Written Answers Nos. 650-667
650. 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 has resulted in delayed or irregular payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43694/18]
View answerMy 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 person concerned is now certified and paid up until 20th October 2018. Her next medical certificate was due on 21st October 2018 and when this is submitted, normalised payments should resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
651. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the categories of funding available to local authorities through her Department; the amount of funding provided for each scheme in 2016 and 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43729/18]
View answerMy Department makes funding to local authorities through 2 main programmes - Employment Schemes and the School Meals Programme. In 2016, funding of €7.8m was made to local authorities. The figure for 2017 was €7.0m.
Funding provided to Local Authorities by the Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection, 2016-2017:
|
- |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Employment Schemes |
€6.8m |
€6.0m |
|
Miscellaneous Services (includes payments under the School Meals Scheme) |
€1.0m |
€1.0m |
|
Total |
€7.8m |
€7.0m |
652. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a claim for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) was stopped. [43782/18]
View answerFollowing a review of this person's entitlement to disability allowance (DA), her payment was suspended as she failed to supply the information requested by a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 3 August 2018 and 22 August 2018.
Information was received from the person concerned on 16 October 2018 and their application has been referred back to a SWI for a report on the person’s means and circumstances.
Once the SWI has completed their report, a decision will be made on their entitlement and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
653. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when disability allowance arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43784/18]
View answerThe arrears of disability allowance due to the person in question have been calculated. These arrears are currently being held by the Department as the person in question owes a debt to the Department.
The Department is obliged to recoup any debt owing to it in an appropriate and timely manner. The method of recovery of an overpayment and negotiations regarding the amount recoverable are dealt with under the Department’s Overpayment Recovery Guidelines.
The Department has been in contact with the person concerned with proposals for the recovery of the debt. The recovery plan that will be agreed with the person concerned will include appropriate arrangements in relation to the arrears due.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
654. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue on a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43787/18]
View answerBased on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her application for disability allowance (DA) was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person in question was notified in writing of this decision on 21 August 2018.
They requested a review of the decision by a deciding officer (DO) and submitted additional medical evidence for consideration on 4 September 2018 and on 19 September 2018.
Following a review of this additional medical evidence a decision will be made and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
655. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when carer's allowance arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43788/18]
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.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 5 February 2018.
The application was awarded to the person concerned on 21 May 2018 and the first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 7 June 2018. Payment is being made at half-rate as the person concerned is in receipt of a Disability Allowance.
From 5 February 2018 to 6 June 2018. the person concerned was in receipt of a supplementary welfare allowance at a higher rate than the rate of CA due. Accordingly, there are no arrears due.
The person concerned was notified on 21 May 2018 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
656. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a review of the eligibility criteria for the back to education allowance is scheduled particularly for those in part-time employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43789/18]
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.
Entitlement to BTEA is conditional on having ongoing entitlement to the qualifying scheme payment. BTEA participants with eligibility based on jobseekers, transitional jobseekers or one parent family payments who engage in part-time work will be assessed in accordance with their primary payment. This measure ensures that only participants who continue to satisfy the means test of their primary payment or another qualifying BTEA payment will continue to receive income support under BTEA and that resources are directed at those most in need of assistance.
There are no plans to review the eligibility criteria of the BTEA scheme at this time.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
657. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an illness benefit payment will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43794/18]
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 was certified up until 14th October 2018. His next medical certificate was due on 15th October 2018 and when that is submitted, payment of IB will resume and all arrears due will be paid.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
658. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by persons who are receiving or applying for illness benefit; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that in some cases the illness benefit is arbitrarily reduced, paid intermittently and in some cases stopped entirely; if her attention has been further drawn to the perception that it is impossible to make contact with the relevant section of her Department; the action she plans to take in view of the fact persons in receipt of same are vulnerable, have paid the contributions and in many cases are solely dependent on this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43809/18]
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 calls. 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.
659. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) who has not received an illness benefit payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43811/18]
View answerMy 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 person concerned is now certified and paid up until 17th October 2018. His next medical certificate was due on 18th October 2018 and when this is submitted, his IB payments will resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
660. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when payment will issue regarding an application by a person (details supplied) for illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43813/18]
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 person concerned is now certified and paid up until 17th October 2018. Her next medical certificate was due on 18th October 2018 and once this is received, payments will resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
661. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when payment will issue for an illness benefit application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43817/18]
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 IB claim for the person concerned is both certified and paid up until 18th October 2018. Her next medical certificate was due 19th October 2018 and when this is submitted, further payments will issue.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
662. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a carer's allowance payment will be processed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43818/18]
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.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 25 October 2017.
The application was awarded to the person concerned on 5 October 2018 with effect from 7 June 2018 and the first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 25 October 2018.
Arrears of allowance due will issue shortly.
The person concerned was notified on 5 October 2018 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
664. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of tenancies supported by rent assistance or other such supports since 2014; the projected and-or forecasted number of tenancies supported by rent assistance or other such supports in 2019 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43886/18]
View answerRent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 26,500 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018.
Details of the number of rent supplement recipients for the years 2014 to 2017 and for the nine months ending September 2018 are provided in the attached tabular statement. Figures for 2019 forecast year end recipient numbers are also provided. The 2019 figure is predicated on current trends associated with Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and the underpinning macro-economic conditions prevailing throughout next year. Given the numerous variables associated with HAP transfer and the wider macro-economic environment forecast figures for 2020 are not available at this time.
The “Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (July 2016), reiterated in the “Housing First National Implementation Plan 2018-2021” (September 2018) is to provide 87,000 flexible housing supports through the HAP and Rental Accommodation Scheme between 2016 and 2021. As part of this commitment will be the transfer of those out of rent supplement with long term housing needs to HAP with a targeted completion date of these transfers by the end of 2020. The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose that of a short-term income support has been primarily facilitated by the introduction of the HAP.
|
Year |
Total Recipients |
|
2014 |
71,533 |
|
2015 |
61,247 |
|
2016 |
48,041 |
|
2017 |
34,378 |
|
2018 (to end of September) |
26,485 |
|
2019 (forecast) |
15,000 |
665. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when full payment will issue regarding an illness benefit claim in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43902/18]
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 IB claim for the person concerned is now fully paid up to date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
666. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is receiving partial payment of illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43903/18]
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 paid up to date and normalised payments will now resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
667. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person must sign or agree a personal progression plan with a departmental official following their attendance at their first group information session for jobseekers; if case officers present at these group information sessions are departmental officials or Turas Nua and or Seetec staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43907/18]
View answerThe purpose of the activation services provided by my Department is to support jobseekers to make the transition into employment.
All jobseekers referred to the Department's activation services, including those referred to the JobPath service, are asked to complete an assessment of their skills, qualifications, and work experience for the purpose of agreeing a personal progression plan (PPP). The PPP typically contains a schedule of activities, actions and job-focused targets, taking into account the person’s specific employment preferences. Jobseekers are asked to sign the PPP as an indication of their agreement to carry out the activation measures contained in the document.
All jobseekers are required under the legislation to fully engage with the activation service in this and all other respects. The PPP is a crucial element of each jobseeker’s engagement with any of the Department’s activation services and generally will be a document that will be reviewed throughout the person’s engagement period as they develop employment related skills and competencies or job related experience from short periods of employment.
Jobseekers that are selected for JobPath are invited to attend an initial information session at which the jobseekers’ rights and responsibilities are explained in full. These sessions are delivered jointly by an Officer of my Department and a representative from the JobPath Company.
I trust the above clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
