Written Answers Nos. 967-990
967. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that those aged 65 years are classified as self-employed if they are in receipt of an occupational pension thus making them ineligible for the benefit payment; if she will review the eligibility criteria to allow these claimants obtain this benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19236/22]
View answer1072. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that those aged 65 are classified as self-employed if they have an approved retirement fund thus making them ineligible for this benefit payment; if she will review the eligibility criteria to allow these claimants to obtain this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20690/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 967 and 1072 together.
The benefit payment for 65 year olds is provided under the Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) social insurance schemes in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as amended. It was introduced on 25th January 2021, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to provide a benefit payment for people who are 65 and who retire at age 65 but do not qualify for a State pension until they reach pension age of 66.
Those who qualify for the payment are not required to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work which is generally the case for recipients of jobseeker payments.
Class S self-employed contributors pay PRSI on a wide variety of self-employment income. These contributions help to ensure that individuals qualify for social welfare benefits, including pensions. The qualifying conditions for Jobseekers Benefit (Self-Employed) include the requirement that a person has completely ceased self-employment. For that reason, individuals who continue to pay Class S PRSI on an occupational pension or approved retirement fund may not satisfy the conditions for Benefit Payment for 65 year olds as they are not regarded as having ceased self-employment; they continue to pay Class S PRSI and are regarded as being in insurable self-employment.
The issue regarding Class S PRSI contributions arising solely from personal pensions has been raised with my Department and the matter is under consideration.
Any person aged 65 who does not qualify for the benefit payment may apply for the means tested Jobseekers Allowance. The maximum rate of payment is aligned with the weekly rate of payment for the Benefit Payment for 65 year olds, which is €208 and increased allowances are paid for qualifying adult and child dependents.
I hope that this clarifies the position.
968. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the fuel allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19245/22]
View answerThe person concerned recently applied for Fuel Allowance. As Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment and the application was not completed in full, a request for further information was issued to the person concerned on 2 April 2022.
On return of the requested information, their entitlement will be examined and the person concerned will be notified, in writing, of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
969. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a request for funding for an organisation (details supplied); if a decision has been reached by her Department; the proposed timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19260/22]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is a statutory independent body as set out in the Comhairle Act 2010 which operates under the aegis of my Department. CIB provides funding to 22 companies in order to deliver services on its behalf. This includes eight CIS companies that operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres, including South Leinster CIS which encompasses Co. Wicklow.
The Wicklow CIC office was closed in March 2020 due to Covid-19 and remains closed due to significant health and safety concerns. The Board of South Leinster CIS have subsequently identified another central location in Wicklow town from which to operate the service. However, this is subject to substantial financial investment first occurring that will enable this location to operate as a public office.
Planning permission was granted in late 2021 to undertake the necessary remedial works. However, as this was only granted late last year it was not possible to include it in this year’s CIB budget allocation, which was agreed as part of Budget 2022.
My Department and CIB are currently discussing the funding required to complete the new premises development for Wicklow Town. These discussions are taking place in the context of CIB’s 2022 budget allocation and other competing priorities. It is hoped that funding can be sourced from within the current budget allocation and it is the intention to re-open a CIC in Wicklow as soon as these works are undertaken.
970. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of one-parent family payment each year from 2018 to date in 2022; the number of recipients who moved to the jobseeker’s transitional payment in each of the years since 2018 to date in 2022; the number of jobseeker’s transition payment recipients who moved to jobseeker’s allowance payment in each of the years since 2018 to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19281/22]
View answerThe Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme that aims to support lone parents into the workforce while they have young children. The One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a payment for people under 66 who are bringing children up without the support of a partner.
Table 1 shows the number of recipients of OFP, JST and the numbers that transferred from JST to Jobseeker's Allowance each year from 2018 to 2021.
Table 2 shows the number of recipients of OFP, JST and the numbers that transferred from JST to Jobseeker's Allowance each month from January 2022 to 2022.
Table 1: Number of recipients of OFP, JST, and the numbers of transitions from JST to Jobseekers Allowance, by year.
|
Year |
One Parent Family Payment |
Jobseekers Transitional Payment |
Jobseekers Transitional Payment to Jobseekers Allowance |
|
2018 |
39,265 |
14,796 |
314 |
|
2019 |
39,533 |
15,234 |
296 |
|
2020 |
39,446 |
15,954 |
337 |
|
2021 |
39,926 |
16,533 |
337 |
Table 2: Number of recipients of OFP, JST, and the numbers of transitions from JST to Jobseekers Allowance, by month in 2022.
|
Month |
One Parent Family Payment |
Jobseekers Transitional Payment |
Jobseekers Transitional Payment to Jobseekers Allowance |
|
January |
39,844 |
16,517 |
25 |
|
February |
39,979 |
16,481 |
24 |
|
March |
39,872 |
16,499 |
27 |
971. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of jobseeker’s transitional payment recipients; the number of recipients who are self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19282/22]
View answer972. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount it would cost the State to maintain the €165 income disregard for self-employed persons moving from one parent family payment to jobseeker’s transitional payment putting them on equal footing with recipients who are employees. [19283/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 971 and 972 together.
The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a provision under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme that is available to lone parents, both former OFP recipients and new lone parents, who are not co-habiting and have a youngest child aged 7 or over but under age 14. As such, the means rules of the Jobseekers Allowance scheme that apply to self-employed Jobseekers Allowance recipients also apply to self-employed people in receipt of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.
Under these rules, where individuals have income from self-employment the earnings disregard of €60 per week does not apply. Rather the means assessed is income from self-employment less allowable business expenses with the balance assessed at a rate of a euro for euro.
I am advised that as of the end of February 2022, there were 16,481 recipients of Jobseeker’s Transition Payment, of whom 70 were categorised as self-employed. There are also approximately 4,000 Jobseekers Allowance recipients who are self-employed. Any changes to the treatment of self-employed income in the means test could have significant cost implications and could only be considered in a Budgetary context.
It is important to note that when One-Parent Family Payment recipients who are self-employed transfer from One-Parent Family Payment to Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment, they may qualify for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA), which allows them to retain their full social welfare payment for the first year and 75% in the second year. Usually access to the BTWEA is only for new businesses and individuals with pre-existing businesses are not eligible for the BTWEA payment. However, a special provision was introduced to support self-employed lone parents who transition from OFP so that they may qualify for the BTWEA even where they had a pre-existing business.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
973. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the child maintenance review report; if she expects to receive the report by Easter 2022 as previously confirmed; when the report’s recommendations and the Government’s response will be made publicly available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19311/22]
View answerIn line with Programme for Government commitments, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group was chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and included legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on:
(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department;
(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and
(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
I am pleased to advise that the Group has completed its work and that its report was submitted to me on 22 April. I would like to thank the Chair and the Group members for their detailed consideration of these important issues.
It is my intention to give the report careful consideration before bringing it to Government and publishing it in due course.
974. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending eligibility for the working family payment to self-employed persons who meet the current qualifying criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19326/22]
View answerThe Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. There are approximately 47,000 families with 103,000 children who are currently in receipt of the WFP. The estimated spend on the WFP in 2022 is €349 million.
To qualify for payment of WFP a person must be engaged as an employee in full time paid employment 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 part of a family supported by them.
It is possible for the household of a self-employed person to receive a WFP payment where the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the self-employed persons meets the qualifying criteria.
My Department has several schemes available to self-employed individuals including:
- 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. There are currently 2,678 families in receipt of the dividend.
- The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme encourages people in receipt of certain social welfare payments to become self-employed. If you take part in the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme you can keep a percentage of your 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.
It is not possible to estimate the cost of extending eligibility for WFP to the self-employed as there is no estimate of the number of self-employed persons who would might qualify. There are no plans to extend the WFP to the self-employed at this time. Any extension of the WFP to other categories of persons, such as the self-employed, would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
975. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to extend the living alone allowance to persons who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment. [19334/22]
View answer979. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if the living alone allowance will be changed to a stand-alone payment for persons over the age of 66 years who are currently living alone in the State but who are not in receipt of one of the required qualifying social welfare payments to claim the payment; her plans to expand the scheme to this cohort considering the significant increase in the cost of living as part of her Department’s budget in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19435/22]
View answer1024. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to include those without a primary qualifying payment from her Department to avail of the living alone allowance in the context of rising inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20023/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 975, 979 and 1024 together.
Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash, on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in nature.
The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is one of those secondary payments. It is not a scheme or a stand-alone payment in itself, but rather it is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. For those aged 66 or over, these payments include State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme and Deserted Wife's Benefit.
Accordingly, there are no circumstances where the Living Alone Increase can be paid to people who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment from my Department. Any decision to allow those who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment to receive the Living Alone Increase - and thereby establish it as a scheme - would have budgetary and administrative consequences and would have to be considered in the context of Budget negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
976. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the means test as it applies to carer’s allowance applications currently; and the details of the means test assessed against an approved applicant (details supplied). [19344/22]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant and includes earnings, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country. Means tested payments are subject to periodic means reviews.
The person concerned was assessed with means of €134.94 per week, following a recent review of their entitlement, which is derived from her spouse’s employment income and income from farming. The rate of payment for the person concerned is €96.50 effective from 7 April 2022. The person concerned was notified of the decision on 23 March 2022, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
As part of Budget 2022, improvements were introduced to the income and capital limits for the CA means assessment, effective from June 2022. These measures, which will take effect from June 2022, include an increase in the income disregard from €332.50 to €350 for a single person and from €665 to €750 for a couple. In addition, the amount of capital disregarded in the means test will be increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
The person concerned will be entitled to an increase in their rate of payment, arising from the budget changes, and this will be automatically paid with effect from 2nd June 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
977. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection when the draft legislation relating to gender recognition for transgender persons aged 16 and 17 years will be brought before Dáil Éireann; the progress made to date on the other matters set out in the programme for Government relating to this issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19384/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is already aware, the statutory review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (GRA) was completed in 2018 and the Minister's response was presented to the Oireachtas. The review recommended a number of amendments to the Act, including some relating to children. The previous Government announced its intention to legislate to give effect to these recommendations.
The review group acknowledged the complexities surrounding extending legal gender recognition to children and to non-binary people. An interdepartmental group has been established by my Department to progress the recommendations. Draft legislation to give effect to changes in the Act affecting persons aged 16 and 17 has been approved by Government and is currently being drafted. It is my intention to publish this legislation when drafting has been finalised.
Further research is being conducted on the arrangements that can be made for children aged under 16. With respect to other recommendations, these are being progressed in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future.
I hope this information is of use to the Deputy.
978. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a late application can be accepted in the case of a person (details supplied); if not, if there is another avenue that the person can pursue for redundancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19405/22]
View answerI confirm that an application from the person concerned for Statutory Redundancy was received by the Department on 10 February 2021. This application related to an employment which had terminated on 20 April 2019. Under Section 24 of the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, in order to qualify for Statutory Redundancy, claims must be submitted no less than 52 weeks after the date of termination. As this application was submitted outside of the statutory timeframe it was disallowed. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 16 Feb 2021.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
980. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for fuel allowance will be reviewed given the recent rise in the cost of living and energy prices in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19447/22]
View answerFuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs.
The main eligibility conditions for receipt of fuel allowance are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and live alone or with other qualifying persons. The current threshold for the fuel allowance means test is €120 above the maximum weekly rate of State pension (contributory).
The person concerned applied for this allowance on 21 January 2022. According to the records of my Department, the persons household means are €626.01 per week which exceed their household limit of €600.30 per week.
The person concerned was notified in writing on 11 February 2022 that they did not qualify for fuel allowance based on their means.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
981. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if access to community employment scheme work for Ukrainian refugees can be provided before they have completed 12 months on benefits. [19458/22]
View answer1030. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider expanding the community employment scheme to enable Ukrainian refugees participate by removing the 12-month criterion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20073/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 981 and 1030 together.
As the Deputies are aware, under the EU Temporary Protection Directive, all persons fleeing the war in Ukrainian have been granted the rights of EU citizens, including the right to access income supports, employment supports and the right to work in this country on the same basis as EU citizens.
Government’s first priority is to provide emergency supports to meet the immediate needs of those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine on arrival in this country. My department plays a central role in this through registration for PPS numbers and the provision of income support payments where required. Up to the week ending 22nd April, over 25,000 PPSNs have been assigned.
Government is very aware that many of those arriving here can take up employment. In this context my department is also providing assistance to Ukrainians to find employment. A dedicated section on www.jobsireland.ie, has been developed providing information on employment supports and opportunities for newly arrived Ukrainians. Ukrainians seeking employment can also use jobsireland.ie, to upload details of their skills and experience for matching with available employment opportunities or can come to a local Intreo Office to talk to an employment support officer. Employers across all sectors who wish to support Ukrainians through provision of employment opportunities, should register on www.jobsireland.ie to advertise vacancies. This will further assist Intreo employment services officers match the skills of those seeking employment with available work opportunities.
My department has recently launched a programme of employment engagement events specifically for those who have come to this country from Ukraine. This will enable Intreo and the wider Public Employment Services to provide further support and assistance to Ukrainians in finding employment. These engagements are being provided on an outreach basis in, or close to, current accommodation hubs, or by inviting the people concerned into Intreo offices to meet with employment support officers.
Employment support programmes are being provided and are available to persons coming from Ukraine on the same conditions that are currently in place.
Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide long-term unemployed people, who have been out of work for a year, an opportunity to engage in useful work experience and training opportunities within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis to improve their prospect of returning to employment. While the duration on CE can vary depending on the age and personal circumstances of individual participants, most participants stay on CE for up to three years, with the minimum commitment being one year.
We need to ensure that employment support programmes such as CE, which were designed to assist those furthest from the labour market, continue to be available for those who would most benefit most from these programmes. For CE, this continues to be those out of work for a year.
Eligibility criteria for CE, continues to be kept under active review by my department officials to ensure the best outcomes for individual participants, to support the vital community services delivered by schemes and in light of changes to the labour market.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.
982. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19477/22]
View answerThe person concerned automatically transitioned from Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) on the 25/03/2022 having been in receipt PUP at a rate of €208.
The person concerned was awarded Jobseekers Benefit on the 25/3/2022 at a personal rate of €134.20; this rate is based on her average weekly earning in the Governing Year (2020).
On week ending 06/04/2022 the person concerned received an amount of €161.00, including €26.80 of outstanding arrears.
It is open to the person concerned is to apply for Optional Jobseekers Allowance which is a means tested assessment and should contact their local Intreo Centre if they wish to avail of this option.
983. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Ukrainian refugees who have been welcomed in Ireland to date; the gender breakdown; the breakdown of the ages of these refugees by gender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19499/22]
View answer1016. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of PPS numbers that have been allocated to persons who have arrived in Ireland due to the war in Ukraine by Russia. [19843/22]
View answer1073. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of PPS numbers that have been provided to Ukrainian refugees since the conflict began up until 14 April 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20759/22]
View answer1080. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Ukrainian households that have entered the State since the start of the war; and the breakdown by household size, for example, no children, one child, two, three, four or more children. [20866/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 983, 1016, 1073 and 1080 together.
As of 22nd April 2022, the latest figures from my Department show that 25,784 PPS numbers have been provided to refugees arriving in Ireland from Ukraine.
Table 1 shows the age and sex breakdown of the refugees arriving in Ireland.
|
Age |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Under 18 |
4,783 |
4,563 |
9,346 |
|
18 - 24 |
501 |
1,757 |
2,258 |
|
25 - 34 |
997 |
3,277 |
4,274 |
|
35 - 44 |
971 |
3,914 |
4,885 |
|
45 - 54 |
502 |
1,825 |
2,327 |
|
55 - 64 |
336 |
1,121 |
1,457 |
|
65 + |
330 |
907 |
1,237 |
|
Total |
8,420 |
17,364 |
25,784 |
Income supports are being paid in respect of some 22,597 people. There are approx. 12,900 primary claims with an average of 1.8 people on each claim. There are 5,502 Child benefit claims being paid in respect of 8,248 children. My Department does not have reliable data at the household level available at this time.
984. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the definition of long-term unemployment before a person in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance claim can be referred at random to the JobPath activation services; and if it is 12 months or less. [19503/22]
View answer985. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if referrals to JobPath will finish in June 2022. [19504/22]
View answer986. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the signing of a personal progression plan or any paperwork provided by JobPath is mandatory for the client to sign who may have concerns over signing any contract or paperwork with an independent private UK-based company due to third party data privacy concerns but would be more than willing to verbally agree to engage without signing if referred; and if there would be a threat of a reduction in social welfare payment for refusal to sign such a PPP or other paperwork provided by the private companies that run JobPath. [19505/22]
View answer987. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if individuals referred to JobPath will be forced to take low paid unskilled employment not relevant to their past or present experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19506/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 984 to 987, inclusive, together.
JobPath is an employment assistance and advice service that supports and assists people who are long-term unemployed, including those working part time, to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. It is not a job-placement service.
All jobseekers over one year on the Live Register are eligible for selection to one of the contracted public employment services, including JobPath. Referral to the JobPath programme is by means of random selection.
All jobseekers referred for the assistance of the employment support services, including those referred to the JobPath service, are assigned a Personal Advisor. Each customer is asked to complete an assessment of their skills, qualifications, and work experience for the purpose of agreeing a personal progression plan. The personal progression plan typically contains a schedule of activities, actions and job-focused targets, taking into account the person’s specific employment preferences.
Jobseekers are asked to sign the personal progression plan as an indication of their agreement to carry out the actions contained in the document. They are not obliged to sign but their agreement is noted.
All jobseekers are required, under legislation, to fully engage with the employment support service in this and all other respects. The personal progression plan is a crucial element of each jobseeker’s engagement with any of the Department’s employment services and generally will be a document that will be reviewed throughout the person’s engagement period as they develop employment related skills and competencies or job related experience from short periods of employment.
Personal Advisors work with clients on their barriers to employment to ensure that when a suitable employment opportunity presents itself that they have a potential solution in place. When a person is considering applying for a particular position, the Personal Advisor where appropriate will discuss the financial implications of returning to work and advice is given on other entitlements that may be available to the client. The Personal Advisor’s role in this process is to provide advice and support to the client helping them to come to a decision on whether the position is suitable and sustainable. It is the client themselves that make that final decision.
While the referral of clients to the JobPath service will cease at the end of June 2022, there will be a run-off period to enable existing clients to complete their engagement.
988. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the details of the name, salary, position and roles of persons who are being paid for by her Department for secondment to another public, private or semi-private entity, in tabular form, following the announcement that the salary of a person (details supplied) being seconded to Trinity College, Dublin, will be paid by the Department of Health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19556/22]
View answer1017. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline all the secondment arrangements within her Department; the conditions related to such secondments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19876/22]
View answer1029. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently employed in her Department who have been seconded from the public sector; the number of departmental officials seconded where the moneys are recouped from the body the person is seconded to or where the Department pays for the person with no recoupment from the other organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20068/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 988, 1017 and 1029 together.
A complete list of all ongoing secondment arrangements involving my Department is set out in the table. Civil Servants are paid in line with Civil Service Salary Scales. These are most recently outlined in Circular 04/2022.
The issue of recouping the salary cost associated with secondments is determined on a case by case basis and agreed between the Department and the organisation to/from which the secondment takes place.
Seconded Out
|
No. |
Grade |
Receiving Body |
Paid by |
Recouped |
|
1 |
CO |
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
No |
|
1 |
AP |
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
2 |
AP |
Department of Finance |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
AO |
Department of Finance |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
HEO |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
HEO |
Department of Rural and Community Development |
Department of Rural and Community Development |
No |
|
1 |
PO |
Department of the Taoiseach |
Department of the Taoiseach |
No |
|
5 |
TCO |
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
No |
|
1 |
AP |
EU |
Department of Foreign Affairs |
No |
|
3 |
AP |
EU Commission |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
2 |
HEO |
EU Commission |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
HEO |
Forsa |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
EO |
Forsa |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
HEO |
HSE |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
1 |
HEO |
Money Advice and Budgeting Service |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
1 |
CO |
Money Advice and Budgeting Service |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
2 |
CO |
North Inner City Partnership |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
AP |
North Inner City Partnership |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
1 |
AO |
Oireachtas |
Oireachtas |
No |
|
2 |
CO |
Paul Partnership |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
1 |
AP |
Public Services Friendly Society |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
|
1 |
EO |
Residential Redress Board |
Department of Social Protection |
Yes |
Seconded In
|
No. |
Grade |
Origin Body |
Paid by |
Recouped |
|
18 |
Gardaí |
An Garda Síochána |
An Garda Síochána |
Yes |
|
2 |
Statistician |
Central Statistics Office |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
|
3 |
Legal Advisor |
Office of the Attorney General |
Department of Social Protection |
No |
989. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the processes that are in place to ensure that persons who become homeless can continue to receive their social welfare payments particularly in circumstances in which they move location from one county to another and in which they no longer have a fixed address; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19562/22]
View answerMy Department provides two main payment options for its customers: payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer accounts by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). Last month, 71.7% of all Social Welfare payments were made by EFT and 27.9% were by cash collection at post offices. A small number of ad hoc payments are also made by cheque, which represented less than half of one per cent of all payments in March of this year.
Both EFT and post office payments to persons already in receipt of social welfare would continue for at least 12 weeks if a person informed my Department that they have become homeless. This 12 week period can be extended depending on the individual’s circumstances. The advice from my officials is that anyone in this situation must register with their local authority to engage with the Housing Assistance Payment scheme (HAP) or any local homeless service.
For individuals who previously collected their payment in cash at a post office, the payment would continue to be available at their nominated post office, even if their home address has changed. If, due to a change in circumstances, a person is unable to attend a particular post office, they can contact my Department to nominate a different post office. The original payment would then be redirected to this new post office.
My Department can also make a temporary payment by cheque should neither EFT nor post office collection be a viable option. Again, the person would need to contact a Department of Social Protection office as soon as possible so that an emergency cheque payment can be made by Community Welfare Service (CWS) staff in the Department. This cheque payment would be handed directly to the person concerned. CWS staff would also liaise with the homeless person so that a more permanent payment arrangement can be put in place.
990. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit run apprenticeship programmes or are directly engaged in the training of apprentices; if so, the number of apprentices involved; the specialities in which they are being trained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19591/22]
View answerMy Department does not run apprenticeship programmes nor is it directly engaged in the training of apprentices. There are four statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection: The Citizens Information Board, The Pensions Authority, The Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. They have been contacted and all have indicated that they do not run apprenticeship programmes.
My department does facilitate annual internships, as part of the Department's academic internship programmes, within the ICT and the business intelligence units. The initial selection process is conducted by the relevant business areas in consultation with the appropriate third level institutions. Internships are offered for a fixed term and interns are paid the first point of the Executive Officer salary scale for the duration of their internship. However, this is not an apprenticeship.
The following table outlines the internships that were approved in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
|
Year |
Number of Internships |
|
2020 |
16 |
|
2021 |
11 |
|
2022 |
11 |
My Department actively works to promote and recruit for apprenticeship programmes in the labour market through the work of Intreo office case officers. In addition, JobsIreland.ie, the public employment service of the department, has an information page for those interested in providing and participating on apprenticeship programme(s). Apprenticeship vacancies are advertised on JobsIreland.ie and the platform also contains a link www.apprenticeship.ie which brings the user to the ‘Generation Apprenticeship’ page with all relevant information pertaining to Apprenticeships.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
