Written Answers Nos. 594-613
594. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if provisions are to be implemented for persons entitled to a free travel pass; if she will review the case of a person (details supplied). [18321/20]
View answerThe SAFE registration process, which my Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC). For those entitled to Free Travel, their PSC bears a Free Travel token, which they can use when travelling on public transport services.
At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing. As a result, it has not been possible for those who wish to obtain a PSC to get one, including the person concerned who requires a PSC Free Travel Variant to avail of their Free Travel entitlement.
My Department is currently resuming SAFE registration work in Intreo Centres and this is being done in accordance with all relevant guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the Department's customers and staff. It is expected that SAFE registrations will re-commence countrywide over the coming weeks and further information will then be made available as to how appointments can be arranged. The delay in SAFE registration does not mean that a person has lost their Free Travel entitlement.
If the person concerned has an urgent need, they should contact my Department’s Free Travel Section directly. They can do this by sending an email to freetravelqueries@welfare.ie or by telephoning (071) 915 710, where urgent requests are being dealt with on a case by case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
595. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reintroduce weekly payments for schemes that introduced fortnightly payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18322/20]
View answerMy Department introduced a series of measures to maintain social welfare payments while assisting with social distancing measures designed to combat the spread of the Coronavirus.
Fortnightly payments were introduced in March to minimise the need for people to attend and queue in banks or post offices to collect payments, so helping people restrict their movements to essential activities only. These were introduced on a ‘payment in advance’ basis so people did not have to wait two weeks for a payment.
The measure was kept under constant review and some payments, such as Maternity Benefit, Paternity Benefit and Parent's Benefit, which are paid exclusively into a customer’s bank account by Electronic Fund Transfer, have reverted to a weekly payment pattern.
In addition, in August, the Department is moving some other payments back to their weekly schedule. The payments being restored to a weekly schedule include One-Parent Family Payment, Working Family Payment, Illness Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit. The majority of these customers will start to receive their weekly payment from the week beginning 17th August, with some receiving their weekly payment from the week beginning the 10th August.
596. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on their application for an invalidity pension. [18339/20]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, the gentleman concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 20 February 2020. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on 30 July 2020. Any arrears due from 20 February 2020 to 29 July 2020 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. He was notified of this decision on 22 July 2020.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
597. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if home carer credits were included when a decision was made to refuse an application for State pension (contributory) by a person (details supplied). [18340/20]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 14 March 2017. They applied for State pension (contributory) on 6 October 2017. Under current eligibility conditions, an applicant must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for State pension (contributory). Credits cannot be used to satisfy this condition. 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.
The person has a contribution record of 334 paid full-rate social insurance contributions. As their contributions fall short of the required 520 paid full-rate contributions to qualify for State pension (contributory), their claim was disallowed.
The person was notified in writing of this decision on 24 October 2017, and provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based. In addition to requesting a review of their pension claim, the person also appealed this pension decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. An Appeals Officer concluded that the person’s claim had been decided correctly in line with the provisions of social welfare legislation.
A new application for State pension (contributory) was submitted by the person concerned on 25 February 2020. Their application was again disallowed on 5 March 2020 as the 520 contribution condition was not satisfied.
The Homemakers Scheme was introduced on 6 April 1994 . It allows up to 20 years (since 1994) spent caring for children under 12 years of age or for an incapacitated person(s) to be disregarded in calculating a person's yearly average number of contributions and credits, and for homemaker credits to be awarded for homemaking periods of less than a full contribution year.
In January 2018, HomeCaring Periods were introduced as part of the interim total contributions approach (TCA) to the calculation of pension entitlement for those State pension (contributory) customers born on or after 1 September 1946 and thus affected by post-2012 Budget pension rates. The TCA provides for up to 20 years of home caring periods in that pension entitlement calculation for applicants who took time out of the workplace for parenting or caring duties.
Both the Homemaker’s Scheme and HomeCaring Periods are used to improve an applicant’s rate of pension entitlement. They do not alter the qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) and will not assist any person whose claim was disallowed for failure to fulfil the legislative condition of having a minimum of 520 paid contributions.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
598. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on his or her application for an invalidity pension. [18341/20]
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 gentleman concerned on 30 June 2020. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. He was notified on 22 July 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
599. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on his or her application for an invalidity pension. [18342/20]
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 gentleman concerned on 26 June 2020. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. He was notified on 22 July 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
600. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provisions available for parents in cases in which their leave has ended and childcare is not available to them due to the age of their baby and in view of the fact that many crèches are not taking infants under one year old due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18354/20]
View answerThe Government has requested employers to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children or other family members. This may include offering paid compassionate leave, remote working from home, altering shift patterns around their partners work, bringing forward annual leave entitlements, etc.
Where it is not possible to make appropriate compassionate leave arrangements, employees may be able avail of statutory entitlements including force majeure leave, Parent’s Leave together with Parent’s Benefit (for each parent where a baby was born after 1st November 2019) or unpaid Parental Leave.
Where a person in these circumstances is not able to avail of another leave/benefit type and finds themselves in financial hardship, they may apply for the COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
I trust that this clarifies the position at this time.
601. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an appeal application by a person (details supplied) for an invalidity pension; and when a decision will issue. [18367/20]
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 28 April 2020. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on 13 July 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
Your office requested a review of the decision on 23 July 2020 and submitted further medical evidence in support of this request. The review will be processed as quickly as possible and the lady concerned will be notified directly of the outcome of the review.
The Deputy should note that no Appeal has been received. If this lady wishes to Appeal, an Appeals request should be submitted urgently.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
602. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a carer’s allowance; and when he or she can expect a decision on his or her case. [18370/20]
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 application for CA was received from the person concerned on 17 July 2020.
Additional information in relation to the person’s financial information was requested by a deciding officer on 21 July 2020.
Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
603. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 630, 633 and 634 of 9 June 2020, the operational status of the General Register and Civil Registration offices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18371/20]
View answerThe General Register Office (GRO) has implemented measures, in consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), to support the continued provision of civil registration services, both at the onset of and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with other public service providers, restrictions on public access to civil registration offices operated by the HSE remain in place.
The Deputy will be aware that temporary measures were included in the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 to allow for the registration of births and deaths to be completed without the need for attendance before a registrar. These temporary measures are working well and will continue in place until the end of August 2020. Consideration is being given to extending these measures for a further period, on the advice of the GRO and HSE.
With respect to the completion of the legal preliminaries for marriage and civil marriage ceremonies, these are proceeding where they comply with public health guidance. Given other restrictions on the hospitality sector, many marriages have been postponed until later in the year or to next year.
The HSE is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Civil Registration Service. The GRO falls under the aegis of my Department. Both bodies continue to liaise on supporting members of the public to access and avail of services, notwithstanding the limitations arising from social distancing and ensuring a safe working environment for staff members and members of the public.
While there is significant disruption for all forms of marriage, the Deputy should note that there has been no discernible disruption to the vital work of registering births and deaths or in accessing the civil certificate issuing services or maintaining the other registration services provided by the GRO and HSE.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
604. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for taking a divergent approach to persons with dual employee self-employed income from the approach taken with persons that have dual employee social protection incomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18376/20]
View answer611. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if combined incomes from employment and self-employment are used when calculating the average income rate of the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18586/20]
View answer627. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the rerating of the pandemic unemployment payment for self-employed persons does not take into account the person’s income at the time immediate to Covid-19 closures; the additional supports which will be available to the self-employed whose businesses remain closed but still generate running expenses by means of utility bills and general services when the business is not generating an income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18982/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 604, 611 and 627 together.
The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. In order to ensure that the scheme was simple and accessible for the unprecedented number of applicants, a flat payment rate was introduced. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is now linked to prior earnings to ensure that it continues to be a strong support but is fair and targeted.
Where a person is self-employed their gross average weekly income for 2018, the last tax year for which verifiable data on self-employed income is available, is used to calculate the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment. Combining employee and self-employed income could potentially reduce average weekly earnings in the case of employee earnings, particularly where an employee has relatively small amounts of self-employment income, as the respective earnings would then be assessed over a full year. The nature of self-employment is such that it is not possible, for Revenue and PRSI purposes, to attribute self-employment income to any particular week, and earnings are assessed on a full-year basis.
Any person who feels that the assessment of their earnings, based on returns already submitted to Revenue, is inaccurate can ask for a review of their case with further details available on www.gov.ie.
Where an individual’s rate is reduced to the flat rate €203 per week and their family circumstances are that they have adult or child dependents, it may be more financially beneficial to apply for a jobseekers payment. The jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s benefit for the self-employed schemes provide a social insurance contribution-based support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. If a person does not meet the qualifying conditions of the scheme they may be eligible to apply for the means tested jobseeker’s allowance scheme. The maximum weekly rate of payment for these schemes is €203 and increases may also be paid for any qualifying adults and children.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
605. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 775 of 14 July 2020, if a directive has been issued to her Department in relation to the processing of applications for the pandemic unemployment payment for sole traders over 66 years of age and in receipt of a contributory or non-contributory State pensions and still working; if not, her plans to issue such a directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18380/20]
View answerThe COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to people aged between 18 and 66 years, and the age range is consistent with other jobseeker and social protection income supports paid to people of working age. People aged 66 years and over are provided for within the Social Protection income support framework through the State Pension, either the contributory State pension based on PRSI contributions or the non-contributory means tested pension.
A person in receipt of the State contributory pension can retain all of their State pension as well as their employment income and retain that pension payment if they lose employment income, thus guaranteeing an income support. If a person is not in receipt of the maximum rate of State Pension Contributory, they may be eligible for an increased weekly rate of payment on the State non-contributory means tested pension, depending on their circumstances. A person may also be entitled to an increase in respect of a qualified adult, subject to the means of the qualified adult.
People in receipt of the non-contributory or means-tested pension who are also in receipt of an employment income may have their pension payment increased if they lose that employment income or it is reduced. Similarly, if a person aged 66 or over who did not previously qualify for or make an application for a means-tested pension may qualify for a pension payment if their circumstances change – including if they lose any employment income or if that employment income is reduced. A person may be entitled to claim for an increase in respect of a qualified adult up to age 66 years depending on the specific circumstances.
People aged 66 and over may also be entitled to a range of ancillary supports that are aligned to the particular circumstances of older people and are significantly more valuable than those generally available to people of working age. These include free travel, fuel allowance, household benefits package (gas/electricity) and living alone allowance.
It should be noted also that employers may claim the temporary wage subsidy, for all of their workers who pay Irish PAYE income tax, from the Revenue Commissioners. In this way workers who are aged over 66 can continue, with the co-operation of their employers, to receive income from employment.
A person of any age who is experiencing financial hardship may access assistance under the means tested supplementary welfare allowance scheme including Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments.
I hope that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
608. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of Covid-19 rent supplement claimants that are also on the full rate pandemic unemployment payment and on the reduced rate payment, respectively. [18417/20]
View answerRent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 20,600 recipients.
The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
There are currently 3,008 rent supplement recipients in receipt of pandemic unemployment payment; 2,433 are in receipt of the full-rate, €350; with 575 receiving the reduced rate of €203.
The 3,008 current PUP recipients on rent supplement are a subset of the 6,831 customers who are currently in receipt of rent supplement awarded since the start of the Emergency.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
609. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending free travel to domiciliary care recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18422/20]
View answerThe free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 976,000 customers with direct eligibility. The 2020 funding allocation for the free travel scheme is €95 million.
Providing an accurate projection of the cost of extending the free travel scheme to all children in receipt of domiciliary care allowance is very difficult as the cost is determined by the usage of the extra passes provided and not by the number of newly qualified people. The fact that many operators have reduced fares for children and that in some cases children under five years of age can travel for free would also have to be taken into account. Taking all of this into consideration I am advised that the yearly cost of the measure suggested by the Deputy could be as high as an estimated €5.54 million.
Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to all children that are in receipt of a domiciliary care allowance would require additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Domiciliary care allowance is a monthly payment of €309.50 to the carer of a child with a disability. The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child and this may include additional transport costs.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
610. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason jobseeker’s allowance payments were not issued to the bank account of a person (details supplied); when outstanding payments will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18585/20]
View answerWhen a customer makes a claim for a Jobseekers payment online through their MyWelfare.ie account, the Department is obliged to make any such payment to the customer in accordance with the bank account details which the customer has provided. Where the account detail information provided is not valid, a payment made will be returned by the bank to the Department. In all other cases, once payment is made on the basis of the bank details supplied by the customer; any subsequent issues arising are a matter between the customer and the relevant bank. In this instance, valid bank account details were provided at the time of application, and payments have not been returned.
Officials within the Department are aware of this particular matter and have been in communication with the customer concerned. Following a recent representation made by the customer to the Department, a reply was issued to the customer (on 21 July) informing her of the procedures to obtain her original application on MyWelfare.ie, in order to enable her to retrieve the relevant bank details provided therein. The customer will then be able to contact the bank with the details provided in the initial application with a view to resolving the matter.
Officials in the Letterkenny INTREO office and Community Welfare Service have also assisted the customer in relation to this matter; and are working directly with her to provide support.
I trust this clarifies matters.
612. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if communication was received from another authority relating to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if so, when it will be acted upon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18587/20]
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.
To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their claim.
The department received a claim for IP for the gentleman concerned on 10 September 2019. He was ineligible for IP under national legislation on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. As the gentleman’s last employment was in the United Kingdom (UK), it was decided under Chapter 4, Article 44(2) of EU regulation 883/04 that his claim for IP was proper to the UK Authorities and his claim and his Irish contribution record were transferred to the UK social security authorities on 27 March 2020. The gentleman was notified that his claim was proper to the UK DWP and that it had been transferred to them. The IP section contacted the UK Authorities on 05 June 2020 asking if a decision has been made on his entitlement under UK legislation, to which there has been no reply and no request for information has been received from the UK Authorities.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
613. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18588/20]
View answerThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is currently paid at two rates, depending on the amount a customer earned prior to receipt of PUP.
If a customer earned €200 per week or more, the rate of payment is €350 per week. If a customer earned less than €200 per week, they will receive €203 per week, which is the same as the primary rate of Jobseekers Benefit.
My Department is currently managing requests from customers in relation to reviews of rates of payment. The payment of the person concerned is under examination as part of this process. I am advised that, that on an initial examination of this case, Department records currently show no earnings in either 2019 or 2020 for the person concerned. As this produces a weekly earnings figure of below €200 per week, the lower weekly rate of €203 is the maximum possible rate currently applicable in the circumstances.
A formal reply will issue to the person concerned when a final review of the case has been completed.
If a customer believes that the earnings information held by the Department is inaccurate, or wishes to provide further details of recent employment or self-employment income, the relevant documentation should be supplied to the Department.
If, pending the completion of a review of her entitlements, the person concerned is experiencing financial difficulties at the moment, she may wish contact her local Community Welfare office to make a claim for a means tested supplementary welfare allowance.
I trust that this clarifies the matter.
