Written Answers Nos. 921-938
921. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1288/22]
View answerDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of children with a severe disability who require care and attention substantially in excess of that required by children of a similar age without their disability, providing this additional care is likely to last for at least 12 months.
The person concerned was notified on the 10th December 2021 that DCA has been awarded, on appeal, with effect from the 1st May 2021. Arrears due for this period issued to her together with her December payment on the 21st December 2021.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
922. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1290/22]
View answerDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of children with a severe disability who require care and attention substantially in excess of that required by children of a similar age without their disability, providing this additional care is likely to last for at least 12 months.
An application for DCA was received from the person concerned on the 23rd July 2021. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 3rd December 2021 setting out the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
An appeal was registered by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 23rd December 2021 and received in the Department's Domiciliary Care Allowance Section on the 31st December 2021. As part of the appeals process, her application will be re-examined by a deciding officer in DCA section. If the decision remains unchanged the person concerned will be advised that the review request was unsuccessful and her file will be forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for the consideration of an Appeals Officer.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
923. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if advice will be provided in relation to a US citizen (details supplied) who is living in Ireland with their Irish spouse; and the way this issue can be resolved. [1364/22]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the person referred to by the Deputy.
A letter issued to her on 11th January 2022 providing her with her PPSN.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
924. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is intended to introduce a national auto-enrolment pension scheme for employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1381/22]
View answer925. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost per annum of the State contribution to a national auto-enrolment scheme for employees in each of the first five years when it is introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1382/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 924 and 925 together.
The Programme for Government commits to introducing a pension auto-enrolment (AE) system. The objective of this commitment is to address the low proportion of employees in Ireland with supplementary pension cover, which includes both occupational and personal pensions.
According to CSO figures, the rate of supplementary pension coverage is around 55% of the working population (Pension Coverage Survey 2020). It is estimated that this reduces to less than 35% when the private sector is considered in isolation. As a consequence of this low supplementary pension coverage rate, many retirees may suffer an unwanted reduction in living standards when they retire.
This Government, recognising the exceptional strain that both employers and employees are under as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, will seek to gradually deliver an AE system, based on the following principles:
- There will be a phased roll-out, over a decade, of the contribution made by workers.
- Matching contributions will be made by both workers and employers and the State will top up contributions.
- There will be an opt-out provision for those who choose to opt out.
- Workers will have a range of retirement savings products to choose from.
- There will be a charges cap imposed on pension providers.
My Department is currently finalising a proposal for Government on the overall design of the AE system and I intend to bring that to Government for consideration shortly. As a Government decision has not yet been made in respect of the nature, form and value of the State's top-up to employees' contributions to the AE system, it is not possible to detail the estimated cost per annum of such a financial incentive at this time. My Department will be happy to do so in due course once Government has made decisions.
Once the final design is agreed it is intended that the necessary legislative, organisational and process structures will follow over the course of this year and next, as set out in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
926. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to support persons with long Covid; the social protection payments that will be made available for persons with long Covid once the pandemic unemployment payment ceases; if persons with the condition will be entitled to a discretionary medical card or a general practitioner visit card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1402/22]
View answerMy Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
In March 2020, under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1) and subsequent regulations, the Government provided for entitlement to Illness Benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 or are a probable source of infection with Covid-19.
The rate of payment of this enhanced Illness Benefit payment in respect of Covid-19 is higher than the normal maximum personal rate for a limited period. This enhanced benefit is payable for 2 weeks where a person is isolating as a probable source of infection of Covid-19 and up to 10 weeks where a person has been diagnosed with Covid-19.
The measures were designed to ensure that where a registered medical practitioner or a HSE medical officer diagnoses a person with Covid-19 or identifies them as a probable source of infection of Covid-19, the person can comply with medical advice to isolate, while having their income protected. This is essential to limit the spread of the virus, to keep the number of people affected to a minimum, and hence to avoid extreme pressure on the health system.
In a case where a person continues to be ill beyond 10 weeks, standard Illness Benefit may be paid for an extended period, based on the person’s continued eligibility. Illness Benefit is the primary income support payment for people who are unable to attend work due to illness of any type and who are covered by Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Illness Benefit is payable for up to two years, depending on satisfying the eligibility conditions. Additional payments may be made in respect of a qualified adult and qualifying children.
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 Illness Benefit. 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.
My Department keeps the range of income supports under review in order to make sure they meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Medical cards and GP Visit Cards are administered by the HSE and are therefore outside the remit of this Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
927. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of consistent poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1455/22]
View answer928. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of child poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1456/22]
View answer929. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of food poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1457/22]
View answer930. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of fuel poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1458/22]
View answer931. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the deprivation rates in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1459/22]
View answer932. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the median household income in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1460/22]
View answer993. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of consistent poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1518/22]
View answer994. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of child poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1519/22]
View answer995. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of food poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1520/22]
View answer996. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of fuel poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1521/22]
View answer997. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the deprivation rates in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1522/22]
View answer998. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the median household income in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1523/22]
View answer1000. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of consistent poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1621/22]
View answer1001. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of child poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1622/22]
View answer1002. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of food poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1623/22]
View answer1003. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of fuel poverty in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1624/22]
View answer1004. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the deprivation rates in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1625/22]
View answer1005. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the median household income in each of the electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, and Shannon, County Clare in each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1626/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 927 to 932, inclusive, and 993 to 1005, inclusive, together.
As Minister of State with responsibility for social inclusion, I oversee the implementation of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, the national strategy for poverty reduction and improved social inclusion. The Roadmap aims to reduce the percentage of the population in consistent poverty to 2% or less by 2025 and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. I chair the Social Inclusion Roadmap Steering Group which monitors the implementation of Roadmap. It has met four times since November 2020. The first Roadmap Progress Report will be published shortly.
The most recent poverty data is from the 2020 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) which was published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 17th December 2021. Official poverty data, as collated by the CSO, is not available at an electoral area or county level. However in order to be of assistance to the Deputy I am providing equivalent regional data which includes Co Clare data.
Up to 2019 data is available for the 'NUTS' 3 Mid-West region which covers Counties Clare, Tipperary and Limerick. In 2020 the data was provided for the NUTS 2 Southern region which consists of Counties Clare, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Cork, and Kerry. The table below provides data for the NUTS 3 Mid-West region for the period 2012-2019 and for the Southern region for 2020 for the information of the Deputies.
It should be noted that further regulatory changes, which took effect in January 2021, have resulted in a break in the time series for SILC data. This means that the 2020 SILC data are not fully comparable with data from previous years.
Data on child poverty is not published by the CSO on a regional level. However addressing child poverty continues to be a Government priority. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion underlines that no child in Ireland should live in poverty and that, where it happens due to adverse circumstances, available supports should ensure that the child and their family exit poverty as soon as is possible. The Roadmap highlights the importance of both income supports and access to services, particularly to basic essential services such as housing, health and education, in addressing poverty and social exclusion. Budget 2022 included a range of measures to support families and children including increases to all core weekly payments and to the qualified child rates; an increase in weekly income threshold for the Working Family Payment for all family sizes; an increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for older and younger children; and the extension of the Hot School Meals programme. The Department is also working with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on the development on Ireland’s national plan for the implementation of the EU Child Guarantee. Data on national trends in child poverty are available in the Social Inclusion Monitor publication available on www.gov.ie.
While there is no official food poverty indicator in Ireland, in 2012 the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) developed a measure which defined food poverty as the inability to have an adequate and nutritious diet due to issues of affordability or accessibility.
As part of its series reporting on Ireland’s progress towards meeting its targets under the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the CSO published ‘Irelands UN SDGs 2019 – Report on Indicators for Goal 2 Zero Hunger’. Using the ESRI food poverty measure, the report includes the food poverty rate for the Southern Region for the period 2012-2018.
In April 2021, I established a Working Group on Food Poverty to progress the delivery of Roadmap Commitment 61: develop a comprehensive programme of work to further explore the drivers of food poverty and to identify mitigating actions. The membership of this group comprises representatives from relevant government Departments as well as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Crosscare and the Children’s Rights Alliance.
In addition, the Department of Social Protection helps to address food poverty through the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), which supports EU Member States’ actions to provide food and material assistance to the most deprived. FEAD Ireland has received funding of €26.7 million for the period 2014 – 2020, with over 150 charities nationwide distributing food to their communities. A list of approved charities can be found on www.gov.ie.
There is no official fuel poverty indicator . However, the SILC basic deprivation indicator includes two items relating to energy provision/availability:
- without heating at some stage in the last year through lack of money;
- unable to afford to keep the home adequately warm.
Data on trends in these deprivation indicators is available on the CSO website, but not at a regional level.
However tackling fuel poverty is a Government priority. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion has a specific commitment in relation to tackling fuel/energy poverty (Commitment #60): as part of the Climate Action Plan, review ways to improve how energy poverty schemes target those most in need. This commitment is being delivered by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Fuel poverty is also addressed through the provision of the Fuel Allowance by the Department of Social Protection. Budget 2022 increased the Fuel Allowance by €5 to €33 per week with an increase to the weekly income threshold for Fuel Allowance from €100 to €120. Both changes came into effect from 11 October 2021 to ensure that recipients benefited during the winter fuel season. In addition, Budget 2022 reduced the qualification period for Fuel Allowance from 15 months to 12 months for people in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance. People in receipt of the Household Benefits Package also receive a monthly allowance of €35 (€420 per year) towards the cost of either their electricity or gas bills.
933. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1472/22]
View answer964. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1527/22]
View answer1006. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1655/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 933, 964 and 1006 together.
The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.
The allowance is payable for eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child increase is being paid. It is also payable to those between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
The number of back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) recipients and the number of qualified children for whom BSCFA was approved in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021 is set out in tabular form below.
|
Year |
BSCFA recipients in County Clare |
Number of children benefiting in County Clare |
|
2016 |
3,524 |
6,608 |
|
2017 |
3,431 |
6,380 |
|
2018 |
3,275 |
6,189 |
|
2019 |
3,217 |
6,073 |
|
2020 |
3,172 |
6,004 |
|
2021 |
3,008 |
5,743 |
I trust this clarifies the matter.
934. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work family dividend in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1473/22]
View answer938. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the working family payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1477/22]
View answer939. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1478/22]
View answer965. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work family dividend in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1528/22]
View answer969. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the working family payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1532/22]
View answer1007. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work family dividend in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1656/22]
View answer1012. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1661/22]
View answer1011. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the working family payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1660/22]
View answerI proposed to take Questions Nos. 934, 938, 939, 965, 969, 1007, 1011 and 1012 together.
Detailed information on scheme recipients, including recipients by county, are published each year by my Department in the Annual Statistical Report on Social Welfare Services, which is available at gov.ie/dsp/statistics. The Annual Statistical Report on Social Welfare Services in respect of 2021 is expected to be published in quarter 2 of this year.
The archive on gov.ie contains reports from 1998 through to the latest available report, which is 2020. Quarterly data by county, covering Q1 2014 through to Q3 2021, is also available, and is published on a quarterly basis through the national open data portal, data.gov.ie
The information requested by the Deputies is set out in the table below:
|
|
Back to Work Family Dividend |
Working Family Payment |
Back to work Enterprise Allowance |
|
2016 |
245 |
1,313 |
424 |
|
2017 |
151* |
1,278 |
339 |
|
2018 |
109 |
1,161 |
207 |
|
2019 |
83 |
1,152 |
135 |
|
2020 |
48 |
990 |
88 |
|
2021 |
60 |
923* |
77* |
* as at 30th November figure; all other figures as at 31 December
935. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of basic supplementary welfare allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1474/22]
View answer950. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received a supplementary welfare allowance payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1489/22]
View answer958. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received an urgent needs payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1497/22]
View answer963. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of rent supplement in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1502/22]
View answer966. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of basic supplementary welfare allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1529/22]
View answer979. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received a supplementary welfare allowance payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1543/22]
View answer987. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received an urgent needs payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1510/22]
View answer992. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the rent supplement in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1515/22]
View answer1008. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of basic supplementary welfare allowance in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1657/22]
View answer1023. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received a supplementary welfare allowance payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1677/22]
View answer1032. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of rent supplement in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1687/22]
View answer1035. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received an urgent needs payment in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1691/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 935, 950, 958, 963, 966, 979, 987, 992, 1008, 1023, 1032 and 1035 together.
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.
Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
Under the SWA scheme, a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. A single exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or an alternative is not available at that time. Decisions on ENPs, UNPs and SWA supplements are made 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.
Table 1 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients in Co Clare, at year end 2016-2021.
Table 2 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs issued in Co Clare, 2016-2021.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
Table 1: Number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients in Co Clare, at year end 2016-2021
|
Scheme |
End of 2016 |
End of 2017 |
End of 2018 |
End of 2019 |
End of 2020 |
End of 2021 |
|
Basic SWA |
260 |
342 |
197 |
186 |
111 |
115 |
|
Rent Supplement |
423 |
177 |
114 |
54 |
132 |
61 |
|
Mortgage Interest Supplement |
30 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Other Supplements |
93 |
80 |
85 |
59 |
52 |
48 |
Table 2: Number of ENPs and UNPs issued in Co Clare, 2016-2021
|
- |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Number of ENP/UNPs |
2,233 |
3,126 |
4,559 |
2,494 |
1,777 |
1,271 |
|
Of which ENPs |
2,229 |
3,126 |
4,488 |
2,484 |
1,763 |
1,264 |
|
Of which UNPs |
4 |
0 |
71 |
10 |
14 |
7 |
936. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of one parent family payment County Clare in each of the years 2001 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1475/22]
View answer967. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of one parent family payment in County Clare in each of the years 2001 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1530/22]
View answer1009. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of one-parent family payment in County Clare in each of the years 2001 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1658/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 936, 967 and 1009 together.
Detailed information on scheme recipients, including recipients by county, are published each year by my Department in the Annual Statistical Report on Social Welfare Services, which is available at gov.ie/dsp/statistics. The Annual Statistical Report on Social Welfare Services in respect of 2021 is expected to be published in quarter 2 of this year.
The archive on gov.ie contains reports from 1998 through to the latest available report, which is 2020. Quarterly data by county, covering Q1 2014 through to Q3 2021, is also available, and is published on a quarterly basis through the national open data portal, data.gov.ie
The information requested by the Deputies is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
One Parent Family - Co Clare |
|
2001 |
1,167 |
|
2002 |
1,603 |
|
2003 |
1,626 |
|
2004 |
1,669 |
|
2005 |
1,620 |
|
2006 |
1,663 |
|
2007 |
1,642 |
|
2008 |
1,769 |
|
2009 |
1,769 |
|
2010 |
1,835 |
|
2011 |
1,396 |
|
2012 |
1,390 |
|
2013 |
1,368 |
|
2014 |
1,175 |
|
2015 |
646 |
|
2016 |
635 |
|
2017 |
674 |
|
2018 |
680 |
|
2019 |
694 |
|
2020 |
667 |
|
2021 |
705 |
937. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of students who benefitted from the school meals scheme in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1476/22]
View answer968. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of students who benefit from the school meals scheme in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1531/22]
View answer1010. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of students that benefit from the school meals scheme in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1659/22]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €65.1 million has been provided for the scheme in 2021.
As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed primarily at schools with no onsite cooking facilities.
Budget 2021 provided an additional €5.5m to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option. Invitations for expressions of interest were issued to 705 primary schools (612 DEIS and 93 non-DEIS) in November 2020. A total of 281 (256 DEIS and 25 non-DEIS) expressions of interest were received in respect of 52,148 children.
The 35,000 places were allocated to each local authority area based on the number of children applied by local authority as a percentage of the total number. A minimum of one school for each Local Authority area was selected. Thereafter, a process of random selection was used for each area.
Budget 2022 is providing for the hot school meals to be extended from January 2022 to the 81 DEIS schools that submitted an expression of interest but were not selected in the extension to 35,000.
The number of students who benefitted from the school meals scheme in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021 is contained in Table 1 of the attached tabular statement.
For ease of reference, details of the schools and organisations benefitting from the school meals scheme in the 2021/2022 academic year are contained in Table 2.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Table 1: The number of students benefitting from the school meals scheme in County Clare from 2016 to 2021
|
Academic Year |
Number of Students |
|
2016 / 2017 |
3,721 |
|
2017 /2018 |
4,079 |
|
2018 / 2019 |
4,304 |
|
2019 / 2020 |
4,269 |
|
2020 / 2021 |
3,942 |
|
2021 / 2022 |
4,140 |
Table 2: Schools and Organisations benefitting from the school meals scheme in the 2021/2022 academic year
|
Roll Number/Organisation Identifier |
Name |
Number Of Children |
|
07315N |
Holy Family Snr |
305 |
|
17020A |
Quilty NS |
30 |
|
18526O |
Ballycar NS |
33 |
|
18753C |
Saint Marys NS Lahinch |
149 |
|
19233E |
St Clares Special School |
61 |
|
19559L |
Chriost Ri |
221 |
|
19999Q |
Gaelscoil Ui Choimin |
64 |
|
20041C |
Convent Of Mercy National School |
307 |
|
20086B |
Ennis Educate Together NS |
80 |
|
62000W |
Mary Immaculate Secondary School |
253 |
|
70840Q |
Ennistymon Vocational School |
222 |
|
91448K |
Kilrush Community School |
396 |
|
EO -000000068 |
Loughgraney Kids Corner Ltd |
49 |
|
EO -000000070 |
East Clare Youthreach |
13 |
|
EO -000000072 |
Obair Community Creche |
50 |
|
EO -000000075 |
Kilrush Youthreach |
26 |
|
EO -000000153 |
Kilmaley Community Childcare Creche |
60 |
|
03928D |
Mullach NS |
55 |
|
14622N |
Eidhneach NS |
154 |
|
15221A |
Annagh NS |
99 |
|
16908S |
Sixmilebridge NS |
150 |
|
16930L |
Scoil An Sraith SN |
17 |
|
17957N |
Holy Family Junior School |
153 |
|
19414I |
St Annes SS |
90 |
|
20078C |
Sn Realt Na Mara |
73 |
|
20127M |
Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire |
234 |
|
20245S |
Ennistymon National School |
59 |
|
20313J |
Mol An Óige Community National School |
112 |
|
70830N |
Ennis Community College |
487 |
|
70880F |
St Joseph's Community College |
138 |
|
Total Students |
|
4,140 |
