Written Answers Nos. 23-44
29. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to assist those under 25 years of age who are unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular those that have recently graduated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25209/20]
View answerAs the economy has reopened, the number of persons reliant on State income supports introduced to cushion the shock of the pandemic has been declining. By August the Covid-19 adjusted unemployment rate had reduced to 15% from a high of 28% in April. However, the corresponding rate for under 25s remains high, at almost 38%, just slightly down on the 45% high of April. In part this is due to the fact that many students whose colleges closed to attendance in March 2020 are receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment; full-time students would not normally be counted as unemployed. so we need to be careful in interpreting the statistics. Nevertheless we know from previous experience that young people do suffer disproportionately from employment shocks. This is because most employers operate a 'last in first out' approach to lay-offs and because young people tend to be over represented in the occupations most prone to employment fluctuations. I am therefore focussed on giving our young people the best possible chance to find their footing in the labour market, particularly those who are either entering the world of work for the first time or those disadvantaged youths who were unemployed prior to the pandemic and face barriers to accessing work. This commitment is emphasised in the July Jobs Stimulus, a multi-billion euro package which aims to kick start our economy and protect workers and business. My Department, along with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, will deliver on a number of key actions to assist young people back to work, including:
- Extending and expanding funded job placement and work experience programmes to keep young people aligned to the labour market.
- Providing employers with incentives to recruit apprentices.
- Encouraging employers to hire young jobseekers from the Live Register – in particular through targeted recruitment subsidies.
- Providing 35,500 new places in further and higher education courses.
- Extending access to Back to Education Schemes
- Increasing the capacity of our State Employment Schemes to take on and provide occupational activity to young people who are long-term unemployed.
Targeted funding programmes for higher education will also be available for young people to develop skills for the future world of work, including Springboard Plus and Human Capital Initiatives.
Finally, my Department is now developing the Pathways to Work 2020-2025 strategy which will seek to build on the work of the July Jobs Stimulus in assisting young people with their journey to employment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
35. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if an extension to time limits for workers on community employment schemes in community organisations in rural areas will be applied to retrospectively replace time lost in suspended jobs under public health restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24300/20]
View answerThe Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons, countrywide, with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
In general, the period of participation on CE is for one year. However, CE participants who are working towards a major award or industry qualification can seek to extend participation by up to a further two years. A significant number of CE participants each year avail of an extension in order to continue training and obtain qualifications and major awards.
During the Covid-19 emergency, my Department continued to provide the necessary funding for CE schemes while also introducing a number of contingency measures.
These measures included the extension of all existing CE participant contracts for the duration of the emergency allowing many CE schemes and their CE participants to continue to deliver a range of services to the community.
In keeping with the “Government’s Return to Work Safely Protocol”, the recruitment of new CE participants by CE sponsoring bodies recommenced in early July. Those CE participants who had their contracts extended during the emergency period have been finishing up on their CE schemes on a phased basis over recent months.
The priority for my Department is to ensure that all employment and activation programmes have the best outcomes for participants. Places on these work programmes will continue to be available to support those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market while sustaining the role of CE as an active labour market programme.
While I understand that a number of CE participants would like to remain on CE, the Deputy will appreciate that any further extensions would have a detrimental effect on other long-term unemployed candidates wishing to avail of the opportunities afforded by CE.
38. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection if provisions will be made for artists and other freelance workers who may acquire work intermittently but have lost their steady income flow to remain on the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25018/20]
View answerI am acutely aware of the issues faced by self-employed people, in particular those in the arts and entertainment sector in dealing with the challenges created by Covid-19. I have met representatives from the sector and put in place special contact arrangements to ensure that they can check and avail of their entitlements. This includes the flexibility to take-up and receive payment for occasional or intermittent work while retaining their Pandemic Unemployment Payment. To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a self-employed person must have suffered a reduction in their trading income to the extent that they are available to take up other full-time work. This allows some scope for a self-employed person to engage in once-off or occasional work and still retain their payment unless it becomes regular work or it generates significant income. The once off or occasional work should be infrequent and must show a clear divergence from previous work patterns. Any worker from the arts or entertainment sector that requires information or advice on this matter can contact the Department at a special email account - at artistspup@welfare.ie. The Government has also extended the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme until the end of March 2021. I have also secured approval to keep the scheme open to new applicants until the end of this year. This provides security to anyone who loses their employment over the coming months, particularly in sectors of continued uncertainty. Where a self-employed individual has regular employment or it generates significant income, then they should close their pandemic unemployment payment as they do not satisfy the conditions for the payment. In cases of doubt, they can look for advice via the special email account artistspup@welfare.ie. Where a person is engaged in regular employment they may be able to apply for a jobseekers payment which also provides increased allowances for adult and child dependents. Alternatively, they may be eligible for support under the enterprise support grant that provides support of up to €1,000 with business re-start costs. I would suggest that anyone in the situation where they are being offered regular employment should engage with the Department to assess the most appropriate option for them. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
39. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports in place for parents if their children are sent home from school due of Covid-19 and who have to miss work to care for them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25080/20]
View answerThe Government is committed to keeping schools open.
In instances where this is not possible, the Government has requested employers to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children or other members of their families affected by Covid-19. Employers have a general duty of care towards their workers and that care is often expressed in the form of negotiation, compromise and flexibility with a view to maintaining good employment relationships over the long term.
Any employees affected by the lack of childcare are strongly encouraged to engage with their employer in the first instance with a view to exploring all options available to enable them to return to, or continue with, work where possible.
Some of the flexible options include offering paid compassionate leave, allowing employees to work from home, altering shifts so that employees can coordinate caring between themselves and partners or another person, allowing employees to rearrange holidays and allowing employees to take paid time off that can be worked back at a later time.
Where it is not possible to make appropriate compassionate leave arrangements, employees may be able to call on some statutory entitlements including force majeure leave, parental leave together with parental benefit, or carers leave together with carers benefit or carers allowance.
Where a person in these circumstances is not able to avail of another leave or benefit, is not being paid by their employer and they are experiencing financial hardship the most appropriate short term support available to them is that under the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
I trust this clarifies the position.
40. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a slightly more liberal attitude can be taken in the determination of applications for exceptional needs payments in view of the economic circumstances arising from the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25024/20]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make an exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. Government has provided €44.2 million for the exceptional and urgent needs schemes in 2020. The exceptional needs payment scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case. This is done in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. Exceptional needs payments are not subject to the habitual residence condition and payments can be made to people who do not qualify for other social welfare supports. Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an exceptional or urgent needs payment should contact my Department's Community Welfare Service. My Department has established an Income Support Line - 1890 800 024 – which can be used by customers at this time to contact the Department. Staff can advise them on how to make an application for assistance from the Department. If the Deputy has concerns about a particular case, I would ask him to bring it to the attention of my Department. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
41. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if the budget has been agreed for the introduction of the State pension transition payment [25008/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to introducing a Retirement Payment for 65 year olds paid at the same rate as Jobseeker's Benefit without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work.
I wish to assure the Deputy that I have made the introduction of the new Retirement Payment an immediate priority for my Department. Officials in my Department are currently considering the design of the scheme and assessing the necessary legislation, ICT system requirements and administrative processes required to support the introduction of this payment.
I will bring proposals for this new payment to Government shortly and the necessary legislation will be introduced later this year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
42. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the process for a husband and wife to separate their social welfare payments from their spouse; if the husband and wife have to agree; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25081/20]
View answerWhere the circumstances so warrant it, separate payments in respect of a primary social welfare payment can be made and the statutory power to do so is provided under section 244 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 and associated regulations. Separate payments are usually made where it is likely that the amount of the social welfare payment payable will not be used for the support of the entire family unit. In general, the payment of any increases in respect of a dependant qualified adult and any child dependants may be made separately to the qualified adult concerned. While the appropriate personal rate would, in most circumstances, remain in payment to the claimant of the relevant scheme, in certain situations where the couple are still living together, a payment arrangement can be put in place whereby each of the couple receives half the total amount payable in respect of the family unit. An application to make a separate payment is normally made in writing to the Department from either the claimant or his or her spouse. An officer of the Department will then make a determination on whether the circumstances of the case warrant a separate payment. The governing legislation does provide my Department with the discretionary power to alter a payment arrangement without authorisation from the claimant. However, the Department’s guidelines on this matter are clear that every effort should be made by the officer concerned to seek the consent of the claimant in advance of issuing separate payments. If the need arises, a Social Welfare Inspector may be asked to visit one or both of the couple concerned to establish what the most suitable arrangements might be in terms of the payment arrangements. Consideration may also be given as to whether it would be more beneficial for a spouse or partner to claim a payment in his or her own right. While the numbers of such payment arrangements are not significant, the circumstances leading to the issue of separate payments can be of a very difficult and sensitive nature. If the Deputy is concerned regarding a specific case, I would ask that he bring it to the attention of my officials. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
43. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to introduce a total contributions approach in relation to the assessment of a person’s contributory pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25066/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” commits to the introduction of a Total Contributions Approach (TCA). This approach, when it is introduced, is intended to be a fairer and more transparent system aligning a person’s contributory pension more closely with the contributions they make over their working life. It is anticipated that the approach will include provision for people who take time off work to undertake caring duties. The public policy and social issues in relation to funding a sustainable and adequate State pension system are complex. The Programme for Government also commits to the establishment of a Commission on Pensions to examine a range of issues including contributions, calculation methods, sustainability, eligibility and intergenerational fairness. The Terms of Reference for the Commission on Pensions are currently being developed and options for its membership are being considered. Proposals will be brought to Government in that regard as soon as possible. Once it has concluded its deliberations, the Commission will report to Government by June of next year.
This Government is acutely conscious of the need to consider the sustainability of the State’s finances. The State Pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland. It is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. The Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
44. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the situation facing employees of a company (details supplied) waiting on payments from her Department following a hold put on their applications; when these employees should expect to receive payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25170/20]
View answer53. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which talks between her Department and a company (details supplied) in relation to access to jobseeker’s benefit came about; the outcome of the talks; if workers will receive backdated payments in cases in which they were on reduced days while in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25035/20]
View answer59. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on workers at a company (details supplied) not being able to receive their full social protection entitlements due to the fact the company will not sign their dockets for the days they are not working; her further views on negotiations that have taken place between her Department and the company; her views on the appropriateness of such negotiations; her further views on the impact this has had on workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25095/20]
View answer544. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason workers in a company (details supplied) cannot access backdated payment of short-time working support for the time period when they were in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme. [25457/20]
View answer561. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if urgent consideration will be given to issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) concerning entitlements for employees of a company (details supplied); if it will be ensured that such applications are processed and approved without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25558/20]
View answerIn the case where a person has been fully laid off from their employment, they should make an application for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. I have recently announced that the time-frame for receiving new applications under this scheme has been extended until the end of this year. The quickest and easiest way to apply for this payment is online at mywelfare.ie.
In the case where a person has had a reduction in their days of employment, the Department has clarified that, subject to satisfying the relevant eligibility criteria, employees may claim casual jobseeker payments or Short-Time Work Support payments for days of unemployment, even where their employer is claiming the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme for days of employment. Officials from my Department are engaging directly with the company referred to by the Deputies to provide any outstanding documentation required to finalise applications for jobseekers support under these arrangements.
Officials from my department have engaged with the company concerned on this matter and I understand that an agreed process is in place so that outstanding information required to finalise decisions on social welfare entitlements will be provided by the company to their employees as quickly as possible. It is expected that this will be completed this week.
My Department will prioritise decisions on these applications on receipt of this information so that claims are put into payment as quickly as possible.
Decisions around entitlement to social welfare claims for periods prior to the introduction of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme on 1 September will depend on meeting the eligibility conditions, including satisfying the Department with regard to days of unemployment. Applications are assessed on an individual basis and the Department will notify each individual of the outcome of its decision. Any person who is experiencing financial hardship may access assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme including Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments. Information on the supports available under this scheme is available at www.gov.ie.
Finally, any legal obligations that an employer may have to their employees regarding the terms, conditions or entitlements of their employment, including pay, is a matter for the employer.
