Written Answers Nos. 535-554
535. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the waiting times to process payment of the respite care grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53505/18]
View answerThe Carer’s Support Grant is paid annually by my Department, on the 1st Thursday in June, to persons in receipt Carers Allowance or Carers Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. Payment is on an automatic basis to these people. Over 90% of all payments of the grant are made on this date.
A carer who is not in receipt of one of these payments can still qualify for the grant, once they satisfy certain conditions. The waiting time for decision on claims for these payments of the grant is currently 18 weeks. Additional staff resources have recently been assigned to decisions in order to shorten the processing time.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
536. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53522/18]
View answerThis lady is currently in receipt of disability allowance (DA).
Following a medical review, my department is satisfied that she continues to satisfy the qualifying medical condition for DA.
She was notified of this decision in writing on 14 December 2018.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
537. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of the implementation strategy for the outstanding relevant sections of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 remaining to be commenced; the sections that remain to be commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53525/18]
View answerI am aware of the pressing need to make technical amendments to the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 including those sections in Part 9 that provide for the registration and re-registration of the birth of a donor-conceived child and, in particular, make possible the registration of details of “Parent”, as well as “Mother” and “Father”, where required.
I want to make these necessary amendments at the earliest possible opportunity.
It is my intention to bring these amendments forward in a stand-alone Bill in 2019.
Commencement of these amendments are also dependent on commencement of Parts 2 and 3 of the 2015 Act which is the responsibility of the Minister for Health. There are important administrative and operational arrangements to be put in place to facilitate the implementation of Parts 2 and 3, including the establishment of the National Donor-Conceived Person Register and the appointment of authorised persons under the Act. I understand that it is Minister for Health's intention that these provisions will be commenced as soon as possible.
Officials from my Department are working with the General Registration Service (GRS) and the Department of Health to ensure that the appropriate legislative, regulatory, and operational mechanisms are in place to allow for the earliest possible commencement of all of the relevant legislation that will allow for birth registrations of donor-conceived children.
538. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that from 31 December 2018 there will no longer be a jobs club in County Sligo; the reason the decision has been taken; if the decision will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53542/18]
View answerThe Sligo Job Club provides supports to job-ready unemployed people mainly through formal workshops, one-to-one engagements with individual jobseekers and the preparation and review of Curriculum Vitae.
The Job Club service in Co Sligo is currently provided by Sligo Leader Partnership Company Ltd under a 12-month fixed term contract with my Department which is due to expire on 31st December 2018. Talks are still under way with the company to try and put a contract in place for 2019. These are to be completed by the end of January.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
539. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a working family payment has not been decided in the case of a person (details supplied); if the matter will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53543/18]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children.
An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 30 October 2018. The applicant has been awarded WFP with effect from 01 November 2018 to 30 October 2019.
The first payment and all arrears owing will issue to their nominated bank account on 18 December 2018. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 14 December 2018 and of the right of review and appeal.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
540. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of appeals lodged following decisions to refuse disability allowance in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018. [53547/18]
View answerThe table below provides the details which have been requested by the Deputy for the years 2016 to 2017 and to the end of November 2018.
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.
Disability Allowance Appeal Receipts 2016 – 2018
|
Year |
Appeals Received |
|
2016 |
4,912 |
|
2017 |
5,077 |
|
2018 (to 30/11/2018) |
4,897 |
541. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on public advertising and the purchase of external communications and publicity in 2018 by advertising campaign including specific amounts on social media campaigns (details supplied) or other digital platforms; the amount spent on public relations or other communications support, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53575/18]
View answerMy Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. In 2017, some 1.7 million applications for benefits, assistance and access to schemes were received and processed, and over 82 million individual payments were made to people across all age groups and to employers.
The Department is committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services that are available to them, and public information campaigns are an important part of this work.
No third party public relations or communications advisory expenditure was incurred by my Department to date in 2018.
Details of all social and digital media advertising, and total campaign, costs, as invoiced to 14 December 2018, are detailed below:
|
Project |
Social Media Costs (Ex. VAT) |
Digital Media Costs (Ex. VAT) |
Total Campaign Costs (Ex. VAT) including all newspaper, radio, outdoor and online advertising costs. |
|
Senior Management Vacancies |
Nil |
Nil |
€10,886.69 |
|
Tullamore Show |
Nil |
Nil |
€750 |
|
National Ploughing Championship |
Nil |
Nil |
€1,200 |
|
Low Pay Commission |
Nil |
€3,000 |
€16,783.21 |
|
Gender Recognition Act |
Nil |
Nil |
€12,064.62 |
|
Make Work Pay - Consultation |
Nil |
Nil |
€15,549.44 |
|
Farm Assist |
Nil |
Nil |
€20,002.64 |
|
Jobsweek 2018 |
€1,728.57* |
Nil |
€20,759 |
|
Dundalk Jobs Fair |
€799.95* |
Nil |
€6,504.72 |
|
False Self-Employment |
€2,000 |
€10,100 |
€107,747.16 |
|
Pension Reform - Consultation |
Nil |
Nil |
€15,003.43 |
|
€4,528.52 |
€13,100 |
€227,250.91 |
*Facebook promoted post
Invoiced to 14 December 2018.
542. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53590/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 23rd October 2018. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 7th December 2018 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
543. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a jobseeker's benefit appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53598/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16th October 2018. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers are received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
544. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53614/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 26th September 2018. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
545. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current data on child poverty here; the likelihood of achieving the child poverty target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53696/18]
View answerThe most recent data from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2017, published this week, shows that the consistent poverty rate for children in 2017 was 8.8%. This is a reduction on the 2016 figure of 10.9%. The 2017 at-risk-of-poverty rate for children was 18.4%, a slight reduction on the 2016 figure of 19.1% while the deprivation rate was 23.0%, down from 25.0% in 2016. It should be noted that the SILC data from 2012 through to 2016 was revised by the CSO, resulting in some changes to previously published data. However the CSO has stated that the revised estimates are not statistically significantly different from the pre-revision estimates
(https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/socialconditions/).
The 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 the number of children in consistent poverty by at least two-thirds of the 2011 level by 2020. In 2011, the consistent poverty rate for children was 9.3%, equating to roughly 107,000 children. By 2014, this had risen significantly to 12% (roughly 143,000 children). The 2017 consistent poverty rate for children was 8.8%, equating to some 105,000 children. Therefore, meeting the 2020 target means lifting almost 68,000 children out of poverty by that date.
Under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures 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. This approach acknowledges that 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, housing and childcare.
Budget 2019, in line with budgets over the past 3 years, included measures specifically aimed at supporting families on low incomes through increases in qualified child rates (including the introduction of a higher rate for children over 12 years of age), increases in earnings disregards for One Parent Family and Jobseeker Transition payments, an increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the introduction of a hot meals pilot in the School Meals programme.
These increased supports along with increasing employment rates suggest that we can expect further decreases in the poverty rates once the 2018 figures become available.
546. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of consultations undertaken by her Department since 16 May 2016 to date in 2018; the subject matter and or title of the consultation; the cost of the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53697/18]
View answerThe information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
547. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rates of poverty for persons with a disability here; the way in which this compares to the European average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53698/18]
View answerIn the European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), disability is based on the concept of global activity limitation. This is defined as a “limitation in activities people usually do because of health problems for at least the past six months”. The most recent available EU-SILC data from 2016 shows that the rate for people (aged 16 years and over) at risk of poverty or social exclusion, who are limited in their normal activities due to a health problem was 40.8% in Ireland, compared to the EU average of 30.1%.
However, the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions provides data on people aged 16 years and over who are not at work due to illness or disability. The most recent data from the 2017 Survey on Income and Living Conditions, published by the CSO this week, shows that the consistent poverty rate for people not at work due to illness or disability was 24%, a reduction on the 2016 figure of 25.9%. The 2017 at-risk-of-poverty rate for people not at work due to illness or disability was 35.4%, down from 39.2% in 2016, while the 2017 deprivation rate was. 45.9% down from 47.0% in 2016. It should be noted that the SILC data from 2012 through to 2016 was revised by the CSO, resulting in some changes to previously published data. However the CSO has stated that the revised estimates are not statistically significantly different from the pre-revision estimates https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/socialconditions/).
It is recognised that the best route out of poverty and social exclusion is through paid employment and the Government is committed to increasing the employment opportunities for people with a disability which includes a range of specific income, activation and employment supports provided by my Department. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities adopts a cross-government approach that brings together various measures, to be taken by different Departments and State agencies, in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on the employment of people with disabilities. These priorities are incorporated into the Pathways to Work Strategy and this ensures that there is an integrated focus on supports that enable people with disabilities to participate in employment where they have the capacity to do so.
The partial capacity benefit scheme enables recipients of invalidity pension and illness benefit to take-up employment, on a voluntary basis, while continuing to receive income support. The Department manages a supported employment service (EmployAbility) which provides a dedicated job-coaching service for people with disabilities. Intreo services are also available to provide employment support services for people with disabilities who wish to engage with the service on a voluntary basis. There is also a focus on supports available to employers who employ people with disabilities such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Workplace Equipment Adaption Grant Scheme. In addition, €300,000 has been allocated in Budget 2019, to commission research on the additional costs of living with a disability.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, are likely to have supported a further reduction in the rate of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by limitation in activities in the period since 2016, including for people with disabilities. This improvement is expected to continue with further forecast rises in employment, incomes and living standards.
548. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of working-age persons with a disability in employment here; the way in which this compares to the European average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53699/18]
View answerThe CSO is the responsible authority for collecting and disseminating information in relation to statistics on demography and labour market. The Department of Employment Affairs does not collect information in relation to employment rates for people with disability or other groups and relies on CSO sources for this information.
According to Census 2016, the number of people with disabilities of working age (defined as aged between 15 and 64 years) in employment was 121,968 giving an a working age employment rate for people with disabilities of 33.9 per cent. This compared with an employment rate of 62.4 per cent in the overall population of working age. As this estimate was based on a national measure and definition, the Department does not have access to comparable international data.
The Government is committed to increasing employment opportunities for people with a disability. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for people with disabilities adopts a cross-government approach that brings together various measures, to be taken by different Departments and State agencies, in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on the employment of people with disabilities. The six strategic priorities within the CES are to: build skills, capacity and independence; provide bridges and supports into work; make work pay; promote job retention and re-entry into work; provide coordinated and seamless support; and engage employers.
In addition, my Department also provides a range of specific income, activation and employment supports for people with disabilities to assist them in obtaining and sustaining employment in the open labour market.
549. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rate of severe material deprivation for lone parents here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53700/18]
View answerThe most recently available data on the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households from Eurostat is for 2016 and shows the rate in Ireland was 23.2%. The 2016 EU average was 15.7%. The most recent national Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) data for 2017, released by the CSO this week, reflects this. The 2017 consistent poverty rate for households with one adult and children under 18 years of age is 20.7%, a reduction on the 2016 figure of 23.2% but still considerably above the national average.
However, macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth in the last number of years. Unemployment has fallen from 6.8% in mid-2017 to 5.3% in November 2018. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports has also continued to fall. With the improvement in the fiscal situation, the Government was in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases from 2016 onwards. This includes a package of measures to support lone parents, encouraging them into the workplace and into education and helping to reduce their childcare costs. Budget 2019 increased the weekly rate by €5 for core welfare payments, including the One Parent Family Payment and the Jobseekers Transition Payment; increased the income disregards for both these payments to €150 per week and increased the qualified child rate with a higher rate introduced for children over 12 years of age. The Back to Work Family Dividend and the Working Family Payment also helps people with families who are entering into employment. In 2017, social transfers reduced the national at-risk-of-poverty rate from 32.3% to 15.7% after social transfers. This equates to a poverty reduction effect of 51% in 2017; ensuring Ireland remains one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social transfers.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, have contributed to the reduction in poverty levels that are evident in the recently released 2017 SILC data. As the economy continues to improve and families on low incomes experience the benefits of the welfare increases announced in Budget 2018 and Budget 2019, I expect to see further reductions in poverty levels, including those of lone parent families and improvements in living standards.
550. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the data on in-work poverty here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53701/18]
View answer‘In-work poverty’ measures the at-risk-of-poverty rate (i.e. the percentage with incomes below 60% of the median income) among adults (16+) who are ‘in-work’, based on their self-defined principal economic status. The most recent CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions data from 2017, released this week, show the at-risk-of-poverty rate was 5.4% for those aged 16 years or over with a principal economic status of ‘at work’, a reduction on the 2016 figure of 5.8%. This is considerably lower than the 2017 national at-risk-of-poverty rate which was 15.7%, down from 16.2% in 2016. The most recent available data from Eurostat is from 2016 and shows an EU average 'in-work poverty' rate of 9.6%.
It should be noted that the SILC data from 2012 through to 2016 was revised by the CSO, resulting in some changes to previously published data. However the CSO has stated that the revised estimates are not statistically significantly different from the pre-revision estimates (https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/socialconditions/).
Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth in the last number of years. Unemployment has fallen from 6.8% in mid-2017 to 5.3% in November 2018. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports has continued to fall. With these improvements, the Government was in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases from 2016 onwards. Measures include increases in core weekly rates for working-age adults, increases to the qualified child rate, income disregards for lone parents, the extension of the fuel allowance season and new initiatives to make work pay, such as the Back to Work Family Dividend. In 2017, social transfers reduced the national at-risk-of-poverty rate from 32.3% to 15.7% after social transfers. This equates to a poverty reduction effect of 51% in 2017; ensuring Ireland remains one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social transfers.
Income supports play an important role in addressing poverty. The Working Family Payment (WFP) (formerly known as Family Income Supplement) and the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) are important in-work supports for this group. The WFP is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. It is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. The BTWFD is a targeted scheme designed to further improve the incentive to take-up employment or self-employment for welfare recipients with children.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, have contributed to the reduction in poverty levels that are evident in the recently released 2017 SILC data. As the economy continues to improve and as individuals and families on low incomes experience the benefits of the welfare increases announced in Budget 2018 and Budget 2019, I expect to see further reductions in poverty levels and improvements in living standards in 2019 and beyond.
551. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of households that have had rent supplement increased above the prescribed limits for their area in each of the years 2016 to 2017 and to date in 2018, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53702/18]
View answerRent supplement continues its vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 24,800 recipients at a total cost €179.5 million for 2018
In recognition of the on-going rental market difficulties, the Department continues to implement a targeted case-by-case policy approach in the administration of rent supplement. This approach addresses the needs of customers who are at risk of losing their tenancy due to their landlord seeking rent in excess of the prevailing rent limit.
Approximately, 13,100 cases have been provided additional flexible payment arrangements to date. Of these, approximately 5,300 tenancies (c. 21% of total current recipients) are still receiving rent supplement.
The average uplift in excess of the prevailing rent limits for the National Framework for Tenancy Sustainment for is €195. The additional full year costs associated for these flexible payments is approximately €12.4 million (7% of the total cost provided for in 2018).
Annual statistics by county for rent supplement recipients receiving support where rents are in excess of the prescribed rent limits for the years 2016 to 2017 up to 10 December, 2018 are provided in the attached tabular statement.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Total Number of Increased Payments by County
|
COUNTY |
2016 |
2017 |
10 December 2018 |
|
CARLOW |
48 |
19 |
0 |
|
CAVAN |
49 |
19 |
2 |
|
CLARE |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
CORK |
245 |
8 |
0 |
|
DONEGAL |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
DUBLIN |
2,680 |
939 |
339 |
|
GALWAY |
94 |
16 |
6 |
|
KERRY |
156 |
118 |
0 |
|
KILDARE |
313 |
146 |
25 |
|
KILKENNY |
23 |
5 |
0 |
|
LAOIS |
18 |
0 |
54 |
|
LEITRIM |
49 |
11 |
0 |
|
LIMERICK |
1 |
10 |
0 |
|
LONGFORD |
214 |
25 |
33 |
|
LOUTH |
77 |
43 |
10 |
|
MAYO |
0 |
14 |
22 |
|
MEATH |
173 |
47 |
26 |
|
MONAGHAN |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
OFFALY |
13 |
10 |
0 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
40 |
37 |
16 |
|
SLIGO |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
TIPPERARY |
118 |
45 |
36 |
|
WATERFORD |
35 |
8 |
2 |
|
WESTMEATH |
271 |
36 |
80 |
|
WEXFORD |
15 |
3 |
1 |
|
WICKLOW |
277 |
138 |
29 |
|
TOTAL |
4,910 |
1,697 |
685 |
552. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an illness benefit claim by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53768/18]
View answerThe Illness Benefit claim for the person concerned has been processed and all arrears owing to him up to his final certificate which was dated the 12th November 2018 have been issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
553. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if all issues that arose in respect of the payment of illness benefit to recipients in recent months have now been resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53835/18]
View answerMy Department transferred administration of the Illness Benefit (IB) scheme to from a legacy IT platform to its newer core IT platform in August 2018. Although the system change has worked effectively for over 80% of IB customers, significant difficulties arose following implementation for a number of customers.
My Department took three main steps to resolve the issues impacting on payments. First, it deployed additional staff to process works and respond to the customer enquiries. Second, it developed some new IT "workarounds" that address the payment gap issues and to ensure a faster flow-through to payments. Third, it continued to review the design rules in the system to afford greater flexibility in processing of claims and certificates.
I believe we have made good progress in this regard, with payment levels returned to and maintained at the expected norm, (over 50,000 customers paid each week) for the past two months. Arrears payments have also been made to customers who were delayed payments. Telephone helpline and call handling performance has also been addressed and is now back to normal levels. Currently, people who are due a payment and whose certificates and claims are in order now receive their payment entitlement promptly. In stating this it is important to note that there are always cases, and were always such cases under the old system, where people's payments are legitimately stopped or paused for a variety of reasons. In addition there will always be cases where errors are made that impact payments to individual customers. While we endeavour to keep these to a minimum it is inevitable that some errors will be made in an Illness Benefit scheme that processes over 9,000 transactions per day.
In order to ensure that we learn from the lessons of the transition of the IB system onto a new platform, I have arranged for an independent review into how the changes to IB were planned, implemented and – importantly – communicated to customers. I expect this work to be completed early in 2019.
Finally, I would like to sincerely apologise again for the difficulties and burden experienced by customers earlier this year and believe the action taken to address these issues has worked and is continuing to work to ensure customers receive a good standard of service.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
554. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she can take to ensure the minimum waiting time for dealing with appeals having particular regard to the hardship caused to those awaiting decisions over long periods resulting in some cases homelessness and desperation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53836/18]
View answerThe average appeal processing times for all appeals determined to the end of November 2018 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the table below.
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.
All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and just 1% are appealed. Nevertheless, the Department is concerned that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Accordingly, significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times in respect of all schemes improved between 2011 and 2017 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 26.4 weeks in 2017 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 19.8 weeks in 2017. The corresponding processing times for the period January to November 2018 are 30.1 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.1 weeks for a summary decision.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with appeals officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. In addition, appeals decisions are themselves subject to review by the High Court and decisions have to be formally written up to quasi-judicial standards. Other factors that influence appeals processing times include the quality of the initial decision – in this respect the Department has changed the decisions process in respect of medical schemes, in order to provide more information to the claimant. I expect that this will help to reduce the number of appeals over time.
In addition, a number of new Appeals Officers have joined the Appeals Office over the past 12-18 months, to replace staff leaving on retirement. Given the complexity of the appeals process it takes some time for new staff to be trained up and develop expertise and this has led to somewhat longer processing times during this period. The Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that appeal processing times continue to be a priority for her Office.
Finally, where a claimant has been refused a social welfare payment, regardless of the scheme involved, and is appealing that decision, if their means are insufficient to meet their needs it is open to them to apply for supplementary welfare allowance in the interim.
If their application for supplementary welfare allowance is refused, they can also appeal that decision. The supplementary welfare allowance appeal will be prioritised for attention within the Appeals Office as soon as the appeal file and submission is received from my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal Processing Times by Scheme 1 January 2018 – 30 November 2018
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
34.2 |
24.1 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
24.2 |
28.5 |
|
Carer’s Benefit |
22.3 |
25.5 |
|
Child Benefit |
36.0 |
43.1 |
|
Disability Allowance |
17.4 |
23.9 |
|
Illness Benefit |
30.7 |
36.5 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
32.6 |
29.7 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
31.7 |
36.4 |
|
Deserted Wife’s Allowance |
70.6 (1 case) |
- |
|
Deserted Wife’s Benefit |
- |
69.1 (5 cases) |
|
Farm Assist |
42.0 |
41.6 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
36.1 |
- |
|
Working Family Payment |
29.7 |
40.1 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
24.4 |
30.1 |
|
Liable Relatives |
44.0 |
30.7 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
30.4 |
30.7 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
32.7 |
23.0 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
32.0 |
36.8 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
39.3 |
50.8 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
31.8 |
43.2 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
36.4 |
50.7 |
|
Disablement Pension |
34.3 |
33.1 |
|
OIB-Medical Care |
17.5 |
- |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
38.7 |
29.7 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
29.8 |
28.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
17.2 |
29.6 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
32.1 |
37.2 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Payments) |
25.2 |
31.3 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
30.8 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
30.7 |
30.8 |
|
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance |
34.9 |
- |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
64.0 (1 case) |
29.9 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
25.1 |
28.9 |
|
Carer’s Support Grant |
28.3 |
32.8 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
53.8 |
65.0 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
21.2 |
29.5 |
|
Widow/Widower's Pension (Contributory) |
35.0 |
33.3 |
|
Widow/Widower's Pension (Non-Contributory) |
29.9 |
25.7 |
|
Widowed Parent Grant |
45.1 |
43.7 |
|
All Appeals |
25.1 |
30.1 |
