Written Answers Nos. 870-886
870. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the date the advisory report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on the senior cycle that was submitted to her Department will be published. [2668/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, between 2016 and 2020 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) undertook an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways. The NCCA’s Advisory Report on the Senior Cycle has been submitted to my Department for consideration.
The Advisory Report maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable the development and construction of the components that would make up a Framework for Senior Cycle and will involve further ongoing stakeholder engagement and consultation.
I am aware of the desire in the education community and more generally that the NCCA Advisory Report be published but we must first complete our consideration of the Report. I am currently focusing on what the implementation of the Report would involve and what we can do to best ensure the further evolution of Senior Cycle. My officials and I have been considering the Report carefully, with a view to delivering a Senior Cycle programme that meets the needs of the students of today and the future, and the Report will be published once those considerations are complete.
871. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the details of the review process that took place prior to reinstating banked hours in relation to banked hours which have been reinstated from January to February mid-term; if the situation will be reviewed prior to the removal in February mid-term and the use of banked hours potentially extended if necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2669/22]
View answerWhile the Department has provided supports to schools to allow them to support their operation during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department also recognises that given the current high case numbers schools will continue to require additional substitute cover. In the period leading up to the mid-term break (to 23rd February 2022) a range of measures have been put in place to assist in dealing with absences during this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include flexibility around student teacher availability.
Given the current level of employee absences across sectors, including the education sector, the Department understands that some schools have on occasion had to use their non-mainstream, non-classroom teachers to maintain in-person education. In these circumstances the Department is conscious that these children may also have missed an opportunity to get additional support from their SET and is now permitting the banking of SET hours from January until the February mid-term break, in line with all of the additional measures to support schools during this phase of the pandemic.
872. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the reason the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has not committed to a specific date in May 2022 for the publication of special class teacher and SNA allocations on the NCSE website; if the NCSE will commit to a specific date in May 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2670/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that schools notify the NCSE of enrolments in special classes and special schools each year. The NCSE resource these special classes and special schools with teachers and SNAs in line with notified enrolments. Schools are requested to provide this information to the local SENO by 18th February 2022. The NCSE then processes these notifications and determines the allocation of teachers and SNAs to special classes and special schools by the end of May 2022.
If you have any further queries in relation to this matter, please contact the NCSE. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie
873. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the lack of junior certificate graduates among the 2021-2022 sixth year cohort was factored into contingency planning for the leaving certificate if in-person examinations could not go ahead; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2671/22]
View answerI am very much aware of the disruption experienced by students who are due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations in 2022. The State Examinations Commission (SEC), working with my Department, has put in place a number of measures to seek to take account of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
My Department will continue to engage with all partners in education on all matters relating to Leaving Certificate 2022 examinations. A meeting of the Advisory Group on State Examinations is planned for later this week. The group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers and school leaders, as well as representatives from the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Higher Education and my Department.
Adjustments to the assessment arrangements for the 2022 state examinations that were announced in August 2021 were designed to take account both of the disruption to learning experienced by students in the early part of 2021, as well as providing for some possible further disruption in 2021/22. The adjustments ensure that the overall structure of the examinations remains intact but allows for greater choice for students.
Revised arrangements for Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations in Irish and the Modern Foreign Languages and the practical performance tests in Leaving Certificate Music were announced last month. These examinations will take place outside of school time over the first week of the school Easter holidays. By moving these examinations to the Easter holidays, the State Examinations Commission aims to minimise disruption to teaching and learning, especially for those candidates preparing for their examinations, as this change will limit teacher absence from schools.
The State Examinations Commission recently provided some further information to schools regarding aspects of the 2022 state examinations in light of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This included postponing commencement of assessment of the Leaving Certificate Applied February Tasks, from 31 January to 14 February. Schools were also reminded of the flexibility which is available regarding the dates for completion and authentication of Coursework for Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle candidates.
An alternative set of Leaving Certificate examinations will be run in 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the main set of examinations, for students who are unable to sit the main set of examinations for various reasons, including Covid-19 illness, bereavement or serious illness.
As has been the case for the 2020 and 2021 state examinations, all planning for the 2022 Examinations will be guided by the prevailing public health advice and will have regard for the wellbeing of our students.
874. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the details of the contingency plans in place if in-person State examinations cannot take place as planned in 2022. [2672/22]
View answerI am very aware of the disruption experienced by students who are due to take their Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations in 2022.
My Department will continue to engage with all partners in education on all matters relating to Leaving Certificate 2022 examinations. A meeting of the Advisory Group on State Examinations is planned for later this week. The group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers and school leaders, as well as representatives from the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Higher Education and my Department.
Adjustments to the assessment arrangements for the 2022 state examinations that were announced in August 2021 were designed to take account both of the disruption to learning experienced by students in the early part of 2021, as well as providing for some possible further disruption in 2021/22. The adjustments ensure that the overall structure of the examinations remains intact but allows for greater choice for students.
Revised arrangements for Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations in Irish and the Modern Foreign Languages and the practical performance tests in Leaving Certificate Music were announced last month. These examinations will take place outside of school time over the first week of the school Easter holidays. By moving these examinations to the Easter holidays, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) aims to minimise disruption to teaching and learning, especially for those candidates preparing for their examinations, as this change will limit teacher absence from schools.
The State Examinations Commission recently provided some further information to schools regarding aspects of the 2022 state examinations in light of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This included postponing commencement of assessment of the Leaving Certificate Applied February Tasks, from 31 January to 14 February. Schools were also reminded of the flexibility which is available regarding the dates for completion and authentication of Coursework for Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle candidates.
An alternative set of Leaving Certificate examinations will be run in 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the main set of examinations, for students who are unable to sit the main set of examinations for various reasons, including Covid-19 illness, bereavement or serious illness.
As has been the case for the 2020 and 2021 state examinations, all planning for the 2022 Examinations will be guided by the prevailing public health advice and will have regard for the wellbeing of our students.
875. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of legal cases her Department faced in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021; the amount spent in settlements, legal costs and awards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62949/21]
View answerThe following table sets out the number of litigation cases where the Department of Social Protection is the respondent. The Chief State Solicitor's Office, as Government solicitor, absorbs the costs of representing the Department.
|
Year |
Number of litigation cases where the Department of Social Protection is the respondent |
|
2021 |
21 |
|
2020 |
31 |
|
2019 |
15 |
|
2018 |
45 |
|
2017 |
32 |
876. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for the jobseeker’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62958/21]
View answerAccording to officials of my Department there is no record of a recent paper application for a Jobseeker’s payment in respect of the person concerned. It is not possible to check if the person concerned submitted an online application without an email address from which the application was made. Attempts were made by officials to ascertain the person’s email address. However these efforts were unsuccessful. It is therefore not possible to determine the person’s eligibility for a Jobseeker’s payment at this time.
If there is a live jobseeker's application I would invite the Deputy to advise the individual to make direct contact with officials in the Intreo office in Newbridge. Otherwise it is open to the person concerned to make an application for a Jobseeker’s payment. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.mywelfare.ie. All relevant documentation should be uploaded with the application to facilitate a prompt decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
877. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 20 October 2021, the number of full rate State pension (contributory) approved in each year before 2010 by contribution rate category in tabular form. [62992/21]
View answerFurther to Parliamentary Question 51529/21, my Department's officials have further investigated the availability of the data on historical PRSI contributions that would be needed to produce a breakdown by PRSI contribution level of State Pension (Contributory) claims for people who retired prior to 2010.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the relevant data is not available, and hence the table requested cannot be provided.
The data gap arises because, in general, the Department’s information systems only include PRSI contribution data for years from 1979 onwards, whereas a significant share of the lifetime PRSI contributions made by a person who retired in any year prior to 2010 is likely to have been made in years before 1979.
For example, a person who reached State Pension Age in 2009 would have been 16 years old in 1959. Any contributions that person made from age 16 to age 35 will have been recorded only on paper files, rather than on electronic information systems.
These paper records have been destroyed for State Pension (Contributory) claimants who attained State Pension Age prior to 2006 and who died more than 10 years ago.
Thus, any breakdown of State Pension (Contributory) claims by PRSI contribution class produced using the available electronic data would materially understate the level of PRSI contributions made by people who retired prior to 2010.
878. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will be reviewing the amount given to those on the household benefits package for their fuel given the current rising energy costs and the decisions to launch a scheme allowing households to receive €100 off their first electricity bill of 2022. [63060/21]
View answerThe Household Benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. My Department will spend approximately €265.48 million this year on HHB.
In 2021 the estimated cost of the gas and electricity element of the package is €195.31 million and will benefit over 476,000 households. The gas and electricity element is paid at a rate of €35 per month, 12 months of the year.
The recently announced Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment is a key measure being developed by the Government to help mitigate the effects of the recent unprecedented rise in electricity prices. The scheme, under the auspices of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and supervised by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities will be paid in addition to the gas and electricity element of the HHB package to qualifying households. Approximately 2.1m households will benefit by €100 each from the new scheme. Primary and secondary legislation will be required and it is expected that payments will begin in Quarter 1 2022.
The Government is committed to protect vulnerable households from energy poverty. In light of ESRI research and the commitment to ensure that the carbon tax is progressive, the Government has committed to very significant increases in a targeted package of social protection supports in Budget 2022. These supports were selected to counteract the impact of the increased carbon tax on low income households. The specific measures are:
- An increase to the Qualified Child Payment of €2 per week for children under 12 and €3 per week for children over 12.
- An increase in the Living Alone Allowance of €3 per week.
- An increase to the Fuel Allowance of €5 per week.
- An increase in the income threshold for Working Family Payment of €10 per week .
Analysis undertaken estimates that the net impact of the combined measures is progressive. Households in the bottom four income deciles will see all of the cost of the carbon tax increase offset, with the bottom three deciles being better off as a result of these measures.
As well as increasing the weekly rate of fuel allowance with immediate effect, we also made a number of reforms to the fuel allowance scheme in Budget 2022, including:
- Increasing the weekly means threshold by €20 to €120, representing a 20% increase and enabling more people to qualify for this support.
- The qualifying period for Jobseeker’s and Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients was reduced from 15 to 12 months with effect from September 2022, again enabling more people to qualify for the support.
As the Deputy is aware, the original intention was to introduce the revised means test for the Free Fuel Allowance on 1st January 2022. Cognisant of rising fuel costs, I asked my officials to prioritise the work required so that this change could be implemented at the same time as the increase in the Fuel Allowance in October 2021. My Department has completed this work.
The Deputy will appreciate that provision of income support is only part of the answer in terms of addressing energy costs. One of the best ways to tackle energy costs in the long term is to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling through proper building and household insulation. This is the responsibility of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI provides a range of schemes in this area including the Better Energy Homes scheme, the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, the Better Energy Warmth & Wellbeing Pilot Scheme, the Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme, Better Energy Communities and Free Energy Efficiency Upgrades (co-funded by the Irish Government and European Union and delivered by the SEAI).
Any decision to increase the electricity and gas aspect of the package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of overall budget negotiations.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include help towards the cost of utility bills. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
879. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) who wishes to access their pension contributions following the discontinuation of the pension scheme established by their former employer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63098/21]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on matters relating to individual pension schemes. My Department does not have any role in respect of the payment of pension benefits from occupational pension schemes to members or former members of such schemes.
The Pensions Authority is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of occupational pension schemes, trust RACs and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) in Ireland under the Pensions Act, 1990, as amended.
The governance of an individual pension scheme is generally a matter for the trustees of that scheme. Trustees are responsible for the payment of pension benefits to members or former members of a scheme. Accordingly, scheme members or former scheme members should contact the trustees of the relevant scheme in the first instance in respect of the payment of benefits payable from the scheme.
In the event that the person concerned does not have contact information for the trustees of the scheme, or if he is not satisfied with the response he has received to date from the scheme trustees, he may also refer this issue to the Pensions Authority for its attention. The Pensions Authority may be contacted by email at info@pensionsauthority.ie or by phone at 01-613 1900 or by post at The Pensions Authority, Verschoyle House, 28-30 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, D02 KX27.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
880. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans there are to provide access to illness benefit for the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63100/21]
View answerThere is a wide range of benefits available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Entitlement to such benefits is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, the class of social insurance paid as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the scheme being applied for.
In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S. Where all qualification criteria for the particular scheme are satisfied, this class of PRSI gives access to the following benefits:
- Adoptive Benefit,
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory),
- Invalidity Pension,
- Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed),
- Maternity Benefit,
- Parent's Benefit,
- Partial Capacity Benefit (where in receipt of Invalidity Pension),
- Paternity Benefit,
- State Pension (Contributory),
- Treatment Benefit, and
- Widows, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension.
The benefits to which class S PRSI does not provide access are -
- Carer's Benefit,
- Health and Safety Benefit,
- Illness Benefit, and
- Occupational Injuries Benefits.
Although self-employed people are not usually eligible for Illness Benefit, an exception was made in relation to Covid-19, primarily as a public health measure. The purpose of the enhanced Illness Benefit payment in respect of Covid-19 is to encourage people to not go to work due to financial constraint when they should be in isolation.
There has been an extensive expansion of access to the range of social insurance benefits for self-employed social insurance contributors in recent years without any increase in the 4% rate of contribution made by them. In effect, self-employed contributors, in return for a contribution of 11 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.05% made in respect of employed contributors, have access to benefits which comprise over 90% of the value of all benefits available to employed contributors.
The Programme for Government commits to giving consideration to increasing all classes of PRSI over time to replenish the Social Insurance Fund to help pay for measures and changes to be agreed including to the State pension system, improvements in short-term sick pay benefits, parental leave benefits, pay-related jobseeker's benefit and treatment benefits.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs).
The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
881. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason women who were previously married but subsequently obtained a divorce are being asked to secure the signature of their divorced partner when they attempt to register the birth of a child with their new partner; if she will raise this with the General Register Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63149/21]
View answerPart 3 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, sets out the documentary evidence required to register a birth to include the new partner's details where the mother was married on the date of birth or at any time during the 10 months immediately preceding the birth.
This documentary evidence can be:
i) a statutory declaration from the husband that he is not the father of the child, or
ii) a statutory declaration from the mother that she has been living apart from the husband for more than 10 months by virtue of a decree of divorce, a deed of separation, a decree of nullity of marriage or a decree of divorce a mensa et thoro.
Alternatively, the mother or father or both can provide a court order naming the new partner as father of the child.
If the mother was divorced from the husband more than 10 months prior to the birth there is no requirement to provide evidence that the husband is not the father.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
882. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the response of her Department to the findings of the Cost of Disability in Ireland research report; the plans that will be made in quarter one 2022 in response to these findings; if she will implement an all-Department response which will be timescaled and measured to ensure everyday costs are reduced for persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63218/21]
View answerThe cost of disability is significantly broader than income supports and it is clear that it will not be addressed through income support alone.
The findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy including the delivery of care services, health, housing, education, transport and income supports so this is why a whole-of-Government perspective is needed.
With regard to implementing an all Department response as outlined by the Deputy, the Government has referred the report on the Cost of Disability to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group. This Steering Group is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte.
This Group has oversight of monitoring the key frameworks for policy and action to address the needs of persons with disabilities in Ireland and it is in this regard that the Government saw it fitting that this group would be the appropriate monitoring vehicle. It will consider and monitor actions required by the various Government Departments on foot of this report on a bi-annual basis.
The Group has started its work and had an in-depth briefing by the authors of the report, Indecon International Economic Consultants at its meeting on 15 December 2021. I attended this meeting along with my colleagues Minister O’ Gorman and Minister of State Rabbitte.
All Departments have been asked to consider actions that are currently being implementing and any proposed new actions that they will be undertaking in the context of the findings of the Report.
From the perspective of my Department, it is worth noting that a number of measures were introduced as part of Budget 2022 in relation to people with disabilities and their carers, which will go towards alleviating the financial costs experienced. These include:-
- €5 increase in maximum rate of all core weekly payments including people with disabilities and carers, with proportionate increases for qualified adults, with effect from January.
- €3 increase for qualified child dependants aged 12 and over and €2 for those up to age 12, in all core weekly payments.
- An increase in the general weekly means disregard for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60 per week.
- An increase in the earnings limit on Disability Allowance from €350 to €375.
- €3 increase in the weekly Living Alone Allowance from €19 to €22 for people with disabilities who are living alone.
- €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance from €28 to €33 per week, from 12 October 2021.
- The employment and recruitment service for people with a disability, Employability, will now provide grants directly to those who qualify.
- An increase to the Wage Subsidy paid to employers who employ people with a disability from €5.30 to €6.30 an hour, thereby encouraging more employers to employ people with a disability.
- An increase in the Capital/Savings disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €20,000 to €50,000 from June.
- An increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance to €350 a week for single carers and to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner, also from June.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance will be paid for children who go into hospital for up to 6 months (currently 3 months). Carer’s Allowance will also continue to be paid in respect of children who go into hospital for 6 months. This will take effect in January.
Furthermore, under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion my Department has a commitment to develop and consult on a ‘strawman’ proposal for the restructuring of long term disability payments. I have asked my officials to revisit the ‘strawman’ proposal to take on board the findings in the Cost of Disability research.
One of the key conclusions contained in the report referenced the significant challenges faced in accessing employment and that a high priority should be given to facilitating an increase in employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In this regard the Pathways to Work Strategy, includes a key action to extend targeted employment supports to groups facing additional challenges accessing work, such as people with disabilities.
My Department is also actively feeding into the new Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities with a range of actions and associated timelines.
Finally, the Programme for Government is very clear that this research will be used to inform the direction of future policy in relation to people with disabilities in our society.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
883. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedure that can be followed by a person (details supplied) who is having difficulty obtaining a completed UP80 form to highlight hours that they have worked for the purpose of a jobseeker’s payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63227/21]
View answerThe person concerned applied for a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment with effect from 16/08/2021. The documentation necessary to progress her application has been provided and her claim was awarded for the period 16/08/2021 to 18/09/2021. A payment inclusive of all arrears due was available in the person’s nominated bank account on 05/01/2022.
The records of my Department reflect that the person concerned has returned to full-time employment and her claim is now closed.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
884. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the system in which persons in receipt of carers allowance are unable to avail of enhanced illness benefit whilst out of work with Covid-19 yet out-of-work persons can claim the pandemic unemployment payment whilst also claiming carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63261/21]
View answerCarer’s Allowance acts as an income support for those who cannot earn adequate income in the open labour market due to their caring responsibilities. The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). Expenditure on Carer's Allowance amounted to €926 million in 2020. As outlined in Budget 2022, the rate of Carers Allowance and additional payments for qualified adults and children increased this month, while the capital and earnings disregard will increase from June 2022.
An enhanced rate of Illness Benefit was introduced in March 2020 on a temporary basis in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is paid at a rate of €350 per week for a maximum of two weeks for those certified as a probable risk and for up to ten weeks for those diagnosed with the illness.
If a person’s social welfare payment, including Carer’s Allowance, is less than the rate of the enhanced Illness Benefit, they can apply for a top up payment from the Illness Benefit section, subject to meeting the eligibility and medical criteria for the enhanced payment.
The Deputy will be aware that in general, working age payments including jobseeker’s payments are not payable with other weekly social welfare payments. However, given the unprecedented circumstances of Covid-19, provision was made for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) to be paid with certain other specified social welfare payments, including Carer's payments.
People on Carer’s Allowance who obtained permission to work from the Department and lose their job due to the pandemic can keep their Carer’s Allowance and get the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Similarly, people who become carers while getting PUP can keep their PUP and apply for Carer’s Allowance.
In recognition of the impact of the latest public health restrictions on workers in sectors such as hospitality and the night-time economy, the PUP scheme, which was closed from 8th July, was reopened. Any person who loses their employment as a result of the new restrictions from 7th December may apply for the payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
885. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an illness benefit application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63275/21]
View answerThe Department received an application for Illness Benefit from the person concerned on the 13th December 2021.
The claim was disallowed based on his PRSI contributions. The person concerned has no PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax years and as such does not qualify for Illness Benefit. A decision letter issued to him in the post, dated the 16th December 2021.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
886. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the opportunities available under the jobpath scheme and or other Departmental schemes for persons to retrain in green trades, such as retrofitting of homes and exterior insulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63392/21]
View answerThe JobPath providers arrange for the delivery of a broad range of education and training courses with a particular and strong focus on upskilling the long term unemployed. Some of these courses are provided in-house while others are provided by specialist training providers including the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). In addition, JobPath participants may also apply for the Back to Education Allowance Scheme in order to pursue second and third level courses.
Clients of JobPath and other public employment services have access to all state training and education programmes, such as Skillnet. This includes those directed towards green trades, such as retrofitting of homes and exterior insulation. Where these align with the client’s own career aspirations, they are supported in pursuing such opportunities.
The JobPath providers may provide financial assistance with job-related training in relation to all trades including green trades. This is discussed on a case-by-case basis. All requests are reviewed by the office Performance Manager and take into account the duration, cost and relevance to the customer’s job goal preferences.
Clients on JobPath are currently being supported into employment in roles in these green trades. As training routeways and job opportunities in these sectors ramp up in the coming years, we expect them to be attractive options for clients of all public employment services.
