Written Answers Nos. 1296-1310
1296. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the dividends paid by State-owned enterprises under the remit of her Department in each of the past five years; the projected dividends to be received in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41658/22]
View answerThis Department does not have any State-owned enterprises under its remit.
I trust that clarifies matters for the Deputy.
1298. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if costings were prepared due to a court ruling (details supplied); if she will provide a copy of those costs and an analysis of the underlying eligibility figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41663/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the case referred to by the Deputy is currently before the Courts, and judgment is awaited. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on this matter.
1299. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of removing the means test for carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41666/22]
View answerMy Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on these payments to carers in 2022 is estimated to exceed €1.5 billion.
Carer’s Allowance is the primary scheme through which my Department supports carers in the community. Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and is being provided, and that the means test is satisfied. There are currently 90,740 recipients of Carer’s Allowance. The projected expenditure in 2022 is approximately €990 million.
The conditions attached to payment of Carer’s Allowance are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally and which are based on an income need. The means test plays the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring.
In Budget 2022, significant changes were made to the Carer’s Allowance means test. These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years:
- The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
- The weekly income disregard was increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
The changes came into effect on 2nd June.
Removing the means test for Carer’s Allowance would, in effect, create a new universal social protection scheme for those meeting the scheme’s basic caring condition and would give rise to a very significant annual cost. Based on the number of carers identified in Census 2016, it is estimated that a universal carer’s payment could cost in the order of an additional €1.2 billion per annum.
Increased expenditure on this scale would fundamentally change the nature of financial support and clearly reduce the scope to fund other critical schemes and services.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by this Department under review so as to ensure that the overall objectives of the carer income support schemes provided are met. However, any additional changes to the carer's means test would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1300. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing all those in receipt of the carers respite care grant but not currently in receipt of a carer’s allowance or benefit payment to be paid the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41667/22]
View answerMy Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on these payments to carers in 2022 is estimated to exceed €1.5 billion.
Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and is being provided, and that the means test is satisfied.
The conditions attached to payment of Carer’s Allowance are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally and which are based on an income need. The means test plays the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring. At the end of June, there were 90,740 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. The projected expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2022 is approximately €990 million.
The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care allowance in June of each year. The cohort of carers to which the Deputy refers are other carers not in receipt of a carer’s payment but who may also be eligible for a standalone Grant if they meet the qualifying full-time care and attention condition. Budget 2021 increased the rate of the grant by €150 bringing it to its current rate of €1,850. This is the highest rate of the grant since its introduction. The projected expenditure on the Carer’s Support Grant in 2022 is approximately €262.4 million. A person can apply for a Carer's Support Grant for any given year from April of that year until 31 December of the following year. Therefore a person can apply for the Carer's Support Grant for 2022 at any time from April 2022 up until 31 December 2023.
This year, there were a total of 5,679 standalone Carer's Support Grants awarded by end of June in respect of 5,835 carer recipients. Based on this number, it is estimated that the provision of Carer’s Allowance to this group could cost in the order of an additional €66 million per annum. This figure is based on the maximum weekly under 66 rate for Carer’s Allowance and does not include the higher rates available to those caring for more than one person or the potential extra cost of increases for child dependants. It also assumes that all such recipients would qualify for this means tested payment.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by this Department under review so as to ensure that the overall objectives of the carer income support schemes provided are met. However, any changes to the current supports provided as suggested would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1301. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing foster carer’s to be paid the State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41668/22]
View answerMatters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla. My Department does not hold records on foster carers so I cannot provide the estimated cost sought by the Deputy.
More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. The Deputy will be aware that the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of measures including PRSI Credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods (of up to 20 years) outside of paid employment in the calculation of a pension payment. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods, on the same basis as other carers. If the foster carer 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.
The Pensions Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021 and it set out a wide range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years). In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the far-reaching recommendations in the Commission’s Report are being considered very carefully. My officials are examining each of the recommendations, including those related to long-term carers and I am consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. The views of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare also form part of these deliberations. Once we have considered all of these matters in detail and have taken on board the views of my Ministerial colleagues, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1302. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of including a companion pass rather than a spousal pass for all those in receipt of a free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41669/22]
View answerThe 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 not possible for my Department to provide an estimate of the cost of the measure outlined by the Deputy. The additional cost to the scheme would depend on factors including the number of journeys made using the companion free travel pass, the prevailing fares, and the type of journeys undertaken, i.e., rail, bus or Luas.
The Free Travel Companion Pass scheme was introduced in 1990 for persons who qualify for the Free Travel scheme and who, on account of their disability, are unable to travel alone. It enables a person 16 years of age or over to accompany the pass holder free of charge. Therefore, the measure outlined by the Deputy would change the nature of the companion pass as it would no longer be issued only to those who on account of their disability, are unable to travel alone and would allow people who require no assistance when travelling to have anyone over 16 years of age to accompany them.
The implementation of this measure would also require that people who qualify for a single travel pass be issued with a companion type travel pass which would result in further additional costs to the free travel scheme.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1303. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance limits by €100 per child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41670/22]
View answerThe 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.
To qualify for the allowance a person must satisfy a number of conditions, including being within the relevant income limit. This year, the income limits for one parent families were increased to bring them in line with the income limits for two parent families, widening the eligibility for that cohort of customers.
The income limits are determined with reference to State Contributory Pension rates. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance income limit is calculated as the maximum personal rate for State Pension Contributory (€253.30) plus the Increase for Qualified Adult rate (€168.70) plus the Increase for Qualified Child rate (€48) plus €150.
It is not possible to accurately quantify the additional number of families that would make an application if the income limits were increased by €100 per child, the number of children in those families or the age of the children.
1304. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the materials grant to community employment schemes and Tús by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41671/22]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection operates a number of employment support schemes for long term unemployed persons which also assist communities across the country in the provision of vital services. Currently, there are some 24,000 participants engaged on the two schemes supporting long term unemployed persons back to work: Community Employment and Tús.
Tús is a community work placement initiative that provides short-term, work opportunities in community and voluntary sectors for those who are unemployed for more than a year. There is no materials grant funding provided towards this scheme.
Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. It supports projects that provide work experience for long term unemployed persons. The programme is delivered through CE sponsor organisations in the community and voluntary sector.
CE sponsor organisations receive annual contracts from my department, which funds the employment of both CE participants and CE supervisors. Funding is also provided towards training and material costs. The materials grant is a contribution towards the running costs of the scheme and covers consumable services and materials necessary for the effective operation of the CE project including such items as employers and public liability insurance, tools, stationery, audit fees, bank charges (excluding bank interest), protective clothing and the hiring of equipment.
Materials funding is provided to CE sponsor organisations in accordance with their requirements. The Department provided an additional materials allocation of €2 million in Budget 2019 and this additional annual provision continues to be allocated to those projects that identify a valid requirement for additional materials funding. The material grant provided to CE sponsor organisations in 2021 was €12.1 million, so a 10% increase in this funding would amount to an additional €1.21 million expenditure.
If a CE sponsor organisation is experiencing difficulty with rising energy and fuel costs, or any other expense and is seeking further funding under the materials grant, they should make an application through my Department's Community Development Officer assigned to their CE scheme.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1305. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing a fuel allowance payment to all households that may be disqualified because of another person living there and in receipt of a social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41672/22]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.
My Department does not retain household composition data on all households that may be disqualified because of another person living there and in receipt of a social welfare payment and is, therefore, unable to provide a costing for this measure.
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 a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the fuel allowance payment is targeted at 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. Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance in the manner outlined by the Deputy would change the targeted nature of the payment and would have to be considered in the context of overall scheme policy and budgetary considerations.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1306. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing positive PCR results to be sufficient to access enhanced illness benefit, as her Department no longer accepts PCR test results for the enhanced illness benefit payment, and a GP must issue a medical certificate which results in unnecessary expense; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41694/22]
View answerClaims for Illness Benefit must be accompanied by a Certificate of Incapacity for Work from the claimant's GP. This specifies the nature of the illness and the duration of the incapacity for work.
In respect of Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB), when there was a high rate of Covid 19 infections in the community and a strain on the health service, my Department on a temporary basis during this period of exceptional demand, expanded the range of documentation customers could use to apply for EIB. This included confirmation from the HSE of a positive diagnosis for Covid 19 either through a PCR test or having registered a positive antigen test. In addition, in respect of people who were identified as a close contact, by a positive COVID-19 contact, a person could submit a copy of the acknowledgement text for a PCR booking or the HSE acknowledgement of antigen test kit request.
The use of this additional documentation as an acceptable form of medical evidence to support claims for Enhanced Illness Benefit was introduced as an exceptional measure. The objective was to assist people who had tested positive with Covid-19, or who had been identified as a potential source of infection with Covid-19, to promptly comply with medical advice in line with pubic health objectives.
With effect from 28 February 2022, following the further changes to the public health advice, the Department reviewed their impact on the processing of EIB and, in consultation with the HSE, introduced changes to the documentation required to support an application, namely:
- for individuals who had a positive COVID diagnosis they could continue to upload evidence of the positive PCR test or the SMS acknowledgment received by persons who logged a positive antigen test on the HSE portal, with their Enhanced Illness Benefit on-line application and
- for those who were symptomatic and had to self isolate, they were required to provide an eCert from their GP for the period of their self isolation.
With effect from 30 April 2022, in light of the current public health guidance, the Department discontinued all the temporary exceptional arrangements and re-introduced the requirement for medical certification (a Certificate of Incapacity for Work) to be submitted in respect of all illness benefit applications, standard or EIB.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
1307. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is giving consideration to the proposals from Ukraine Civil Society Emergency Response (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41700/22]
View answerIreland is resolute in our solidarity and support for Ukraine and we are honouring our commitment to help people who have been displaced by this horrendous war.
We are working with our European and international partners to help the Ukrainian people.
Government, civil and public servants, as well as volunteers across the country, are working hard to manage this humanitarian crisis by providing the necessary supports for those who are seeking shelter and other services.
In accordance with the Temporary Protection Directive implemented in March of this year, people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of the supports and services, including income supports and employment services, provided by my Department. This means that they can work in Ireland and access social services and the full range of social welfare supports.
The priority for my Department is to make payments as quickly as possible and to put arrangements in place to pay the most appropriate social welfare to people arriving from Ukraine. A fast-track approach in processing these supports is in place which includes a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPSNs to allow access to public services.
A reception facility is operating at City West Convention Centre where officials from the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are available to meet arrivals from Ukraine. This centre is open 7 days a week. People who arrive through Dublin Airport are being transferred to City West.
Anyone who does not arrive through Dublin Airport can call in to my Department’s dedicated City Centre Ukraine Support Centres in Dublin, Cork and Limerick or into local Intreo Centres or Branch Offices where staff will help them to apply for a PPSN and income supports.
As of 21 July, 45,688 Public Personal Service Numbers or PPSNs have been allocated by my Department to people who have arrived in Ireland having fled the war in Ukraine.
Almost 22,423 income support claims have been awarded across various social welfare schemes supporting 38,823 people and 9,358 Child Benefit claims have been processed in respect of some 13,800 children.
People may also apply for additional financial supports under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which is available through the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo office. Supports available include Additional Needs Payments and Rent Supplement, if appropriate.
Rent Supplement, which is a means-tested payment, is immediately available to qualifying people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources. A number of the qualifying conditions have been relaxed for people covered by the Temporary Protection Directive.
A Recognition Payment of €400 a month per shared or vacant property will be made to people who provide accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. My Department is administering the payment on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The scheme is open to new applications from today following the commencement of the underlying legislation which was contained in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022.
A dedicated section, available in Ukrainian and Russian, on www.jobsireland.ie has been developed to provide information on employment opportunities for newly arrived Ukrainians.
Intreo staff from my department also attend information events organised by Education and Training Boards, Local Development Companies and Chambers of Commerce at which they provide information on the full range of income and employment support services.
Since mid-April, the Department of Social Protection has organised employment support engagement events for people fleeing the war to gather information on their education and skills and to provide information on vacancies and jobs. These ongoing events are taking place in locations throughout the country in accommodation centres and in Intreo Offices.
To date, Intreo Employment Services staff have engaged with over 12,000 Ukrainians at these events.
My Department is also working closely with education and training boards to facilitate access to relevant training supports, including English language training.
I can assure the Deputy that the provision of income and other supports is a priority for my Department. We will continue to support the whole of Government response to this crisis.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
1308. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is on the benefit payment for 65-year-olds can leave the State for over two weeks without their payment being affected; and her views on the case of a person (details supplied) has been told that they need to reapply for same when they return. [41739/22]
View answerBenefit Payment for 65 Year Olds (BP65) is a payment for people aged between 65 and 66 years who have ceased employment or self-employment.
I have asked my officials to review the specific case raised by the Deputy and, more generally, the position of other claimants of the BP65 payment in this regard, and the Department will be in touch directly with the person concerned at an early date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy at this time.
1309. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if eligibility for a State pension (contributory) of a person (details supplied) will be reassessed following the payments for 2019 and 2020 being paid in full; when a decision is likely to be reached given that all requirements have been met by the applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41845/22]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 02 April 2022.
The person concerned had outstanding self-employment liabilities for the years 2019 and 2020 and was advised on 08 March 2022 that they were deemed not to satisfy this qualifying condition for a State pension (Contributory). The claim was reviewed on 30 March 2022 and 02 June 2022; the liabilities remained outstanding.
Section 110 (1) of The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, provides that a Self-Employed contributor shall not be regarded as satisfying the qualifying conditions unless all outstanding self-employment contributions are paid. It further provides that the pension will only be paid from the date all outstanding contributions have been paid in full.
As of 25/07/2022 outstanding liabilities have been paid in full for 2019, however liabilities for 2020 remain outstanding. The person concerned should contact this Department directly, when their outstanding liabilities have been paid in full and their entitlement to a state pension (contributory) will be reviewed.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
1310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applicants for a State pension (contributory) who have been disallowed on the grounds of insufficient contributions; the provisions that have been made to ensure that such applicants can have a reduced pension in line with their level of contribution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41846/22]
View answerIt is not possible to provide the information requested within the timeframe available. The data requested are being compiled by my officials and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as they are available.
A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). The actuarial value of the State Pension is circa €380,000. The estimate does not include the value of the Over 80s Allowance, Household Benefits Package, Living Alone Allowance, Free Travel, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension (assuming qualifying criteria are met by either recipient or spouse) and means-tested payments such as an Increase for a Qualified Adult or Fuel Allowance. It is, therefore, considered reasonable to require people claiming the State Pension (Contributory) to have made at least 10 years of reckonable PRSI paid contributions over the term of their working life.
Where a person enters the social insurance system over the age of 56, they will not be able to make sufficient social insurance contributions to be awarded a State Pension (Contributory) on reaching 66 years of age because it has a minimum contribution requirement of 520 contributions (i.e., 10 years). In such cases, a social insurance refund may be applicable.
It should be noted that, if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, an Increase for a Qualified Adult is paid, generally, where a pensioner has an adult dependent (e.g. a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who is financially dependent upon him/her), who does not have enough contributions to claim a maximum rate State Pension (Contributory) in his/her own right. The payment rate for the Increase for a Qualified Adult is up to 90% of a full contributory pension. The most advantageous payment for a pensioner will depend upon their individual circumstances.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
