]
View answerI confirm that the department received an incomplete application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on the 8 June 2017.
The application form submitted is an abbreviated version of the application form, intended to be used only by a person already in receipt of CA, who is applying for an increase in respect of an additional care recipient. This abbreviated version of the form contains no questions in respect of a person’s means, as in the normal course of events, the person’s means would already have been determined.
As the person concerned is not already in receipt of CA, a full application form has been sent to her for completion.
On receipt of the fully completed application and supporting documentation, the application will be processed and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1812. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if community welfare officers are responsible for monitoring the deaths of medical card holders against the names on general practitioner lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37381/17]
View answerThe Community Welfare Service transferred to this Department from the Health Service Executive in October 2011 and administer the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. All aspects of the administration of the medical card scheme are dealt with by the Health Service Executive.
Questions in relation to the operation of the medical card scheme are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1813. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications that have been made for paternity leave by county since the allowance was introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37384/17]
View answerThe paternity benefit scheme became operational on 1 September 2016. The number of claims received and awarded in the period 1 September 2016 to 31 August 2017 is set out in the table. Detail on the number of people who have received paternity benefit, broken down by county is included in the second table.
|
Paternity Benefit Claims |
|
|
Received |
24639 |
|
Awarded |
23504 |
|
Recipients by county |
|||
|
Carlow |
256 |
Longford |
163 |
|
Cavan |
386 |
Louth |
601 |
|
Clare |
531 |
Mayo |
605 |
|
Cork |
2936 |
Meath |
983 |
|
Donegal |
646 |
Monaghan |
306 |
|
Dublin |
6488 |
Offaly |
350 |
|
Galway |
1310 |
Roscommon |
285 |
|
Kerry |
628 |
Sligo |
315 |
|
Kildare |
1191 |
Tipperary |
723 |
|
Kilkenny |
462 |
Waterford |
528 |
|
Laois |
353 |
Westmeath |
424 |
|
Leitrim |
160 |
Wexford |
676 |
|
Limerick |
900 |
Wicklow |
680 |
1814. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a half carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37393/17]
View answerMy department received an application for Carer's Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 22 May 2017. One of the qualifying conditions is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit. Following an investigation it was determined that the means of the person concerned were not less than the statutory limit and that she was therefore not entitled to CA. The person concerned was notified on 4 September 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.
1815. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost her Department incurred in each of the past five years due to debit and credit card payment services and banking fees; the financial institutions to which the payments were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37398/17]
View answerThe costs my department incurred in each of the past five years (2012 to 2016 inclusive) due to debit and credit card payment services and banking fees are outlined in table:
|
Year/Description |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
Total |
|
Annual Fee |
€103.00 |
€155.00 |
€160.91 |
€93.00 |
€140.54 |
€652.45 |
|
Government Duty |
€108.28 |
€90.00 |
€90.00 |
€120.00 |
€150.00 |
€558.28 |
|
Interest and other charges |
0 |
€172.70 |
€30.01 |
€3.80 |
€4.82 |
€211.33 |
|
Total |
€211.28 |
€417.70 |
€280.92 |
€216.80 |
€295.36 |
€1,422.06 |
The payments were made to Bank of Ireland and American Express.
Credit card fees and expenses are incurred wholly and exclusively in the course of conducting normal Departmental business.
1816. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of men and women, respectively, in her Department who hold posts (details supplied). [37399/17]
View answerThe following tables give a breakdown of the women and men employed by this Department in the following grades: Secretary General, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Principal and Assistant Principal. This Department has no officers serving at the Second Secretary grade.
|
Female Male |
|||||
|
Grade |
FTE |
People |
Grade |
FTE |
People |
|
SEC GEN |
0.00 |
0.00 |
SEC GEN |
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
DEP SEC |
1.00 |
1.00 |
DEP SEC |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
ASC |
5.00 |
5.00 |
ASC |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
PO |
40.30 |
43.00 |
PO |
48.80 |
50.00 |
|
AP |
108.93 |
113.00 |
AP |
154.15 |
155.00 |
|
Total |
155.23 |
162.00 |
Total |
207.95 |
210.00 |
1817. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of women and men, respectively, employed in her Department, in tabular form. [37400/17]
View answerThe following table gives a breakdown of women and men employed in this Department by grade as at the end of July 2017:
|
Female |
Male |
||||
|
Grade |
FTE |
People |
Grade |
FTE |
People |
|
Secretary General |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Secretary General |
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1.00 |
1.00 |
Deputy Secretary |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
5.00 |
5.00 |
Assistant Secretary |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
Principal Officer |
40.30 |
43.00 |
Principal Officer |
48.80 |
50.00 |
|
Assistant Principal |
108.93 |
113.00 |
Assistant Principal |
154.15 |
155.00 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
965.70 |
1030.00 |
Higher Executive Officer |
536.70 |
541.00 |
|
Administrative Officer |
7.60 |
8.00 |
Administrative Officer |
16.76 |
17.00 |
|
Executive Officer |
998.69 |
1073.00 |
Executive Officer |
446.95 |
449.00 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1971.64 |
2172.00 |
Clerical Officer |
584.33 |
595.00 |
|
Service Officer |
14.97 |
26.00 |
Service Officer |
130.12 |
132.00 |
|
Total |
4113.84 |
4471.00 |
Total |
1922.81 |
1944.00 |
1818. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to review the rule that parents of those who are 18 years or over do not receive child benefit even if they remain in full-time secondary level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37440/17]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 626,362 families in respect of over 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of over €2 billion in 2017.
Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for Child Benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the participation pattern of children in education supports the current age limit for Child Benefit.
Given the universality of Child Benefit, allowing for it to be paid in respect of 18 year olds still in full time education would not be a targeted approach. The adoption of such a proposal would also have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes can avail of a number of provisions to social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- Family Income Supplement (FIS) for low-paid employees with children; and
- The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for low income families (paid at the full-time second level education rate).
I am satisfied these schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked with household income and thereby supports low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
1819. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will increase resources for the assessment of carer's allowance payments in order that the processing time is dramatically reduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37441/17]
View answerThe Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Performance indicators relating to service delivery are set out in detail in the Department’s Customer Action Plan, including processing time targets for the main welfare schemes.
The processing times target for the carer’s allowance scheme is 70% in 12 weeks. This target reflects the fact that there are many questions which have to be considered before a decision can be made on entitlement to carer’s allowance, specifically in relation to habitual residence, the care requirements of the person being cared for, as well as the means of and the level of care being provided by, the carer in each case.
In addition there has been significant changes in the numbers of applications being received and also in the decision making process, on foot of a High Court decision.
At the end of July 2017, the average processing time was 14 weeks and there were 4,847 applications awaiting decision. This is an improvement on the same period in 2016 when there were 5,673 applications awaiting decision and the average processing time was 18 weeks. This improvement has been achieved against the background of a 16-20% annual increase in applications over the last two years.
Frequently, delays in processing are outside the control of the Department and are caused by the customer failing to fully complete the claim form or failing to attach the supporting documentation that is requested on the application form.
Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1820. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to accept applications for new projects under the community service programme in 2017; when she plans to put out a call for new projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37466/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Community Services Programme (CSP) is designed to support community companies in providing local social, economic and environmental services through the application of a social enterprise model of delivery. Funding is provided to support the employment of staff to deliver these services.
Earlier this year, my Department 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. Successful applicants from this call have now been invited to begin business planning with Pobal, who operate the scheme on behalf of my Department.
In addition, as resources allow, my Department may consider new applications received from organisations that have expressed an interest in and are considered eligible under the programme.
Any not-for-profit company wishing to be considered for the programme can request an Expression of Interest form from my Department at cspinfo@welfare.ie.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1821. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a new scheme (details supplied) for self-employed persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37471/17]
View answerIn line with the commitment contained in the Programme for Government for an improved PRSI scheme for the self-employed, Budget 2017 provided for the extension of cover for Invalidity Pension to the self-employed on the same basis as employees, with effect from December 2017. This is a major reform as, for the first time, self-employed people will have access to the safety-net of State income supports, without having to go through a means test, if they become permanently incapable of work as a result of an illness or disability.
Given that this is a major change in the social protection system, significant adjustments to operational systems and processes are currently being implemented to support the introduction of this measure in December 2017. Details for self-employed persons as to how to apply for this payment will be made public by my Department before then.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
1822. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will amend the current JobPath scheme to enable those who may be on JobPath to consider a back-to-education course or community employment scheme, if a suitable opportunity arose. [37500/17]
View answerJobseekers, while engaged with the JobPath service, can apply for Back to Education Allowance. While the field of study should relate to the employment preferences agreed by the customer with their JobPath personal advisor, the decision on any application is made by an official in my Department.
Jobseekers who are already participating with the JobPath service will not be referred to Community Employment Schemes (CE) as they can only participate with one activation scheme or service at a time. This allows the scheme and service providers’ sufficient time to work with the participants in order to develop their skills and competencies to pursue suitable job opportunities which may result in sustainable employment and also to ensure that the best use is made of the available places on all activation supports.
However, customers who on the date of their referral to JobPath have a written offer with a start date within four weeks for CE will be facilitated to take up the placement. Additionally, in a small number of exceptional cases, which are assessed on a case by case basis, my Department may facilitate a customer to move from one activation support to another.
Those jobseekers that have completed their 52 week engagement with JobPath without finding suitable and sustainable employment are being referred back to their Intreo centres for an assessment by one of my Department’s case officers. They may then apply for other activation supports such as CE to build on the skills gained with the JobPath service.
My Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes including JobPath under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1823. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37507/17]
View answerThe Department is currently experiencing delays in the processing of Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) claims due to an increase in claim volumes and the need for more detailed decisions to be provided following a High Court ruling. Corrective actions are in place, including additional deciding officers assigned to the scheme. As a result average processing times have reduced over recent weeks and at present it is taking on average 17 weeks to finalise an application.
Applications are processed in date of receipt order, having regard to the complexity of each individual case. An application for DCA was received in the Department from this lady on 22 June 2017. While it is not feasible to provide an exact date of when a particular application will be finalised, the applications currently being finalised were received in April and May 2017. This application will be considered by a Deciding Officer and the decision notified as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1824. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will make free fuel payments available to social welfare recipients who are also in receipt of disability benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37529/17]
View answerThe fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to low income households, at an estimated cost of €229 million in 2017. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household. My Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits package to approximately 429,000 customers, at an estimated cost of €232 million in 2017.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. Depending on their circumstances, disablement benefit can be paid to people in employment, as it is not means-tested, and it is based on a person’s PRSI record. However, people in receipt of disablement benefit and who are considered permanently incapable of work as a result of an occupational accident can apply for Incapacity Supplement which is a qualifying payment for fuel allowance.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a recipient of a social welfare or health service executive payment who has exceptional essential heating costs due to ill health or infirmity and who cannot provide for such costs from within his or her own resources may qualify for a heating supplement. There is no standard rate for a heating supplement. Each case is examined on its merits and the Community Welfare Officer determines the amount to be paid taking account of the level of the expenses in question and the ability of the applicant to contribute towards his or her exceptional heating costs.
The best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term is to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling. My Department works with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on these issues and in moving forward the actions agreed in the Energy Affordability Strategy. In that regard, the Better Energy Homes scheme provides support towards the installation of attic and wall insulation, and heating system upgrades.
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance would have to be considered in the overall budgetary negotiations.
1825. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37542/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 15 August 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.
1826. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason persons (details supplied) on certain work schemes which are seasonal receive a reduced rate of jobseeker's payment during summer, Christmas and Easter periods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37545/17]
View answerThe amount of the person's average reckonable weekly earnings in the Governing Contribution Year (GCY) determines the rate of jobseeker’s benefit payable. The GCY is the second last complete contribution year before the benefit year in which the claim is made.
To qualify for the full rate of jobseeker’s benefit, the weekly earnings in the GCY must be €300.00 or greater. If the average weekly earnings are less than €300, then a lesser rate is payable.
The jobseeker’s benefit rates are graduated according to the person’s average reckonable weekly earnings in the relevant tax year as follows:
Average weekly earnings Personal rate Increase for Qualified Adult
less than €150.00 €86.70 €83.00
€150.00 and less the €220.00 €124.60 €83.00
€220.00 and less than €300.00 €151.20 €83.00
€300.00 or more €193.00 €128.10
I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1827. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payment recipients that have a public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payment recipients with no public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payments that have been withheld due to the lack of a public services card in 2016 and 2017; the total amount of those withheld payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37550/17]
View answer1839. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who has not been issued with a public services card but proven his or her identity by other means, such as a driving licence, passport or passport card, can receive a social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37751/17]
View answer1840. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of families and loved ones of older persons who are in receipt of welfare payments, such as pensions caused by the requirement that they hold a public services card to access payments as many recipients are not in a position to collect or easily supply the details needed for the public services card due to the fact that they reside in nursing facilities or are ill; if her attention has been further drawn to similar concerns that the requirement will lead to some older persons losing their entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37759/17]
View answer1842. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is a legal requirement for a person to hold a public services card in order to receive social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37767/17]
View answer1847. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to her public statement, the legal basis within the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, that makes a public services card mandatory to interact with her Department; if a public services card is necessary for all interactions with her Department; and the reason the operational guidelines for both the job seeker's benefit and allowance allow for other forms of identification for Irish citizens such as a passport. [37875/17]
View answer1868. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she, or bodies and agencies under the remit of her Department, plan to make services or payments dependent on the mandatory use and production of the public services card; if so, the services and payments that will now be dependent on the mandatory use of the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38147/17]
View answer1871. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have been denied a social welfare payment for not being in possession of a public services card or for not having registered for a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38191/17]
View answer1896. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will supply the precise piece of legislation that underpins the mandatory nature of the public services card in view of the fact that the card is a mandatory requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38550/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1827, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1847, 1868, 1871 and 1896 together.
In 2005, the Government agreed a standard for establishing and verifying an individual’s identity for the purposes of accessing public services. This standard is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment - or “SAFE”.
The SAFE standard has four levels:
- Safe 0 = No assurance of identity
- Safe 1 = Balance of probabilities (the minimum authentication level for the allocation of a PPS Number)
- Safe 2 = Substantial assurance (the minimum authentication level for issuing a Public Services Card)
- Safe 3 = Beyond reasonable doubt
The Department operates a number of methods to SAFE 2 register a person. The usual method involves a combination of all of the following –
- a face-to-face meeting,
- the collection and verification of the person’s Public Service Identity (PSI) data set,
- the examination/validation/verification of at least two documents supporting identity, and
- photo capture and matching.
As part of the verification process the person's photo is run through software to check against other photos that have already been taken during other SAFE 2 registrations. This is to detect and/or prevent duplicate registrations.
Until very recently, the application process for an Irish passport or a Driver’s License did not comply with the SAFE 2 standard of identity verification. Therefore, taken individually, neither a passport, nor a driver's license, nor a birth certificate is enough to validate an identity to SAFE Level 2. For this reason, in itself, a passport or a driver’s license is not currently acceptable as the required standard of identity verification for access to benefits from my Department. However, in combination and with the other data and processes detailed above they can be used to verify an identity to the SAFE 2 standard.
Once a person completes a SAFE 2 registration they are issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) as a physical token that proves they have had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. Additionally, a person may be issued with a verified MyGovID account, which is a secure online account for accessing public services digitally, and again proves in the online environment that the person has had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. The PSC and MyGovID, in turn, enable individuals gain access to high value and personalised public services, in person and electronically, more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while preserving privacy and security. In the case of services provided by my Department, the PSC is being used to replace the Social Services Card and paper Free Travel pass and MyGovID is being used to provide access to an increasing number of welfare services online at www.mywelfare.ie.
Accordingly, SAFE Level 2 registration allows a person to verify their identity once for public service purposes because it is to a substantial level of assurance. Consequently, it eliminates the need for a person to repeatedly register their identity information when accessing public services. It makes it more difficult for someone else to claim to be a person and so helps to eliminate “identity theft” and fraudulent access to someone else's data.
The primary legislative provisions for SAFE registration and identity verification are set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) as follows:
- Sections 262 and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance and use of a PPS Number.
- Sections 263, 263A and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance, use and cancellation of a PSC.
- Section 241 provides that a person must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity when making a new claim.
- Section 247C provides that an existing claimant must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity and provides for disqualification where an existing claimant fails to so do.
In other words, the legislation requires a person to satisfy the Minister as to their identity and allows for disallowance or disqualification from receipt of a benefit in the event that it is not done. It is not possible for a claimant to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity without registering to SAFE 2. Given that my Department spends over €19bn p.a. on supports and services, we need to be sure that people who access these services are the people who are entitled to receive them and that they don’t access them multiple times under different identities. Accordingly, it is reasonable to ask people to verify their identity to a substantial level of assurance.
The Department makes it clear to customers in receipt of social welfare payments or Free Travel entitlements that they do need to complete a SAFE 2 registration to access, or continue to access, payments and entitlements. In the main, customers are invited to a scheduled registration appointment, completion of which results in the issue of a PSC by post. The Department also issues reminder letters to customers, as required. Customers may also book a different time/date to suit them, either online via www.mywelfare.ie, by contacting the Department’s offices, or by walking in to ask for the next available appointment. The process takes about 15 minutes to complete, once all required documents are presented. While the jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker's allowance operational guidelines set out the documents required to provide ‘evidence’ of identity when a person makes a claim, they also make it clear that a person must complete the SAFE 2 registration by getting a PSC to fully verify their identity.
While the default SAFE 2 registration method is ‘face-to-face’ (as set out at Sections 263B, 241 and 247C (3) of the Act), the Department can and does make other arrangements with customers, to elevate their identity verification to the SAFE 2 standard. In line with SAFE principles to build on already existing infrastructure (and subject to appropriate risk analysis, legally based data sharing and the consent of the individual), upgrading existing customers to SAFE Level 2 is undertaken as much as possible using relevant data already held by the State (e.g. Driver’s License, Passport Office, All-Ireland Free Travel Scheme) combined with a number of other items and processes. These are customers whom the Department has been dealing with for some time and who, by virtue of their circumstances, are unlikely to present a high risk of identity fraud. Pensioners who have had a passport photograph verified in a face-to-face interaction at passport application and Free Travel clients who personally collect their primary Social Welfare payments at a Post Office have availed of processes whereby whatever other information is required to register them to SAFE 2 is provided without them having to attend a Department office centre for a face-to-face interview. In addition, certain persons who have renewed their Driver’s Licence since March 2014 and in doing so have provided the Road Safety Authority with personal information and a photograph are also being offered the opportunity to complete the SAFE 2 registration process without attending a Department office. Each of these approaches is further strengthened in that all photographs are subjected to facial image matching against previously held photographs. Additionally, the Department operates a mobile registration solution to cater for those persons incapable (for whatever reason) of attending a Department office. Although this approach works best in congregated environments, individual registrations (for example at a person’s residence) can be undertaken in exceptional circumstances.
The Department is in the process of completing SAFE 2 registration of its entire existing customer base. As its customer base is not static, this is an ongoing process. As at 31 December 2016, the number of Departmental customers in payment with a PSC was 1.43M while the number of customers in payment without one was 0.56M. The equivalent numbers as at 31 July 2017 were 1.55M and 0.45M, respectively. These figures are at given points in time and reflect the facts that the Department is in a roll-out phase and that there is considerable movement in the Department’s customer base. These figures should not be confused with the total number of PSCs issued to date which stands at approx. 2.8 million.
Registration of the balance of the Department’s customers is being progressed, with due regard to customers who are unable to attend in person due to challenges relating to age, mobility or disability. In this regard, customers who had not yet registered for a PSC for Free travel purposes, including many pensioners, were written to earlier this year to ask if they could attend in person to register. Over 32,000 such customers have already received their PSC for Free Travel as a result of this exercise and SAFE appointments at the Department’s offices are in hand for some 20,000 more who indicated they could attend. About 10,000 customers, who responded to say they are not able to attend in person, will be facilitated by other means including, where appropriate, postal registration methods or mobile SAFE registration facilities at group and community settings. In this context, I want to make it clear that customers who face bona fide challenges to in-person attendance will not be disadvantaged, in terms of access to payments and/or availing of Free Travel entitlements.
The Department does not collect data on the number of individuals who currently, or who, at any point in time, have had a payment stopped by reason of failing to complete the SAFE 2 registration process. This data is fluid in nature. For example, a considerable number of customers who have a payment or entitlement suspended or stopped subsequently decide to complete the SAFE2 process and have their payment or entitlement reinstated. It should be noted that of the remainder, a considerable portion do not make any contact with the Department. The decision to stop a payment is never made lightly. However, where a customer does not “satisfy the Minister in relation to identity” as per the legislative requirements, a payment can be disqualified. In advance of any such disqualification, the Department makes every effort to engage with the customer to explain the legislative basis for the SAFE 2 registration process and the consequences of potential disqualification. Where a payment has been disqualified and the customer subsequently successfully completes the SAFE 2 registration process, their payment will be reinstated by the Department (assuming they continue to meet all qualifying criteria for that payment).
In other parts of the public service, many of their services have been provided to people who had their identity verified only to the SAFE Level 1 standard. Since the introduction of SAFE Level 2 registration in 2011, more services are now moving to identity verification at this level to ensure a substantial level of assurance of identity. While it is a matter for each public service provider to determine the appropriate level of identity verification required for each of its services, SAFE Level 2 registration benefits them by removing the need for them to engage in costly and inefficient identity registration processes, by reducing the number of people fraudulently claiming to be someone else, and by facilitating the provision of high-value and personalised public services online.
I hope this clarifies the matter for Deputies.
1828. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing a weekly €20 "cost of disability" payment to those under 18 years of age and over 18 years of age with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37552/17]
View answerThe introduction of a “cost of disability” payment would be a major undertaking requiring clear definitions of qualifying conditions and research into the prevalence of these conditions leading to estimates of the numbers of persons who would potentially qualify. It is likely that it would also require significant administrative spending in establishing the information technology and other systems that would be required to administer such a payment.
One indication of the scale of potential additional programme spending would be to estimate the additional annual cost of increasing the main social protection spending programmes that are targeted at long-term illness and disability conditions. These include invalidity pension (for adults with sufficient social insurance contributions) and disability allowance (for persons aged 16-66) and those in receipt of domiciliary care allowance (paid in respect of children under 16 years). It is estimated that the annual cost of increasing these three payments by the equivalent of €20 per week would be of the order of €240 million.
According to recent results from Census 2016, there were some 643,000 people with a disability in the State in April 2016. The cost of introducing a cost of Disability Payment to all of these even if not in receipt of a disability payment would be considerably higher than the estimate based solely on those in receipt of disability related payments above.
There are no plans to establish a cost of disability payment with the social protection system. People with disabilities are not a homogeneous group, and, as such, have widely differing needs with the result that any additional costs of disability would not therefore arise to the same extent in all cases. Some costs associated with disability are already addressed across schemes provided by a number of agencies such as the health service and also the Revenue Commissioners through certain tax reliefs and other supports.
A range of these issues is currently being considered by the Task Force on Personalised Budgets, which has been established under the Programme for Government to consider the commitment to give people with disabilities greater control, independence and choice in terms of obtaining HSE-funded personal social services and supports. Personalised budgets transfer control back to the individual and give them the freedom to source the services and supports which best meet their needs.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
