Cathal Crowe
Question:101. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will change the lower income threshold for entitlement to her Department’s back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. [38574/22]
View answerSocial Welfare Eligibility
Questions (101)
Written answers
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 scheme operates from June to September each year.
This year, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment has been increased by €100 for the 2022 scheme year, building on the previously announced increase of €10. The rates of payment for the 2022 scheme year are €260 for children aged between 4 and 11 years and €385 for children aged 12 and over.
In order to target those families most in need of assistance, the allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children 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.
To qualify for the allowance a person must meet a number of conditions namely:
- The child must meet the age criteria,
- The applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and getting an increase in that payment for the qualified child (except in certain circumstances) in the period 1 June to 30 September,
- The assessable income for the household must be within prescribed limits,
- The applicant and the child (or children) in respect of whom the allowance is claimed must be resident in the State.
This year, the income thresholds for one parent families were increased to bring them in line with the income thresholds for two parent families, widening the eligibility for that cohort of customers. The income thresholds were also increased to ensure that the increases in weekly social protection payments rates introduced in Budget 2022 will not negatively impact on an individual’s entitlement to the allowance.
Any further changes to the income thresholds would have to be considered in a budgetary and operational context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service (CWS).
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Cost of Living Issues
Questions (102)
Brian Stanley
Question:102. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost-of-living supports that her Department is providing households which do not receive the working family payment scheme. [38130/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Government has introduced a range of measures to support families with the increased cost of living. Just last week, we announced changes to three initiatives to assist families with back to school costs at a total additional cost of €67 million.
As a result, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, is being increased by €100 for each eligible child under the scheme. Consequently, the amount being paid for each qualified child aged 4 to 11 years will be €260 and the rate payable for each eligible child aged 12 and over will be €385. It is estimated that some 151,000 families will benefit from this measure in respect of over 262,000 children. This follows increases in rates which had already been provided for in Budget 2022.
In addition, the School Meals Programme is being extended to an additional 310 schools who were designated as DEIS schools in March and students availing of the school transport scheme will not be charged fees for the next academic year.
In May, an extra Fuel Allowance payment of €100 was paid to all households who were in receipt of the Fuel Allowance from my Department in the last week of the Fuel Allowance season. Over 371,000 households benefitted from this payment at a cost of approximately €37.1 million.
The Department of Social Protection also provides additional income supports for individuals who need financial assistance. Under Additional Needs Payments, the Community Welfare Service of the Department can make discretionary payments to help people with additional costs that could not reasonably be expected to be met out of their weekly income. Already this year to the end of May, Additional Needs Payments totalling €16.8 million have been made in relation to over 27,800 exceptional and urgent needs payments applications. The Department wants to ensure that people in need are aware of the support available to them from the community welfare service and so we have run an extensive advertising campaign to further promote the Additional Needs Payment scheme.
These supports are in addition to Budget 2022 which contained the largest ever social welfare package giving 1.4 million people a €5 increase in weekly payments, and more if they have dependents.
The Budget also included targeted measures to support those most vulnerable to poverty, including increases to qualified child dependent payments. As a result, rates for a qualified child aged under 12 increased by €2 to €40 per week, and for a qualified child aged 12 or older by €3 to €48 per week. These higher rates have been in place since the first week of January.
The supports provided by my Department are kept under review, particularly in the context of the Budget.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (103)
Holly Cairns
Question:103. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that she is taking to increase disability allowance by €15 per week. [38581/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department provides a range of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability, the largest of which is the Disability Allowance scheme. As at the end of May there were almost 155,800 people in receipt of this payment, with expenditure on Disability Allowance for 2021 at €1.8 billion. An estimated €4.8 billion was spent on illness, disability and caring schemes in 2021. The estimate for 2022 is €4.9 billion.
From the perspective of my Department, it is worth noting that a number of measures were introduced as part of Budget 2022 in relation to people with disabilities and their carers; these included:
- €5 increase in maximum rate of all core weekly payments including people with disabilities and carers, with proportionate increases for qualified adults, with effect from January.
- €3 increase for qualified child dependents aged 12 and over and €2 for those up to age 12, in all core weekly payments.
- An increase in the general weekly means disregard for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60 per week.
- An increase in the upper earnings disregard for Disability Allowance from €350 to €375.
- €3 increase in the weekly Living Alone Allowance from €19 to €22 for people with disabilities who are living alone.
- €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance from €28 to €33 per week.
- An increase to the Wage Subsidy scheme, which provides financial incentives to encourage private sector employers to employ people with disabilities.
- An increase in the Capital disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €20,000 to €50,000 from June.
- An increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance to €350 a week for single carers and to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance will be paid for children who go into hospital for up to 6 months (was 3 months). Carer’s Allowance will also continue to be paid in respect of children who go into hospital for 6 months.
My Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. As part of this process my Department will host its annual pre-budget forum with the sector later this month. Any proposed increases to payments, including to Disability Allowance, have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (104)
Alan Farrell
Question:104. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the turnaround time for working family payment applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34871/22]
View answerWritten answers
Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. This payment is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment.
Working Family Payment is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families. There are approximately 46,000 families with 103,000 children who are currently in receipt of this payment. As part of Budget 2022 measures, I introduced an increase in the income thresholds by €10 irrespective of the family size. While this measure was originally due to take effect from June 2022, it was brought forward to April 2022 to assist families with the rising cost of living.
My Department understands the many pressures faced by customers and always seeks to ensure that applications are handled quickly and efficiently. The average time to award a new Working Family Payment application is currently 3 weeks. The target is to process 90% of claims within 6 weeks.
WFP is paid at a fixed amount for a 52 week period, even if earnings increase during that period to give low paid workers assurance of their income. Customers are invited to reapply for the next 52 week period 12 weeks before the payment is due to end. I am pleased to report that all renewal applications submitted on time are processed before the existing payment ends, so there is no lapse in customers payment.
During 2021 my Department implemented improvements to the administration of Working Family Payment. This included the extension of the Department's online services through MyWelfare to include this payment. People can now submit both new and renewal applications online and where all information is provided at the time of application, claims can be awarded immediately. These enhancements mean that my officials can proactively deal with claims and deal with them quickly and efficiently.
I am very proud that my Department continues to provide and maintained a high level of customer service to WFP claimants through the extension of online services and timely processing of claims.
Employment Schemes
Questions (105)
Bríd Smith
Question:105. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the meetings that she or her officials have had or plan to have with representatives and workers in Local Employment Services who have had or are in danger of having their jobs replaced as a result of the current policy of tendering out these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38522/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is engaged in a process, since 2019, of reviewing and expanding public employment services across the State. It has had well in excess of over 140 engagements with the community sector during this process. My officials have also engaged with and met the trade unions SIPTU and Forsa to hear their concerns regarding the interests of their members who are employed in the community sector and whose employers are contractors to my Department. Senior officials have had formal meetings with SIPTU specific to the ongoing restructuring of services on multiple occasions.
The preferred bidders for the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Services have just been notified. The next step is the finalising of contracts and the commencement of referrals to the new service. Pending this, the finalising of contracts and the commencement of referrals to the new service, my Department has extended the contracts of most LES and Job Clubs until the end of August.
In circumstances where existing providers chose not to bid for the new services or were unsuccessful then I would expect that, as a first option, providers should look to redeploy any staff affected to other functions within their organisations. However, where this is not possible, and if these employers are unable to finance redundancy payments, then my Department's Redundancy and Insolvency service will, in accordance with relevant legislation, be able to make provision for statutory redundancy payments for any affected staff.
The employer under the terms of the contracts for these services retains full responsibility for staff matters. My Department is not the employer but has in this context with met trade union representatives at their request to discuss their concerns. My officials will continue to facilitate these requests from trade union representatives.
State Pensions
Questions (106)
Neale Richmond
Question:106. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection the consideration that has been given to the rate of payment for the old age pension ahead of Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34516/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2023 over the coming months, taking account of available resources.
It is important to emphasise that the Government takes a range of data and research into account in formulating its budget. The last two Budgets have seen a series of evidence-based increases in some social welfare payments targeted to improve the situation of the people who are most at risk of poverty and to ensure the most vulnerable were protected.
The social welfare package in Budget 2022 was the largest in 14 years and meant that 1.4 million people received a €5 increase in weekly payments, and more if they have dependants.
These changes in core social welfare rates have been supplemented by targeted increases in certain payments. These measures include increases to ancillary social welfare payments such as Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance, Qualified Child payments and Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
The Government is acutely aware of recent price increases and their impact on households who are dependent on social welfare. For this reason, this Government did not await a further budget cycle to address these challenges but acted early. Overall, the tax and spending measures we have introduced to ease the burden and provide support to those most in need have amounted to €2.4 billion. For recipients of Fuel Allowance, which includes many pensioners, measures introduced by my Department included an increase of €5 in the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance - which was paid with effect from the week of the Budget - and subsequent lump sum payments of €125 and €100 in March and May 2022 respectively.
All of these measures will be kept under review, together with trends in prices, to inform preparations for the budget later this year.
I am monitoring the situation and I will be meeting a range of NGOs at the Department's pre-budget forum next month, and will listen carefully to the views expressed.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (107)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:107. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of victims of domestic violence to access rent supplement, by county to date and refusals in tabular form; number applying for associated supports under supplementary welfare supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34931/22]
View answerWritten answers
The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide.
Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla-funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast track approval and screening process with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement so that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.
The standard rent supplement means test does not apply to these applicants for an initial three month period. After three months, a further three month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment.
After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment, a social housing support provided by Local Authorities.
Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, an additional needs payment can be awarded to assist with once off or ongoing costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Decisions on payments and 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.
Statistics are not held on the number of applications for additional supports by victims of domestic violence.
There are 38 victims of domestic violence currently being supported under the Protocol, with 226 cases supported since the Protocol came into operation in August 2020. There have been no refusals to date.
Table 1 shows the number accessing support by county to date and the current recipients by county.
Table 1 - The number accessing support by county to date and the current recipients by county.
|
County |
Number of Beneficiaries (August 2020 to date) |
Number of Current Recipients |
|
|
|
|
|
Carlow |
7 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
6 |
3 |
|
Clare |
10 |
2 |
|
Cork |
35 |
5 |
|
Donegal |
8 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
31 |
7 |
|
Galway |
20 |
2 |
|
Kerry |
8 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
4 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
1 |
|
Laois |
6 |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
3 |
1 |
|
Longford |
6 |
0 |
|
Louth |
4 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
12 |
0 |
|
Meath |
1 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
11 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
10 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
8 |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
11 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
6 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
6 |
0 |
|
Wicklow |
5 |
1 |
|
Total |
226 |
38 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (108, 149)
Bríd Smith
Question:108. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the fuel allowance who have been removed from access to the allowance for exceeding the income thresholds in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38521/22]
View answerBríd Smith
Question:149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants who were refused the fuel allowance in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38520/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 149 together.
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 over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
As at the end of December 2021, there were 374,861 Fuel Allowance recipients. At the end of 2020, the number of recipients was 375,269. Precise information on the number of fuel allowance applications received, disallowed, or where a customer lost their entitlement during the Fuel Allowance season, is not readily available. Common reasons for disallowance, or loss of entitlement, include cessation of the primary scheme payment; where the means of the customer or household exceeds the permissible threshold; the applicant resides with a non-qualified person (for example, someone in employment); or the applicant resides with another person who is already in receipt of fuel allowance. Where an application is disallowed or entitlement is lost, it is open to the person to re-apply if there is a change in their circumstances.
The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government announced additional expenditure measures of €505 million. As part of these measures, I announced two additional lump sum payments of €125 in March and €100 in May to households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department operates schemes to help people with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income. An Emergency Needs Payment may be made to help a person meet an essential, once-off cost which they are unable to meet out of their own resources, including exceptional heating costs.
An ENP may also be payable to those not getting a social welfare payment and those on low incomes. 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 (109)
Brendan Smith
Question:109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals to improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in cases in which a family member may return to live with a parent on a temporary basis, who normally resides on their own and who is in receipt of the free fuel allowance due to housing or domestic difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34869/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks - or a total of €924 each year - from late September 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.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition criteria. This ensures that the fuel allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
An adult child of a householder moving back into the family home may result in a reduction of additional allowances such as the fuel allowance payment previously held by the householder. However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a contribution towards household costs by the person moving in would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as that proposed by the Deputy, disregarding the income of the returning family member, would change the targeted nature of the scheme and would likely result in payments being directed to households with significant income.
There will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme was introduced. In the event that the return of a family member into the household results in a reduction in fuel allowance payment with no compensating contribution by the family member, then a payment may be made in the form of a fuel supplement under this scheme.
Additional costs would also arise if the criteria were relaxed in the manner suggested by the Deputy and any decision to change the criteria for the Fuel Allowance scheme would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 110 answered with Question No. 83.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (111)
Mairéad Farrell
Question:111. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that it can take several months to resume a suspended payment in certain cases such as in the case of a person (details supplied); if her Department is undertaking work to reduce these delays and if she will make a statement on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34280/22]
View answerWritten answers
Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical examination, a means test and Habitual Residence conditions.
My Department periodically reviews claims to ensure there is continued entitlement.
In this case a medical review was instigated on 4 November 2019. Following review, it was determined the medical evidence submitted did not indicate the person concerned continued to satisfy the necessary medical condition for receipt of DA.
The person concerned was notified on 20 November 2021 of the outcome, the reason for it and of their right of review and/or appeal. The Department terminated the person’s Disability Allowance payment on 15 December 2021 and this was communicated to the customer. The person concerned requested a review, submitting further medical evidence in support of this on 4 January 2022.
Having reviewed the claim, the decision of the Deciding Officer was upheld. The person concerned was notified of same 10 February 2022.
The person concerned submitted an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in April 2022 and submitted additional comprehensive information regarding their medical condition. A Deciding Officer completed a further review on 8 June 2022, taking account of all information provided and decided that the person concerned met the medical conditions for receipt of DA.
Accordingly, DA was awarded to the person concerned with arrears of allowance due from 15 December 2021 to 8 June 2022 issuing on same date.
The person concerned was notified of this review on 8 June 2022, the reason for it and of their right of review and/or appeal.
Reviews involving ongoing entitlement to Disability Allowance based on medical criteria may involve customers providing further medical evidence over a period of time. It is important that anyone who is advised that their claim is the subject of a review should provide as much information as possible when this information is requested. This will enable a decision to be made more quickly and reduce the likelihood of payment being stopped.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (112)
Joan Collins
Question:112. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have made applications for the rent supplement or supplementary welfare allowance or exceptional needs payments from 1 May to 24 June 2022 from the Intreo Offices in Cork Street and Bishop Square, Dublin; and if there has been an increase in applications since her Department advertised the service. [34874/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance 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 dependents.
Supports provided under the 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 and Urgent Needs Payments, also known as Additional Needs Payments.
The table below provides a breakdown of basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA), Additional Needs Payments (ANP), Supplements and Rent Supplement claims received during the period 01/05/2022 to 24/06/2022:
|
Claim type |
Cork Street |
Bishop’s Square |
Total |
|
Basic SWA |
112 |
74 |
186 |
|
ANP & Supplements |
207 |
156 |
363 |
|
Total |
319 |
230 |
549 |
|
Rent Supplement |
RS applications for these areas are processed by the Dublin Central Rents Unit which covers a wider area within Dublin and Kildare |
198 |
The advertising campaign ran from 07/06/2022 – 05/07/2022 and there has been no substantial increase in applications received in these areas to date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (113)
Joan Collins
Question:113. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection further up Parliamentary Question No. 123 of 29 June 2022, if the new regulations in the appeals office prevent appeals officers from making the decision for any oral hearings even if requested by the person making the appeal appellant or a Deputy; if they will need to obtain permission from senior management given that previously they were able to make them themselves; if the independence of the appeals officer has been made redundant given that the appeals officer can overturn a medical decision; if this has been changed; if the training for appeals officers has been curtailed in relation to the regulations that allow them to take a holistic approach in respect of an application (details supplied) [38357/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
The Office is committed to enhancing its operations to deliver an efficient and effective appeals service to its customers. To support this goal a programme of process redesign and modernisation is in hand. This programme includes the development and implementation of an enhanced appeals business process and the development of a new computer system.
A customer centric, multi-channel solution, modernising and transforming the appeals process across the Department and the Appeals Office is envisaged. This solution will require operational and procedural changes and will also reflect a number of recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The current Appeals Regulations have been in place since 1998 and while the work of the Office has expanded greatly over the years, the Regulations have not been amended in any significant way in the intervening years. Consequently, it is now an appropriate juncture at which to review and amend the Regulations underpinning the appeals process. Changes introduced by the Regulations are intended provide an improved appeals service to customers.
Oral hearings have been successfully conducted online or by telephone since October 2020 and this approach has proven to be an efficient and effective way of facilitating an oral hearing previously achieved by holding an in-person hearing. The revised Regulations introduce a requirement on Appeals Officers to consult with a Deputy Chief Appeals Officer on the need for an oral hearing.
Under the current Regulations, appeals relating to the ‘medical’ conditionality of the illness, disability and caring schemes are determined by Appeals Officers who are not medically qualified even though the decision as to whether or not a person satisfies these scheme conditions is a subjective judgement based on medical evidence.
The revised Regulations introduce a provision that any appeal relating to a person’s capacity to work or requirement for care shall be determined either by an Appeals Officer who is a registered medical practitioner or, if not a registered practitioner, that the Appeals Officer will be obliged to seek the opinion of a medical assessor.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is committed to providing a programme of training and all necessary supports to its Appeals Officers. The Chief Appeals Officer has confirmed that any training requirements for staff arising from the revised Regulations will be addressed.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Rights of People with Disabilities
Questions (114)
Holly Cairns
Question:114. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a key conclusion in the Cost of Disability in Ireland – Research Report, that measures to address the additional costs of disability should be based on a multi-faceted approach involving increased cash payments, enhanced access to service provision and specific targeted grant programmes. [34519/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Indecon Cost of Disability report identified that additional costs of disability run across a number of areas of expenditure including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance services, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, and additional living expenses. Therefore it is very clear that the findings in the research have implications for many areas of public policy and should be based on a multifaceted approach to include increased cash payments, enhanced access to services and specific targeted grant programmes.
Furthermore, Indecon found that there is not a single typical cost of disability; rather, there is a spectrum from low to high additional costs of disability, depending on individual circumstances.
This is why the Government referred the report to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, which is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability. This group comprises of relevant departments, agencies, a Disability Stakeholder Group and people with disabilities. The group will consider and monitor recommended actions required by the various Government Departments on a bi-annual basis.
The measures to address the cost of disability fall under the remit of many Government departments. Departments have been requested to examine the work they are currently committed to undertaking and review in the light of this report. Furthermore, they have been asked that any future actions would also be considered in the context of the Cost of Disability report.
The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025 included a commitment to develop and consult on a ‘strawman’ proposal for the restructuring of long term disability payments to simplify the system and take account of the concerns expressed in the Make Work Pay report. The Cost of Disability research report will feed into the preparation of these reform proposals. Work on these proposals is advancing within my Department and will include wider consultation process in due course.
Cost of Living Issues
Questions (115)
Matt Carthy
Question:115. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional resources that have been provided to community welfare officers to assist those facing financial burden due to the cost-of-living crisis. [34781/22]
View answerWritten answers
The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country remains a priority for me and my Department. It is important that the Community Welfare Service (CWS) remains an accessible, flexible, and responsive service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency.
My Department has maintained staffing levels in the CWS nationwide in recent years during times when demands decreased, reflective of the commitment that I have given to continue to support the delivery of locally based services to customers. The Department has introduced innovations this year which have increased efficiency in processing applications for SWA payments. These innovations and the maintenance of staffing levels have led to the CWS being in a stronger position to respond to increases in the demand for the service as they occur. This was borne out when there was a surge of claims received arising from significant numbers of displaced people arriving from Ukraine. It is, therefore, anticipated that there is sufficient capacity within the CWS to manage the increased level of claims arising from the promotion of the Additional Needs Payment during the recent advertising campaign.
Having said that, it’s important to note that claims activity within the CWS is closely monitored at all times and resources are deployed as necessary. There is now a national organisational structure in place to oversee the operation of the service across the entire country.
Among the innovations that have been introduced to help citizens and to support our Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) where possible, the preparatory work on applications - for example, the gathering of supporting documentation that is necessary to assess and finalise a claim, is carried out largely by a back-office team. The assessment and decision on claims and any further interactions or engagements with other agencies remains the role of locally based CWOs. This initiative releases CWOs to focus on delivery of services and from the requirement to undertake administrative tasks and allows for increased capacity for them to meet with customers as required and/or to process claims.
Please note however that the assessment and decision on claims and any further customer interactions is then carried out by locally based CWOs as it always has been. The delivery of a locally based CWS remains a cornerstone of the service.
This method of processing applications has been found to be very effective in improving service to customers, especially at times of particular pressure, i.e., during periods of staff absence due to the pandemic or a claim intake surge in a particular local area. It allows for flexible processing arrangements, and it has ensured that a swift response is available to customers resulting in a significant decrease in the time waiting for a claim to be paid regardless of the prevailing circumstances in place in any area of the country.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Departmental Policies
Questions (116)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:116. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the latest meeting of the Social Inclusion Forum and on any outcomes from that meeting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34875/22]
View answerWritten answers
I hosted the Department's annual Social Inclusion Forum last week in the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan.
The Forum brings together Government officials, people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, and the community and voluntary sector groups representing them, to discuss and debate national policy on poverty reduction and social inclusion. The forum is arranged by the Department of Social Protection, with the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland and Community Work Ireland as event partners.
The theme for this year's Forum was maintaining momentum in the implementation of Government’s Roadmap for Social Inclusion, 2020-2025, which is the national strategy to reduce poverty and improve social inclusion. While the recent reductions in key national poverty indicators have been welcome, the Forum helps to place that data in context - in the forum we get to hear about the lived experience behind the statistics, and indeed from people who are not separately identified in official statistics.
The Forum included four workshops on key Roadmap themes – income adequacy, social inclusion and children, social inclusion and people with disabilities, and supporting communities – with facilitators from the community and voluntary sector, and presentations from expert practitioners. I attended and listened to some of the discussions at each of the four workshops, as well as the online workshop arranged for those who couldn't attend in-person, and then engaged in a panel discussion with community and voluntary representatives.
These discussions will feed into the Roadmap's mid-term review, which commenced with stakeholder engagement at the Social Inclusion Forum. The Department will prepare and publish a conference report, which will encapsulate the breadth of the discussions and contributions throughout the day. This will be published in the coming weeks on the Department’s website.
I look forward to discussing feedback from the forum with my Government colleagues.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (117)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:117. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider revising the criteria in relation to access to the exceptional needs payments such as the time limits between applications and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38606/22]
View answerWritten answers
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an administrative overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.
The guidelines issued to staff administering the scheme assist them in the decision making process and ensure consistency of service. However, they do not affect the discretion available to officers in issuing an additional needs payment to assist an individual or household in any particular hardship situation which may arise and do not reference time limits between applications.
An exceptional needs Payment (ENP) is a single payment 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 supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time.
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.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (118)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:118. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that have been taken by her Department to assist parents of school children with the costs associated with children returning to school in September. [38777/22]
View answerWritten answers
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 scheme operates from June to September each year.
This year, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment has been increased by €100 for the 2022 scheme year, building on the previously announced increase of €10. The rates of payment for the 2022 scheme year are €260 for children aged between 4 and 11 years and €385 for children aged 12 and over.
In order to target those families most in need of assistance, the allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children 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.
To qualify for the allowance an applicant must meet a number of conditions, including an income limit test.
Following a review of the scheme the income limits for one parent families were increased this year to bring them in line with the income limits for two parent families, widening the eligibility for that cohort of customers. The income limits were also increased to ensure that the increases in weekly social protection payments rates introduced in Budget 2022 will not negatively impact on an individual’s entitlement to the allowance.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service (CWS).
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (119)
Gary Gannon
Question:119. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that in Budget 2023 the free travel pass is made eligible to all persons who do not have enough vision to obtain a driver licence yet do not qualify to be registered blind. [34586/22]
View answerWritten answers
The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 1,034,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.
It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. Importantly, as many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact across a spectrum from mild to severe, entitlement to these social welfare schemes is not provided on the basis of a diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned. In this way, resources can be targeted to people in most need.
Therefore, while a diagnosis of a particular medical condition will be required to establish if a person may be eligible for certain social welfare schemes, evidence of impact is also required before entitlement to the scheme or the related free travel scheme is established. The sole exception to this general approach is in respect of people who are blind.
While consideration is always given to any requests to improve or extend eligibility to the free travel scheme, uncoupling the link between receipt of particular social welfare payments and eligibility for the free travel scheme would so fundamentally alter the scheme that it would move it away from being a social welfare measure to being a general transport initiative.
My Department may award a travel supplement under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (120, 139, 165)
Kieran O'Donnell
Question:120. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures that are being considered in the next budget to enhance and broaden social welfare payments including the fuel allowance and the working family payment given the increase in the cost-of-living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34939/22]
View answer
Mick Barry
Question:139. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has investigated the increases to welfare payments that will be required to keep pace with the increases in the cost-of-living as experienced by those on low incomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34945/22]
View answer
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:165. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s strategy to make sure that social protection payments are in line with an increased cost-of-living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34927/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 139 and 165 together.
Over the long term, Ireland’s social protection system has performed strongly in protecting our most vulnerable citizens. In 2021, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 38.6% to 11.6%. This represents a 70% reduction on the at-risk-of-poverty rate. Ireland is consistently one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social transfers.
It is through this evidence-based approach that, over the past 10 years, budget measures have both exceeded inflation in that period and have also been targeted to support those most at risk of poverty. This is evident in the recent results of the Survey on Income and Living Conditions which showed welcome reductions in the number of people at risk of poverty or deprivation.
Having said that, the Government is acutely aware of recent price increases and their impact on households who are dependent on social welfare. For this reason, this Government did not await a further budget cycle to address these challenges but acted early. Overall, the tax and spending measures we have introduced to ease the burden and provide support to those most in need have amounted to €2.4 billion.
The Government continues to monitor the situation carefully in preparation for the Budget later this year. I will be meeting a range of NGOs at the Department's pre-budget forum later this month and will listen carefully to the views expressed.
This Government has provided timely, targeted support and I will continue to prioritise evidence-based measures aimed at supporting the most vulnerable in our society.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.