Written Answers Nos. 142-161
142. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education if there are restrictions and regulations on private for-profit companies operating in schools; if so, if he will provide these restrictions and regulations and any decision-making process attached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5112/23]
View answerWith respect to the enquiry concerning restrictions and regulations on private for-profit companies operating in schools there is guidance concerning the usage of school buildings for non-educational use. These Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours were published in October 2017 and are available on the Department's website.
By way of background, the use of school facilities lies with the relevant school authority in consultation with the property owner and having regard to the needs of the school, staff and students.
My Department's policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education-related activities, including early learning and after school activities. The publication of the Guidelines followed a Programme for Government commitment, for the utilisation of primary school buildings for after-school care provision for school age children to offer more options and flexibility to parents, where there is demand for such a service, in partnership with community groups or private providers.
My Department is now undertaking a review of these Guidelines. As part of this review process my Department will consult with relevant stakeholders, including representatives of schools and other Government Departments which engage with the community and voluntary sectors. As part of this review my Department intends to conduct a survey of a sample of schools to measure the usage of school facilities out side of school hours by local community and recreational groups. Work on this survey will commence over the coming weeks.
The type of information that will be sought in the survey will include the current use of schools outside of school hours, the types of activities being catered for, whether formal arrangements are in place and if there are charges associated with the use of the facilities.
The information provided from these engagements will further inform any additional measures that can be introduced either by my Department or in conjunction with other Departments to assist schools in making their facilities available outside of school hours.
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the efforts underway to ensure that all children attending special schools receive the provision they require to assist in the running of a summer programme each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5130/23]
View answerThe 2022 Summer Programme built on the expanded programmes of the previous two years. Since 2021, all primary and post-primary schools were given the opportunity to run at least one scheme under the programme.
The Department has listened carefully to feedback from stakeholders and is working to make the scheme as inclusive as possible and available to as many eligible students as possible, whilst retaining a focus on children and young people with the most complex needs. The programme that has been provided in recent years was developed following extensive engagement with education stakeholders, parents, and disability advocacy groups. For instance, in 2022, to support more schools to participate, greater flexibility was given to schools, additional supports were provided to alleviate administration burdens, and staff who took part were paid earlier than ever before. The programme has gone from strength to strength, with over 42,000 pupils benefitting from a programme either in the school-based or home-based strands. I am however conscious that parents want this programme to be available in more schools in 2023.
An additional €20 million funding has been approved under Budget ‘23 to continue the expanded summer programme for next year, bringing the total to €40 million for 2023. This earlier announcement of funding has been secured will allow schools several extra months to plan for the programme this year.
My Department has conducted a review of the Summer Programme to ensure that we can build on the success of recent years. As part of this review my Department took a proactive approach and developed this years programme based on this review, other forms of feedback including engagement with the parents, advocacy groups, schools and management bodies with a view to encouraging more schools to participate in 2023. Department officials met with the principals of special schools in meetings around the country. They also met with officials from Malta on two occasions to utilise some of the learnings from their system in terms of the planning and organisation. There will be particular focus on Special Schools in 2023, with additional supports being made available to them to run a programme.
The actions and terms for the 2023 programme are being implemented following this comprehensive review and engagement with education partners and stakeholders since last summer.
The main priority in 2023 is that those children with the most complex needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme, additional mechanism to support this including:-
- additional funding and resources to ease the burden of administration associated with the programme
- access to additional workforce availability
- new leadership role in schools, from a much earlier stage in the school year, to support planning and preparation
The details of the Summer Programme are due to be announced next week. Information and guidance will be circulated to schools, and published on www.gov.ie/summerprogramme.
144. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if a commitment will be given that a school (details supplied) will be relocated to the old horology site in Blanchardstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5182/23]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy was established in 2019 to meet emerging requirements for special school places in the area. The school is co-located on its permanent site with another school in the area.
My Department will be continuing its engagement with the patron regarding the school's long term accommodation needs. Both schools are under the patronage of Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB.
145. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if she will review the capitation funding for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5184/23]
View answerMy Department provides funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
The standard capitation grant rate for primary schools is €183 per pupil and the standard ancillary grant rate is €173 per pupil. Enhanced capitation rates are payable in respect of pupils attending special schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy and for special classes attached to mainstream schools to assist with the extra costs associated with the running costs of classrooms with a small number of pupils operating specialist provision. These rates range from €469 to €903 per pupil depending on the particular level of need involved and are outlined in Circular 0038/2020 on my Departments website at www.gov.ie/en/circular/b99b9-revision-of-capitation-grant-rates-for-recognised-primary-schools-in-2020/ .
The ancillary grant is paid to Special Schools based on the number of authorised fulltime teaching staff approved by the Department. The rates are outlined in Circular 0017/2021 also on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/circular/17595-revision-of-grant-rates-in-2021-for-boards-of-management-of-recognised-primary-schools-or-by-etbs-in-community-national-schools-using-ancillary-services-grant-funding/ .
In addition to the grants mentioned above, Special schools are also eligible to receive Programme grants payable to post primary schools, if they have post-primary age students enrolled in the school and taking part in programmes such as Leaving Certificate Applied and Transition Year for example,
I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide for increases in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools in recent years. All schools have received the benefit of the capitation increases awarded to date. It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.
146. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if she will provide funding to a school (details supplied) to allow for the creation of a walking deputy principal role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5185/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.
Since 2012, special schools are staffed on the basis of individual pupil profiles and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on school designation, in accordance with my Department's Circular 0032/2019 - Appointment of Administrative Deputy Principal and Staffing in Special Schools.
In terms of additional teaching support, special schools receive significant funding and have been resourced to reflect their particular needs. My Department does however recognise that there are additional challenges which arise for special schools including the importance attached to establishing and fostering positive links between the home, school and other agencies.
My Department is actively engaging with NABMSE (National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education) - the representative body for boards of management in special schools, to address some of these additional challenges. During November and December of last year, NABMSE facilitated a series of meetings nationwide between my Department and special schools. This engagement involves considering how additional school management posts, such as a Deputy Administrative Principal, are allocated to special schools to help alleviate the administrative burden on school leaders.
Consideration is also being given to addressing the significant additional funding challenges that arise for special schools.
My Department is committed to continuing this engagement to address these issues facing special schools.
147. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if DEIS status will be given to a school (details supplied); if funding for food for pupils will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5186/23]
View answerMy Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing these universal supports, the DEIS programme addresses concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school's enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Special schools receive significant funding and have been resourced to reflect their particular needs. For 2023, the special education budget has been substantially increased by over 10%, meaning that my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education. This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department of Education’s total allocation.
As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and special school places are at unprecedented levels. For the first time ever, we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special Needs Assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
Staffing ratios in special schools are significantly lower than in mainstream schools and are intended to ensure that the needs of students can be met effectively. These lower ratios generally facilitate greater connection between the schools and families. My Department will continue to engage with special schools, including through representative bodies such as NABMSE, to identify further improvements needed to support their role.
I recognise that there are children at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. It important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. The next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
The School Meals Programme, which is under the remit of the Department of Social Protection, provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The Department of Social Protection currently offer priority for funding under the school meals programme to DEIS schools.
148. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given by her Department for the entitlement to free travel in circumstances in which there is a rapid onset of a fatal medical diagnosis but in which the person does not have the required social welfare payment eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4828/23]
View answerThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. 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 1,054,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 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. Social welfare schemes are also subject to a means test or social insurance contribution conditions.
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 the impact of the diagnosis, as well as a means test or social insurance condition, are also required before entitlement to the 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.
Any such change would also require potentially very significant additional funding for the Free Travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary resources.
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 and include help towards recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
A travel supplement may also be paid where a person has a recurring travel expense (for example, where a person has ongoing travel costs for hospital visits).
Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
149. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will elaborate on section 119 (b) of the Social Welfare Act 2005, as it relates to applications for the invalidity pension and specifically the requirement for class A PRSI contributions in the relevant years; the person or body that is routinely liable for paying class A PRSI contributions; the reason that all other categories of PRSI contributions in the relevant period are deemed ineligible for consideration for the invalidity pension; her views on whether these conditions are fair and equitable with regard to the invalidity pension in circumstances in which there is a rapid onset of a fatal medical diagnoses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4837/23]
View answerInvalidity Pension is a social insurance payment provided by my Department to those who cannot work due to an illness or disability and who are covered by social insurance. There is a contributory and a medical condition to determine eligibility for Invalidity Pension.
Regarding the contributory eligibility, employed contributors are insured to different degrees depending on their class of insurance. Contributors insured at Classes A, E, H and S are insured for Invalidity Pension. Most people in industrial, commercial and service-type employment who are employed under a contract of service, with reckonable pay of €38 or more per week from all employments; and civil and public servants recruited from 6 April 1995 pay Class A social insurance. These workers pay a contribution of 4% on their weekly earnings and their employers pay a contribution of 8.8% where employees’ weekly earnings are €441 or less and 11.05% where their employees’ weekly earnings exceed €441. Such contributors have access to the full range of social insurance benefits.
As per Section 119 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act of 2005, in order to qualify for Invalidity Pension, the person must have at least 260 weeks (5 years) of paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance, and 48 weeks of paid or credited PRSI contributions in the last or second-last complete contribution year before the start of the incapacitating illness or disability. The purpose of the minimum number of contributions required is to ensure a substantial history of attachment to the labour force. The purpose of the required number in recent years is to ensure a recent attachment to the labour force.
Regarding medical eligibility, it is important to note that eligibility for illness and disability payments is generally not dependent on the type of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. In order to qualify the person:
- must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months, or
- must be permanently incapable of work.
Those who do not qualify for Invalidity Pension may be eligible to apply for Disability Allowance. This is a means-tested income support provided by my Department to those who cannot work due to a disability. Applicants must meet the age, residency and means test criteria along with satisfying the medical requirement for the scheme.
With regard to additional supports, this Department also provides Additional Needs Payments under our Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a 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 on a social welfare payment or in employment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
150. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4841/23]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) 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 assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions
I confirm that my department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 10 August 2022.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 29 September 2022, and they were given the right to a review or an appeal.
Further medical evidence was received on 12 October 2022 and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 26 January 2023.
It is open to the person in question to reapply for DA or request an appeal of the decision 26 January 2023 to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
151. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance section 317 review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4842/23]
View answerThe 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 July 2022. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 16 August 2022 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 19 August 2022. Having fully considered all the evidence, the Appeals Officer disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision on 18 October 2022.
Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. I am advised that the person concerned subsequently submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer agreed to review the appeal decision on foot of this additional evidence under Section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005.
The Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to allow the appeal. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 25 January 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
152. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; if she will provide details in relation to this spending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4859/23]
View answerFor the purpose of this response, I have interpreted ‘online advertising’ as being both social media and digital advertising. My Department is committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services that are available to them. Public information campaigns, including social media and other digital platforms, are an important part of this work and allows the Department to interact with specific demographics and age groups, for whom this sphere of communication is central to their media and information consumption.
The purchase of digital and online space is managed through a media-buying company contracted by the Department. Value for money is always a critical consideration.
There was no spend on online advertising in 2013 or 2015. Online advertising costs for the years 2014 and 2016-2023 are detailed below:
|
Year |
Social and Digital Advertising Spend |
|
2013 |
€0 |
|
2014 |
€2,399 |
|
2015 |
€0 |
|
2016 |
€29,520 |
|
2017 |
€131,791 |
|
2018 |
€25,741 |
|
2019 |
€184,919 |
|
2020 |
€396,785 |
|
2021 |
€417,378 |
|
2022 |
€226,810 |
|
2023 |
* €10,516 |
* Invoiced amount as of 30/01/2023
153. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to any instances where the public relations unit and or press office of her Department undertook to create social media accounts under false names, which were operated in order to further the messaging or communications of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4877/23]
View answerMy Department has not created any social media accounts under false names to further messaging or communications.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
154. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that a carer's allowance review for a person (details supplied) submitted to her Department in November 2022 was sent to the social welfare appeals office; the reason that supporting documentation supplied was requested again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4885/23]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that the carer must be providing full time care and attention, and the time spent providing care each week must not be less than 35 hours per week over 5 to 7 days.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.
On 9th December 2022, the Social Welfare Appeals Office requested a submission from the Department in relation to an appeal received from the person concerned.
In order to prepare this submission, a request for further information was issued to the person concerned on 17th January 2023 to clarify conflicting evidence regarding the number of hours being worked and the salary being received. I can advise the Deputy that this was clarified following the receipt of new information regarding working hours and following a new means assessment.
The Department's submission was sent to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 19th January 2023. When a decision on the appeal has been made, the client will be notified directly by the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
155. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing widows and widowers to claim jobseeker’s benefit for periods of unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4896/23]
View answerThere are a number of basic principles which underpin the Irish social insurance system, including the general principle of 'one person, one payment.' Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally, as these payments are to help them meet their income needs, he or she can receive only one of those payments.
The concurrent payment of half-rate Jobseeker's Benefit in addition to Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension was discontinued as part of Budget 2012.
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension is a weekly payment to the husband, wife or civil partner of a deceased person. The maximum personal rate is €225.50 per week in respect of a person under age 66 years, having recently been increased following Budget 2023. In comparison, the maximum personal weekly rate for Jobseeker's Benefit is €220.00.
The combined rates of payment if a person were to be paid both a full rate Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension and Jobseeker's Benefit, neither of which are subject to a means test, would be significantly higher than those paid to other people by my Department.
There are no plans to change the underlying principle of entitlement to allow people to claim multiple payments concurrently.
The Deputy will be aware that I have introduced a number of once-off income support measures to assist people with the increased cost of living.
I trust this clarifies the position.
156. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange to process a fuel allowance application (details supplied). [4966/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. One of the conditions for receipt of fuel allowance is that a person must satisfy a means test.
From January 2023, the new means threshold for people aged 70 and over, is €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
Following a means assessment, it was determined that the means were €1,351.49 which exceeded the permissible weekly means of €1,000.00. The application was disallowed, and the person concerned was notified in writing on 27 January 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
157. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange to process a fuel allowance application (details supplied). [4967/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April.
The Fuel Allowance for the person concerned was awarded from 06 January 2023. They were notified in writing on 26 January 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for a PPS number in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4979/23]
View answerThe person concerned applied for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number on 16/01/2023. This application was referred back to the person on his MyWelfare account on 27/01/2023, with a request for further proof of his employment and address. To date, a response to the request has not been received.
To prove his employment, the person should provide:
- A Contract of Employment signed by both parties.
or
- A letter from his employer, on headed paper, stating his date of commencing employment and employer number. This letter must be signed by a Manager and provide the contact details for the Manager.
To prove his address, the person should provide one of the following documents:
- A property lease or tenancy agreement signed by both parties.
- A household utility bill or bank statement in his name, dated within the last three months.
- If he is living with someone else, he may provide a utility bill in their name, along with a signed declaration from them confirming his residency.
- If he is residing in an hotel, he should provide a signed letter from the Manager confirming his dates of stay.
On receipt of the requested documents the person’s application for a PPS number will be further assessed.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
159. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied). [5121/23]
View answerThe 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal for carer's allowance by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 November 2022. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were returned to the Appeals Office on 21 December 2022 and referred on 5 January 2023 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
The fuel allowance scheme is operated by the Department of Social Protection. The scheme is administrative in nature and and does not have a right of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer. Any questions regarding fuel allowance should be addressed to the relevant area in the Department of Social Protection.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
160. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect an application for the one-parent family payment to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5144/23]
View answerOne-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a payment for persons under 66 who are bringing children up without the support of a partner. To qualify for this payment, an applicant must satisfy a means assessment and meet certain conditions including that the applicant must not be living with a spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting.
An application for OFP was received from the person concerned on 22nd December 2022 and is currently undergoing an assessment of means as the person concerned has indicated on their application that they are in receipt of self-employment income from farming. When this is complete a decision will be made on this application.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of a weekly SWA payment pending the completion of this process.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
161. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have died while residing in direct provision centres in the State in each year since direct provision was introduced; and if he can provide details on the cause of death and age at death in each case, in tabular form. [5221/23]
View answer172. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who died while residing in direct provision centres in each year since direct provision was introduced; and the cause of death and age at death in tabular form. [5228/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 172 together.
IPAS has a policy on the recording and reporting of deaths of residents in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres, and as part of that policy, IPAS publishes resident death statistics on a biannual basis with the most recent publication in June 2022.This information is available on the IPAS website and can be found at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/publication/8224f-statistics-on-deaths-of-international-protection-accommodation-service-residents/
