Written Answers Nos. 63-73
63. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a cost benefit analysis was carried out by her Department regarding the public services card; if so, the date on which this will be published; the amount her Department has saved by preventing social welfare fraud through the roll-out of the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39596/17]
View answerGiven the innovative nature of the project and the fact that there weren’t any ready references for comparison purposes in the early 2000s, it was not possible in the early stages of the project to determine precise costs and staffing requirements, and thereby develop a full cost benefit analysis. Accordingly, the Department developed the project in phases and prepared costs and staffing requirements once they became known through these various phases.
The first phase of the project from 2005 to 2007 involved the research and design of a card, the development of the detailed functional specification required for the Public Services Card (PSC), and a project proposal for the development and deployment of the PSC and associated infrastructure. In 2007, the second phase, to procure a managed services contract for the production of the card, began and was completed in 2009. This then provided the Department with definitive costs for this element of the project.
The third phase was the operation of a trial or pilot to test how registration processes and card production facilities would work in practice. Once this was completed in 2011, it was then possible to determine the staffing levels that would be required to undertake the customer registration processes countrywide. It would not have been possible to determine the staffing requirement in advance of this phase. The fourth phase was implementation which began gradually as resources became available and registration infrastructure was deployed.
There are significant benefits to the individual and public bodies in this project. The idea behind the PSC and its underlying identity verification process is to provide public bodies with significant assurance as to the identity of individuals they are providing services to and to provide individuals with greater assurance that their identity can’t be used by anybody else in dealings with public bodies. Therefore, with the PSC –
- Identity verification to a substantial level of assurance is now completed on a “once and done” basis – by one public body – and all others do not have to develop and implement identity registration processes and technologies.
- It reduces the number of people who can fraudulently claim to be someone else.
- It is a secure card and considerably reduces the potential for forgery.
- It acts as a major deterrent to perpetrate fraud.
- It allows public bodies to offer high value and personalised services online using MyGovID – an online identity verification solution.
- It reduces or will eliminate the need for multiple cards, e.g., where people previously had a social services card, a free travel pass, and may have had to provide photo ID in the collection of payments or accessing public transport, they now need just a PSC.
Since the introduction of the PSC, my Department has detected 146 cases of suspected identity fraud have been referred to the Department’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Of these, 64 cases have been concluded with 21 finalised in Court (where 18 of them received a custodial sentence), 15 not proceeded with (mainly due to the person leaving the jurisdiction), and 28 with formal proceedings issued and awaiting court appearance. Fraud overpayments of €3 Million have been assessed in these 64 cases. The other 82 cases are under investigation or at various stages of the prosecution process. Assessments will be determined for these (and any others that materialise in the future) as they are brought to conclusion.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
65. 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; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39427/17]
View answerThere are no plans to establish a “cost of disability” payment within 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 Executive and also the Revenue Commissioners through certain tax reliefs and other supports. The further introduction of a “cost of disability” payment would therefore 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.
One indication of the scale of potential additional programme spend would be to estimate the additional annual cost of increasing the main social protection schemes that are targeted at long-term illness and disability conditions.
It is estimated that the annual cost of increasing invalidity pension, disability allowance and domiciliary care allowance by the equivalent of €20 per week would be of the order of €240 million. 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. Increases to other payments including pensions may also have to be considered in such a scenario where recipients are likely to experience limiting conditions because of their disability.
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.
66. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on making the public services card compulsory for availing of public services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39686/17]
View answer73. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on making the public services card compulsory for availing of public services; her further views on maintaining the option to use other forms of identification such as driver licences and passports which are at a safe 2 level to prove identity for accessing services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39650/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 73 together.
A Public Services Card may be issued to an individual who has successfully authenticated their identity to SAFE Level 2, i.e., to a substantial level of assurance. I have been informed by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that “it is not mandatory for residents in Ireland to be SAFE 2 registered, though a growing number of public services that require proof of identity of individuals will be underpinned by the SAFE 2 standard, ensuring services are provided to the correct people in an efficient manner, while protecting their data.
The recently published eGovernment Strategy 2017 – 2020, lists a number of public services for which SAFE 2 registration will be required. Others are likely to be listed in the future. The transition plans, including communications, interim arrangements, exceptions, etc., will be worked through by those Departments with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
SAFE 2 offers a standard way of identifying citizens that will reduce the administrative burden both on the service providers and on the citizens accessing the services. The registration process also offers the most robust identity proofing process to protect personal data used within Government. As such it is Government policy that SAFE registration is required for access to all services that require proof of a person’s identity. The SAFE 2 process is essential for Ireland to be aligned with the EC EIDAS legislation, which is a key aspect of the EC eGovernment Action Plan and Digital Single Market Strategy.”
The SAFE 2 registration process involves a face-to-face interaction; the verification and capture of the Public Service Identity (PSI) data set, the examination/validation/verification of at least two documents supporting identity, and photo-matching.
Taken individually, neither a passport, nor a driver’s license, nor a birth certificate is enough to validate an identity to SAFE Level 2. However, in combination and with the other data and processes mentioned above, they can be used to verify an identity to SAFE2 level. Until very recently the application process for an Irish passport or a Driver Theory Test did not comply with the SAFE 2 standard of identity verification. Since March 2016, SAFE 2 registration became a requirement for first time adult passport applicants in the State; it was introduced as a requirement for applicants for citizenship in September 2016; and introduced as a requirement for Driver Theory test applicants in June 2017.
In practical terms, and to ensure that there isn’t duplication of process, this has meant that the bodies in charge of these services have decided that they would utilise the SAFE 2 registration infrastructure that my Department has developed.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will allow persons seeking employment who have been awarded a place on a community scheme or Tús but not yet started, and who are pulled for JobPath before training starts, to choose between the community employment scheme or Tús; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39681/17]
View answerMy Department provides a range of activation supports for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include JobPath and employment programmes such as Community Employment (CE) schemes and Tús. Both CE and Tús provide part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping-stone back to employment, for people in receipt of certain social welfare payments including those on a long-term jobseeker’s payment.
The JobPath service provides intensive individual support to people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. This service is provided solely for jobseekers. The period of engagement with JobPath for any individual is typically 52 weeks. During that time, they receive intensive individual support to help them overcome barriers to employment and are also provided with a range of training and development supports, including online modules, career advice, CV preparation and interview skills.
Where a jobseeker has a written offer of a placement on CE or TÚS and a commencement date within 4 weeks of the date of referral to JobPath, they will be facilitated to take up the place – where Garda vetting is required for the placement, the time period will be extended to allow for that process to be completed. In addition people who have completed their year-long engagement with JobPath may, if eligible, apply to partake in a CE or Tús scheme provided they have been assessed by one of my Department’s case officers.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will extend the homemakers scheme of contributory pensioners pre-1994 by reversing budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39682/17]
View answerEntitlement levels to the State Pension (contributory) are calculated by means of a ‘yearly average’ calculation, where the total contributions paid or credited are divided by the number of years of the working life. Payment rates are banded. For example, someone with a yearly average of 48 contributions will qualify for a full pension, whereas someone with a yearly average of 20 will qualify for a pension at 85% of the full rate.
The homemaker’s scheme was introduced in 1994 to make qualification easier for those who took time out of the workforce for caring duties. It allows up to 20 such years, in the period since its introduction, to be disregarded when their record is being averaged for pension purposes. It is estimated that extending this scheme to include periods prior to its introduction in 1994 would cost some €290 million per annum.
The current rate bands applying to the State pension (contributory) were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. These more accurately reflect the social insurance contributions history of a person.
Alternative payments are available for those with small additional means. It is estimated that to revert to the previous bands would cost at least €60 million in 2018, and this annual cost would increase at an estimated €10 million each year. The main beneficiaries from such a decision would be better off pensioners who do not qualify for means-tested pension payments, and who did not make sufficient contributions into the Social Insurance Fund to qualify for a full rate contributory pension.
Any change of this nature would have to be considered in the context of the Budgetary process, the available resources, and the competing demands for funds in my Department.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
69. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she will take to meet targets on reducing child poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39642/17]
View answerThe National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures), published by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in 2014, includes a target to reduce by two-thirds, the number of children in consistent poverty in 2011 by 2020. Meeting this target means lifting 102,000 children out of poverty. Under this Framework, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in collaboration with my Department and other relevant Departments is taking a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty.
2015 saw the first reduction in the number of children in consistent poverty since 2008 when there was a reduction of 13,000 or approximately 9 per cent decrease in the number of children in consistent poverty. The full impact of the recovery is not yet reflected in these figures. As unemployment is strongly linked to poverty, we can expect further decreases in poverty as the figures for 2016 and 2017 become available. The Government continues to focus on helping people back into the workforce. However, it is clear that the target to reduce child poverty by more than 100,000 children, or two thirds of the 2011 rate, is ambitious and may not be met.
My Department helps to prevent child poverty by providing income support for families through child benefit, qualified child increases for welfare recipients, family income supplement and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, amounting to more than €3 billion this year.
Social transfers play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and inequality and Ireland is among the best in the EU for reducing poverty through social transfers.
However, reducing child poverty is not just about income supports and welfare. Rather it is also about supporting parents to make the transition into employment and assisting families through the provision of quality affordable services in areas such as education, health and childcare.
70. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether persons seeking employment who wish to upskill by completing a postgraduate degree are treated fairly by her Department. [39617/17]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.
Access to BTEA at postgraduate level is available to persons who wish to pursue a postgraduate course of study that leads to a higher diploma (H-Dip) qualification in any discipline or to persons in pursuit of a professional masters of education (primary and secondary school teaching).
In addition the BTEA is also available where a person is admitted to a master’s programme based solely on life experience and provided the applicant is not the holder of any third level qualification.
The BTEA is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Education and Skills, represents the primary support for persons pursuing education. The eligibility rules that govern the payment of a student maintenance grant are a matter for that Department.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
71. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns raised regarding the impact that JobPath is having on community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39441/17]
View answerMy Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include Community Employment (CE) and JobPath.
JobPath aims to place people into full-time sustainable employment. The period of engagement with the service for any individual is typically 52 weeks. During that time they receive intensive individual support to help them overcome barriers to employment.
CE provides part-time temporary work in local communities, including opportunities for training and development as a stepping-stone back to employment, for people in receipt of a range of social welfare payments, including those on a long-term jobseeker’s payment. While CE is a stepping stone back to employment, these positions are not full-time sustainable jobs. These schemes help to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.
It should be noted that my Department recently implemented changes to the terms and conditions of participation on CE. The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register and to standardise other conditions around the length of time a person can participate on the programme. As part of these changes, the general qualifying age for CE for those on the live register has been reduced from 25 to 21 years. It is also now easier for previous participants who have exhausted their CE entitlement to requalify, as participation prior to the year 2007 will be disregarded. In addition those who have completed their year-long engagement with JobPath may, if eligible, apply for a CE vacancy.
If any CE scheme is experiencing particular difficulties, they should contact their local Intreo office for assistance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
72. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether Ireland will reach the child-specific poverty target that is set out in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures - the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39440/17]
View answerThe National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures), published by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in 2014, includes a target to reduce by two-thirds, the number of children in consistent poverty in 201,1 by 2020. Meeting this target means lifting 102,000 children out of poverty. Under this Framework, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in collaboration with my Department and other relevant Departments is taking a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty.
2015 saw the first reduction in the number of children in consistent poverty since 2008. Compared to 2014, in 2015 there was a 13,000 or approximately 9 per cent decrease in the number of children in consistent poverty. The full impact of the recovery is not yet reflected in these figures. As unemployment is strongly linked to poverty, we can expect further decreases in poverty as the figures for 2016 and 2017 become available. The Government continues to focus on activation, to help people back into the workforce.
However, it is clear that the target to reduce child poverty by more than 100,000 children, or two thirds of the 2011 rate, is ambitious and may not be met.
Social transfers play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and inequality and Ireland is among the best in the EU for reducing poverty through social transfers.
However, reducing child poverty is not just about income supports and welfare. Rather it is also about supporting parents to make the transition into employment and assisting families through the provision of quality affordable services in areas such as education, health and childcare.
