Written Answers Nos. 206-211
206. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the community employment scheme pension provision as per the Labour Court recommendation whereby community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors were deemed entitled to certain pension arrangements (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2142/18]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector. The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for such employees even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. It is open to individuals to make provision for a pension by way of PRSA which all employers are obliged to facilitate.
My Department was neither party to or bound by the Labour Court Recommendation (LCR19293). Nevertheless, it should be noted that the issue of CE supervisors’ pension provision is currently being examined by a Community Sector High Level Forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department is represented on this group, as are IMPACT, SIPTU, Pobal and other relevant Government Departments.
The Forum last met on 23 November 2017 and I understand that a paper outlining the costs involved was presented. The unions have agreed to review and revert as soon as possible. Following on from this, a meeting is to be arranged between the trade unions and my colleague, Pascal Donohoe T.D. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
207. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the increases being charged to community employment schemes by insurance companies and the impact that this is having on already reduced materials budgets whereby the intention that this budget be used to support the work of the schemes is being absorbed by increases in insurance payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2145/18]
View answerMy Department is aware that there had been an increase in insurance premiums for Community Employment (CE) schemes over recent years. The main reason cited for this is an increase in claims frequency by such schemes. In the first instance, my Department recommends that schemes seek alternative quotes to ensure they get value for money. Also, if CE schemes are not filling their contracted number of participants, it is recommended that they align their insurance requirement with actual participant numbers. Schemes are also asked to be especially mindful of their obligations under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
The annual budget provided to CE schemes is based on a detailed appraisal of their actual annual expenditure levels in previous years and includes an amount to cover consumable services and materials, including insurance, necessary for the effective operation of the project.
If a scheme is experiencing particular difficulties with insurance costs, the Sponsor should contact their local DEASP Intreo Centre and the matter will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
208. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a fuel allowance payment for a person (details supplied) will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2196/18]
View answerThere is no record of an application for a DEASP payment having been received by the Department from the person concerned. Once a completed application is received by the Department a Deciding Officer (DO) will then be in a positron to decide the claim including any entitlement to Fuel Allowance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
209. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a review will be conducted into the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2207/18]
View answerFollowing the submission of further medical evidence by the person concerned, their case has been reviewed and they have been awarded disability allowance with effect from 7 June 2017. Their first payment will be made on 7 February 2018.
Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
210. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of reports and reviews that have been commissioned since 14 June 2017; the publication date or expected publication date of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2215/18]
View answerThe information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
211. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rate of jobless households here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2244/18]
View answerAccording to the EUROSTAT Labour Force Survey, in 2016 there were 170.76 million households in the EU (excluding households composed solely of students or solely of inactive people aged 65 and over). Of these, some 29.49 million households (17.3% of the total) were jobless - that is, no adult in the household was working.
For Ireland, the total number of relevant households was 1,440,600, and of these some 253,000 (17.6% of the total) were jobless.
Although the figure for Ireland has fallen from a high of 23% in 2012 as a result of the economic recovery, government remains concerned about aspects of household joblessness that go beyond the standard measures of unemployment and receipt of jobseeker's payments. Relevant groups, not normally considered to be unemployed, include economically inactive lone parents, people with disabilities, and the adult dependants of unemployed people, all of whom might benefit from closer attachment to employment and the labour market. A range of policy reforms has been taken affecting these groups, and further reforms were considered in consultation with representative bodies for those involved. These policy developments are set out in the Pathways to Work Action Plan for Jobless Households which I published on 25, September 2017. Development of the Action Plan fulfils a commitment in the Programme for Government and in the overall Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy. It also responds to concerns about the level of household joblessness raised in Country-Specific Recommendations to Ireland by the EU.
The Action Plan for Jobless Households is an example of one of the many measures that Government is implementing, with a view to assisting people and families to become work ready and gain employment. The Plan aims to extend activation services to people who are not working, but are not defined as unemployed by traditional measures. It focuses in particular on improving employment rates of households with children – both the traditional ‘nuclear’ family and the lone parent family. A number of key policy initiatives to achieve that goal are identified as follows:
- Extend active engagement with the Intreo employment service to additional groups of economically inactive working age adults;
- Improve incentives and remove barriers for people transitioning from welfare to employment;
- Pilot a family focused case management approach in five geographical areas to improve employment rates and reduce joblessness in households across Ireland.
Progress against each of the reform actions and milestones will be monitored and reported on quarterly to the Cabinet Committee on the Economy and Jobs. Implementation of these policy measures should see the level of joblessness fall more rapidly than is already anticipated over the next few years. These targets are in addition to the existing Pathways to Work targets 2020 – bringing unemployment down to between 5% and 6%, bringing long-term unemployment below 2.5%, and bringing youth unemployment below 12%.
The Action Plan for Jobless Households aims to identify and remove barriers that are currently preventing people from getting a fair chance, thus building a Republic of Opportunity for all.
