Michael Healy-Rae
Question:991. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19608/22]
View answerSocial Welfare Benefits
Questions (991)
Written answers
The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
The ENP scheme is demand led and payments 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 in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Applications for ENPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.
According to the records of my department, the person concerned applied for an ENP on 05/04/2022. This application is currently being assessed. The Department has been in contact with this customer and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome this week.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Departmental Staff
Questions (992)
Carol Nolan
Question:992. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons employed by her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department with a rate of pay below the living wage of €12.30; the role that those persons occupy within her Department or relevant body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19636/22]
View answerWritten answers
Employees of my Department are paid in line with Civil Service Salary Scales. These are most recently outlined in Circular 04/2022. The Department of Social Protection does not, at present, have any employees paid below €12.30 per hour. Hourly wages are calculated using the standard 37-hour Civil Service working week.
Neither the Citizens Information Board nor the Pensions Authority have any staff employed at an hourly rate lower than €12.30.
Departmental Offices
Questions (993)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:993. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties clients face with contacting the partial capacity department (details supplied); if additional resources are being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19662/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Illness Benefit and Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) contact centre is currently dealing with a high level of calls and queries due to the volume of Enhanced (COVID) Illness Benefit claims received in recent months. This has led to some delays for customers who wish to contact the Partial Capacity Benefit section by phone.
It is open to claimants to contact the Partial Capacity Benefit section by email. PCB emails are generally responded to within 1 working day. PCB's email address is available on the PCB form, on Gov.ie, from Intreo Centres and from Citizen's Information centres.
Should a customer prefer to discuss his or her claim by phone, it is open to the customer to request a call back via email.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Redundancy Payments
Questions (994)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:994. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance and guidance will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19695/22]
View answerWritten answers
I extend my sympathies to all employees of Roadbridge who have been affected by the decision by the Company to go into receivership and I know that this news will be very concerning for all the workers involved and their families
The Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides for the making of payments by employers to employees in respect of redundancy. It is the employer’s responsibility to pay statutory redundancy payments to all eligible employees. If an employer is unable to pay due to financial difficulties, an application for payment from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) under the Redundancy Payments scheme may be submitted to the Department of Social Protection (DSP).
To qualify for statutory redundancy under the Redundancy Payments Scheme, Employees would have to have been in insurable employment in Ireland for at least two years immediately prior to their employment end date.
My Department can only provide information on statutory entitlements under Irish legislation.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (995)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:995. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to allow a person (details supplied) to qualify as carer for a couple given the circumstances. [19702/22]
View answerWritten answers
Carer'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.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant’s means are less than the statutory limit. It is a further condition for CA that the applicant be considered habitually resident in this State.
I can confirm that my department received an application from the person concerned for CA in respect of two care recipients on 07 May 2020. This application was disallowed as the person concerned failed to satisfy the HRC condition and failed to provide information requested in relation to their means.
A review was requested on 5 August 2020. Following this review, the decision remained unchanged.
A further review was requested on 23 September 2020. Documentation submitted in support of the review request was examined and the means condition was satisfied. However, as the habitual residency condition was not satisfied the application was disallowed.
The person concerned was notified of the review outcome on 27 October 2020, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal. The Department has no record of a request for a review or an appeal of this decision.
I wish to advise that it is open to the person concerned to contact the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) at 0818 747474 or swappeals@welfare.ie to see if it is possible to request a late appeal. The person concerned would be required to outline why she did not appeal the decision within 21 days of the outcome of the review of 27 October 2020. The Appeals Office would then decide if a late appeal will be accepted.
If the circumstance of the person concerned has changed since the original application in May 2020, it is also open to them to submit a new application for CA and all conditions required to satisfy an entitlement to CA can be assessed again.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (996)
Bernard Durkan
Question:996. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for fuel allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19738/22]
View answerWritten answers
The person in question is in receipt of invalidity pension. An application for the national fuel scheme (fuel allowance) was received from the person concerned on 21 March 2022. He was found eligible for fuel allowance with effect from 24 March 2022. Notification of this decision issued on 05 April 2022. Arrears due will issue to his nominated bank account on 14 April 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Departmental Staff
Questions (997)
Sorca Clarke
Question:997. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the salaries and expenses paid to advisers, Ministers and-or Ministers of State in her Department in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [19753/22]
View answerWritten answers
The salaries and expenses paid to Ministers/Ministers of State and Advisors in my Department during 2020, 2021, and 2022 are set out beneath. Please note that, while the Department pays the Ministerial salary and expenses, the TD salary is paid by the Oireachtas.
|
- |
Jan - Jun 2020 |
||
|
Role |
Name |
Salary |
Expenses |
|
Minister |
Regina Doherty |
€39,617.89 |
€4,845.22 |
|
Special Advisor |
Alex Connolly |
€55,036.98 |
|
|
Special Advisor |
Denise Duffy |
€49,408.86 |
|
|
- |
Jun - Dec 2020 |
||
|
Role |
Name |
Salary |
Expenses |
|
Minister |
Heather Humphreys |
€30,058.88 |
€5,217.14 |
|
Special Advisor |
Pauric Mc Phillips |
€43,101.98 |
|
|
- |
Jan - Dec 2021 |
||
|
Role |
Name |
Salary |
Expenses |
|
Minister |
Heather Humphreys |
€59,922.75 |
€7,919.89 |
|
Special Advisor |
Pauric Mc Phillips |
€103,901.59 |
€756.56 |
|
- |
Jan - Present 2022 |
||
|
Role |
Name |
Salary |
Expenses |
|
Minister |
Heather Humphreys |
€18,792.72 |
€3,553.32 |
|
Special Advisor |
Pauric Mc Phillips |
€32,549.06 |
€272.50 |
Pension Provisions
Questions (998)
Claire Kerrane
Question:998. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way that the agreed community employment supervisor pension will be introduced; when it will be paid to recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19758/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, following complex and detailed discussions between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and a subsequent ballot of union members, an agreement was reached late in 2021 that resolved issues arising from a 2008 Labour Court recommendation on CE supervisor pensions.
Both Minister Humphreys and I were very pleased that this settlement brought this difficult issue to a conclusion in a fair and balanced manner.
The total cost of the settlement is over €24 million which will be paid to individual beneficiaries by the Department of Social Protection.
Generally, under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008. People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age will be able to apply for payments immediately when the scheme is in place.
Eligible supervisors and assistant supervisors will be required to submit an application to the department to confirm that they satisfy the terms of the settlement as agreed and to ensure that all payment details are in order. Department officials are currently working on the administrative arrangements to implement the agreed settlement so that payments can start to issue to qualified CE workers later this year.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (999, 1013)
Claire Kerrane
Question:999. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one-parent families that availed of parent's benefit and leave in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19759/22]
View answer
Gary Gannon
Question:1013. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of lone parents in receipt of parent's benefit in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19834/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 999 and 1013 together.
Parent’s Benefit is a scheme payable to parents who take parent’s leave from work. It provides five weeks payment to each parent of a child aged under two years, or in the two years following an adoption, who is on Parent’s Leave from work to care for their child and covered by social insurance (PRSI).
A total of 42,051 people were in receipt of parents benefit in 2021. Of these, 6,647 individuals had a marital status of single, divorced, widowed, separated or legally separated.
Between January 1st 2022 and 31st March 2022, 15,560 people received parents benefit. Of these, 2,950 individuals had a marital status of single, divorced, widowed, separated or legally separated.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1000)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1000. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of working family payments there were in 2021 and to date in 2022; and the total number of payments for this period, by month, in tabular form. [19760/22]
View answerWritten answers
The details requested for the number and payments of Working Family Payments for 2021 and January 2022 to March 2022 inclusive are set out in the table below.
WFP Scheme Details
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1001)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1001. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount that has been paid for the fuel allowance for the 2021-2022 winter season to date; the number of households that have received the payment for this season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19761/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made at the weekly rate of €33.00; or if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments; and is paid over the winter season. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
From the start of the 2021/2022 Fuel Allowance season to date, qualified recipients have received payment of €1,039. Following an additional payment of €100, to be paid in May to those who received fuel allowance on the last week of the season, the total payment to qualified householders this season will be €1,139. This represents a 55% increase (or €404) in fuel allowance support provided to low-income households compared to the 2020/2021 season. When taken in conjunction with the electricity costs emergency benefit payment, due to be paid in April, qualified householders will have received over €600 in additional targeted Government supports over the course of this fuel season - the equivalent of over 18 weeks additional fuel allowance.
The Department generally collates data on an annual basis. In 2021, the fuel allowance scheme supported approximately 375,000 households at an estimated cost of €316.5 million. The data for 2022 is not yet available.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1002)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1002. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of additional households that received the fuel allowance for the 2021-2022 winter season compared to 2020-2021; the number of additional households that were included as a result of the extension to income threshold as announced in Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19762/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made at the weekly rate of €33.00; or if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments; and is paid over the winter season. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
The Department generally collates data on an annual basis. The table below provides the number of Fuel Allowance recipients as at December 2020 and December 2021. The data for 2022 is not yet available.
|
Year |
Number of Recipients |
|
2020 |
375,269 |
|
2021 |
374,861 |
When the change in means threshold for the scheme was introduced, it was estimated that up to 7,800 additional households could qualify for the payment. It should be noted that due to changes in circumstances, the number of qualifying recipients at any one time fluctuates on an ongoing basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1003)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1003. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons who are in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance; the number of young persons who are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19763/22]
View answerWritten answers
Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit are my Department’s two main statutory schemes providing income support to qualifying people who have lost employment and are unable to find full time work. The estimated revised expenditure for 2022 for the statutory jobseekers schemes is approximately €2.17 billion.
Young jobseekers are eligible to apply for the means tested Jobseekers Allowance or Jobseekers Benefit if they have sufficient PRSI contributions. The numbers of 18-24 year old's in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit are some 12,700 and 3,300 respectively.
The Government's national employment strategy "Pathways to Work 2021-2025", which was launched in July last year, contains, among other measures, a series of targeted further education and training supports to enhance the employment opportunities for young jobseekers, to include:
- Ring-fenced positions for young people on the Work Placement Experience Programme;
- Additional Community Employment and Tús places for young people;
- Providing 50,000 further education and training places;
- Increased places on the JobsPlus recruitment subsidy- with the subsidy being available, on an earlier basis than normal, to employers when they recruit young people.; and,
- Targeting 10,000 apprentice registrations per year by 2025.
The aim of Pathways to Work 2021-2025 was to use these measures to reduce the youth unemployment rate back to or below the 2019 average of 12.5% by 2023. According to the latest CSO data, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate for March is already below this target at 12.3% and further work in this area will continue to support these young people.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (1004)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1004. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the provision of a State pension solution for carers as committed to in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19764/22]
View answerWritten answers
This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s terms of reference included consideration of how people who have provided long-term care for incapacitated dependants can be accommodated within the State Pension system.
The Pensions Commission’s Report which was published on 7th October 2021, established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed. The report set out a wide-range of recommendations in relation to the State Pension system and Social Insurance Fund. It recommended that long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years) should be given access to the State Pension (Contributory) by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer for any gaps in their contribution history arising from that caring. The Commission also recommended that relevant Departments should examine, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, options for the creation of a statutory "Family Carer Register" which could, in time, facilitate the identification of long-term carers for State Pension (Contributory) purposes as well as assisting in the planning and delivery of services for family carers.
In the interests both of older people and of future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far-reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. My officials are examining each of the recommendations and consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. The views of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare will be considered as part of the Government’s deliberations.
It is really important that we complete that work before reaching conclusions on any one recommendation, such as the recommendations related to long-term carers. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.
As the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland, the State Pension is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension age and today’s young workers including those who are only starting their careers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (1005)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1005. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to including foster carers within a State pension solution for carers given that she is due to report on updates to the State pension in the coming weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19765/22]
View answerWritten answers
Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State Pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role.
This is provided through the award of Credits, the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the interim Total Contributions Approach also known as the Aggregated Contribution Method).
Details of these are:
- Credits – PRSI Credits are awarded to recipients of Carer’s Allowance (and Carer’s Benefit) where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid Carer’s Leave from work.
- The Homemaker’s Scheme - The scheme, which was introduced with effect from 1994, is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for State Pension (Contributory). The Scheme, which allows periods caring for children or people with a caring need to be disregarded (from 1994), can have the effect of increasing a person's Yearly Average.
- HomeCaring Periods – HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years. HomeCaring Periods can only be used under the Interim Total Contributions Approach of pension calculation.
Since April 2019, all new State (Contributory) Pension applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the Interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.
Foster parents are entitled to the benefits of the Homemakers Scheme or HomeCaring Periods, on the same basis as other homemakers, and will qualify automatically if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster parent is not in receipt of Child Benefit s/he can still qualify for the Homemaker’s scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.
It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner and has significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.
The Pensions Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021. It established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed. The report set out a wide-range of recommendations in relation to the State Pension system and Social Insurance Fund, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (who are caring for over 20 years).
In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. My officials are examining each of the recommendations and consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare have submitted their views on the recommendations. These various views will be considered carefully as part of the Government's deliberations.
It is really important that we complete that work before reaching conclusions on any one recommendation, such as the recommendations related to long-term carers. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.
The State Pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland. It is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension age and today’s young workers including those who are only starting their careers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Code
Questions (1006)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1006. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons moving from the pandemic unemployment payment to jobseekers payments; the way that the process of job activation will work for these recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19766/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced in response to the unprecedented disruption to the labour market caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Over 880,000 people received payment under the scheme, with 28.8 million payments issuing at a cost of over €9 billion.
The scheme has been wound up as Covid related restrictions have lifted. A staged approach to the wind-up of PUP has been in place since October 2021 reflecting Government decisions to avoid the cliff edge of the sudden withdrawal of supports. The final stage of that process has now been reached.
Following the payments on 29 March, the transition process to full jobseeker terms for all remaining PUP recipients commenced with first jobseeker payments paid on 5th April. Some 22,000 PUP recipients transferred to full jobseeker terms over the weekend of 26 / 27 March 2022.
Labour Market activation policies are designed to give jobseekers a better chance of finding employment, and the primary goal of my Department’s activation services is to move people from unemployment to full-time and sustained employment. In accepting payment of Jobseeker's Benefit or Assistance, the customer agrees to avail himself/herself of the appropriate support measures on offer during the course of the activation process.
Individuals who have been in receipt of PUP for less than 12 months and transition to a jobseeker payment are brought into the existing Intreo activation process. Individuals who have been in receipt of PUP for 12 months or more and transition to a jobseeker payment are referred to my Department’s contracted activation services. The majority of those who transitioned from PUP to a jobseeker payment are long term unemployed as the PUP scheme closed to new applications in July 2021 and only re-opened on a limited basis between December 2021 and January 2022.
The Department’s activation services, both through Intreo and contracted service providers, offer one to one engagement for jobseekers in identifying and overcoming barriers to employment.
Any person who requires the assistance of the Department’s activation services can contact a case officer in their local Intreo office for advice and assistance and possible referral on other services of the Department.
I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Employment Support Services
Questions (1007)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1007. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if the new system of employment services will be implemented by this summer as intended given that the extension to the procurement process for phase two of the tendering process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19767/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is currently undertaking a significant expansion of public employment services. In particular, specialised employment services for those farthest from the labour market - previously available in just twelve counties - will soon be available State-wide for the first time.
In the first phase of this procurement, contracts for Intreo Partners - Local Area Employment Services (LAES) were agreed in late 2021 across four lots in seven counties in the Midlands and North-East. These new services are now operational and accepting referrals.
Phase two of this process is currently ongoing. The procurement of phase 2 of Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Services commenced with the publication of the request for tender on 21 December last. In addition, a request for tender for Intreo Partners National Employment Service was published on 3 March last.
My Department recently extended the deadline for both these requests for tenders for both services to 25 April to ensure all interested parties, including the community sector, will have sufficient time to prepare quality tender responses that reflect their experience and capacity to deliver a quality service.
Following detailed compliance checks, the tenders received will be evaluated in accordance with procurement regulations and the preferred tenderers notified in due course. My officials will then proceed to finalising contracts with a view to establishing services at the earliest possible date.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1008)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1008. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of lone parents who are in receipt of the one-parent family payment; the number of liable relatives who are contributing to payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19769/22]
View answerWritten answers
The ‘liability to maintain family’ provisions, contained in social welfare legislation, are separate to, and do not negate or supersede parents’ obligations under Family Law. Where a person is in receipt of One Parent Family Payment (OFP), the liability to maintain family provisions provide my Department with a legislative basis to carry out an assessment of the other parent and to issue a Determination Order for them to pay a contribution either to the Department or to the OFP recipient directly.
The purpose of the liable relative provisions is to ensure that, where possible, the non-custodial parent makes a financial contribution to the State where there is an OFP payment in place, thereby reducing the overall cost to the Department and to the State. It is important to point out that my Department does not pursue maintenance payments on behalf of lone parents and it has no role regarding the enforcement of maintenance orders or any other maintenance arrangements.
At the end of February 2022, there were 39,979 people in receipt of OFP. During 2021, approximately 1,500 liable relatives began making payments to either the One-Parent Family payment recipient or directly to the Department.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (1009)
Claire Kerrane
Question:1009. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of letters to liable relatives that were issued in 2021 with regard to child maintenance; the number of liable relatives that began contributing in 2021; the number of liable relatives that received a letter from her Department and who then commenced contributions for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19770/22]
View answerWritten answers
The issue of family maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the people concerned.
Social Welfare legislation provides that some or all of the cost of One-Parent Family (OFP) payments are recovered. In every case where OFP is awarded, the Department seeks to ascertain whether the other parent (liable relative) is in a financial position to contribute towards the cost of the OFP. Liable relatives are advised that they can meet their liability by making payments directly to the Department or to the OFP recipient.
The methods of assessment of the liable relative's ability to pay are specified in detail in regulations S.I. 571 of 2006 and S.I. 142 of 2007, as amended.
In 2021 c. 8,000 cases were examined of which:
- c. 1,000 were deemed to be paying the liability agreed by the Department;
- c. 3,200 were still determined to have a remaining liability to the Department;
- c. 3,800 cases were not in a position to contribute towards the cost of the OFP or have no liability due.
During 2021, c.1,500 Liable relatives began making payments to either the One-Parent Family payment recipient or directly to the Department.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Schemes
Questions (1010)
Emer Higgins
Question:1010. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will support disabled PAYE workers in need of surgical footwear with a dedicated grant scheme towards the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19803/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Expenditure on these supports is estimated to amount to some €4.8 billion in 2021.
In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits. The medical appliances budget is spent primarily on hearing aids. From May 2022 an additional benefit will be available - a grant towards the cost of non-surgical hair replacement to those who satisfy both medical and contribution conditions. There is no grant available for surgical footwear under the Treatment Benefit scheme.
While I have no plans to expand the scheme further at this time, my Department keeps schemes under regular review 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.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1011)
Gary Gannon
Question:1011. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to recipients of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19832/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
Fuel Allowance is a household payment and the circumstances and income of any other member of the household will be taken into account when deciding a fuel allowance application. Accordingly, it is very difficult to provide an accurate estimate for the proposed measure. However, it would be expected that it would cost an estimated €18.8 Million.
The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly, tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources. A person in receipt of the WFP can continue to receive the payment for 52 weeks even if their income increases.
Any decision to include WFP as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
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 exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1012)
Gary Gannon
Question:1012. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the payable period for the fuel allowance payment to 32 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19833/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The estimated cost of extending the fuel allowance season to 32 weeks would be in the region of €49 million, based on current recipient household numbers.
The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock.
As part of the measures included in the National Energy Security Framework, a further additional lump sum payment of €100 will be paid to all households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance in the last week of the Fuel Allowance season – a payment equivalent to over 3 weeks' additional Fuel Allowance. This payment will be provided in mid-May.
This means that low-income households will see an increase of 55% in Fuel allowance support provided during this Fuel Allowance season compared to last season. A recipient household which would have received €735 in fuel season 2020/2021 would see an increase of €404 to €1,139 in Fuel Allowance payments in fuel season 2021/2022. When taken in conjunction with the electricity costs emergency benefit payment, due to be paid in April, this household would have received over €600 in additional targeted Government supports over the course of this fuel season. €600 is the equivalent of over 18 weeks' additional Fuel Allowance.
My Department also provides discretionary exceptional needs payments, where appropriate, to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. These payments are not ring-fenced or budget limited as they would be if they were drawn from an earmarked fund, but rather are demand led.
The provision of any additional supports such as extending the fuel allowance season would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 1013 answered with Question No. 999.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (1014)
Gary Gannon
Question:1014. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing parent's benefit by one week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19835/22]
View answerWritten answers
Parent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for five weeks to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Parent’s Benefit is paid at €250 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefits.
Provision was made in Budget 2022 to increase the number of weeks of Parent's Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents from five weeks to seven weeks from July 2022.
The estimated cost of the increase in Parents Benefit from five to seven weeks in 2022 is €9.4 million and the overall cost for a full year is €19.2 million.
The estimated cost of increasing parent's benefit by one further week is €9.75 million.
The estimated costs shown are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2022. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
Decisions around the extension of this benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.