Written Answers Nos. 576-590
576. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) will be expedited and approved as soon as possible given the circumstances of the case. [38408/20]
View answerAn application for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) was received from this lady on the 9th November 2020. In the interest of fairness to all customers, applications are processed in date of receipt order. Currently applications received in October 2020 are being finalised. This application will be considered by a deciding officer in due course and the decision notified to the person concerned her as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
577. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the carer’s allowance and benefit requirements to allow persons to be working, self-employed or on a training or education course outside the home for 30 hours a week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38525/20]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and in the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2020 is expected to exceed €1.3 billion.
A primary qualifying condition for the Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit payments is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and be likely to require this full-time care and attention for at least 12 months. However, in order to support a carer’s continued attachment to the workforce and broader social inclusion, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training, while still being regarded as being in a position to provide full-time care. The maximum period in which a person may engage in employment, education and training is 18.5 hours per week and during this time, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person. The full-time care and attention requirement and the 18.5-hour limitation are contained in the respective legislative provisions of the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Support Grant schemes.
As part of Budget 2020, the number of hours per week that carers could engage in employment, education or training outside the home was increased from 15 to 18.5 hours per week. This measure was prioritised in response to carers and carer representative groups who found the previous number of 15 hours to be too restrictive, not only for work but for education and training purposes.
I consider the limit of 18.5 hours to represent a reasonable balance between meeting the care recipient's requirement for full-time care and the carer's need to maintain contact with the workforce. Any proposals for further changes to this condition would need to maintain this balance and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
578. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a PPSN application by a person (details supplied) who is relocating to Ireland from the UK to set up a business; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38536/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter with details of the PPSN issued to the solicitor concerned on 20th November 2020.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
581. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make changes to the qualifying periods for back to education courses such as back to education allowance and the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, to encourage and support persons affected by Covid-19 or returning from abroad to return to education giving them a greater chance at finding employment; if consideration will be given to counting the two weeks of quarantine in cases in which a person does not receive a jobseeker’s payment but that the two weeks be counted towards the qualifying period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38573/20]
View answerThe Department’s Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue full-time courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the allowance is to assist individuals in receipt of certain welfare payments to improve their educational qualifications and their prospects of gaining employment.
The BTEA was extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period before being eligible to apply for the BTEA when pursuing full-time education. The qualifying period has been waived for people coming from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This ensures that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic have immediate access to a range of educational options, including VTOS.
In order to avail of continued financial support while pursuing a full-time course, a person in receipt of PUP should establish an entitlement to a jobseeker payment. The BTEA is payable at the jobseekers rate for the duration of someone’s course where they continue to have an entitlement to the payment.
There are no plans to further amend the waiting periods for BTEA and if the Deputy is aware of a case affected by the 2 week quarantine period they should bring the case to the Department's attention for review.
The BTEA is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people pursuing education. The student universal support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing third level education.
Where someone in receipt of PUP wishes to pursue short term or part-time study they can continue to receive PUP while they continue to satisfy the conditions of that payment. There are many options and supports available to jobseekers wishing to pursue short-term or part-time training or education, without a qualification period. Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local Intreo Centre to assess their options.
I trust this clarifies the issues for the Deputy.
582. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for jobseeker's allowance for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38575/20]
View answerThe person concerned submitted an online application for a Jobseeker's Allowance payment on 09/10/2020. A request for additional information in support of this application was made to the person concerned on 19/11/2020. When the requested information is submitted, a decision can be made on this claim.
Should the person concerned be experiencing financial difficulties, it is open to her to submit a request for an Exceptional Needs Payment. The Community Welfare Officer can be contacted by phone at 01 8940095.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
583. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38640/20]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 28 February 2010. According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 1,106 qualifying full-rate paid contributions and 257 credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 18 April 1970 to end-December 2009. This equates to a yearly average of 33 contributions and gives them an entitlement to a standard State pension (contributory) at 98% of the maximum rate. They were notified in writing of this decision on 5 July 2010.
There is no record of the person concerned having applied for or having paid Voluntary Contributions in advance of reaching pension age. According to the records of my Department, payment was made by the person concerned in February 2010 for outstanding self-employment liabilities.
The matter of a farm partnership between the person and their spouse was investigated by the Scope section of my Department. A formal Scope decision determined that a partnership was in place and the person was in self-employment for the years from 1988/89 onwards. Since their income for 1988/89 was below the PRSI threshold, they were considered to be insurably self-employed from 1989/90. As a result, a bill issued to the person concerned for settlement of their outstanding self-employment liabilities from 1989/90 to 2009. These liabilities were paid in February 2010 prior to the person’s 66th birthday and their contribution record was updated. Consequently, Class S contributions for the tax years 1989/90 to 2009 inclusive have been included in the calculation of the person’s pension entitlement.
Accordingly, the person concerned is in receipt of the correct rate of State pension (contributory), commensurate with their social insurance record as held by my Department.
I have arranged for a copy of their pension award letter to issue to them with a copy of their social insurance record. If they consider that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to my Department and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
584. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for 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. [38663/20]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 22 April 2020. The Appeals Officer's decision will issue to the person concerned in the very near future.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for 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.
585. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for 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. [38664/20]
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 13 July 2020.
It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such disability that 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 being likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied in respect of the care recipient.
The person concerned was notified on 29 July 2020 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person concerned requested a review of this decision and provided further supporting medical evidence to support her review. Following the review, the decision in relation to the medical remained unchanged.
The person concerned was notified on 16 September 2020 of this decision and the reason for it.
My department was notified on 14 September 2020 that the person concerned had appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). A submission in support of the decision was forwarded to the SWAO on 17 September 2020.
As a result of an appeals officer’s decision, CA was awarded to the person concerned on 2 November 2020 with effect from 16 July 2020. The first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 5 November 2020.
Arrears for the period 16 July 2020 to 4 November 2020 issued to the person concerned on 5 November 2020.
The person concerned was notified of the outcome on 2 November 2020.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
586. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer’s allowance appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38665/20]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for 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.
587. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38667/20]
View answerI confirm that an application from this gentleman for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 16 October 2020.
The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
The application has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. Once the SWI has submitted his/her report to DA section, a decision will be made on the application and this gentleman will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
588. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a PPS number for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38773/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter issued to the individual on 19th November 2020 with details of the PPSN.
The SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's identity in a face-to-face interview, is the normal method of processing an application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN).
At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and World Health Organisation guidelines in respect of social distancing.
My Department did not, however, suspend PPSN allocations. To help ensure that those who required a PPSN could get one, my Department introduced an email and postal service through which applications could be made.
It is inevitably the case that a temporary process such as this will not be as efficient as the face-to-face process it has temporarily replaced, neither for applicants nor for the staff dealing with those applications. Additional resources have been assigned to this work and I expect this will result in improved processing times and a reduction in the number of applications on hand.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
590. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2021 if the telephone support allowance was increased to €4 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38827/20]
View answerThe Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. Approximately 133,000 customers are in receipt of the TSA payment. The estimated full year cost of the scheme is over €17 million.
The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or phones for security. Therefore, the criteria for the allowance were framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible.
To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and also in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance.
Based on an estimated average of 136,000 recipients of TSA in 2021, the estimated cost of increasing the weekly rate of TSA to €4 per week would be in the region of €10.6 million. This would increase the overall budget for the scheme to approximately €28 million.
Any decision to increase the weekly rate of TSA would have budget implications and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
