Catherine Connolly
Question:351. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending paternity leave by two weeks. [23758/23]
View answerPaternity Leave
Questions (351)
Written answers
Paternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on Paternity Leave from work who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. It is paid for two weeks at €262 per week, the same rate as Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit. Paternity benefit was paid to 27,375 recipients in 2022 at a cost of approximately €13.68 million. A budget of €14.71 million is provided for Paternity Benefit in 2023.
Any decision to extend the period of Paternity Leave for employees is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who has policy and legal responsibility for Paternity Leave. An extension of this leave would require careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The cost of extending Paternity Benefit by 2 weeks which would double the existing duration to 4 weeks is approximately €14.34 million which would result in an annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €28.68 million.
These estimates are based on a full year basis and on the number of recipients in 2022. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.
These estimates do not reflect any additional costs which may be incurred by employers who provide substitution or salary top-ups which, in the Civil and Public Sector, would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Parental Leave
Questions (352)
Catherine Connolly
Question:352. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending parental leave by two weeks. [23759/23]
View answerWritten answers
Parental Leave is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth. That scheme provides parents with unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children. Parents can take up to 26 weeks’ Parental Leave for each eligible child before their 12th birthday.
Parent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for seven weeks to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Parent’s Benefit is paid at €262 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefits.
Parent’s Benefit was paid to 74,017 recipients in 2022 at a cost of approximately €65.6 million. A budget of €89.78 million is provided for Parent’s Benefit in 2023. Any decision to extend the period of Parent's Leave is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability, and Youth, who has policy and legal responsibility for Parent's Leave.
The cost of extending Parent's Benefit by two weeks is approximately €25.6 million which would result in an annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €115 million. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.
These estimates do not reflect any additional costs which may be incurred by employers who provide substitution or salary top-ups which, in the Civil and Public Sector, would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
In line with the EU Work Life Balance Directive, Parent’s Leave and Benefit will increase by two weeks to nine weeks by August 2024.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (353)
Denis Naughten
Question:353. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 15 December 2023, if she will provide updated figures for the duration of illness benefit claims for those who transferred from EIB; if she will also provide the figure for claims lasting for 24, 36 weeks and 48+ weeks; if she will provide corresponding figures for disability allowance claimants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23930/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am informed by officials in my Department that this analysis will take more time to compile. My officials will therefore send the requested information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (354)
Bernard Durkan
Question:354. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the up-to-date position in respect of an application for working family payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23687/23]
View answerWritten answers
Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.
The person concerned ceased employment in October 2022 and returned to work in April 2023. Correspondence issued to the person concerned on 2nd May 2023 requesting confirmation that the minimum working hours of 38 hours per fortnight were met. The person concerned provided a recent payslip which stated that the person concerned was working less than 38 hours per fortnight.
A deciding officer contacted the customer on 15th May 2023 to advise the customer of the qualifying conditions. If documentary evidence can be provided, confirming that the minimum working hours are being met by the person concerned, a deciding officer will review the claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (355)
Brian Stanley
Question:355. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the Government’s intentions regarding the pension road map in 2018 to bring the State pension to the level of 34% of average income. [23749/23]
View answerWritten answers
As part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, Government committed to finalising an approach for the benchmarking and indexation of pension payments.
A smoothed earnings method to calculating a benchmarked/indexed rate of State Pension payments was also recommended by the Commission on Pensions.
Last September, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system. The measures are in response to the recommendations from the Commission on Pensions and represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system.
As part of this, a smoothed earnings method to calculating a benchmarked/indexed rate of State Pension payments will be introduced as an input to the annual budget process and will be submitted to Government in September each year, commencing this year.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (356)
Catherine Connolly
Question:356. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of making the fuel allowance available for 32 weeks per annum, 40 weeks per annum and 52 weeks per annum. [23760/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing the length of the Fuel Allowance season from the current 28 weeks to 32, 40 and 52 weeks per annum respectively is set out in the below table. Note all costings are based on the current weekly rate of €33 per week.
|
Weeks |
Cost €m |
|
28 to 32 |
58.9 |
|
28 to 40 |
173.5 |
|
28 to 52 |
353.1 |
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (357)
Catherine Connolly
Question:357. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of reinstating the bereavement grant at a rate of €850. [23761/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million. It is estimated that the cost of reintroducing the grant would be close to €31 million per annum and would increase annually. Any decision to reinstate the grant would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
It is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant.
These include weekly-paid Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner grant of €8,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State Pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death, extending to 12 weeks in respect of Carer’s Allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses in addition to the range of supports already set out.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (358)
Catherine Connolly
Question:358. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other weekly schemes and other schemes payments, in tabular form (details supplied). [23765/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full-year cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other schemes is set out in the table below.
The costs are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults where relevant.