Written Answers Nos. 556-575
556. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to honour the LRC recommendations in relation to pension rights for those in community employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49864/19]
View answerThe Community Employment (CE) programme is designed to enhance employability by providing work experience and training opportunities for people within their communities.
The programme is operated by CE Sponsors, who are typically voluntary and community organisations wishing to benefit the local community. These CE Sponsoring organisations contract, as independent employers, with my Department on an annual basis, to provide job seekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications within their communities to support their progression into employment.
Under the annual agreement my Department funds the employment of CE participants, and provides funding towards training, material and supervisory costs. Grant aid is provided by my Department to cover these costs on a per capita basis. The agreement clearly establishes the role of the CE Sponsor as an independent contractor, responsible for all persons recruited by them.
I am very aware of the valuable and dedicated service that Community Employment (CE) sponsor organisations provide in running CE Schemes across the country. CE supervisors, as employees of these organisations, are an integral part of that good work. However, CE supervisors are not employed by my Department, nor are they public servants.
My Department is currently engaging with representatives of CE supervisors to discuss issues arising following that 2008 Labour Court Recommendation and all parties have agreed that the detail of all discussions undertaken by the group should remain confidential until the process has completed. I expect an outcome shortly.
557. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of discussions on an agreed funding package for community employment supervisors in relation to the pension and gratuity claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50156/19]
View answerThe 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 all purposes and all persons recruited by them
CE Supervisors are not employed by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. CE Supervisors have always been employees of Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies which operate in the community and voluntary sector.
My Department is currently engaging with representatives of CE supervisors to discuss issues arising following the 2008 Labour Court Recommendation and all parties have agreed that the detail of all discussions undertaken by the group should remain confidential until the process has completed. I have asked Deputies to respect these wishes and allow the talks to continue free from speculation.
558. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if special needs assistants are entitled to claim unemployment benefit in cases in which their hours are reduced. [50260/19]
View answerJobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance are the two main income supports available from my Department to people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full time employment. Jobseeker’s benefit is a social insurance based scheme and applicants must have sufficient insurance contributions and suffered a substantial loss of employment to qualify. The 2020 revised estimates for my Department provide for expenditure next year on the jobseeker’s benefit scheme of €354.4 million.
To be eligible for jobseeker’s benefit a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full time employment. It is a fundamental condition for both jobseekers schemes that a person must also be fully unemployed for 4 days in any period of 7 consecutive days. The social insurance contribution condition requires a jobseeker to have at least 104 weeks qualifying PRSI contributions paid since they first started work and 39 weeks qualifying PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year or, 26 weeks qualifying PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and 26 weeks qualifying PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which the jobseeker’s benefit claim was made. So, for claims made in 2019 the relevant tax year is 2017.
In the case of a person who normally works full time but their hours are reduced by their employer on a temporary basis they may be entitled to receive jobseeker’s benefit for the days that they don’t work provided that they meet all the conditions of the scheme including that they cannot work for more than 3 days in 7 consecutive days. This is known as systematic short time working and the person’s Jobseeker’s benefit is not taxable. If a person works part time and their hours are temporarily reduced they are not treated as a systematic short time worker, they are treated as a part time worker and their jobseeker’s benefit is taxable. They must also be genuinely seeking full time work to continue to be eligible for the scheme.
If a person does not meet the conditions to qualify for jobseeker’s benefit they may apply for means tested jobseeker’s allowance.
In addition to the jobseekers schemes another in-work support scheme offered by my Department is the Working Family Payment, which provides an income top-up for employees who have child dependents and they are on low earnings. To qualify for this payment, a person must be engaged in insurable employment which is expected to last for at least three months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. The payment effectively preserves the incentive to take up or remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if s/he were claiming other social welfare payments.
It is recognised that a changing labour market has resulted in a move away from the more traditional work patterns, resulting in an increase in the number of persons employed for less than a full week. However, any changes to the current criteria, such as moving to an hours-based system, could result in significant numbers of additional individuals becoming eligible for a jobseeker’s payment with the substantial corresponding costs for the Exchequer. In addition, if there were a change from a days-based to an hours-based system, existing casual jobseekers could lose out if their current hours worked over three days exceeded the new hour’s threshold, creating a disincentive to work longer. This is an important policy issue for the Department which is kept under review in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
559. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application by a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49727/19]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
I confirm that my department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 24 October 2019.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum of 15 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.
As the applicant is engaged in farming the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 25 November 2019 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.
Once the SWI has reported, a decision will be made without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
560. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied) has been refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49761/19]
View answerThe Department has not received an application for Disability Allowance from the person concerned.
However, the person concerned did apply for Illness Benefit from May 2019. She did not qualify for payment as she did not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.
In order to qualify for Illness Benefit a person must have 39 weeks of PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year at the appropriate class, or 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the relevant tax year, and 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.
The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year from which the claim is made. For claims made in 2019, that year is 2017.
The person concerned had only 18 contributions in 2017, which means she did not qualify for payment. She can continue to provide medical certificates for the duration of the period in which she is unfit for work in order to receive PRSI credited contributions.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
561. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the assurances that can be given to those jobseekers' assigned to a UK company (details supplied) which stores private data in its head office in Hoxley, UK, that their personal data is fully protected; the way in which persons can be assured that this will be the case post-Brexit in view of the fact this private data will fall outside the protection of EU or Irish law; and the measures that have been put in place to ensure same. [49781/19]
View answerJobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service is delivered by two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua.
Information is shared with these contractors to enable them to provide employment services on behalf of the Department. The purpose of sharing this information is to assist in the development of tailored personal progression plans, for individual jobseekers in order to support them back into paid employment.
I am happy to assure the Deputy that no personal information of DEASP customers is stored outside Ireland by either JobPath contractor and that post Brexit this will continue to be the case.
Seetec are contracted providers of Activation services and act on behalf of the Department for the purpose of delivering these services and are subject to strict obligations imposed by the Department in terms of data protection.
My Department’s contracts with the JobPath providers are in compliance with all relevant legislation and any information shared is contractually-based and necessary to provide an employment service. All contracts in place are in accordance with the laws of Ireland.
JobPath providers are contractually required to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner as data processors and are legally bound to observe and adhere to data protection requirements.
Both contractors have undertaken regular independent audits of their data processes and procedures as part of these contractual obligations. In addition, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has conducted audits of each JobPath contractor. Employees of both contractors, and their subcontractors, are subject to the same data protection laws as Departmental staff.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
562. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending the Christmas bonus to those in receipt of illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49793/19]
View answerThe Christmas Bonus is being paid this week to some 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on social welfare payments for all of most of their income.
As illness benefit is a short-term scheme, recipients are not eligible for the Christmas Bonus payment.
Illness benefit recipients who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the non-means-tested invalidity pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and contribution conditions). Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested disability allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). Recipients of both of these payments are eligible for the Christmas Bonus.
Any change to the current eligibility criteria for the Christmas Bonus payment would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
563. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the respite care allowance by county in tabular form; the criteria for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49809/19]
View answerThe following Table shows a breakdown, by county, of all Grant claims in payment at end-October 2019.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer’s Support Grants, by county, at end-October 2019
|
Carlow |
1,735 |
|
Cavan |
1,725 |
|
Clare |
2,797 |
|
Cork |
13,007 |
|
Donegal |
4,836 |
|
Dublin |
23,831 |
|
Galway |
5,811 |
|
Kerry |
3,904 |
|
Kildare |
4,250 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,124 |
|
Laois |
2,041 |
|
Leitrim |
872 |
|
Limerick |
5,794 |
|
Longford |
1,326 |
|
Louth |
3,215 |
|
Mayo |
3,559 |
|
Meath |
3,666 |
|
Monaghan |
1,327 |
|
Offaly |
2,439 |
|
Roscommon |
1,809 |
|
Sligo |
1,685 |
|
Tipperary |
4,826 |
|
Waterford |
2,851 |
|
Westmeath |
2,516 |
|
Wexford |
4,324 |
|
Wicklow |
3,086 |
|
Total |
109,356 |
564. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance claim by a person (details supplied) will be finalised. [49812/19]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from this gentleman on 9 September 2019.
On 24 September 2019, the 12 October 2019 and on the 26 November 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.
565. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the conclusions of the 1995 technical committee as reported on in 2007 regarding roles and duty definitions within her Department were implemented; the person or body that monitors the implementation of the conclusions; if PMDS recognises the conclusions of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49822/19]
View answerThe Technical Working Group Report is a set of operational guidelines agreed with the Unions and finalised in 2007 and was written in the context of the technology available at the time. In the last eight years, since the rollout of the Report in 2011, there has been considerable advancement in technology and processes. Advice on roles, duties and procedures have been issued via Departmental Guidelines to all staff working in the relevant locations and training awareness delivered, has been in line with those Guidelines as noted in the Technical Report.
The PMDS process is competency-based and is a tool designed to help staff and support managers identify the areas of work they need to focus on. In that sense PMDS takes into account the role and duties of an individual and helps them assess their own performance in the role. PMDS also helps and encourages development in order to continuously improve in a structured way, on a yearly basis.
I am advised that my Department is currently engaged in a process with the Unions in re-examining aspects of the Technical Report noted.
566. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the group charged with examining enforcement of child maintenance payments; when it will be set-up; the nature of its composition; the terms of reference; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49823/19]
View answerThe Family Law Acts place a legal obligation on parents to maintain their children. In cases where the family unit has broken down these obligations continue to apply. Relevant maintenance payments can be arranged either directly between the parties themselves, or with the assistance of supports from the Department of Justice and Equality, such as the Family Mediation Service and the Legal Aid Board, or ultimately through the Courts.
As part of Budget 2020, €150,000 was allocated to my Department to examine international best practice in relation to maintenance payments by liable relatives and on how Ireland can achieve better outcomes in a proactive manner for families. This allocation will be used to support a judge-led group which will provide recommendations as to how to make concrete and practical improvements in this complex area.
Preparatory work for the establishment of the judge-led group is underway and I expect that it will be in place early in the new year.
567. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of a proposal (details supplied). [49827/19]
View answerAn Increase for a Qualified Adult is an additional payment made to social welfare recipients in respect of a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who is financially dependent on them. This additional payment is means-tested.
The Department estimates that payments will be made in respect of an average of 150,000 Qualified Adults per week in 2020.
The full year cost of ceasing the payment of the Increase for a Qualified Adult, and establishing Qualified Adults as social welfare customers in their own right is estimated to be €324m, based on the estimated average number of Qualified Adults in 2020.
This estimate assumes that Qualified Adults on all working age payments would qualify for a full rate Jobseekers Allowance payment, while qualified adults on State Pensions (Contributory and Non-Contributory), would qualify for the full rate State Pension Non-Contributory in their own right.
It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2020.
The estimated costs are exclusive of the additional administrative costs involved in processing an additional 150,000 claims.
568. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payments made in respect of qualified adults by age cohort, gender and social protection payment. [49828/19]
View answerAt present my Department is extending its statistical reporting ability to include greater information on dependent adult and child increases across the range of payments under its remit. To date the production of reports in respect of the age and sex of adult dependent has been developed in respect of 4 schemes, disability allowance, invalidity pension, state pension contributory and state pension non-contributory.
Details of the adult dependents in respect of whom an increase is in payment to recipients is detailed in the following tabular statement.
Adult dependent increases in payment by age and sex to recipients of the following schemes at the end of October 2019
|
Disability Allowance |
Invalidity Pension |
State Pension Contributory |
State Pension Non Contributory |
|||||
|
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
|
|
Under 20 |
39 |
2 |
||||||
|
20 - 24 |
254 |
88 |
||||||
|
25 - 29 |
547 |
190 |
15 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
||
|
30 - 34 |
901 |
348 |
84 |
14 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
|
|
35 - 39 |
1,205 |
604 |
210 |
44 |
26 |
1 |
18 |
|
|
40 - 44 |
1,391 |
680 |
324 |
66 |
66 |
2 |
32 |
2 |
|
45 - 49 |
1,485 |
759 |
515 |
130 |
144 |
2 |
77 |
5 |
|
50 - 54 |
1,651 |
699 |
780 |
172 |
402 |
9 |
180 |
19 |
|
55 - 59 |
1,753 |
679 |
1,236 |
264 |
1,360 |
37 |
492 |
50 |
|
60 - 64 |
1,375 |
583 |
1,558 |
405 |
6,308 |
180 |
1,367 |
252 |
|
65 - 69 |
147 |
95 |
111 |
12,430 |
275 |
467 |
143 |
|
|
70 - 75 |
10 |
8 |
12 |
9 |
15,941 |
322 |
||
|
75 - 79 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
12,724 |
234 |
|||
|
80 - 84 |
7,169 |
213 |
||||||
|
85 - 89 |
2,272 |
112 |
||||||
|
90 - 94 |
359 |
37 |
||||||
|
95 and over |
31 |
6 |
||||||
|
Totals |
10,758 |
4,736 |
4,735 |
1,219 |
59,244 |
1,430 |
2,641 |
472 |
569. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry on disability allowance and who was in receipt of fuel allowance for 2018-2019 did not receive it automatically for 2019-2020 and had to make a new application resulting in losing the fuel allowance payment for one month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49833/19]
View answerFree fuel (FF) allowance is a means tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people and who are in receipt of a qualifying payment. This lady was awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 1 March 2017. Free fuel (FF) allowance was not awarded as it was already in payment to a household member at that time.
A FF application was received from the person concerned on 23 October 2019 and she was awarded FF from that date. This lady was notified of this decision on 13 November 2019.
If the person concerned wishes to apply for backdating of her FF allowance she may do so in writing stating the reasons she did not apply earlier.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
570. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason pensioners who have paid class K and M contributions in the relevant tax years cannot avail of the treatment benefit scheme; and her views on this group of PRSI contributors being left without access to treatment benefit. [49854/19]
View answerPRSI contributions made after age 66 years are not included in the assessment of whether a person is eligible for treatment benefit. This is also the case in relation to other social welfare benefits
Currently, Class K and M PRSI contributions are not reckonable for treatment benefit, class M PRSI applies where there is no PRSI liability (zero % rate) and class K at a zero % rate in relation to income of less than 100 euro per week and at a significantly reduced rate of 4% on other income. People of pension age paying K rate PRSI usually do so on the basis of being in receipt of a private pension or other additional income.
Anyone who qualifies for treatment benefit at age 60 or 66 years, having paid the required number of contributions at one of the qualifying PRSI rates, A,E H, P or S, remain qualified for their lifetime. It should also be noted that medical card holders are entitled to a range of free dental, optical and audiology services via the HSE.
Any changes to the entitlements available to Class K and Class M contributors would need to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
571. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance appeal application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49869/19]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 4 November 2019 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 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.
572. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of the Christmas bonus by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49880/19]
View answerThe Christmas Bonus, paid to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, is estimated to cost over €279 million in 2019. This cost comprises nearly €123 million for social assistance scheme recipients and over €156 million for Social Insurance Fund scheme recipients.
The estimated cost per county, detailed in the following table, is based on the number of recipients by eligible scheme for the Christmas Bonus in the respective counties.
There is approximately €3.9m of the Christmas Bonus estimated cost due to pensioners who are in receipt of a contributory pension and who live outside Ireland.
|
County |
Carlow |
Cavan |
Clare |
Cork |
Donegal |
Dublin |
Galway |
|
Cost of Christmas Bonus |
€4.1m |
€4.4m |
€7.1m |
€30.9m |
€11.2m |
€69.3m |
€14.3m |
|
County |
Kerry |
Kildare |
Kilkenny |
Laois |
Leitrim |
Limerick |
Longford |
|
Cost of Christmas Bonus |
€9.8m |
€10.8m |
€4.8m |
€4.3m |
€2.3m |
€13m |
€3m |
|
County |
Louth |
Mayo |
Meath |
Monaghan |
Offaly |
Roscommon |
Sligo |
|
Cost of Christmas Bonus |
€8.3m |
€9.1m |
€8.6m |
€3.6m |
€4.9m |
€4.1m |
€4.4m |
|
County |
Tipperary |
Waterford |
Westmeath |
Wexford |
Wicklow |
||
|
Cost of Christmas Bonus |
€11.1m |
€8m |
€5.6m |
€10.3m |
€8.1m |
573. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of external consultant reports commissioned by her Department in each year from March 2011 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the cost of each report; the company involved; and the title and publication date by report in tabular form. [49903/19]
View answerThe following table sets out the 97 reports conducted by external consultants from March 2011 to date:
|
Report |
Name of Consultants |
Publication Date |
Cost € |
|
2011 |
|||
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research on Insurability Issues & Access to Legal Resources |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
2011 |
€7,744 |
|
Report on electronic access to GRO Records for genealogy research |
John Grenham |
Internal Management Report |
€3,557 |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, Belmullet Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Internal Management Report |
€1,699 |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, Cobh Local Office |
Employment Health Advisors Ltd |
Internal Management Report |
€2,023 |
|
Development & implementation of the National Employment & Entitlements Service |
Accenture |
August 2011 |
€186,563 |
|
Report on Pension Charges in Ireland |
PWC |
October 2012 |
€61,500 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
August 2012 |
€1,500 |
|
2012 |
|||
|
FÁS IS Applications Systems Review |
Accenture |
Internal Management Report |
€44,772 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Deprivation 2012:1. Work & Poverty in Ireland: An Analysis of CSO Survey on Income & Living Conditions 2004-2010 (2012 annual report)2. Technical Paper on Poverty Indicators – [Appendix C of Report of the Review of the National Poverty Target]3. Implications of Income Pooling & Household Decision-Making for Poverty & Deprivation (2012 technical paper) |
ESRI |
1. December 2012 2. October 2012 3. October 2013 |
€81,230 |
|
Review of Irish Pensions Policy |
OECD |
April 2013 |
€130,000 |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
KPMG |
June 2012 |
€153,750 |
|
Evaluation of JobBridge (National Internship Scheme) |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
April 2013 |
€59,555 |
|
Developing system architecture for the National Employment & Entitlements Service |
Compass Point |
Internal Management Report |
€4,600 |
|
Risk assessments regarding reception areas [Arklow, Tallaght, & Kings Inn, Dublin Local Offices] |
Nifast |
Internal Management Report |
€1,845 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Ballymun Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Internal Management Report |
€3,644 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada |
Wright Environmental Services |
Internal Management Report |
€3,383 |
|
Report on Pension Priority Order |
Mercer |
February 2013 |
€18,450 |
|
Contracted Employment Service Model |
Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion |
Internal Management Report |
€140,989 |
|
2013 |
|||
|
Mobile Applications Opportunity Exploration |
Accenture |
Internal Management Report |
€33,388 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
September 2013 |
€1,500 |
|
Health & Safety Review of DSP premises, Upper Gardiner St, Dublin 1 |
CPL Training Ltd, trading as Nifast Health & Safety Training |
Internal Management Report |
€1,100 |
|
Diet Supplement payment - costings update |
Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute |
September 2013 |
€4,000 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Social Exclusion (AMPSE) 2013 programme:1. Social Transfers & Poverty in Boom & Recession (for 2013 annual report) 2. Indicators of Economic Strain in the Great Recession (for 2013 technical paper) |
ESRI |
1. December 2013 2. April 2014 |
€67,979 |
|
Auto-Enrolment & Applicability to Ireland (Pensions) |
TOR Financial Consulting Ltd. |
Internal Management Report |
€9,900 |
|
A Review of In-work Supports for the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Q4 2014 |
€10,000 |
|
Delivery of Administrative Profiling Models to Identify those at Risk of Labour Market Disadvantage |
ESRI |
June 2014 |
€33,745 |
|
Report on Organisation Development |
Axiom Consultants |
Internal Management Report |
€122,692 |
|
Advisory report on implementation of European Youth Guarantee in Irish circumstances |
Organisation for Economic co-operation & Development (OECD) |
January 2014 |
€50,000 |
|
Evaluation of the Youth Guarantee Pilot |
Franklin Research Ltd. |
January 2015 |
€20,000 (EU funded Report) |
|
Evaluation Research (Back to Education Allowance) |
ESRI |
October 2015 |
€24,809 |
|
Survey of Air quality in Nutgrove Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Internal Management Report |
€2,900 |
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research into Revising Decisions |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Internal Management Report |
€2,400 |
|
2014 |
|||
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
December 2014 |
€1,650 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Social Exclusion 2014 programme: 1. Transitions into and out of household joblessness using CSO SILC data 2. Measuring Irish joblessness: The SILC and LFS data sources |
ESRI |
1. September 20152. May 2015 |
€80,000 |
|
Security Partner Services - IT Forensics |
Deloitte |
Internal Management Report |
€2,398 |
|
Forensic Services |
Rits |
Internal Management Report |
€2,340 |
|
Forensic Services |
Rits |
Internal Management Report |
€4,201 |
|
Identification & containment of malicious software |
Deloitte |
Internal Management Report |
€15,699 |
|
Assessment for Application Lifecycle Management |
Microsoft Ireland |
Internal Management Report |
€22,586 |
|
Ex-ante Evaluation to support the preparation of the Operational Programme for the European Fund for the Most Deprived 2014-2020 |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Internal report required by EU Regulation No. 223/2014 |
€16,000 |
|
Microfilm Condition Report |
Martin Bradley, Archives and Records Management Consultant |
Internal Management Report |
€1,691 |
|
Report on the effectiveness & efficiency of the guidance model used during Youth Guarantee Pilot |
NUI Maynooth |
Internal Management Report |
€14,145 (EU funded report) |
|
Survey of air quality in Waterford Intreo office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Internal Management Report |
€6,863 |
|
2015 |
|||
|
Review of the EmployAbility (Supported Employment) Service |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
August 2016 |
€59,280 |
|
Policy and practice report: Key lessons learned from the Ballymun Youth Guarantee Project |
NUI Maynooth |
March 2015 |
€11,135 (EU funded Report) |
|
Evaluation of the Disability Activation Project |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
November 2015 |
€29,520 |
|
Forensic Services |
Rits |
Internal Management Report |
€11,480 |
|
Windows Tablet PC Hardening Review (Limited Scope) |
Deloitte |
Internal Management Report |
€4,151 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
August 2016 |
€1,650 |
|
Confidential Information Security Report |
Deloitte |
Internal Management Report |
€7,749 |
|
Technical review of rent supplement under the Equal Status Acts. |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Internal Management Report |
€18,000 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd |
Q2 2016 |
€72,385 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Social Exclusion 2015 Programme:1. Changes in social risks by life-cycle group2. Developing a multi-dimensional quality of life indicator |
ESRI |
November 2016 July 2016 |
€80,000 |
|
Evaluation of the Suitability, Effectiveness and Relevance of the JobBridge Activation Programme |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
October 2016 |
€134,895 |
|
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Activation Reforms |
ESRI |
May 2019 |
€118,315 |
|
External quality assessment of DSP Internal Audit |
EisnerAmper Ireland |
Internal Management Report |
€5,535 |
|
Information Security Reports |
Grant Thornton |
Internal Management Report |
€10,332 |
|
2016 |
|||
|
Review of the Local Employment Services and JobClub services |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
To be determined following completion of the review. |
€87,232 |
|
Review of the Predictive Analytic Modelling Solutions for the Department of Social Protection. |
The Analytics Store Ltd. |
Internal Management Report |
€9,471 |
|
Back to Education Allowance Qualitative Study |
BMG Research |
Q2 2017 |
€50,670 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016 (Next annual round of Customer Satisfaction Survey originally commissioned in Aug 2015) |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd |
Q4 2016 &Q2 2017 |
€124,550 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2016 – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
Q2 2017 |
€1,650 |
|
Measurement and Analysis of Household Income & Living Conditions 2017 Programme:1. Technical paper: examine the feasibility of conducting dynamic analysis to explore poverty and deprivation transitions over time and between different social risk groups2. Research report: examine the poverty and deprivation experience of the different risk groups, both dynamically and across a set of selected EU-countries |
ESRI |
Q3 2017Q4 2017 |
€94,070 |
|
Joint Research Programme on Retirement |
ESRI |
Q3 2019 |
€29,500 |
|
Research into development of Pensions, Longer Working Hours and Retirement Policy |
ESRI |
October 2017 |
€32,000 |
|
2017 |
|||
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017 (Next annual round of Customer Satisfaction Survey originally commissioned in Aug 2015) |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd |
Q4 2017Q2 2018 |
€167,674 |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund as at 31 December 2015 |
KPMG |
Q3 2017 |
€281,670 |
|
Compliance of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection with the EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 |
Mazars |
Internal Management Report |
€301,350 |
|
Independent Review of the amendments to the One-Parent Family payment since Jan 2012 |
Indecon |
October 2017 |
€104,944 |
|
Strategic Review of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s website |
Clickworks and iReach |
Internal Management Report |
€59,100 |
|
Survey of Employers (including JobPlus employers) |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd. |
May 2018 |
€30,750 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2017 – Conference Report |
Lisa Costello |
Q2 2018 |
€1,750 |
|
Study to Explore the drivers of negative employment outcomes on participants of the Back to Education Scheme |
BMG Research |
Q2 2017 |
€41,228 |
|
2018 |
|||
|
Economic Analysis of Auto-Enrolment Options |
ESRI |
Publication to be determined in line with any future Government decisions on Automatic- Enrolment |
€25,000 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2018 |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd. |
2018 |
€121,228 |
|
Joint Research Programme on Gender and Pensions |
ESRI |
Q4 2018 |
€80,000 |
|
Pension Accounting Advice on Post-Employment Benefits |
Mazars |
Internal Management Report |
€4,428 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2018 – Conference Report |
Peigín Doyle |
Q2 2019 |
€1,443 |
|
Health and Safety Audit of the Department’s Print and Stationery Stores |
Quadra Consulting |
Internal Management Report |
€1,722 |
|
2019 |
|||
|
An Initial Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Intreo Activation Reforms |
ESRI |
Q1 2019 |
€82,820 |
|
Measurement and Analysis of Household Income & Living Conditions 2017 Programme1. Technical Paper on Social Inclusion and Access to Care Services in Ireland 2. Research Paper: Access to Childcare and Home Care Services across Europe |
ESRI |
February 2019 September 2019 |
€50,953 €15,678 |
|
Research on Costs of Disability in Ireland |
Indecon |
Q1 2020 (expected) |
€192,987 |
|
Review of National Action Plan for Social Inclusion |
Indecon |
Yet to be published |
€60,549 |
|
Static Electricity Survey of Kennedy House, Navan |
Chris Mc Gee Group |
Internal Management Report |
€2,460 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2019 – Conference Report |
Elizabeth Costello |
Q2 2020 (expected) |
€2,600 |
|
Review of Information Systems Division (ISD) Computer Operations |
Philip O’Reilly |
Internal Management Report |
€24,600 |
|
Shift Roster Design Options (for Information Services Division Computer Operations) |
Working Time Solutions |
Internal Management Report |
€23,124 |
|
Provision of expertconsultancy support to the Department on the deployment of online services andthe development of a strategic implementation plan for the implementation ofDigital Transformation and the Front Office/Back Office (FO/BO) service model. |
Deloitte |
Three Internal Management Reports |
€288,496.50 |
574. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49930/19]
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 increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people.
Two applications for CA were received from the person concerned, the first was received on 10 June 2019 and the was received second on 6 August 2019 in respect of two different care recipients.
Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a deciding officer on 16 October 2019.
The first application was awarded to the person concerned on 25 November 2019. This was awarded with effect from 24 October 2019 due to the care recipient being in hospital until 22 October 2019. The first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 5 December 2019.
Arrears of allowance due from 24 October to 4 December 2019 will issue shortly.
The person concerned was notified on 25 November 2019 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
Further medical evidence was received from the person concerned in relation to the second application on 25 November 2019.
This has been referred to the medical accessor and once they have reported, a decision will be made without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
575. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a review of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49946/19]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such a disability that as a result they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
An application for carer's allowance (CA) was received from the person concerned on 26 March 2019.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that although a certain level of care was being provided, the level involved did not amount to full-time care. It was also decided that the evidence did not show the requirement for full time care and attention.
The person concerned was notified on 11 June 2019 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of this decision. Following this review the decision remained unchanged. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 23 September 2019.
The person concerned requested an additional review and submitted additional evidence in support of her application. The outcome of this review is that full time care and attention is being provided. However the person concerned does not qualify for CA because the evidence does not indicate a requirement for full time care and attention. On 28 November 2019 the person concerned was notified of this outcome and of her right of appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
