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Thursday, 18 Apr 2019

Written Answers Nos. 276-288

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

Questions (276)

Dara Calleary

Question:

276. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications by category 1 and 2 projects made under the rural regeneration and development fund by county to date in tabular form; the number of successful and unsuccessful project applications by category that applied for funding by county; the successful projects by county that have been approved for funding by category; the value of funding approved for each such project; when successful applicants will receive funding in 2019; the amount allocated to the fund in 2019; the number of payments that have issued to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18222/19]

View answer

Written answers

I refer to my reply to Question No. 190 of 28th March 2019.  The position remains unchanged.

The Deputy may also wish to note that on Friday, 12th April 2019 in Donegal I launched the second call for applications from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.  This current call, the closing date for which is 12 noon on Tuesday, 6th August 2019, is open to Category 1 (shovel-ready) applications only.  A further call for Category 2 applications, those projects which need further development before being ready for Category 1 status, is scheduled to follow in October.

Departmental Agencies Data

Questions (277)

Dara Calleary

Question:

277. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the State agencies and bodies under the remit of his Department; the location of each such body by county; and the number of full and part-time persons employed in each such body. [18238/19]

View answer

Written answers

The following table provides the location of the State agencies and bodies under the remit of my Department by county; and the number of full and part-time persons employed in the four agencies : Water Safety Ireland, the Charities Regulatory Authority the Western Development Commission (WDC)and Pobal.

*In the case of Pobal 7 staff are working in a home-based capacity.

Agency

 

Location

Staff Full time

Staff Part –time

Water   Safety Ireland

 

Galway

7

0

Charities Regulatory Authority

 

Dublin

36

2

WDC

Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon

17

2

 Pobal

Galway

45

6

 Pobal

Dublin

239

13

 Pobal

Monaghan

34

3

 Pobal

Sligo

24

1

 Pobal

Cork

37

2

 Pobal

Donegal

1

1

 Pobal

Homebased*

7

0

 Pobal

Limerick

18

0

 Pobal

Kilkenny

21

0

RAPID Programme

Questions (278)

John Curran

Question:

278. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to each local authority and local development committee for the RAPID programme community facilities scheme and the community enhancement programme in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the amount paid to each local authority and local development committee to date for each allocation; the amount paid out to date out of the amount allocated to each local authority and local development committee in each such year based on latest data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/19]

View answer

Written answers

The nationwide re-cast RAPID programme and the Communities Facilities Scheme were launched for the first time in 2017.  €65,000 was allocated to and paid to each local authority area under each scheme, a total of €130,000 for each area and €4m across the country.

In 2018, these two programmes were replaced by the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP), which received total funding of €13m in 2018, including €0.5m that was ring-fenced for Men’s Sheds. The 2019 CEP has recently been launched with funding of €4.5m. The amount allocated to each local authority area is shown in the following table for 2018 and 2019. The 2018 amounts have been paid out by this Department. The 2019 amounts have not yet been paid out.

All of these three programmes were administered by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), with support from the local authorities. Local Development Committees (LDCs) were not involved in that process.

Lists of approved projects under the 2017 Communities Facilities Scheme, the 2017 RAPID programme, and the 2018 CEP are provided in the links. In some cases there is a delay in drawdown of this funding by community groups, for example, due to a delay in completing the approved work. This causes a delay in having final figures for some areas. The Department has written to the LCDC in each area asking for confirmation of final amounts provided to community groups and will provide this to the Deputy when it is available. It is not anticipated that there will be any significant difference between the amounts paid out by the Department to each LCDC/LA and the amounts paid out by that LCDC/LA to community groups.

Local Authority area

2018 CEP Allocation

2019 CEP Allocation

Carlow 

€259,285

€134,206

Cavan 

€274,141

€134,757

Clare 

€336,239

€139,257

Cork City

€472,567

€149,241

Cork

€650,400

€160,762

Donegal 

€632,449

€159,461

Dublin City

€1,364,607

€212,306

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

€369,788

€142,108

Fingal 

€493,131

€150,521

Galway City

€233,676

€132,455

Galway 

€397,778

€143,401

Kerry 

€382,630

€142,409

Kildare 

€468,672

€148,013

Kilkenny 

€289,901

€136,319

Laois 

€294,177

€136,524

Leitrim 

€189,068

€129,223

Limerick

€542,485

€152,942

Longford 

€234,155

€132,385

Louth

€418,627

€145,542

Mayo 

€425,542

€145,203

Meath 

€393,662

€142,893

Monaghan 

€238,172

€132,571

Offaly 

€322,142

€138,550

Roscommon 

€248,252

€133,301

Sligo 

€263,402

€134,084

South Dublin 

€750,743

€169,399

Tipperary

€486,017

€149,690

Waterford 

€402,777

€144,499

Westmeath 

€303,516

€136,571

Wexford 

€494,079

€150,065

Wicklow

€367,921

€141,343

Total

€13,000,000

€4,500,000

Details on approved projects for the 2017 Communities Facilities Fund are on the following link: https://drcd.gov.ie/community/communities-facilities-scheme/

Details on approved projects for the 2017 RAPID programme are on the following link: https://drcd.gov.ie/revitalising-areas-by-planning-investment-and-development-rapid/  

Details on approved projects for the 2018 Community Enhancement Programme are on the following link: https://drcd.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/CEP-Jan-2019-Project-approvals.pdf

Details on approved projects for the 2018 Men’s Shed fund (under the Community Enhancement Programme) are on the following link:

https://drcd.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Mens-Sheds-Funding-Jan-2019.pdf

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Funding

Questions (279)

John Curran

Question:

279. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated to the social inclusion and community activation programme in each year since being established in tabular form; the allocation in 2019; the amount expended in each such year and to date in 2019; the expenditure incurred under this scheme in each year and to date in 2019, by county; and the share of funds provided by EU structural funding and the Exchequer, respectively. [18241/19]

View answer

Written answers

The funding allocated to and amount expended by the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) from its inception on the 1 April 2015 to date is listed in Table 1.

Table 1:

  Year

 2015

 2016

 2017

 2018

 2019

 Allocated €m

 28.038

 37.441

 37.441

 38.028

 38.028

 Expended €m

 26.837

 35.083

 37.299

 37.812

 18.856

Table 2 provides funding allocations and the Department's expenditure per county for SICAP 2015 to 2019. 

SICAP commenced on 1 April 2015 in most parts of the country.  Expenditure figures for Counties Meath in 2015 and Galway in 2015 and 2016 reflect the fact that a deliberative process was ongoing at the time, SICAP commenced in Meath in May 2015 and in Galway County in January 2017.  Programme Implementers which had an underspend in 2015 and 2016 were permitted to offset the underspend against the following years budget.

Table 2: Funding allocations and the Department's expenditure per county

2015 Allocation

2015 Funding Issued

2016 Allocation

2016 Funding Issued

Carlow

402,321

402,321

536,428

533,928

Cavan

556,338

556,338

741,784

720,487

Clare

641,506

641,506

855,341

797,663

Cork

2,309,073

2,309,073

3,078,956

3,067,295

Donegal

1,480,935

1,480,935

1,974,580

1,920,151

Dublin

7,149,314

7,149,314

9,532,555

9,196,834

Galway

1,688,280

487,093

2,251,039

649,427

Kerry

1,222,199

1,222,199

1,629,598

1,626,089

Kildare

765,170

765,170

1,020,227

1,020,227

Kilkenny

455,860

455,860

607,813

605,399

Laois

423,048

423,048

564,064

559,205

Leitrim

393,488

393,488

524,650

481,609

Limerick

1,639,070

1,639,070

2,185,427

2,178,573

Longford

383,669

383,669

511,559

492,145

Louth

965,881

965,881

1,287,841

1,264,703

Mayo

930,908

930,908

1,241,211

1,215,481

Meath

235,799

235,799

371,072

369,743

Monaghan

464,453

464,453

619,271

612,427

Offaly

553,736

553,736

738,314

725,952

Roscommon

448,762

448,762

598,350

591,906

Sligo

439,136

439,136

585,514

554,930

Tipperary

841,838

841,838

1,122,450

1,116,186

Waterford

823,835

823,835

1,098,446

1,087,865

Westmeath

574,661

574,661

766,215

751,530

Wexford

1,276,311

1,276,311

1,701,748

1,697,683

Wicklow

972,584

972,584

1,296,777

1,245,474

Totals

28,038,175

26,836,988

37,441,230

35,082,912

2017 Allocation

2017 Funding Issued

2018 Allocation

2018 Funding Issued

2019 Allocation

2019 Funding Issued

Carlow

536,428

536,426

547,157

546,719

547,157

273,580

Cavan

741,784

732,058

756,620

748,659

756,620

378,310

Clare

855,341

855,341

872,448

872,448

872,448

436,224

Cork

3,078,956

3,077,547

3,159,205

3,158,959

3,159,205

1,579,606

Donegal

1,974,580

1,970,067

2,008,916

2,008,802

2,008,916

1,004,459

Dublin

9,532,555

9,509,364

9,656,954

9,575,503

9,656,954

4,828,477

Galway

2,251,039

2,251,039

2,251,039

2,250,098

2,251,039

1,125,519

Kerry

1,629,598

1,628,742

1,629,599

1,629,599

1,629,599

814,799

Kildare

1,020,227

1,011,063

1,061,036

1,061,036

1,061,036

530,518

Kilkenny

607,813

607,453

632,126

631,889

632,126

316,063

Laois

564,064

554,502

586,627

586,625

586,627

293,314

Leitrim

524,650

516,760

524,650

511,290

524,650

262,325

Limerick

2,185,427

2,184,409

2,185,427

2,184,718

2,185,427

1,092,714

Longford

511,559

506,591

511,559

500,352

511,559

255,780

Louth

1,287,841

1,287,708

1,313,599

1,313,599

1,313,599

656,800

Mayo

1,241,211

1,231,152

1,269,911

1,262,231

1,269,911

634,955

Meath

371,072

367,624

393,336

392,609

393,336

196,668

Monaghan

619,271

614,852

631,656

628,332

631,656

315,828

Offaly

738,314

731,384

760,463

750,858

760,463

380,232

Roscommon

598,350

595,358

598,350

597,908

598,350

299,175

Sligo

585,514

585,503

585,514

585,507

585,514

292,757

Tipperary

1,122,450

1,105,851

1,173,386

1,157,231

1,173,386

586,693

Waterford

1,098,446

1,095,322

1,120,415

1,089,306

1,120,415

560,208

Westmeath

766,215

755,391

781,539

780,540

781,539

390,770

Wexford

1,701,748

1,698,940

1,701,748

1,677,328

1,701,748

850,874

Wicklow

1,296,777

1,288,405

1,314,319

1,309,618

1,314,319

657,160

Totals

37,441,230

37,298,852

38,027,599

37,811,764

38,027,599

19,013,803

Table 3 provides information on funds received from the European Social Fund (ESF).  To date funding of €633,500 has been received from the European Social Fund (ESF).

Table 3: Funds received from the ESF to date which was for administration purposes only:

ESF receipts during 2016

€181,000

ESF receipts during 2015

€452,500

An allocation of €60m co-funding is available from the PEIL programme for SICAP 2018 to 2022. It is anticipated the first funding claim will be made to the European Commission in 2020.

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Funding

Questions (280)

John Curran

Question:

280. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated to the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme 2018-2022 in each year in tabular form. [18242/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme 2018-2022 (SICAP) is a €190m, five year national programme, delivered locally to help those in the greatest need. The SICAP vision is to improve the life chances of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or unemployed. 

The funding allocated is set out in the table. The funding for 2020 onwards is indicative and subject to the budgetary  process.  It is my intention to secure increased funding for this vital programme from 2020 onwards.

2018 

 2019

 2020

 2021

 2022

 €38.028m

€38.028m 

 €38.028m

 €38.028m

€38.028m 

Walks Scheme

Questions (281)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

281. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated first and full-year cost of a proposal for a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18286/19]

View answer

Written answers

The scheme referred to by the Deputy involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participant landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken, in line with agreed work plans.

The scheme currently covers 39 trails, with payments made to approximately 1,900 landholders to maintain those trails. Payments are based on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s "Own Labour Rate".  In line with this rate, my Department has increased the amount payable to participants from €12.40 per hour to €13.50 per hour from 1 January this year.  This increase will be reflected in payments made to participants this year. 

The maximum amount payable to any participant is 200 hours, or €2,700. In 2018, the average payment to participants on the scheme was €938.  The cost of payments to participants on an annual basis is in the region of €2 million.  A further €600,000 is paid to Local Development Companies to cover the cost of administering the scheme and the salaries of Rural Recreation Officers who oversee the scheme.

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (282)

Barry Cowen

Question:

282. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of persons employed at each level of the Civil Service from Secretary General to cleaner each year since 2016; the number of those at each level that are female in each year since 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18357/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017. Data on employees since the establishment are set out for each year in the tables.

Table A, employee numbers in each grade at year end in December 2017:

Grade

Total Number of Employees

Total Number of Females

Secretary General

1

0

Assistant Secretary

2

1

Principal Officer

10

3

Assistant Principal

21

10

Higher Executive Officer

29

16

Administrative Officer

6

4

Executive Officer

28

15

Clerical Officer

45

32

Service Officer

0

0

Technical grade

8

4

Minister

1

0

Ministers Adviser

2

0

Minister drivers

2

0

Table B - employee numbers in each grade at year end, December 2018:

Grade

Total number of employees

Total number of females

Secretary General

1

0

Assistant Secretary

3

2

Principal Officer

10

4

Assistant Principal

30

13

Higher Executive Officer

35

23

Administrative Officer

8

5

Executive Officer

41

27

Clerical Officer

48

34

Service Officer

1

 0

Technical grade

7

2

Minister

2

 0

Ministers Adviser

2

 0

Minister drivers

4

 0

 Table C - employee numbers in each grade as at 15th April, 2019:

Grade

Total number of employees

Total number of females

Secretary General

1

0

Assistant Secretary

3

2

Principal Officer

11

4

Assistant Principal

28

12

Higher Executive Officer

36

23

Administrative Officer

7

4

Executive Officer

42

27

Clerical Officer

47

33

Service Officer

1

0

Technical grade

7

2

Minister

2

0

Ministers Adviser

2

0

Minister drivers

4

0

Departmental Funding

Questions (283)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

283. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 614 of 4 December 2018, if he has conducted an historical review of funding to an organisation (details supplied); if he is satisfied all grants were used for the purpose for which they were granted; if he has granted funding to the organisation in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18380/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Department of Rural and Community Development does not currently fund the organisation in question from any of its programmes, and has no plans to so in the future.

However, funding for the period covering 2011 to 30 June 2014 totalling €128,542 issued from the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO), which is now under the remit of my Department.

The SSNO provides multi-annual funding to national organisations towards the core costs associated with the provision of services. Funding under the 2011-2014 scheme was provided subject to ongoing financial and other checks, together with a programme of audit. I am satisfied, based on the information to hand, that the funding provided was used for its intended purpose.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (284)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

284. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding a disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [18100/19]

View answer

Written answers

I can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from this gentleman on 8 February 2019.

On 16 April 2019 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on his eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made on his DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (285)

James Browne

Question:

285. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will be awarded a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18103/19]

View answer

Written answers

Following a successful appeal, this gentleman has been awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 3 October 2018. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 8 May 2019.

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.

Consultancy Contracts Data

Questions (286)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

286. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on external consultancy reports in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18114/19]

View answer

Written answers

The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Social Welfare Appeals Data

Questions (287)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

287. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals lodged in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the percentage of appeals which were successful; the average waiting time in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18115/19]

View answer

Written answers

Appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant consist of appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer, or which were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer / Designated Person.  

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. 

There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was incorrect.  It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person.  This was the case in 37.6% of such successful outcomes in 2017, 31.5% of such outcomes in 2018 and 33.2 % of such outcomes to the end of March 2019.

Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.

In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and just 1% are appealed.  Nevertheless, the Department continues to work to ensure 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 year 2018 were 30 weeks for an oral hearing and 24.8 weeks for a summary decision.  There has been some improvement for the first three months of 2019 with an oral hearing decision taking on average 28 weeks and a summary decision taking 23.8 weeks.

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.

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Questions (288)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

288. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average waiting time for a decision on appeal for social protection payments paid on a weekly basis in cases in which there is no oral hearing in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18116/19]

View answer

Written answers

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. 

In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and just 1% are appealed.  Nevertheless, the Department always works to ensure 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 year 2018 were 30 weeks for an oral hearing and 24.8 weeks for a summary decision.  There has been some improvement for the first three months of 2019 with an oral hearing decision taking on average 28 weeks and a summary decision taking 23.8 weeks.

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.

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