Written Answers Nos. 1170-1194
1173. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Intreo offices are actively distributing forms to change social protection payments from the post office to bank payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4610/20]
View answerMy Department is taking all necessary measures, in line with the advice of the Department of Health, HSE and Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), to respond to the significant challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In order to comply with social distancing requirements, the Department has introduced fortnightly payments instead of weekly. The purpose of this change is to minimise the need for people to attend and queue in banks or post offices to collect payments and to help people restrict their movements to essential activities only.
In addition, alternative payment arrangements, such as the option to have one’s payment made directly into a bank account by EFT, are accommodated at the request of a customer. An Post has been kept informed of this initiative.
1174. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which the hot school meals programme is being operationalised currently; the number of schools and school children currently in receipt of hot school meals; the number for 2019; the planned number for 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4620/20]
View answer1175. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the full year evaluation of the hot school meals pilot scheme will be completed and published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4621/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1174 and 1175 together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
As part of Budget 2019, it was announced that my Department would commence a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020.
The pilot involves 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year. Officials from my department have visited all schools participating in the pilot to provide support and take feedback in relation to all aspects of the pilot. In general, the response to the pilot from teachers, parents and pupils has been very positive. Benefits identified include improved social skills through eating together and involvement by older pupils in distributing meals, the opportunity to try new foods, a change in eating habits from fast and unhealthy foods, and the guarantee of a hot meal during the day.
An evaluation of the hot school meals pilot is currently being undertaken to determine if the pilot has been successful. This evaluation is expected to be completed during the summer.
Budget 2020 provided an additional €4 million in funding to extend the hot meals for children currently receiving the cold lunch option, which will allow my Department to extend the hot meals from September 2020 to an additional 35,000 children who currently receive the cold lunch option.
Any further extension of the pilot programme can only be considered in a budgetary context.
1176. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reintroduce mortgage interest supplement to assist those that may become redundant or be absent from work due to Covid-19 to ensure they can pay the interest part of their mortgages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4638/20]
View answerThe original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme (MIS) was to provide short-term support to eligible people who were unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence due to temporary unemployment of loss of earnings.
The mortgage interest supplement scheme was discontinued to new entrants from 1st January 2014, on the basis that:
1. The on going payment of Mortgage Interest Supplement did not address the long term housing challenges for people in serious mortgage arrears; and,
2. The Central Bank's Code of Conduct for Mortgage Arrears (CCMA) provides for an appropriate framework for customers, with the responsibility of forbearance for a customer’s mortgage difficulties resting with the mortgage service provider.
The most appropriate way in which customers experiencing mortgage difficulties can be supported remains through on-going engagement with their lender to explore a sustainable and appropriate response from their lending institution.
Under the CCMA (2013), measures and policies are in place to support customers in financial difficulty with their mortgage commitments. The CCMA is issued by the Central Bank under Section 117 of the Central Bank Act 1989 and ensures that the responsibility of forbearance remains with the mortgage service provider.
The CCMA provides support for those that are in: arrears, pre-arrears or those who fall under scope of the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP). Under the CCMA, lending institutions are encouraging customers to contact them at the earliest opportunity regarding their concerns and any particular circumstances which may impact on the customer’s financial well-being.
A cross-industry co-ordination Group, chaired by Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), is looking at all coronavirus related issues that may impact customers. This includes both the overall economic impact of the coronavirus situation and its direct effect on customers. A number of emergency measures have also been announced by individual lending bodies including increased overdraft facilities and increased credit card and cash withdrawal limits.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, also continues to provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted and need help and advice with debt problems. As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1177. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending child benefit to persons of 18 years of age in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4677/20]
View answerChild benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child benefit is currently paid, as of end-December 2019, to over 637,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2019.
Analysis of enrollment data from the Department of Education and Skills and current Child Benefit data indicate that there are up to 25,901 students aged 17 & 18 year in full-time secondary education during the 2019/2020 academic year. The estimated annual cost of extending the upper age limit to include 18 year olds in full-time secondary education is in the region of €56.1 million.
As extending the payment in respect of full time students in second level education who are over 18 years of age would have significant cost implications it would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) paid with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children;
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
Further information on these schemes and other supports for families and children are available in a recently published guide on schemes and services produced by my Department for families and children and which is available via www.gov.ie .
1178. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the one-parent family payment and jobseeker's transition payment rate to €245; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4678/20]
View answerThe estimated cost of increasing the age limit of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and jobseeker's transition payment (JST) rate to €245 would be very difficult to estimate with any great accuracy.
At the end of January there were 39,533 OFP and 15,234 JST recipients. As these are means tested schemes, many customers in receipt of these payments are working or have alternative forms of means and are therefore not receiving the current full rate of €203.
The earnings and means data are critical to providing a reliable costing. I am advised that the Department is therefore not in a position to provide the costing requested.
1179. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the age limit for the one-parent family payment to 14 years of age and the earnings disregard to €175. [4679/20]
View answerI am advised that the estimated cost of increasing the age limit of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) to 14 and the earnings disregard to €175 would be very difficult to estimate with any great accuracy.
There are a number of significant barriers to undertaking such an exercise. Firstly, an increase in the age limits could result in a cohort of lone parents that are currently not in receipt of a social welfare payment becoming eligible, and therefore moving onto a social welfare payment. As members of this cohort are not currently in receipt of a social welfare payment it would be difficult to for the Department to estimate the numbers involved.
Secondly, some customers could seek to move from alternative payments such as Jobseekers Allowance, the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment and the Back to Work Family Dividend back to the OFP. Again, it would be difficult for the Department to estimate the potential magnitude of this flow between schemes with any degree of accuracy.
Thirdly, such changes would also increase the incidence of dual payments of OFP and the Working Family Payment. It is not possible to predict the impact on payments as a result of the interaction between both schemes without having detailed knowledge of individuals’ working patterns and the degree to which these might change.
These factors are critical to providing a reliable costing. I am advised that the Department is therefore not in a position to provide the costing requested.
1180. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the disability allowance payment rate to €265; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4680/20]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of Disability Allowance by €62, from €203 to €265 per week, is €505.7 million.
This cost is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2020 and is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of these estimates. This cost includes proportionate increases for qualified adults.
1181. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the carer's allowance and benefit rate from €219 to €255. [4682/20]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of carer's allowance for those aged under 66 and increasing the rate of carer's benefit is €113.5m.
As the rate of carer's allowance paid to those aged 66 and over is currently €257, no additional costs arise.
These costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of beneficiaries for 2020.
1182. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a State pension (non-contributory) submitted in 2015 by a person (details supplied). [4693/20]
View answerAn application for state pension non-contributory was initially submitted by the person concerned on 24 September 2019. I am advised that on the 23 October 2019 the person’s file was forwarded to a Social Welfare Inspector for interview of the applicant and determination of their income and assets for the purposes of the applicable means test.
On 5 November 2019, the person concerned notified the Inspector that they no longer wished to proceed with their application. The Deciding Officer finalised the processing of the application and a decision letter issued to the person concerned on 7 November 2019 confirming that their application had been withdrawn.
On 15 January 2020, the person concerned re-applied for state pension non-contributory. Their file was forwarded to a Social Welfare Inspector on 21 January 2020 and was returned for decision, with the Inspector's report, on 4 March 2020. The Deciding Officer has awarded state pension non-contributory with effect from 17 January 2020 and the person concerned has been notified of this decision.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1183. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost to the Vote of her Department if the rate of employer PRSI was increased to 15.75% for the portion of salaries over €100,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4701/20]
View answerPay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions paid by employees, employers, self-employed people and voluntary contributors is income to the Social Insurance Fund and not to the Vote.
Any increase in the rate of PRSI contribution, including that paid by employers, would increase the annual income to the Social Insurance Fund.
It is estimated that increasing the public and private sector rates of employer PRSI to 15.75% in respect of the portion of earnings of all employments over €100,000 would yield approx. €553 million to the Social Insurance Fund.
This estimate uses the latest available data and reflects the macro-economic indicators available.
The estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer or employee behaviour arising from changing the rate of employer PRSI contribution. Nor does it take into consideration any of the impacts arising from the measures being taken to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1184. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an invalidity pension will be approved and expedited for a person (details supplied). [4721/20]
View answerThe lady referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 23 January 2020. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 26 March 2020. Any arrears due from 23 January 2020 to 25 March 2020 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. The lady in question was notified of this decision on the 10 March 2020.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1185. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) can claim arrears for the household benefits package in view of the fact they forgot to apply for same in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4806/20]
View answerAn application for the Household Benefits Package was received from the person concerned on 6 September 2016. A cash Electricity Allowance and Free TV Licence were awarded with effect from the applicant's 70th birthday, the 15 August 2016, the earliest date of qualification. This allowance continues to be paid to the person's nominated bank account on the first Tuesday of each month at a rate of €1.15 a day. Therefore, no issue of outstanding arrears arises.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1186. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans in place for self-employed persons to receive illness benefit. [4811/20]
View answerThe Government is committed to enhancing the position of the self-employed through improving the level of PRSI based benefits available to self-employed people and through a supportive tax regime.
Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which covers them for access to long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory), widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory), invalidity pension, as well as some treatment benefits, maternity and paternity benefit, adoptive benefit and guardians payment (contributory). Class S contributions do not provide access to short-term social insurance benefits such as illness benefit. However, the means tested supplementary welfare allowance scheme may be available to those who are experiencing financial difficulty.
Self-employed contributors have been covered for invalidity pension since December 2017. This gives the self-employed access to a safety-net of income supports if they become permanently incapable of work as a result of a long-term illness or disability without a means test.
It is the Government’s intention to keep under review the further extension of benefits to self-employed people. In doing this, it will take account of results of the 2017 survey of self-employed workers, which indicated that self-employed people are open to paying a higher rate of social insurance in return for additional benefits, and the actuarial review of the social insurance fund which was undertaken by KPMG. This review found that the combined cost of introducing the invalidity, illness, jobseeker’s and carer’s benefits for class S contributions was estimated to be €223 million for 2020.
I would like to draw the Deputy’s attention to the announcement made by the Taoiseach on 2 March 2020 in relation to providing self-employed people with financial assistance, where they are required to self-isolate as a probable source of infection within the public health guidelines or where they have a medically confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 .
This assistance has been provided for under emergency legislation Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 and subsequent regulations.
Any plans to extend illness benefit to self-employed persons in other illness situations would have to be considered in the overall budgetary policy and budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
1187. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provisions which will be made for persons with fixed low incomes reliant on prepay power services that run out of income. [4870/20]
View answer1198. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if supplementary welfare allowances will be made available to support low-income lone parents caring for sick and self-isolating loved ones that cannot afford unpaid leave. [4993/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1187 and 1198 together.
A number of income supports are available from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for people whose employers do not continue to pay them during a COVID-19 (Coronavirus) related absence or temporary lay-off from work
A person who is medically required to self-isolate or has been diagnosed with Covid-19 in accordance with the up-to-date guidelines from the HSE may apply for the enhanced illness benefit.
Any person who is not advised to self-isolate, but is requested to stay at home by their employer as a precaution against the spread of Covid-19 will, in situations where the employer cannot continue to pay their wages, be considered to have been temporarily laid-off and can apply for an income support in the form of a jobseekers payment. Employees who are laid off temporarily, without pay, due to a reduction in business activity, can apply for a jobseekers payment.
Many employers can, and do, agree compassionate leave arrangements with staff who need to take short periods of time off to care for another person. These include arrangements to enable employees to work remotely from home, to alter shift-patterns, to work-up time taken, to rearrange parental leave or to bring forward annual leave entitlements from future work-periods.
Where it is not possible to make appropriate compassionate leave arrangements, employees can call on some statutory entitlements. An employee is entitled to paid leave, known as force majeure leave, to provide urgent care for an immediate family relative. It is limited to a total of three days in a 12 month period or five days in a 36 month period. In the exceptional circumstances of Covid-19 it is expected that employers will, if at all possible, facilitate people by allowing them to take the full 5 days entitlement in one block, as required.
Parents are also entitled, with 6 weeks’ notice, to take parents leave of 2 weeks for each child under 1 year of age born on or after 1 November 2019 and are eligible to apply for Parents Benefit from the Department. Again, employers are free to waive the notice period or to agree to provide paid leave as an alternative to Parents leave. Employers can also agree alternative leave/absence arrangements.
Assistance is available under the Department's supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme for employees whose earnings are affected by Covid-19 and who have needs that they cannot meet from their weekly income or own resources. Assistance can be in the form of exceptional or urgent needs payments, or a supplement such as rent supplement, subject to the normal rules of these schemes.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement under the SWA scheme should contact the Department's Community Welfare Service at their local INTREO centre. People who require immediate support and cannot, or should not, attend an INTREO Centre can phone 1890 800 024 or 01 2481398 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
1188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position in regard to eligibility for an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4892/20]
View answerThe lady referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 23 January 2020. Her first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 26 March 2020. The lady in question was notified of this decision on 13 March 2020.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for refusal of invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4895/20]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The department received a claim for IP for the lady concerned on 17 January 2020. Her claim was disallowed on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on 21 February 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and/or appeal.
The lady in question lodged an appeal of the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). Following a successful appeal, the lady concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 23 January 2020. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 16 April 2020. Any arrears due from 23 January 2020 to 15 April 2020 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue as soon as possible. She was notified of this decision on 02 April 2020.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1190. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4904/20]
View answerThe Department received a claim for IP for the gentleman concerned on 09 November 2018. The claim was disallowed on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied and the gentleman concerned was engaged in farming. He was notified on 13 March 2019 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
He requested a review of this decision and submitted further medical evidence. Following a review of all the information available it was decided that there was no change to the original decision. He was notified on 27 August 2019 of the outcome of the review. The gentleman appealed the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. An appeals officer (AO), having taken all available information into account, upheld the department’s decision and disallowed the appeal. He was notified of the decision of the AO on 13 March 2020. The decision of an AO is final and conclusive in the absence of additional relevant evidence not available at the time of the appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1191. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to cases regarding pre-entry contributions in circumstances in which contributions under the old revenue and social insurance number are not being accounted for in the case of applicants that are applying for benefits, particularly a contributory pension; his views on whether this could be a systems issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4912/20]
View answerPre-entry credits are awarded when a person takes up insurable employment for the first time and pays a full rate PRSI contribution (excluding contributions paid at class B, C, D, J and S).
Pre-entry credits are awarded from the beginning of the relevant contribution year up to the date of commencement of that employment. Pre-entry credits in the year the employment commenced can be taken into account when assessing entitlements for State Pension (Contributory).
Pre-entry credits are also awarded for the previous two contribution years prior to commencement of employment. These pre-entry credits can only be used for short-term benefits and cannot be used for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.
If pre-entry credits are not present on a record when an application is made for State Pension (Contributory), then they are awarded at that stage by officers in my Department. This process for awarding pre-entry credits applies to records beginning both prior to and after 06/04/1979.
A person's entire record is taken into account when calculating entitlements to pension whether they were recorded under the old Insurance Number system prior to 1979 or under RSI or PPS Numbers after 1979. Where an additional insurance number is located, that number and any contributions recorded under it are associated with the current PPSN.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing parental leave by an additional 26 weeks and increasing the rate of benefit paid by €50 to €295; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4928/20]
View answerThe Minister for Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for parental leave. My Department has responsibility for the payment of parent’s benefit which is provided for in the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019.
Parent’s benefit is paid for 2 weeks per parent at a rate of €245 per week in respect of all children born on or after 1 November 2019. In line with the EU Work Life Balance Directive, parent’s leave and benefit will incrementally increase up to 9 weeks leave by 2024.
The scheme currently provides two weeks leave to both parents, including those who adopt a child, who are employees or self-employed and who take parent’s leave from their employment to care for their child. This is in addition to existing maternity, paternity and adoptive leave entitlements. The scheme supports parents during the first year of the child's life.
The full year cost of providing parent's benefit to both parents, at the current rate, for 1 week is €15.8m. A weekly rate of €295 would increase the cost of a week's benefit to €19m per annum for each additional week provided to both parents. The total cost of 26 weeks leave per parent, payable at a weekly rate of €295, would be an estimated €494m in a full year.
There would be further additional costs to the Exchequer as these estimates do not include the costs for staff substitution which would be a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit as proposed would have to be considered in a budgetary context and the impact it would have on employers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a further review of entitlements in respect of carer's and jobseeker's allowances can be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4952/20]
View answerMy Department is obliged to recover all debt owed to it as quickly as possible and within the relevant legislation and guidelines governing the recovery of debt. The person concerned has an outstanding debt and proposals on its recovery have been made to her.
Under social welfare legislation, a weekly deduction of 15% of the personal rate of all payments can be deducted without written consent in order to recover a debt owing to the Department. It is being proposed to withhold on a weekly basis €32.85 from the person concerned CA payment.
In order to give consideration to a lesser amount being recovered weekly as requested and to be able to determine a recovery plan, consideration is given to the size of the debt, the cause of the debt, previous efforts to repay the debt, and the level of income and expenditure of the household.
I am advised that a letter issued on 13 March 2020 requesting the person concerned to provide details of her weekly income and expenditure in order for the recovery plan to be reviewed.
Once the details as requested have been received the debt recovery officer will be in a position to reconsider the weekly amount to be recovered.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1194. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if provisions have been made to financially support lone parents unable to work due to lack of childcare during mandatory school and childcare closures. [4983/20]
View answerMy Department is very mindful of the situation of low income families and one parent families during the current outbreak of COVID-19.
A lone parent who is currently in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment, or the Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, who loses their employment due to COVID-19 can apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This Pandemic Unemployment Payment can be paid concurrently with One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.
The fastest way of applying for this support from the Department is through the mywelfare.ie website.
