Written Answers Nos. 632-649
632. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of engagements, meetings or correspondence that she has had with a person (details supplied) in the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43392/18]
View answerThe Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection has not met the named person or representatives of companies in the past three years to date.
633. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an illness benefit payment will be normalised in the case of a person (details supplied); the status of changes to the system which have resulted in delayed or irregular payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43417/18]
View answerThe Department recently moved to a new IT system for Illness Benefit. Arising from the changeover, some IB customers have experienced payment difficulties which the Department is working hard to resolve.
The person concerned has been certified and paid up to 15th October 2018. Her next medical certificate was due on 16th October 2018 and when this is submitted, payments will resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
634. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to introduce a measure to allow persons on carer's allowance to pay a stamp while in receipt of same. [43418/18]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or adult who has such a disability that as a result, they require that level of care.
Full-time care and attention is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
Persons in receipt of carers allowance can qualify for credits where they have previously entered insurable employment and paid at least one PRSI contribution at Class A, B, C, D, E, H or P and where they have had a recent attachment to the workforce.
Credited contributions (credits) are social insurance contributions designed to protect the social insurance entitlement record of insured workers who are not in a position to make PRSI contributions.
Credits are awarded in circumstances such as unemployment or illness, and their purpose is to help protect the social insurance entitlements of insured persons during periods when they may not be in a position to pay contributions.
In order to qualify for credits, a person must first have entered insurable employment - he or she must have paid at least one PRSI contribution at Class A, B, C, D, E, H or P.
In general credits can only be awarded where an individual has had a recent attachment to the workforce i.e. within the last 2 years.
The Voluntary Contribution Scheme allows those who are no longer working or who otherwise are not paying PRSI, including carers, to protect their PRSI entitlement to certain social insurance benefits, including state pension. A person can apply to join the scheme from 1 year to 5 years from the end of the year in which contributions were last paid, as an employee or as a self-employed worker.
Voluntary Contributions (VCs) are designed to facilitate employees and self-employed individuals, who are no longer paying PRSI, to pay contributions directly to the Department on a voluntary basis, to protect their future state pension contributory, widow(er)’s contributory pension and guardian’s contributory pension entitlements.
The scheme is most frequently used by employees who have retired early, or by self-employed individuals who are not required to pay PRSI Class S because their annual income falls below the annual €5,000 liability threshold. To become a voluntary contributor an individual must have paid at least 520 weeks of compulsory PRSI from either employment or self-employment prior to application.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
635. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [43421/18]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on the 31 July 2018.
Additional information was requested from the person concerned on 18 October 2018. Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and he will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
636. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that were designated self-employed that have been restored to employee status as a result of an investigation by her Department in 2017 and to date in 2018 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43427/18]
View answerMy Department’s Scope section determines employment status and the correct class of pay-related social insurance (PRSI). Where misclassification of workers as self-employed is detected, the correct status and class is determined and social insurance arrears are collected as required.
I understand that the Deputy is seeking information on the overall number of persons that were designated self-employed that have been changed to employee status in 2017 and to date in 2018. I regret that the Department does not collate statistics to report on this specific question.
However, I can advise the Deputy that in 2017 Scope section made 941 decisions, of which 138 resulted in a PRSI classification of class A. In the current year (up to 16 October 2018) 768 decisions have been made, 106 of which have resulted in a PRSI classification of class A.
The class A decisions include civil and public servants, company directors and family employment, as well as self-employed who are determined to be employees.
I hope this information is helpful.
637. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a payment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [43430/18]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, this lady has been awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 30 July 2017. The first payment will be made on 24 October 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 (if applicable).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
638. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of increasing each person's social welfare assistance and social insurance payment rate by percentage rates (details supplied). [43435/18]
View answerThe costs sought by the Deputy are presented in the table. The costs are based on the estimated numbers of recipients in 2019, and include the cost of proportionate increases in reduced rates and the qualified adult rates of payment, where applicable.
It should be noted that these costs do not take into account changing trends (increases or decreases) in recipient numbers from 2019 onwards.
|
Increase in weekly rates |
Cost €m |
|
3.3% in 2020 |
519.6 |
|
3.3% in 2021 |
536.7 |
|
3.6% in 2022 |
604.9 |
|
3.8% in 2023 |
661.4 |
639. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43448/18]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The department received a claim for IP for the lady concerned on the 26 February 2018. The claim was disallowed on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on 02 July 2018 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person in question requested a review of the decision and submitted further medical evidence in support of her request. Her file has been sent to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) to report on the circumstances of the lady in question. On return of the SWI’s report, the IP claim will be processed and a deciding officer of the Department will be in direct contact with her regarding the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
640. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which, and when, existing recipients of the working family payment will be affected by the changes announced to the scheme in budget 2019; if existing recipients will need to reapply or be reassessed to establish if they will benefit from the changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43510/18]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with qualified children and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment.
In line with Budget 2019 provisions, WFP recipients will benefit from a new maintenance disregard. This disregard will amount to €95.00 per week in respect of housing costs, with the remainder to be assessed at 50%. This new measure will be implemented with effect from 28 March 2019.
The Department will identify all relevant customers currently receiving WFP and reassess their entitlement with effect from 28 March 2019. It will not be necessary for existing customers to contact the Department and request a review.
Similarly, all new applications for WFP will have their entitlement from 28 March 2019 calculated in accordance with the provisions announced in the recent Budget.
The level of WFP will continue to be based on 60% of the shortfall between net weekly family income and the relevant weekly family threshold.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
641. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason there has been a delay in the appeals decision for a person (details supplied); if a decision will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43518/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received by that office on 31 August 2018. The appeal was accompanied by the relevant Departmental papers. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 18 October 2018 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 Employment Affairs and 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.
642. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the payment of illness benefit to a person (details supplied) has not been issued; if same will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43630/18]
View answerThe Department recently moved to a new IT system for Illness Benefit. Arising from the changeover, some IB customers have experienced payment difficulties which the Department is working hard to resolve.
The person concerned is both certified and paid up until 10th October 2018. Her next certificate was due on 11th October 2018 and when that is submitted, regular IB payments will resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
643. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position in relation to an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance; if same will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43631/18]
View answerThe gentleman referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 23 August 2018. Payment will issue to his nominated post office on the 01 November 2018. Any arrears if due from 23 August to 31 October 2018 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. The gentleman in question was notified of this decision on the 22 October 2018.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
644. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the illness benefit payment scheme issues will be resolved in view of the fact that they have been ongoing since August 2018 due to the introduction of a new online system of processing payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43650/18]
View answerMy Department recently moved to a new IT system and this has impacted on payments to some Illness Benefit (IB) customers. The transition has involved moving from a payment in arrears system to a real-time system for IB.
The Department acknowledges that this move has caused difficulties for some customers leading to a large volume of calls to its helpline and long delays in responding to customer queries. In order to address this issue, the Department has deployed additional staff to manage customer calls.
I want to assure the Deputy that all IB customers will be paid the correct amount for the period of their illness - as certified by their GP. Any customer who has an urgent financial need can apply to the Department's Community Welfare Service to receive an interim payment. Customers in these circumstances should get in touch with their local Intreo Centre.
My Department is working hard to resolve these payment issues as quickly as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
645. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath on illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43651/18]
View answerIllness Benefit is a scheme administered by my Department which provides for a payment to customers who cannot work due to illness. In order to qualify, you must be aged under 66, covered by the appropriate class of social insurance (PRSI) and satisfy the PRSI conditions.
As at 18th October 2018, the number of Illness Benefit claimants in Cavan, Monaghan, and Meath was as follows:
Cavan - 1,350
Monaghan - 1,097
Meath - 3,415
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
646. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a social welfare payment; and when they can expect a decision on their case. [43661/18]
View answerThe Department recently moved to a new IT system for Illness Benefit (IB). Arising from the changeover, some IB customers have experienced payment difficulties which the Department is working hard to resolve.
The claim from the person concerned is currently being examined and any arrears due will be issued to her in the coming days.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
647. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if entitlements which a person was previously on automatically transfer over when they transfer from a community employment scheme to the JobsPlus incentive scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43690/18]
View answerJobsPlus is an employer incentive which encourages and rewards employers who offer employment opportunities to the long term unemployed. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 and €10,000.
Any jobseeker who has been in receipt of a jobseekers payment from this Department for the minimum required period will be considered eligible to be recruited under this incentive. Time spent on community employment may count, for a person in receipt of a jobseekers payment, towards the qualifying period. A person will not automatically transfer from community employment to JobsPlus without first transitioning back to a jobseekers payment.
A person who commences employment through the JobsPlus incentive is no longer deemed a jobseeker and any entitlement that was associated with their claim will cease. As a new employee they may be entitled to receive other payments from this Department such as back to work family dividend or the working family payment subject to satisfying the appropriate conditionality for these schemes.
Anyone commencing employment and unsure of their entitlements should engage with the Department at their local Intreo centre to ensure that they are in receipt of their full entitlements
I trust this clarifies the position
648. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43692/18]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
649. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress made on the report into part-time and seasonal workers rights and entitlements to obtain jobseeker's benefit which she is in receipt of for some time; the aspects of the report which she plans to incorporate into the social welfare Bill which is due for publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43693/18]
View answer663. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a copy of the report into the entitlements and rights of seasonal and part-time workers to obtain jobseeker's benefit once their part-time work ceases; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the changes made in 2011 and 2012 to the terms and conditions of eligibility for jobseeker's benefit have negatively impacted on these workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43876/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 663 together.
My Department has prepared a report which examines the jobseekers benefit scheme duration and seasonal and part-time workers who have subsidiary employment. It also examines the daily earnings limit of €12.70 that currently applies to employment classed as subsidiary. The daily earnings limits are provided by way of Regulation so any change to this rate can be implemented outside the Social Welfare Bill. I am considering the report and I intend to submit it to the Joint Oireachtas Committee.
I trust this clarifies the matter at this time.
