Written Answers Nos. 661-680
661. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for the living alone allowance given that the person has a UK pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41658/21]
View answerThe Living Alone Increase is an additional weekly payment to social welfare recipients who are living alone and who are on a qualifying payment, including State pensions, from my Department. It is not a stand-alone payment and as a result is not payable where the person concerned is in receipt of a UK pension.
Depending on their circumstances, the person concerned may wish to consider applying for State pension (non-contributory). This is a means-tested, residency-based payment for people aged 66 and over, who do not qualify for State pension (contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. The current statutory limit for the State pension (non-contributory) means assessment is €262.50 per week.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
662. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of occasions since 2014 her Department has refused to process a request under freedom of information using section 15(1)(g) of the Act; and the number of persons this has applied to since January 2014. [41662/21]
View answerThe total number of requests under the Freedom of Information Acts received in the period from 2014 to date in 2021 is 16,810.
The number of requests refused under Section 15(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 in each year from 2014 to 2021 is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Number of FOI Requests |
Number of FOI requests refused under Section 15(1)(g) |
Number of persons refused under Section 15(1)(g) |
|
2014 |
2,193 |
2 |
2 |
|
2015 |
2,156 |
0 |
0 |
|
2016 |
2,089 |
1 |
1 |
|
2017 |
2,443 |
29 |
1 |
|
2018 |
2,510 |
221 |
78 |
|
2019 |
2,614 |
8 |
2 |
|
2020 |
1,706 |
3 |
2 |
|
2021 (to date) |
1,099 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL |
16,810 |
256 |
86 |
663. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions taken with regard to commitments made to community employment supervisors (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41671/21]
View answer678. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding finalising negotiations in respect of community employment supervisor pensions and gratuity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42002/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 678 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors.
This claim creates some difficulties because the State is not the employer of the supervisors.
Within this context, officials from my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform held discussions on proposals to progress and resolve this complex issue, while having regard to the wider budgetary framework. Department officials also held discussions with unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors.
At the start of April this year, agreement was reached with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on proposals to resolve the long-standing issue. These proposals include a financial package.
I am confident these proposals are a solid basis for progressing and resolving this complex issue. Discussions on these proposals are ongoing between my Department and the unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. The unions have made a number of observations, and these are now being examined by my officials in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There is also continuing contact between officials and unions representing the CE supervisors and assistant supervisors.
My officials are continuing to progress this matter as a priority, and I would hope that these discussions can reach a conclusion in the near future.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.
664. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41721/21]
View answerAn application for jobseeker's allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 10 February 2020. In the normal course, an appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made within 21 days of a decision being notified. I am informed that the person concerned did not submit an appeal within that timeframe and that no appeal from the person concerned was received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office until 14 July 2020.
Appeals received outside of the 21 day time limit may be accepted at the discretion of the Chief Appeals Officer.
In view of the length of time which elapsed between when the person concerned was notified of the decision and their submitting an appeal, the absence of any explanation, to date, for the failure to submit an appeal within the prescribed timeframe and their failure to submit grounds of appeal, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal was not registered in this case.
Following receipt of PQ 38216/20 from the Deputy in November 2020, I am informed that the Appeals Office sought the grounds of appeal and an explanation for the failure to submit an appeal within the prescribed timeframe on 23 November 2020. This information was never received by that Office and therefore again an appeal was not registered in this case.
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.
665. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to increase funding to the National Advocacy Service for persons with disabilities by 10%. [41772/21]
View answerThe National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides an independent, confidential and free issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service. The NAS adheres to professional standards and it has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences, are inappropriately accommodated, live in residential services, attend day services or have limited informal or natural supports.
The Citizens Information Board (CIB), a statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection, provides funding and support to NAS, which has a mandate under the Citizens Information Act 2007 to provide advocacy for people with disabilities.
|
NAS Funding Allocation 2021 |
Full year NAS Funding Allocation (including a 10% increase) |
|
€3,157,391 |
€3,473,130.1 |
The estimate detailed above is based on an assumption of no additional range of services provided by NAS. Figures provided do not include the Patient Advocacy Service, which is funded by the Department of Health.
666. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of passenger journeys for which her Department compensated the licensed transport operator under the free travel scheme in respect of each year from 2015 to 2020 and during the period January 2021 to June 2021 in respect of licensed routes numbers 481 and 482 and licence numbers 01019 and 99070. [41813/21]
View answerThe free travel scheme permits, for those eligible under the scheme, free travel on most CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services offered by some 80 private operators countrywide. The scheme is available to all people aged over 66 and those under age 66 on qualifying payments, who are living legally and permanently in the State. At the end of July, there were 1,005,333 customers eligible for Free Travel.
The transport provider concerned was a participant in the Free Travel scheme during the periods 2015 to 2020 and from January to June 2021, for the routes specified by the Deputy, and has been paid accordingly for the carriage of Free Travel passengers.
It is not possible to provide the number of passenger journeys for the periods concerned, as requested by the Deputy, as my Department does not hold this information.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
667. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing persons with certain disabilities (details supplied) to continue to receive the fuel allowance during the summer months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41845/21]
View answerThe 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 372,000 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 Fuel Allowance is an important measure that assists pensioners and other welfare dependent householders to address income deficiency, especially during the winter when a household faces increased heating needs. The duration of the scheme is designed to coincide with the coldest periods of the year and it is for this reason the scheme runs from October to mid-April.
In Budget 2021, the Government targeted one third of carbon tax revenues to go towards boosting the incomes of the poorest in our society. Based on ESRI research, three key DSP payments were targeted for increases in the budget as a result - the Fuel Allowance, the Qualified Child Allowance and the Living Alone Allowance. Accordingly, with effect from January 2021, I increased the Fuel Allowance by €3.50 per week to €28 for a period of 28 weeks.
While I fully understand that these are difficult times for many people, especially for the vulnerable and the elderly, any further economic measures, such as extending the 2020/21 fuel allowance season for some customers, can only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs. If a recipient of a social welfare payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which he/she is unable to meet out of household income, that person may apply for a Heating Supplement. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. Heating Supplements are payable 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 in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
668. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for carer’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41890/21]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 13 May 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received on 27 May 2021. On 15 June 2021 the appeal was referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing. Hearings are currently being conducted online or by telephone. Due to the current level of Covid-19 restrictions in-person oral appeal hearings have been suspended.
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.
669. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41891/21]
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.
A claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 26 July 2021. In order to establish medical suitability two forms were sent to her on 28 July 2021. On receipt of the completed forms, the IP claim will be processed as quickly as possible and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
670. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for a disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); when the appeal is likely to be brought to a conclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41892/21]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 22 July 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing. Hearings are currently being conducted online or by telephone. Due to the current level of Covid-19 restrictions in-person oral appeal hearings have been suspended.
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.
671. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to put applications for the public services card online; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41894/21]
View answerThe SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC). Currently, it is not possible for someone who does not already have a PSC to acquire one without attending an in-person appointment.
My Department is exploring the delivery of services to augment the current face-to-face identity proofing processes carried out by staff in Intreo and SAFE Centres nationwide by allowing customers satisfactorily establish their identity online .
My Department has published a request for tenders (RFT) for an online document-centric identity proofing service to meet the Department’s SAFE standard. A decision on the development of this service will be made following an examination of responses to this RFT.
My Department has also introduced a new online PSC renewal service which is available on MyWelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
672. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if having a public services card is mandatory or compulsory for applying to get social protection payments, State pension payments or a driver licence; the difference between mandatory and compulsory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41895/21]
View answerSAFE registration is the process through which my Department authenticates the identity of an individual, in the manner described, and for the purposes set out, in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. The Public Services Card (PSC) is issued to a person when they have completed this process.
Since its inception in the late 1990s, the PSC has always been intended to be used as physical token of identity to be used in transactions between the citizens and the State, not just between citizens and the Department of Social Protection.
In respect of transactions with the Department of Social Protection, and as provided for in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, a person must authenticate their identity through SAFE registration:
1. before they can be allocated and issued a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN);
2. before they can be issued a PSC;
3. as one of the conditions of their right to a social welfare payment;
4. to continue to receive a social welfare payment below once they have been requested to satisfy the Minister as to their identity.
The requirement that a person be SAFE registered before being issued a PPSN or being awarded a social welfare payment, was temporarily suspended from March 2020, to ensure the health and safety of the Department's customers and staff.
SAFE registrations have since resumed and those customers concerned will be contacted by the Department and requested to attend for SAFE registration.
The Social Welfare Consolidation Act also provides that “A person shall produce his or her public services card at the request of a specified body for the purposes of a transaction.”
All specified bodies, including the Department of Social Protection, are therefore entitled to ask a person for their PSC as proof of their identity for the purposes of a transaction; where such a request is made, there is a statutory obligation on the person to produce their PSC when requested.
The matter of when, or for what reason, another specified body, other than the Department of Social Protection, seeks production of a PSC as proof of identity is a matter for those bodies.
My role, as Minister for Social Protection, is to conduct SAFE registration and issue a PSC for the purposes of a transaction.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
673. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if previous recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment who have returned to work can requalify for the pandemic unemployment payment after 8 July 2021 if their employment ends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41930/21]
View answerThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was an emergency measure introduced in the exceptional circumstances of Covid-19 to help cushion the financial impact on people temporarily laid-off work as a direct result of public health measures mandated by the Government. To date, expenditure on PUP is over €8.6 billion which demonstrates the Government’s clear commitment to support impacted employees.
Since February the number of people who are in receipt of PUP has fallen by over 70% from over 475,000 to just over 143,000 last week. As restrictions are lifted and the economy gradually returns to normal, the need to retain this support therefore diminishes. It is important in the interests of equity and sustainability to restore standard social welfare payments.
The PUP scheme was closed for new applications on 8 July. A person who loses their employment after this date, including those who were previously in receipt of PUP, should apply for a jobseeker payment.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
674. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review of a decision on a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41934/21]
View answerThe person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 5 July 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. She was notified in writing of this decision on 30 July 2021.
Further medical evidence was received and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 6 August 2021. She was also advised of her right to appeal this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO).
The person concerned requested an appeal of her claim for DA with the SWAO. All the relevant papers requested by that office will be prepared and submitted by this Department. The SWAO will be in touch with the person concerned in due course in relation to the progress of the appeal.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
675. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons living alone over the age of 80 years receive an increased living alone allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41941/21]
View answerThose in receipt of a primary State pension automatically receive an increase of €10 per week when they reach 80 years of age.
The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, and who are living alone. It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension. This Living Alone Allowance is not means tested and the payment is made as an increase to the recipient’s primary social welfare payment. In Budget 2021, it was increased from €14 to €19 per week.
Those pensioners who are aged 80 or above and who live alone may receive both the over 80s allowance and the living alone increase, subject to fulfilling the criteria for living alone.
They would also be eligible for secondary benefits such as the household benefits package (€35 per month plus a free television licence), the fuel allowance (€28 per week for the length of the fuel season) and the telephone support allowance (€2.50 per week).
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
676. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a disability allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41944/21]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17 August 2021.
It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.
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.
677. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures she is taking to promote or facilitate remote working for staff in her Department or bodies under the aegis of her Department; the costs this has generated in terms of the provision of laptops, desktop computers or contributions to wi-fi costs or phone-related expenses; the number of staff who have applied for permission to work from home on a permanent or hybrid-model basis (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41960/21]
View answerCivil Service departments and offices are currently working in line with Government Covid-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. A central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will inform the development of organization-level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of each Department/Office, whilst ensuring a consistency of approach across key policy areas. In conjunction with this framework an application process is also currently being developed to allow staff to apply for blended working into the future.
As an essential service, staff in my Department have continued, throughout the pandemic, to work both on site in office premises and remotely to deliver for our customers. The number of staff who are working remotely at any one time is approximately 3,300 or 50% of the total staffing number and has remained relatively constant through the Covid-19 restrictions.
To support remote working my Department has put in place a health and safety self-assessment system with the necessary training, furniture and IT equipment being provided as a result of these assessments.
The additional costs generated to date, relating to furniture and accommodation for remote workers during the Covid-19 pandemic are approximately €107,000.
In relation to the costs regarding IT equipment, my Department has an overall capital allocation from which it procures all computer related hardware such as desktop computers and laptops including for remote working purposes. It is not possible to separate out the expenditure of laptops and ancillary equipment specifically for remote working purposes from the overall computer hardware expenditure which includes all hardware procured under normal business as usual arrangements. Furthermore, my Department does not make a contribution to wi-fi or personal phone costs incurred by staff. In accordance with FOI legislation with effect from January 2016, details of public contracts awarded over €25,000 are published quarterly on www.gov.ie.
The Departments HR Wellbeing Unit has developed and offered a range of online supports to staff and managers working remotely in the areas of personal and professional wellbeing. In addition, my Department's HR area have also provided supports, advice and training materials in relation to managing staff remotely and managing newly appointed staff through their probation whilst working remotely.
The position in relation to the relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department is as follows:
1. Citizens Information Board (CIB)All CIB staff members are currently working remotely. CIB has committed to developing a remote working policy in line with central arrangements.
33 laptops were provided to CIB staff at a cost of €52,800. 35 mobile phones were provided to CIB staff at a cost of €14,427 between March 2020 and August 2021. Miscellaneous equipment was also provided to CIB staff (eg monitors, keyboards) at a cost of €3,584.50. CIB does not pay contributions towards wi-fi costs for staff working at home.
As CIB does not have a long-term remote working policy at present, no applications for permanent remote working have been received.
2. Pensions Authority
All Pensions Authority employees continue to work from home pending further guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding a return to the office.
Where required, employees return to the office to undertake essential IT, administration and facilities management work. The Pensions Authority is currently developing its longer-term remote working policy and procedures in line with DPER guidance as it becomes available. No employees have applied to work from home permanently or from a hybrid model yet.
During 2020, 22 new employees joined the Authority. The Authority expenditure incurred across the organisation in dealing with the impact of Covid 19 was approximately €100k. Most of the increased costs relate to provide the ICT and general supports for employees required to work remotely.
679. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the position in circumstances in which a person who has been on disability allowance for a number of years, is a single parent and after a long number of years the former spouse is now agreeing to pay maintenance for their child; the implications of this in terms of means testing the disability allowance; if the matter is treated separately if the payment is for the benefit of the child as opposed to the benefit of the mother; if a payment for the benefit of the child can be separated from the child’s mother’s disability allowance for the means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42005/21]
View answerMy Department operates a range of means-tested social assistance payments. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test for these payments takes account of the income and assets of the person and a spouse/partner, if applicable. Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as property owned (other than the family home) and capital such as savings, shares and other investments.
For social assistance schemes, such as disability allowance, all maintenance payments (including maintenance payments made to or in respect of a qualified child) are assessed by first disregarding any housing costs incurred (up to €4,952 per annum or €95.23 per week), and then assessing the remainder at 50%.
Accordingly, the value of any maintenance payment is never assessed in full, resulting in a higher total income received by the family (social welfare payment and maintenance payment combined) than for someone not receiving maintenance payments..
I should mention that the Government has established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department; (ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and (iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
I trust this clarifies the position at this time.
680. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered the implications of the six-year rule which was introduced in 2017 that will see participants forced off the rural social scheme in 2023; if she will reconsider this rule and allow these participants continue on the scheme; if not, the alternatives her Department is proposing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42021/21]
View answerThe Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishers in receipt of certain social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation, within their local area, in community and voluntary organisations. RSS participants have the opportunity to improve and develop new or existing skills, while performing this valuable work in their local communities.
During 2017 and 2018 the number of places funded on RSS was increased by 750, bringing the total number of places available to 3,350. A six-year time limit was also introduced at that time for new RSS participants with effect from February 2017. Prior to the introduction of the six year time limit, an RSS participant could remain on the RSS scheme for a significant part of their working life. This had the effect of restricting the turnover of places on RSS and thereby reducing the opportunities for potential new entrants.
The Department plans to review the RSS in 2022.
