Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019

Written Answers Nos. 205-219

Pension Provisions

Questions (205, 213)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

205. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans regarding the auto-enrolment of workers in the private sector in pension plans. [45628/19]

Noel Grealish

Question:

213. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the concept of the proposed auto-enrolment pension scheme conflicts with the existing personal retirement savings account system, which operates without the need for a central processing agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45757/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 213 together.

I am pleased that the Government recently approved significant elements of my design of an automatic enrolment retirement savings system which will commence in 2022.

It has long been recognised that supplementary pension coverage in Ireland among private sector workers is too low. It is estimated that just 35% of private sector workers have supplementary pension coverage through either occupational or private pension schemes. This can lead to these workers being reliant solely on the State Pension in retirement, which may result in a significant and unwanted reduction in their living standards.

In order to address this challenge, the Government has committed to begin implementation of a supplementary retirement savings system, known as Automatic Enrolment (AE), by 2022. AE will see a transition from the current and purely voluntary system to one which will, subject to certain parameters, automatically enrol employees into a quality assured retirement savings system. The saver will maintain the freedom of choice to opt-out. Moreover, the AE system is being designed to complement existing private pension provision, and in no way conflicts with the current private pension landscape.

Key decisions have now been made in relation to the target membership, the contribution rates, the policies in relation to opting-out and re-enrolment, the administrative arrangements and organisational approach and the investment options.

In relation to the target membership, employees aged between 23 and 60, who earn more than €20,000 a year (across all employments) and are not already contributing to a workplace pension, will be automatically enrolled. Employees who are existing members of a pension scheme/contract that meets prescribed minimum standards and contribution levels will not be automatically enrolled for the employment to which that pension relates.

The introduction of AE will help to ensure that workers in the private sector are enrolled in quality assured pension schemes which, by supplementing the State Pension, will provide an adequate income in retirement.

I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputies.

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Questions (206)

Noel Grealish

Question:

206. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will accept the recommendation of the Workplace Relations Commission and implement a decision (details supplied) for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45639/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.

The programme is delivered through independent Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies. The contract agreement between the Department and the Community Employment Sponsoring Body establishes their role as an independent contractor, responsible for or all purposes and all persons recruited by them.

CE Supervisors have always been employees of Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies which operate in the community and voluntary sector. The Community Employment Sponsoring Body receives public funding.

The Department received the Adjudication Officer’s Decision on Monday 4th November. It is reviewing the Decision at present and is seeking legal advice on it.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (207)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

207. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45707/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 8 August 2019. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that this lady was substantially restricted in taking up employment. She was also deemed to have means in excess of the statutory limit for her circumstances.

The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 24 October 2019 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). No request for an appeal or review has been received to date.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

Carer's Allowance Applications

Questions (208)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

208. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45733/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Carer'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 28 August 2019.

Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a deciding officer on 2 November 2019.

Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

As there has been no decision on this application to date, there is no decision to appeal and therefore no appeal in process.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Carer's Allowance Applications

Questions (209)

John McGuinness

Question:

209. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 25 September 2019, if a carer's allowance will be approved as a matter of urgency for a person (details supplied). [45747/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Carer'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 2 September 2019.

The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 9 September to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.

CA was awarded to the person concerned on 2 November 2019 with effect from 5 September 2019. The first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 7 November 2019.

Arrears of allowance due from 5 September 2019 to 6 November 2019 will issue to her nominated bank account on 7 November 2019 also.

The person concerned was notified on 2 November 2019 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Widow's Pension Eligibility

Questions (210)

John McGuinness

Question:

210. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to a pension following the death of the person's spouse; and if they are entitled to other benefits. [45753/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

To qualify for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, the person concerned or their late spouse or civil partner must have a certain number of PRSI contributions. The person concerned applied for widow(er)'s & surviving civil partner's Contributory Pension in June 2018. The application was disallowed as the minimum contributions required were not met.

Widowed persons aged under 66 with dependant children, who do not have sufficient contributions paid to qualify for the contributory pension, are eligible to apply for One Parent Family Payment. The person concerned is in receipt of this payment at the maximum rate, together with an allowance for each of their dependant children. They have also qualified for the fuel allowance which is payable during the winter months.

The person concerned was awarded a Widowed Parent Grant of €6,000 in July 2018, a once off grant for widowed parents with dependent children who are in receipt of a qualifying payment.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 211 answered with Question No. 202.

Pension Provisions

Questions (212)

Noel Grealish

Question:

212. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount or percentage that the State will contribute to the proposed auto-enrolment pension system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45756/19]

Written answers

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

I am pleased that the Government recently approved significant elements of my design for an automatic enrolment retirement savings system. These include key decisions in relation to the target membership, the contribution rates, the policies in relation to opting-out and re-enrolment, the administrative arrangements and organisational approach and the investment options.

As stated in the 'The Roadmap for Pensions Reform', the Government proposes to begin implementation of a supplementary retirement savings system, known as Automatic Enrolment (AE), by 2022. AE will see a transition from the current and purely voluntary system to one which will, subject to certain parameters, automatically enrol employees into a quality assured retirement savings system. The saver will maintain the freedom of choice to opt-out.

There are five main areas where work is on-going so as to produce design options for Government to consider. These areas relate to the design of: the State financial incentive; the scope and role of the Central Processing Authority; the nature and functions of the Registered Providers; the investment framework and funds to be offered by Registered Providers, including the design of the default fund, and also the pay-out phase; and the phasing of implementation.

With respect to a State financial incentive, the Strawman proposal gave the illustrative example that the State could contribute €1 for every €3 contributed by the individual to their pension fund. However, the level of the State incentive and its interaction with the existing marginal rate of tax relief scheme for occupational pensions was one of the issues that generated much debate in the consultation process.

While the issue of State incentives within wider supplementary pensions is under the remit of the Department of Finance, it formed part of the Interdepartmental Pensions Reform and Taxation Groups (IDPRTG) Consultation on Supplementary Pensions Reform. On the basis of the findings from this review, the responses to the Strawman consultation, and ongoing research and consultation with experts around the world, a set of options on the design of a financial incentive for AE will be brought to Government in the first quarter of 2020.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 213 answered with Question No. 205.

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Questions (214)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

214. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45759/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

An application for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) was received from this lady on the 30th September 2019. Applications received mid August 2019 are currently being finalised. The application will be considered by a deciding officer in due course and the decision notified to her as soon as possible.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Water Quality

Questions (215, 216)

James Lawless

Question:

215. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the measures being taken to reassure the public that water is appropriately treated and fit for consumption at both the Leixlip and Ballymore Eustace water plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45595/19]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

216. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he is satisfied that the necessary steps have been taken by Irish Water and Fingal County Council at the Leixlip water treatment plant to ensure there is no repetition of the pump failure and control system failure that led to boil water notices for 600,000 persons. [45623/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.

Ballymore Eustace is currently producing water in compliance with water quality standards, it does not feature on the EPA’s remedial action list and is not subject to any water use notices or restrictions.

Leixlip water treatment plant is operated by Fingal County Council through a Service Level Agreement on behalf of Irish Water.

I am extremely concerned that this plant has been the subject of two boil water notices in quick succession, albeit for different reasons.

Following the October boil water notice incident, Irish Water and Fingal County Council have implemented automatic plant shutdown on high turbidity if there is a failure to respond to an alarm within 15 minutes.

In the case of the current (November) Boil Water Notice, the plant operators reacted quickly, before alarms were activated, and shut down the ‘Old Plant’ at Leixlip. Irish Water’s engineering team are currently assessing the plant in detail to determine the actions necessary to return the plant to full production and to ensure that the plant is resilient into the future.

The turbidity issues now arising are linked to the need to upgrade the older part of this treatment plant to improve the performance of the plant. In particular, the EPA has identified in its audits that the filters at the plant need to be upgraded.

It is a matter for the EPA and the HSE as regulators – and for Irish Water as the water utility, working with the local authority, to ensure that national standards are complied with.

I have spoken to the Managing Director of Irish Water and the CEO of Fingal County Council and will be meeting with them to discuss the issues in detail. I have also requested that the EPA provide me with a full report on that incident.

Our water and wastewater systems both require substantial and sustained investment: to bring the systems up to the standards of a modern service; to provide for population growth and to build resilience in the face of climate change.

The Government has approved the Irish Water Strategic Funding Plan 2019-2024 comprising of a €6.1bn investment in infrastructure and assets and €4.9bn in operating costs.

Vacant Properties Data

Questions (217)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

217. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of vacant properties in counties Cavan and Monaghan in tabular form; and the existing or planned initiatives he intends to implement to assist local authorities in the counties to make vacant homes habitable. [45630/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Both Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council have prepared a Vacant Homes Action Plan for their administrative areas.

In August 2017, I requested all local authorities to designate vacant home officers to co-ordinate local actions to address vacancy and also to undertake local vacancy surveys in order to identify - through their Vacant Homes Action Plans - priority "vacancy hot-spot areas" and properties that can be quickly brought back into residential use.

The role and range of duties of the Vacant Homes Office within each local authority includes (but is not be limited to) establishing a co-ordinated approach towards the implementation of the Action Plans, i.e. developing appropriate referral and feedback systems between relevant sections who may be dealing with vacant homes/properties in each local authority, undertaking initial vacancy assessment exercise (drilling into available vacancy data), and carrying out or co-ordinating visual inspections / assessment of residential properties in their administrative area, with a view to identifying possible vacant recoverable homes.

Where local authorities identify a potentially long term vacant residential dwelling, and the owner can be identified the local authority attempts to engage with the owners on the options available to assist in bringing their properties back into use for in the liveable housing stock.

Since the launch of Rebuilding Ireland, in the region of 553 vacant homes have been re-introduced to the liveable housing stock, primarily through our Repair and Lease, and Buy and Renew initiatives. Local authorities are also working hard to bring homes back into use by acquiring dwellings in unfinished estates, liaising with financial institutions on their vacant property portfolios and utilising CPO powers to acquire empty properties. These recovered properties aid us in the ongoing effort to meeting our commitments under Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland, which sets out a range of measures to assist in meeting Ireland’s housing needs by ensuring that Ireland’s existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent possible.

My Department has also made legislative amendments in support of the reactivation of the optimum number of vacant residential properties. New exempted development Regulations which came into operation in early 2018, allow for the change of use, and any related works, of certain vacant commercial premises to residential use without the need to obtain planning permission. We also introduced Regulations late last year to provide clarity on the application of Disability Access Certificates to existing buildings when brought back into reuse.

Having regard to potentially vacant space above retail space, my Department has recently launched the Bringing Back Homes – Manual for the reuse of existing buildings, to help property owners, the public, local authorities and the construction industry to developing vacant buildings and space over commercial property. Bringing Back Homes aims to help increase housing supply as well as rejuvenate town centres and city streets. Publication of the manual was a commitment under Action 5.21 of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and is also referenced in the National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy. Amongst other things, the manual provides a suite of reuse options for common building types and elaborates on the complexity associated with each option giving an overview of the technical requirements associated with creating ‘over the shop’ space into residential units.

In order to more accurately determine the levels of long-term, vacant but recoverable dwellings that can be re-introduced into the liveable housing stock, the Department, in conjunction with the Housing Agency, the CSO and the local government sector, developed a survey methodology in relation to locating vacant housing and a pilot field-based survey was undertaken across six local authorities (Cork City Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Limerick City and County Council, Mayo County Council, Meath County Council, Waterford City and County Council.)

Each participating local authority visually inspected approximately 1,200 homes each, recording the location of potentially vacant properties, and where possible, recording apparent reasons for vacancy and categorising each vacant home (with a view to prioritising those which are seen as most likely to be re-introduced into the liveable housing stock). To identify long-term vacancy, the pilot requires two visual inspections, six months apart, with those houses occupied between the two inspections disregarded.

The participating local authorities have completed their work on the pilot vacancy identification survey and my Department are analysing the results of the pilot survey and is currently considering the outcomes to determine whether there would be significant value in rolling out the survey on a national basis.

While neither Cavan County Council nor Monaghan County Council were involved in the pilot vacancy survey, both have requested access to the GIS application that was used during the pilot, which will allow them visually inspect and log potentially long-term vacant properties in their administrative area, which could be re-introduced into the liveable housing stock.

Postal Voting

Questions (218)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

218. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many older persons, persons with long-term illnesses and those who are housebound feel angry and discriminated against due to the fact that they are unable to vote in elections and are unable to get to a Garda station to have a postal vote form verified; and the way in which he plans to rectify same. [45637/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of persons who are entered in the register of electors, including electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical disability.

Section 66(2) of the Electoral Act 1992 provides that the receipt sent with the ballot paper to postal voters must be in the form directed by the Minister and must have printed thereon the instructions to the voter. For a postal voter with a physical illness or disability the receipt requires the signature of the postal voter and not that of a Garda. The signed receipt, together with the marked ballot paper is then returned to the returning officer in the ballot paper envelope provided.

While some applications for entry onto the supplement to the register of electors require Garda verification, this is not the case for application for entry onto the supplements to the register of electors or the postal voters list by persons with a physical illness or physical disability.

Water Services

Questions (219)

Seán Haughey

Question:

219. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he is considering introducing legislation to allow for a referendum to ensure the water system is kept in public ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45729/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Government is firmly committed to public water services remaining in public ownership, as reflected in the Water Services Acts and in the Water Services Policy Statement 2018-2025. This position is consistent with the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (April 2017) which supported the concept of a referendum, while recommending that the status of group water schemes and private wells remain unchanged.

Provisions for a referendum are contained in the Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Water in Public Ownership) (No. 2) Bill 2016, a Private Member's Bill initiated by Deputy Joan Collins, and currently at Dáil Committee Stage. Detailed examination of the Bill, undertaken in consultation with the Attorney General, has highlighted a number of unacceptable risks which I have shared with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government (the Committee). The Office of the Parliamentary Legal Adviser has separately advised the Committee in relation to the Bill.

My response has been to seek to bring forward appropriate amendments to the Bill. In November 2018, I received Government approval for the priority drafting of proposed amendments which will focus on retaining the entity charged with the provision of public water services in public ownership.

Good progress on a revised wording proposal continues to be made by the Attorney General’s office in conjunction with my Department. On 15 July 2019 I advised the Committee that I am working towards concluding a revised wording proposal. I will write to the Committee again shortly to update it on this matter.