Gary Gannon
Question:266. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of providing every classroom in Ireland with a CO2 monitor. [47450/21]
View answerSchool Equipment
Questions (266)
Written answers
Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19.
A copy of the guidance is published on the Gov.ie website.
This report formed the based for the most recent updating of the ventilation guidance for schools and included recommendations in relation to strengthening the message about the importance of good ventilation and the use of CO2 monitors.
The use of CO2 monitors can provide a useful general indication that areas/rooms within a building may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact that activities, outdoor weather and window openings have on levels of good ventilation within a room. This information can be used to inform strategies for improving ventilation and in that regard my Department has funded the provision of a number of portable CO2 monitors for schools at an estimated overall cost of circa €4 million.
The monitors are portable, simple to use, and will give a digital reading. The portability of monitors is important as it provides good flexibility to focus their use to those rooms where most beneficial to inform strategies for optimising ventilation in the school.
School Equipment
Questions (267)
Gary Gannon
Question:267. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department discussed the potential use of air filtration in schools and classrooms in combating the spread of Covid-19. [47451/21]
View answerWritten answers
Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19.
The provision of portable CO2 monitors provides schools with the flexibility to focus their use to those rooms where most beneficial to inform strategies for optimising ventilation in the school.
Many schools will already have put measures in place to improve ventilation in rooms that are poorly ventilated e.g. used minor works funding provided in July 2020 and again in December 2020 to do some reconfiguration works such as adding more vents, fixing/changing windows that don’t open or where necessary provision of air cleaners etc. The Department’s guidance advised that the summer holiday period is the optimum time to undertake works to improve ventilation in classrooms.
Where the CO2 monitors indicate high CO2, schools will increase ventilation in that room by opening doors and windows wider and for longer periods and applying the practical steps for the deployment of good ventilation practices in schools as set out in the Guidance.
If poor ventilation continues to exist in a particular room/area, the updated Guidance advises schools to source specific technical specialist advice, via a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect, on how ventilation in that particular room/area can be improved. Most schools should have ready access to a local Architect or Engineer from previous or current building projects being delivered (current pipeline of projects involve some 30% of schools).
The updated guidance also references a role for Air Purifiers in certain more limited circumstances where for example a room is not well ventilated and works are awaited to address same. The air purifier can assist in such cases in improving air quality albeit it does not reduce Covid-19.
The appointment of a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect is important to ensure the works determined as necessary are appropriate and fit for purpose. Such works can subsequently be undertaken by the school and funded through its minor works grant funding or through an emergency works application if of a larger scale.
School Staff
Questions (268)
Gary Gannon
Question:268. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of providing every special school in Ireland with access to a guidance counsellor. [47452/21]
View answerWritten answers
At present, special schools do not have guidance counsellor teacher allocations.
The matter of guidance counselling in special schools was considered as part of the Indecon Review of Career Guidance, which report was published in April 2019. The report includes four recommendations relating specifically to guidance counselling to promote inclusion.
The recommendations in this report were considered by an internal taskforce to examine each of the recommendations and develop an implementation response to each. The first task was to consider options for the establishment of the support organisation to oversee technology facilitated guidance services.
While progress in this matter has been impacted by COVID-19, arrangements are now in place with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) on the implementation of the recommendations and this work will be overseen by an inter-departmental steering group.
The Department of Education will now lead on the actions to promote inclusion in special schools and I understand that this work has recently commenced.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (269)
Gary Gannon
Question:269. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if greater resources will be provided to schools in order to increase mitigation measures for Covid-19 in view of the changes to testing and tracing in schools; the additional resources being made available to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47453/21]
View answerWritten answers
Ensuring that schools can open sustainably has been a key priority for Government. To support this objective my Department has engaged extensively with all of the education stakeholders and the Department of Health and the HSE Public Health.
Public health has reviewed the measures put in place to ensure safe operation of schools and have advised that the new variants of the disease do not change the infection prevention and control measures required in schools. My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective.
Each school was provided with an updated COVID-19 Response Plan in advance of the return to school. Significant additional resources of €639m were put into schools in the last academic year to keep schools safe.
Further funding of €57.6 million has been paid by way of Covid-19 capitation to schools in the last week for the implementation of infection prevention and control measures for this new term. This funding will cater for school costs related to hand hygiene measures, PPE requirements, enhanced cleaning supports and supervision.
At primary level, additional management resources for principal release days were provided for Principals and Deputy Principals. Principals have one day per week away from teaching duties to concentrate on leading teaching and learning and administration duties. Teacher Supply panels were also expanded to cover the majority of primary schools nationwide.
At post primary level over 1000 teaching posts were provided to support social distancing within classrooms, to provide for enhanced supervision arrangements in order to manage and prevent congregation of large groups of students and ensure the careful movement in a socially distant manner to classes for specialist subjects where it is neither practical nor possible to remain in the classroom. This funding also included additional posts for guidance provision.
All of these measures are remaining in place for this school year. My Department has also provided updated guidance about good ventilation practices and arrangements have been put in place to provide CO2 monitors to assist schools with managing ventilation.
The infection prevention and control measures in place in schools have worked very effectively to prevent and control Covid-19 in schools. The Department will continue to work closely with public health officials and the education stakeholders in respect of the safe operation of schools during Covid-19.
Civil Marriages
Questions (270)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:270. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection when the registration of civil marriages will commence online; the reasons for the delay to commence registration after it was stopped due to the cyber-attack; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47251/21]
View answerWritten answers
Notification of intentions to marry, the conduct of marriage and the subsequent registration of a marriage is governed by the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended. Registration of marriages is carried out by the Civil Registration Service, delivered by the HSE.
The General Register Office is currently working on developing online systems for all civil registration of life events. Delivery of such services online requires significant development in the current IT infrastructure and amendment to the Civil Registration Act to facilitate this form of registration.
I am aware that registration of birth, marriages and deaths was interrupted for a period of up to five weeks due to the precautionary measures taken by the HSE to isolate the impact of the cyber-attack in mid-May. I am informed by the HSE that registration services were fully resumed in mid-June.
I understand that the HSE is continuing to work through the issues arising from the cyber-attack and has resumed civil registration services in all offices.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (271)
Claire Kerrane
Question:271. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to extending the working family payment to the self-employed; if any costings have been carried out to examine the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47232/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Working Family Payment is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings. The Working Family Payment is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment. At end-August 2021, there were over 46,000 families with over 106,000 children in receipt of the Working Family Payment. Expenditure on the scheme in 2020 was €377.3 million.
To qualify for Working Family Payment, a person must be engaged in full time paid employment as an employee which is expected to last for at least 3 months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is supported by them.
It is possible for the household of a self-employed person to receive a working family payment where the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the self-employed person meets the qualifying criteria.
There are also a number of other schemes available to self-employed individuals details of which are as follows:
- The Back to Work Family Dividend - which helps families to move from social welfare into employment, including self-employment, by retaining their qualified child increase for up to two years.
- The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to become self-employed. Where a person takes part in the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme, they can keep a percentage of their social welfare payment for up to 2 years;
- The Short-Term Enterprise Allowance gives support to people who have lost their job and want to start their own business.
As there are already a number of supports available to self-employed individuals, there are no plans to extend the Working Family Payment to self-employed individuals at this time.
Any extension of the Working Family Payment to other categories of persons, such as the self-employed, has expenditure implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context. My Department estimates that for every additional 1,000 Working Family Payment claims it would cost approximately €7.2 million per year.
Employment Support Services
Questions (272)
Brendan Smith
Question:272. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give further consideration to issues raised in correspondence by a local authority (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47268/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is now at an advanced stage in its first phase of procuring new employment services. This phase involves the procurement of regional employment services for seven counties in the Midlands and North-West across four lots. These counties do not have an existing local employment service and represent the first phase of an expansion of similar employment services across.
This procurement process follows extensive consultations by my Department with the existing service providers over the last number of years.
The Phase two procurement, which will see the Regional Employment Service model rolled out across the State, including Monaghan, will take on board the learnings of the first phase. This is a significant expansion of employment services and will result in State-wide coverage of employment services for those furthest from the labour market for the first time.
In relation to references to the ‘privatisation’ of employment services, the Department has outsourced services to assist and advise long-term unemployed people since the 1990s. No new privatisation is being undertaken in the current procurement process. No service previously undertaken by civil or public servants is in the process of being shifted to the private sector. Intreo will continue to engage with those unemployed for 12 months or less and, under the July Stimulus and in line with the new Pathways to Work strategy, has been given additional resources to do so.
The Department is in receipt of legal advice from the Attorney General's office that it must procure its employment services in an open and competitive manner in order to meet its legal obligations arising from EU and national procurement rules.
I understand and appreciate the concerns in the sector at the changes to the Local Employment Service model. However, existing service providers with a strong track record and a willingness to cooperate with others in the sector, will be well-placed to submit high-quality tenders for the new services. The new model and its associated procurement process is accessible to the community and voluntary sectors given the model's significant emphasis on service quality and the need to harness local networks and linkages to best support the clients of the new employment service.
Employment Schemes
Questions (273)
Martin Browne
Question:273. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to allow persons who are near retirement age and participating in a Tús scheme to remain on the Tús schemes for an additional year until they are entitled to an old age pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47295/21]
View answerWritten answers
Tús is a labour market activation measure delivered as short-term, community-based work placements for jobseekers on the live register that have been unemployed for more than one year.
The objective of Tús is help the participant return to the labour market through the provision of supervised work placements within the community, building work experience and individual participant confidence.
The duration of the Tús participant contract ensures that the greatest number of placements can continue to be available to jobseekers who are long-term unemployed. This allows jobseekers who are unemployed for more than 12 months to benefit from a period of focused work-experience and to be well-placed to re-enter the labour market at an early opportunity.
Increasing the duration of Tús placements for those that are near retirement age would reduce both the focus of the short-term work placement and the number of available placements for eligible jobseekers, with a potential adverse affect on future candidates who are on the live register.
For jobseekers approaching retirement age who continue to require the option of supported employment, further opportunity in this regard is provided by my Department through the Community Employment (CE) scheme. The commencement of a CE placement is available as a progression path for a jobseeker on the completion of Tús, and this can be accessed with the assistance of a case officer.
The dedicated service support stream of CE can facilitate participants over the age of 62 to remain on the scheme until they reach the State pension age, subject to certain criteria.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, my Department has continued to provide funding for Tús, and introduced a number of contingency measures including the extension of all existing participant contracts, allowing participants to continue to deliver a range of services to their communities.
With the exception of the contract extensions that were introduced in response to the extraordinary public health circumstances of the last year, there are no plans to extend the duration of Tús placements beyond one year.
Employment Schemes
Questions (274, 278)
Claire Kerrane
Question:274. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons referred to Tús by county in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [47297/21]
View answerClaire Kerrane
Question:278. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if policies are in place for referrals to Tús to take into account the address of the person and that they are given a place on Tús in the county in which they reside rather than being referred to a scheme in a neighbouring county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47301/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 278 together.
Tús is a targeted activation measure specifically designed and delivered to jobseekers who are on the live register and have been unemployed for twelve months or more. Tús is delivered locally by a network of 48 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta, known as implementing bodies (IBs). Eligible jobseekers can commence on Tús following selection and referral, or assisted self-referral, to the IB that delivers Tús in their area. The IB then matches the participant to available Tús placement opportunities in their locality.
A key element of Tús is the placement of participants in structured employment placements within their local community to break the cycle of unemployment. As the objective is to provide opportunities to participants for work within their local communities, the candidates address is, as far as possible, taken into account when referrals and placements are being arranged.
Eligible jobseekers are randomly selected for Tús participation and referred to the IB that delivers Tús in their area. The IB to which a jobseeker is ordinarily referred is determined by the address that is recorded for them. However, a jobseeker may choose to refer themselves through the assisted self-referral process to a different IB in an alternative location or county to the one in which they reside.
The following table provides a breakdown of the number of people who commenced on Tús by their county of residence in the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and up to the end of September, 2021.
Throughout 2018 and 2019, continued improvements in the labour market led to a corresponding fall in the number of people on the live register, and decrease in the number of jobseekers that were long-term unemployed and eligible for participation on Tús.
Since 2020, the emergence of Covid-19 and the introduction of public health restrictions also impacted on the number of jobseekers that commenced Tús.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
County |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Carlow |
132 |
128 |
82 |
20 |
|
Cavan |
120 |
95 |
70 |
40 |
|
Clare |
152 |
123 |
58 |
51 |
|
Cork |
612 |
506 |
276 |
159 |
|
Donegal |
361 |
359 |
228 |
99 |
|
Dublin |
1391 |
1214 |
504 |
287 |
|
Galway |
432 |
361 |
236 |
81 |
|
Kerry |
243 |
173 |
68 |
17 |
|
Kildare |
206 |
205 |
83 |
61 |
|
Kilkenny |
98 |
73 |
50 |
41 |
|
Laois |
123 |
109 |
57 |
34 |
|
Leitrim |
91 |
59 |
43 |
14 |
|
Limerick |
273 |
202 |
70 |
41 |
|
Longford |
108 |
90 |
63 |
13 |
|
Louth |
201 |
197 |
127 |
39 |
|
Mayo |
293 |
281 |
220 |
97 |
|
Meath |
259 |
230 |
210 |
64 |
|
Monaghan |
100 |
104 |
57 |
37 |
|
Offaly |
160 |
160 |
85 |
37 |
|
Roscommon |
87 |
91 |
66 |
29 |
|
Sligo |
157 |
130 |
78 |
21 |
|
Tipperary |
368 |
314 |
221 |
133 |
|
Waterford |
303 |
281 |
202 |
60 |
|
Westmeath |
127 |
80 |
49 |
31 |
|
Wexford |
347 |
291 |
237 |
123 |
|
Wicklow |
275 |
243 |
107 |
65 |
|
Total |
7,019 |
6,099 |
3,547 |
1,694 |
Departmental Schemes
Questions (275)
Claire Kerrane
Question:275. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has examined the estimated drop-off numbers from the community employment and rural social schemes. [47298/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy has clarified that the question relates to the impact of the six-year rule on the Community Employment (CE) and Rural Social Schemes (RSS).
CE is an active labour market programme providing eligible long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged people with an opportunity to engage with training and work experience in their communities on a fixed term basis. The programme aims to improve a persons opportunities to return to the labour market. The six year participation limit ensures the continued availability of places on CE schemes to those furthest removed from the labour market.
Following a review of the CE in 2017 a number of new conditions were introduced to further support progression to employment, broaden access to a wider range of people and, to standardise the conditions relating to the length of time a CE participant can remain on a scheme.
In general, all placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years are for one year. However, participants working towards a major educational award can seek to extend participation by up to two years to enable them to reach the required qualification standards. Those over 55 years of age can remain on CE for up to three years, while CE participants who are aged over 55 and who commenced on CE prior to the introduction of the changes in 2017 continue to be eligible to remain on CE for six consecutive years.
CE participants over the age of 62 can participate on a continuous basis up to the state pension age on the CE Service Support Stream (SSS), subject to certain criteria. In total, 10% of CE placements are available under the service support stream.
The Deputy is aware that contract extensions were provided to CE and Tús participants at various stages of the Covid 19 pandemic to ensure that participants were not disadvantaged by restrictions on CE activities during the pandemic and to support the ongoing delivery of essential services where it was safe to do so. A final contract extension has been provided to those CE and Tús participants until October, 2021 and they will leave their respective schemes on a phased basis thereafter.
Given that these exceptional supports are still in place, it is not possible to estimate any potential drop-off in numbers due to the six year participation limits, until normal activity has fully resumed. My Department continues to monitor the position closely and is acutely conscious of the need to ensure that placements on the scheme will continue to be available to the long term unemployed, including the new cohort of long-term unemployed those whose jobs are permanently lost due to COVID-19.
RSS is an income support programme that provides part-time employment opportunities within community and voluntary organisations in local areas for farmers or fishers in receipt of Farm/Fish Assist, or certain other social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.
Participation on RSS is by self-selection with applications made directly to one of the implementing bodies (IB) that deliver the scheme locally. IBs are required to promote and publicise RSS to the best of their ability.
The six-year limit on RSS participation was introduced on 1st February 2017 as part of a Government decision to introduce a set of broader reforms to employment support schemes. The number of places available on RSS was also increased by 750 throughout 2017 and 2018.
The rule change was introduced at a time when participation on RSS was increasing to ensure that places on the programme would continue to be made available to new candidates, while also helping to avoid any long-term dependency on RSS from existing participants.
The six-year limit on RSS only applies to participants who joined the scheme after 1st February 2017. RSS participants who were already on the scheme at that date are not affected. The first RSS participants who will leave RSS based on the six-year rule will not take place until after February, 2023.
I am fully committed to the future of the Community Employment and RSS schemes and will continue to support and improve the schemes for the benefit of both the participants and their communities, while ensuring that these placements are available for the current cohort of long term unemployed.
Rural Schemes
Questions (276)
Claire Kerrane
Question:276. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing farm assist recipients access to participate in the rural social scheme; if the matter has been considered by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47299/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) provides supplementary income support for low income farmers and fishermen and women, who are underemployed in their primary occupation and have an entitlement to Farm Assist and other specified means-tested social welfare payments.
As of the end of September 2021 there are 3,006 participants availing of RSS. The total number of places available on RSS is 3,350, which means that there are 344 places available at present. These places are currently available to persons in receipt of the Farm Assist payment.
To participate on RSS, a person must be aged 25 or over, in receipt of Farm/Fish Assist or another qualifying social welfare payment and meet the criteria for either a self-employed farmer or a fisherman. Participation on RSS is by self-selection with applications made directly to one of the 36 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta delivering the RSS scheme at a local level.
The estimated additional cost for a person in receipt of Farm Assist to participate on the RSS is approximately €5,150 in a full year, based on an estimated cost of €16,500 per annum per participant on RSS and an estimated cost of €11,350 per annum per participant on Farm Assist.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Employment Schemes
Questions (277)
Claire Kerrane
Question:277. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing some participants to remain on Tús beyond one year in cases in which they have not progressed to employment or in cases in which they are benefitting from the scheme; if so, if this decision will be made on a discretionary basis at a local level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47300/21]
View answerWritten answers
Tús is one of a range of employment support and activation measures provided by my Department to assist jobseekers who have been unemployed for 12 months or more to return to the labour market. Tús provide participants with opportunities for supervised work placements within the community, building work experience and individual participant confidence.
The duration of the Tús participant contract ensures that the greatest number of placements can continue to be available to jobseekers who are long-term unemployed. This allows jobseekers who are unemployed for more than 12 months to benefit from a period of focused work-experience and to be better-placed to re-enter the labour market at an early opportunity.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, my Department introduced a number of contingency measures to support schemes and participants including extending contracts beyond the standard duration. However these were exceptional emergency COVID related measures.
For former Tús participants who require additional or continued support upon their return to the labour market, additional work experience and training opportunities are also provided by the Department through the Community Employment (CE) scheme. The commencement of a CE placement is available as a progression path on completion of Tús. CE can be accessed with the assistance of an Intreo case officer. A full range of options and supports are available on the gov.ie website or from any Intreo office.
There are no plans at present to allow Tús participants to remain on the programme beyond one year, with the exception of those who have availed of the contract extensions that were introduced in response to the extraordinary public health circumstances of the last year.
Question No. 278 answered with Question No. 274.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (279)
Marian Harkin
Question:279. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will raise the €350 income threshold on the earnings disregard on disability allowance to €400; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47306/21]
View answerWritten answers
There are currently in excess of 156,000 persons in receipt of means-tested disability payments from the Department, comprising some 154,500 persons in receipt of the Disability Allowance (DA) and some 1,060 in receipt of Blind Pension (BP).
The means assessment of DA reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves, so that social welfare expenditure can be directed towards those who need it most.
In the means test, cash income that is assessed includes any income from employment or self-employment (and spouse/partner, if applicable), income from a social security pension from another country and maintenance payments.
Capital assessed as part of the means test includes all monies held in financial institutions or otherwise, the market value of shares, as well as houses and premises owned by a claimant which may or may not be put to commercial use. The family home is never assessed as part of the means test, regardless of who is the legal owner.
Recipients of DA are supported to pursue employment or self-employment through earning disregards in the means test. Budget 2021 saw a €20 increase to the earnings disregard, from €120 to €140 per week for both DA and BP. As of June 2021, a DA (or BP) recipient can earn up to €140 per week from employment or self-employment without their payment being affected, while weekly earnings between €140 and €350 are assessed at a 50% rate only (i.e. 50% of earnings in this band are disregarded for the purposes of the means assessment). Earnings from employment over €350 per week are assessed on a euro for euro basis.
The conditions attached to payment of DA are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally. This system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need with the means test playing the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring.
The Department continues to keep its range of income supports, including disregards, under review and any change proposed would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (280)
Mairéad Farrell
Question:280. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if the qualifying criteria for the occupational injuries scheme, disability allowance and invalidity pension will be changed to include long Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47309/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. My Department spent a total of €4.7 billion on illness, disability and caring payments in 2020.
My Department operates the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme which is a group of benefits for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling directly to or from work. The scheme also covers people who have contracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do. There are a number of benefits available and there are different conditions attached to each benefit. The benefits include: Injury Benefit, Disablement Benefit, Incapacity Supplement, Constant Attendance Allowance and the Medical Care Scheme.
Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
Illness Benefit is the primary income support payment for people who are unable to attend work due to illness of any type. Additional payments may also be made in respect of a qualified adult and qualifying children. It is payable for up to two years, based on the person’s continued eligibility. An enhanced Illness Benefit is payable for up to ten weeks for people diagnosed with Covid-19, subject to ongoing medical certification. In a case where a person continues to be ill with Covid-19 beyond ten weeks, standard Illness Benefit may be paid for an extended period, based on the person’s continued eligibility.
Invalidity Pension is a pension paid to people who are “permanently incapable of work” because of illness or disability. It is based on a claimant's social insurance contributions and medical condition and is not means tested.
Disability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged between 16 and 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.
Apart from these income supports, my Department also provides means tested supports under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who are ill but who do not qualify for other schemes. The Department may also make an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.
The Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. As set out above, a comprehensive set of income support payments is in place for those experiencing illness and disability, based on a person’s medical condition and either their social insurance contributions or means testing. It is generally the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work rather than the nature of the illness or disability that is taken into account when eligibility is being assessed.
Departmental Schemes
Questions (281)
David Stanton
Question:281. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to include illness benefit as one of the qualifying payments for a springboard+ course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47317/21]
View answerWritten answers
Springboard+ provides free higher education courses for people who are unemployed or were self-employed and those looking to return to the workforce. The Springboard initiative can be approved for Jobseekers and those on other qualifying social welfare schemes who are actively seeking work and available to take up work. Illness Benefit is a scheme to support an individual who is unable to work in the short term because they are sick or ill. Illness benefit is not therefore a qualifying payment under the Initiative and there are no plans to amend this policy at this time.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (282)
Thomas Pringle
Question:282. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47341/21]
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Invalidity 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.
The Department received a claim for IP for the person referred to on 09 August 2021. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. Notification of the decision issued to the person concerned on 22 September 2021 informing her of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (283)
James Lawless
Question:283. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if a change in legislation caused issues for pension applicants in 2006 (details supplied). [47449/21]
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Statutory Instrument No 334 of 2006 - Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 (Sections 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25) (Commencement) Order 2006 - provided for the renaming of the titles of certain social welfare payments including the Old Age (Contributory) Pension as State Pension (Contributory). It became effective from 29th September, 2006.
That Statutory Instrument did not make any changes to the qualifying criteria for the newly renamed State Pension (Contributory) and other conditions relating to the benefit stayed the same.
If the Deputy has further details relating to the case inquired about I will ask my officials to examine the matter.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
International Protection
Questions (284)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:284. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing the intake of refugees from Afghanistan; if he is putting in place a programme to assist any unaccompanied minors coming from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47253/21]
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I can confirm to the Deputy that, in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan, approximately 400 places have been made available by my Department for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan with priority being given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women, girls, and minorities, members of LGBT+ community, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations, Human Rights Defenders and journalists. This cohort from Afghanistan are being admitted as Programme Refugees under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme of my Department.
These places are in addition to the pledge made by the Irish Government to welcome up to 2,900 refugees between 2020 and 2023 through resettlement (650 refugees in 2020, 700 in 2021, 750 in 2022, and 800 in 2023) the majority of whom are to be Syrian.
International Protection
Questions (285)
Catherine Connolly
Question:285. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to expand the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in order to accept an increased number of refugees from Afghanistan; the engagement he has had with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47276/21]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm to the Deputy that, in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan, approximately 400 places have been made available by my Department for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan with priority being given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women, girls, and minorities, members of LGBT+ community, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations, Human Rights Defenders and journalists. These places are in addition to the pledge made by the Irish Government to welcome up to 2,900 refugees between 2020 and 2023 through resettlement (650 refugees in 2020, 700 in 2021, 750 in 2022, and 800 in 2023) the majority of whom are to be Syrian.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Department are also supporting the processing of cases from Afghanistan through a number of Irish Embassies in the region and in Europe who are providing assistance in liaising with relevant authorities on transit arrangements.