Written Answers Nos. 140-148
140. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently in receipt of a carer’s allowance payment; and the breakdown of the number in each of the past five years. [26147/21]
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 results in them requiring that level of care.
I can advise the Deputy that as of 30th April 2021 there were 89,549 customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance.
The table beneath gives a breakdown of the number of customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance in the past five years.
|
Year (End of year) |
Total |
|
2020 |
88,906 |
|
2019 |
84,028 |
|
2018 |
79,914 |
|
2017 |
75,264 |
|
2016 |
70,459 |
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
143. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection the approximate backlog on applications for the public services card; if public services card appointments have recommenced given level 5 restrictions have been lifted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26143/21]
View answerAt the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily suspended Public Services Card (PSC) appointments and the online system used to manage those appointments. This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and World Health Organisation guidelines and help protect the health and well-being of our customers and staff.
All offices carrying out PSC appointments re-opened on Monday 17th May and any person who requires a PSC should contact their local Intreo Centre.
While PSC appointments were suspended since the beginning of the year because of the Level 5 restrictions, appointments were available for urgent cases in circumstances where the customer had no alternative means of accessing public services other than by acquiring a PSC. So far this year, my Department has carried out over 19,600 PSC appointments in such cases.
From next week, the Department will be contacting those who have requested an appointment and have not yet received one, to arrange an appointment. Overall figures on the number of such cases are not available, as these requests are dealt with on a local basis.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
145. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to tackle the backlog of appointment requests for public services cards in Cork city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26222/21]
View answerAt the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily suspended Public Services Card (PSC) appointments and the online system used to manage those appointments. This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and World Health Organisation guidelines and help protect the health and well-being of our customers and staff.
All offices carrying out PSC appointments re-opened from Monday 17th May and any person who requires a PSC should contact their local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.
While PSC appointments were suspended since the beginning of the year because of the Level 5 restrictions, appointments were available for urgent cases in circumstances where the customer had no alternative means of accessing public services other than by acquiring a PSC. So far this year, my Department has carried out over 19,600 PSC appointments in such cases.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
146. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the programme for Government commitment on the cost of disability; the steps being taken to introduce a cost of disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26178/21]
View answerThe concept of “cost of disability” can be defined as the amount it costs a disabled person to achieve the same standard of living as a non-disabled person. It is recognised nationally and internationally that people with disabilities incur many extra living costs as a result of their disability, for example; heating, disability aids and equipment, medical and drug costs, care costs and transport costs.
In line with the commitment contained in the Programme for Government, when complete, the research will provide a valuable input to inform policy direction, from a whole-of-Government perspective, in relation to the adequate provision of supports to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Specifically, the research will be expected to consider whether objectives can be met through financial support (for instance as a supplement to the current income support system), through service provision or through other supports.
This issue is considerably wider than the income support system and will not be addressed through income alone which is why a whole-of-Government perspective needs to be taken.
The Department has commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out this research and work is nearing completion. The research is looking at three main items. First, it examines the conceptual underpinnings of a “cost of disability”. Second, it analyses what would be a reasonable estimate of a “cost of disability” in varying circumstances for people living in Ireland. Third, it examines the implications for public policy and service delivery.
The research will provide quantitative estimates of the cost of disability using a number of approaches. Indecon’s work programme to date has included the following elements:
A review of existing international research, including approaches to defining ‘cost of disability’ and government responses to costs of disability.
Analysis of detailed datafiles of the EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) and the Household Budget Survey (HBS).
An extensive stakeholder engagement with disability representative organisations, including invitation to make submissions.
In addition, a comprehensive survey of people with disabilities was undertaken. The survey was sent in paper format to a random sample of over 34,000 individuals in receipt of disability related payments. The very large sample is designed to ensure that the different costs incurred by individuals with a disability are taken into account. This survey was designed in consultation with a wide range of disability representative bodies and aimed to provide individuals living with a disability an opportunity to contribute directly to the research. An accessible survey was specifically designed, in conjunction with the National Council for the Blind Ireland, for those in receipt of the Blind Pension. The survey was also available online.
The high number of responses, approximately 4,700, makes this, to Indecon’s knowledge, the largest survey of its kind of individuals with disabilities undertaken in Ireland.
This is an important piece of work and it would be premature at this point to give any commitments regarding the allocation of public expenditure towards existing or additional payments while awaiting the outcomes of the research. I look forward to receiving the completed report shortly.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
147. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the progress made by her Department on the European Council recommendation, A Bridge to Jobs, Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee dated 30 October 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25551/21]
View answerThe Council of the European Union believed it was important to reinforce the existing Youth Guarantee to aid in alleviating the labour market impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on young people. This aim is complementary to our objectives in Government. As Minister for Social Protection, I welcome the Council recommendation on a reinforced Youth Guarantee.
Central to the reinforced programme is the extension of the widening of the youth age bracket to include young people aged 25-29. As part of activation services provided by my Department via Intreo, young people under 25 receive the most intensive engagement.
My Department intend to extend this up to age 29, as per the new reinforced Youth Guarantee, and are currently exploring the necessary system changes to allow for this to be put in place.
Under the July Jobs Stimulus, my Department, along with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, are putting in place the following measures, which complement the aims of the new reinforced Youth Guarantee:
Increasing the benefit of the JobsPlus recruitment subsidy to employers who hire young people, by expanding the young person rate from under 25 to under 30 years of age. Under this scheme an employer receives the JobsPlus subsidy of €7,500 once they employ a young person who has been unemployed for just 4 months. A higher subsidy of €10,000 is paid for recruitment of a person who was long term unemployed (over 12 months).
Providing access to additional full-time and part-time education, including targeted short-term courses, with over 35,000 new education and training places for those currently unemployed.
Providing incentives to employers to take on more apprentices, with the provision of a grant of €3,000 to employers for each new apprentice recruited.
Facilitating access to the Back to Education Allowance and Back to Work Enterprise Allowance to those displaced by the pandemic and in receipt of PUP, by waiving the usual qualifying period of 3-9 months.
A core element of the reinforced Youth Guarantee is to support young people in gaining valuable work experience and developing the right skills for a changing world of work. My Department is at an advanced stage in developing a new Work Placement Experience Programme for those out of work for at least six months, regardless of age. This programme will seek to encourage businesses provide jobseekers with the necessary workplace skills to compete in the labour market and to help break the vicious circle of “no job without experience, no experience without a job”. I expect to launch the Programme in the near future.
In addition, the reinforced Youth Guarantee notes the value in supporting apprenticeships as a means of training young people and providing stable labour market integration. Last month my colleague, Minister Harris, launched the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. The Action Plan sets out a five-year strategy to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment of reaching 10,000 new apprentice registrations per year by 2025. The plan provides a roadmap to a single apprenticeship system and new supports for employers and apprentices, which will prove attractive for many young people.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
148. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects to receive a report from the Pensions Commission. [26138/21]
View answerThe Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. These issues are being considered from a perspective of fiscal and social sustainability, and intergenerational fairness. The Commission has held eleven meetings to date, as well as a public consultation process including a Stakeholder Forum. Details of the Commission's work to date is available on its website, pensionscommission.gov.ie.
In accordance with its Terms of Reference, the Commission is due to submit a report on its work, findings, options and recommendations to me by 30 June 2021. The Government intends to take action having regard to the recommendations of the Commission within 6 months of receipt of the report.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
