Written Answers Nos. 152-171
152. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 10,000 places for the work placement experience programme outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32267/21]
View answerThe July Jobs Stimulus set out the Government investment plan of €200m investment towards training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and jobs search and assistance measures; these measures aim to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors.
Included in this is provision for a funded work placement scheme to provide work experience for 10,000 jobseekers over two years, aged 18 - 65 years, where the job seeker has been unemployed for more than six months. Time spent on the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) will be contribute towards eligibility. The programme will be open to all those who are job seeking with the particular aim of assisting those who have been disaffected by Covid-19 to pivot into new employment in new sectors through additional learning with new and relevant work experience. This work experience opportunity will provide important and valuable work and development opportunities to persons whose previous jobs are permanently lost due to COVID, as well as to those who were unemployed prior to COVID. The programme will support innovative learning and development opportunities for participants.
Under the July Jobs Stimulus, provision was made for €135m to fund the programme. These costs include an attractive weekly uplift to the usual welfare payments for participants.
This programme is included as one of the measures included under the Economic Recovery Plan, with some measures to be partially funded under an application to the Resilience and Recovery Facility to the EU. The funding application to the EU for this measure is €27m over the two years that the programme will run.
I will be bringing details of the programme and the associated funding provision to Government shortly for consideration and approval with a view to launching the programme shortly thereafter.
153. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver an additional 3,000 places on State employment schemes outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32269/21]
View answerAs outlined under the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, a central focus of the recovery process will be on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment support, additional training and work placement opportunities.
Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment support, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.
My Department provides a range of social employment and training programmes that are targeted at long-term unemployed jobseekers. These supports include Community Employment and Tús. The aim of both schemes is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people, by providing work experience opportunities for participants. CE also provides valuable training opportunities for participants.
As part of the recovery efforts, my Department has committed to providing an additional 3,000 places on these State Employment Schemes. The additional places will be distributed between CE and Tús and will provide additional valuable opportunities for long-term unemployed persons. They will also support CE and Tús schemes in providing further services to local communities. The estimated cost of an additional 3,000 CE and Tús participants for a full year is €50.4 million, based on the current payment rate which includes participant payroll, supervisory costs, training and associated administration costs.
I will continue to support and improve these programmes for the benefit of the long-term unemployed including those who have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
154. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the new youth employment charter and the new EU reinforced youth guarantee process outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32270/21]
View answerAs outlined under the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, a central focus of the recovery process will be on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment support, additional training and work placement opportunities.
Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment support, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.
In supporting people back into employment, the Pathways to Work 2021–2025 strategy will seek to minimise any long-term scarring effects of the pandemic on the labour force for those whose jobs are permanently lost while providing support to those unemployed pre-pandemic. The Strategy will also set out how an expanded Public Employment Service will utilise its existing and expanded capacity to deliver effective services in a post-COVID labour market with an overall target of increasing the caseload capacity by 100,000 per annum.
As part of this, my Department’s forthcoming Pathways to strategy will have a particular focus on young people, given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on this group. This will include the development of a new Government Youth Charter and the implementation of the EU’s new Reinforced Youth Guarantee.
The 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 and am committing to implement it under the forthcoming Pathways to Work strategy.
Central to the Reinforced Youth Guarantee is 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.
The implementation and delivery of a new Government Youth Charter and the Reinforced Youth Guarantee will be in addition to wider employment support and activation services open to, but not targeted solely at young jobseekers. It is not anticipated that any additional funding will be ring-fenced for the two aforementioned new measures.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
155. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 8,000 JobsPlus scheme places outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32273/21]
View answerJobsPlus is a subsidy that is paid to employers who recruit long-term unemployed people for new positions in their workplace. Employers can avail of JobsPlus when filling new positions or positions that arise as a consequence of natural turnover. The employer can receive a subsidy of €7,500 or €10,000 per eligible employee.
The July Jobs Stimulus provided for changes to the support which included providing access to the support by Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients and amendment to the qualifying criteria for those under 30 years to 4 months on the Live Register in the previous 6 months. The scheme has an overall budget allocation of €28.3m for 2021 to provide for these measures and up to 8,000 places.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
156. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 150 employment case officer job coaches during 2021 to conduct 1,600,000 one-to-one case worker and jobseeker meetings over a rolling 12-month period as outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32274/21]
View answerAs outlined under the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, a central focus of the recovery process will be on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment support, additional training and work placement opportunities.
Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment support, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.
In supporting people back into employment, the Pathways to Work 2021–2025 strategy will seek to minimise any long-term scarring effects of the pandemic on the labour force for those whose jobs are permanently lost while providing support to those unemployed pre-pandemic. The Strategy will also set out how an expanded Public Employment Service will utilise its existing and expanded capacity to deliver effective services in a post-COVID labour market with an overall target of increasing the caseload capacity by 100,000 per annum.
In expanding the capacity of the Public Employment Service and Intreo Centres, my Department committed, under the July Jobs Stimulus last year, to the assignment of 100 Job Coaches to provide enhanced employment services and supports. As part of the forthcoming Pathways to Work strategy, this has been increased to 150 Job Coaches, to further build on this capacity and what will be a crucial resource in assisting our recovery efforts. At present, 84 of these Job Coaches are currently in place.
The annual cost of the assignment of 150 Job Coaches is estimated at €7.1 million, based on relevant annual average salary.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
157. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase expenditure on the pandemic unemployment payment in the event that further restrictions are required. [32502/21]
View answerThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) has proven to be a vital support to people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. To date, Government has spent some €8 billion on the scheme, demonstrating its commitment to workers impacted by the pandemic.
On 1st June Government announced its National Economic Recovery Plan to support the reopening of the country as it recovers from Covid-19. As the vaccine program is continuing at pace and restrictions are lifted and the economy reopens it is timely to set out the approach to regularising payments in the months ahead to reflect the facts that more jobs are becoming available and the requirement for exceptional measures is diminishing. To allow as much time as possible for employment to recover, a transitional approach will be taken with payments reduced on a tapered basis over 6 months from September.
This position would be reviewed in the event that further restrictions were required and considered in the context of the circumstances presented at that time.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
158. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons with disabilities that are currently availing of the training support grants. [32505/21]
View answerThe Training Support Grant, available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider.
As part of the July Stimulus the funding available through this grant was doubled from €500 to €1,000. There is a provision of €11.3m for this support in 2021 to assist with the training needs of up to 12,000 individuals.
The grant assisted approximately 3,000 jobseekers with short-term training needs in 2020. Statistics are not maintained on the number of individuals with disabilities assisted under this grant.
Also announced in Budget 2020 was the extension of the facility of the Training Support Grant through Employability Service contractors. The administrative measures to support this extension are being put in place and it is expected to be operational shortly.
159. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of the groups of disabled persons that are applying for the training support grants. [32506/21]
View answer160. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funds within her Department allocated for the training support grant. [32507/21]
View answer161. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the courses or training opportunities for which the training support grant has been used. [32512/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 160 and 161 together.
The Training Support Grant, available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider. Supports are tailored to the individual and there are no restrictions on the industry or sector where training may be supported. The grant can be used for courses up to level 6 on the QQI or training such as safe pass, driving licences, HACCP or security industry permits as appropriate.
As part of the July Stimulus the funding available through this grant was doubled from €500 to €1,000. There is a provision of €11.3m for this support in 2021 to assist with the training needs of up to 12,000 individuals.
The grant assisted approximately 3,000 jobseekers with short-term training needs in 2020. Statistics are not maintained on the number of individuals with disabilities assisted under this grant.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
162. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to the dependent adult allowance based on their contributory pension and the split of savings. [32167/21]
View answerThe Increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to State pension (contributory) claimants whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit. 50% of jointly-held means or assets is assessable.
Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is payable. Where their weekly means are between €100 and €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment.
An IQA review commenced on 12 May 2021 whereby a means questionnaire and explanatory letter was issued to the spouse of the person concerned, being the State pension (contributory) customer. As qualified adult on their spouse’s pension, the person concerned was assessed with weekly means from capital in excess of €310.00. As this exceeds the current statutory limit for the IQA payment, the IQA has ceased with effect from 10 June 2021, and the customer has been notified accordingly.
The person’s entitlement to a State pension (contributory) in their own right can be determined on receipt of a completed application form. An application form has been issued and I have also arranged for a copy of their social insurance record to issue to them.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
163. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32201/21]
View answerThe person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 5 May 2021. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that the person concerned was substantially restricted in taking up employment.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 14 June 2021 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
164. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports in place for persons in receipt of the carer’s allowance and who have been in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment; if there has been consideration for those carers who cannot return to work as yet and who also cannot sign up to jobseeker’s allowance as a result of their part-time employment and means-testing requirement of the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32210/21]
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 the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by this Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. The projected expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2021 is €953 million. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2021 is expected to be approximately €1.5 billion.
Carer's Allowance is a social welfare assistance scheme which is means-tested and provides a payment for carers who, on a full-time basis, look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention and where the carer's income falls below certain limits. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full-time care and attention is required and being provided, and that the means test which applies is satisfied.
The primary objective of Carer’s Allowance is to provide an income support to carers whose earning capacity is significantly constrained as a consequence of their caring responsibilities and, in doing so, to protect the interests of the person in respect of whom care is being provided by ensuring that payment of the allowance is contingent on the provision of the necessary hours of care. 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 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.
In responding to COVID-19, my Department made special provisions for those who may be most vulnerable and negatively affected at this time and have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. As the Deputy is aware, the Department introduced the following short-term emergency payment- the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). A carer whose work ceases as a result of COVID-19 and whose situation qualifies them for the PUP will get the payment along with their current carer income support, whether Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit.
.Jobseeker’s Allowance is not payable with Carer’s Allowance as in order to qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance a person must be unemployed and looking for work. The conditions attached to the Jobseeker’s Allowance payment are fundamentally incongruent with the nature of the Carer’s Allowance payment.
With regard to other supports available for carers it should be noted that the annual Carer’s Support Grant is available to all family carers providing full-time care and assistance, regardless of means. This is not available for any other group nor is there an equivalent payment for carers in any other country in Europe. The Grant is paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attention are also eligible and can apply for a ‘standalone’ grant. As part of Budget 2021, I increased the Grant from its previous rate of €1,700 to €1,850 – the highest ever rate at which it has been paid since it was first introduced. At the start of June the Grant was paid to some117,000 carers. The estimated expenditure on the Carer’s Support Grant this year is over €265 million.
I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by this Department under review and will ensure that consultations with carer’s representative groups continue so that the overall objectives of the carer income support schemes provided are met. However, any changes to the current supports provided by this Department would have implications for overall spending and could only be addressed in an overall budgetary context.
165. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if representatives of retired staff can be excluded from discussions around the resolution of actuarial deficits and the governance structure of their schemes in relation to the operation of minimum funding standards in occupational pensions schemes and the functioning of the Pension Authority; if retired staff associations can make submissions to her or the Pensions Authority in relation to minimum funding standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32216/21]
View answerAll dealings and decisions made by corporate or individual trustees of an occupational pension scheme are governed by legislation and enforced through the supervision of the Pensions Authority, including matters in relation to representation and arbitration for pensioner members of schemes.
The duties of a pension scheme trustee include administering a scheme in trust in accordance with the law and the terms of the trust deed and rules of the scheme. Consequently, any decision made by corporate or individual trustees of an occupational pension scheme are governed by the relevant legislation and rules set out in the trust deed and the rules of the particular scheme. Trustees of pension schemes must act in the best financial interests of the scheme members, whether active, deferred or retired, and must serve all beneficiaries of the scheme impartially. If there is a conflict of interest then a person’s duty as a trustee must take precedence over other interests.
Measures were introduced in 2015 to facilitate engagement between the trustees of a pension scheme and groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members. Changes to guidance issued by the Pensions Authority require the trustees of a pension scheme to notify groups representing the interest of scheme members of proposals to issue a direction under section 50 of the Pensions Act to restructure scheme benefits. This affords the representative group an opportunity to make a submission to the trustees of a pension scheme in relation to proposals to restructure scheme benefits in advance of any proposed change taking effect.
These changes facilitate engagement between groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members, the Pensions Authority and the trustees of a pension scheme. Groups representing the interests of pensioners and deferred scheme members have a right to appeal a section 50 direction by the Pensions Authority to the High Court on a point of law.
More generally, there is no impediment to scheme members, or a representative group for such scheme members, from communicating to the trustees of a scheme in respect of matters pertaining to that scheme. In addition, any scheme members, or their representative groups, can make submissions to my Department in respect of the funding standard. Any such persons wishing to engage with, or make a submission to, the Pensions Authority should contact that office directly.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
166. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to changes made to the selection process for members of the ESB pension scheme board of trustees and specifically that this new process now acts to exclude retired staff members who are active members of their own representative associations; if such an attempt to exclude potential trustees is in line with current legislation; if she will request the Pensions Authority to investigate this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32217/21]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that I am unable to comment or intervene on issues relating to a particular pension scheme. Issues in relation to the ESB pension scheme are primarily a matter for the trustees of the scheme and the ESB Group. Matters directly related to the ESB Group come under the remit of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications.
The Pensions Authority is the regulatory body charged with the supervision of pension schemes in Ireland and has the necessary powers under statute to investigate the conduct of a pension scheme should it become aware that a scheme is not in compliance with the provisions of the Pensions Act.
Where a pension scheme member is of the view that scheme is not in compliance with legislative requirements it is open to that member to make a formal complaint to the Pensions Authority.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
167. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of indexing core social welfare rates to 27.5% of average weekly earnings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32265/21]
View answerThe Central Statistics Office (CSO) produce various estimates of earnings, covering different time periods and income bases. The range of estimates cater for, for example, annual and quarterly figures, average earnings for regular earnings, and average earnings which include irregular earnings.
In addition, the CSO has advised caution when looking at earnings data since the onset of the pandemic crisis due to the impact of Covid supports and reduced response rates for the Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey (EHECS). In light of the caution expressed by the CSO, I set out below a cost for increasing the main weekly social welfare rates by €1 per scheme.
|
Payment |
Personal €m |
Qualified Adult €m |
Total €m |
|
Social Insurance Schemes |
|||
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
€ 22.0 |
€ 3.0 |
€ 25.0 |
|
Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension |
€ 6.2 |
€ 6.2 |
|
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
€ 0.3 |
€ 0.3 |
|
|
Invalidity Pension |
€ 3.1 |
€ 0.2 |
€ 3.3 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.0 |
€ 0.1 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.1 |
|
|
Disablement Pension |
€ 0.2 |
€ 0.2 |
|
|
Illness Benefit |
€ 2.5 |
€ 0.1 |
€ 2.6 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
€ 6.6 |
€ 0.4 |
€ 7.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self Employed) |
€ 0.2 |
€ 0.0 |
€ 0.2 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
€ 0.2 |
€ 0.2 |
|
|
Maternity & Adoptive Benefit |
€ 1.0 |
€ 1.0 |
|
|
Paternity & Parent's Benefit |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.1 |
|
|
Social Assistance Schemes |
|||
|
State Pension (Non Con) |
€ 5.0 |
€ 0.1 |
€ 5.1 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.0 |
€ 0.1 |
|
Widow/ers or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Con) Pension |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.1 |
|
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
€ 2.1 |
€ 2.1 |
|
|
Carer's Allowance |
€ 2.6 |
€ 2.6 |
|
|
Half Rate Carer's Allowance |
€ 1.1 |
€ 1.1 |
|
|
Jobseeker's Allowance Max Rate |
€ 6.4 |
€ 1.1 |
€ 7.5 |
|
JA age 18 to 24 |
€ 0.7 |
€ 0.0 |
€ 0.7 |
|
Disability Allowance |
€ 8.0 |
€ 0.6 |
€ 8.6 |
|
Farm Assist |
€ 0.3 |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.4 |
|
Employment Support Schemes (BTWA & BTEA) |
€ 0.7 |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.8 |
|
Employment/Internship Schemes (CE, Tús, RSS etc.) |
€ 1.7 |
€ 0.3 |
€ 2.0 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
€ 0.7 |
€ 0.1 |
€ 0.8 |
|
TOTAL* |
€ 72.1 |
€ 6.1 |
€ 78.2 |
*Rounding may affect totals.
The costs shown above are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2021. This costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
168. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person in ownership of a property worth €120,000 other than their home has no means to appeal a decision in relation to the fuel allowance; if she plans to introduce amendments to the relevant legislation and guidelines in order to avoid unfair situations like this arising (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32286/21]
View answer169. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has means to appeal a decision in relation to the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32287/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together.
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to over 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for fuel allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. All recipients of non-contributory payments are accepted as satisfying the means-test for fuel. People who are in receipt of a qualifying contributory payment must also satisfy a means test.
The standard capital means assessment rules for State Pension (Contributory) purposes apply to Fuel Allowance applicants who have capital. An applicant may have capital/savings of up to €57,999 (i.e., equivalent to €100.00 a week under capital means assessment rules) in addition to income of up to the maximum State Pension rate, and still be eligible to receive a Fuel Allowance. If an applicant has a second property (property other than their own home), then rental income from that property is assessed. However, the capital value (less any mortgage outstanding on the property) will be assessed if the property is not rented.
There are no plans at this time to change the fuel allowance means test criteria so that the value of a second property owned by an applicant is disregarded.
With regards to the right of appeal, the fuel allowance scheme is administrative (non-statutory) and therefore decisions on claims cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. However, if a customer is dissatisfied with a decision not to grant an allowance, s/he may request a review of his/her claim by a different Deciding Officer. It is open to applicants to supply any additional facts of information in support of his/her application. However, if it is the case that they are simply not qualified for payment, a review will not overturn the previous decision. If following this review, the applicant still does not qualify for the allowance it is still open to them to contact the Office of the Ombudsman.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
170. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status in relation to the outstanding arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32318/21]
View answerWhen a customer makes a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, and is deemed eligible for payment, the claim is put into payment on a week 1 basis and any arrears that may be due are issued at a later stage. The first arrears payment issued to customers on the December 1st, 2020 and included any arrears due to customers for the period 13th March to 26th November, 2020. My Department's records indicate that the customer in question received a payment of €903 on 1st December for the period 13th March to 2nd April, 2020 and was paid to her nominated bank account. There are no further arrears due.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
171. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on extending the employment of all persons in the community employment programme until at least 31 December 2021 given the difficulty in replacing persons during the Covid-19 pandemic; if she will address the concerns raised by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32439/21]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
At the onset of the Covid-19 emergency last year my Department introduced a number of contingency measures to support CE schemes including the extension of participant contracts. These measures have continued and, in particular, during the Level 5 periods of restriction in place over the course of the last fifteen months.
Accordingly, CE participants due to finish on schemes since October 2020, have had their contracts extended on a number of occasions.
On the 11th of June Minister of State, Joe O’Brien and myself announced further measures to support participants of both Community Employment (CE) and Tús schemes. Under these measures, CE and Tús participants’ contracts will be further extended until the end of October 2021. This will benefit 7,000 participants who have been granted contract extensions since last October and whose contracts were due to end next month. These measures will also benefit over 4,000 additional existing CE and Tús participants whose contracts would ordinarily come to an end between July and October.
These measures will ensure that schemes can fully re-commence service delivery in local communities, while also supporting participants who have been long-term unemployed. This latest extension will also allow participants further opportunities to complete their training and work placement experience.
Importantly, this final extension will also allow CE and Tús schemes to conclude participants’ placements on a co-ordinated and phased basis. This will also facilitate the planned increase in the rate of referrals to fill existing and new vacancies to ensure that opportunities to participate on the schemes continue to be available to those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market.
From the end of October there will be a phased exit of those CE and Tús participants who have benefitted from this latest extension over a number of months up until February 2022.
To assist with this transitional arrangement, there will also be a short contract extension for those CE and Tús participants whose contracts would be normally due to end between November 2021 and February 2022.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy at this time.
