Written Answers Nos. 359-366
359. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the systems that are in place to ensure that persons living outside this jurisdiction are not in receipt of payments that require a person to be resident in this State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23766/23]
View answerMy Department is committed to ensuring that only those people who are eligible receive welfare and other payments. Our overriding objective is to ensure that we pay the right people, the right amount, through the right scheme/programme, at the right time. All schemes operated by my Department are subject to ongoing control reviews and continuing eligibility checks which include the verification of a person's identity and address. My Department carried out 558,000 control reviews over the course of 2022.
All Social Welfare schemes are subject to periodic reviews to ensure there is continued entitlement. These reviews include seeking ongoing confirmation of continued eligibility, either through issuing forms for this purpose via post or asking persons to attend an office of the Department in person. Follow up action is taken where a person fails to respond or attend as requested. Social Welfare Inspectors, including my Department’s Special Investigation Unit, also carry out residency checks by calling to a person’s stated address. In some cases, payments are made via the Post Office network rather than by way of bank transfer.
My Department is also committed to carrying out Control Surveys on various Schemes throughout the year. In each survey, a random sample of cases in payment in a particular week is selected. These cases are then referred to social welfare inspectors for full investigation. These surveys assist in identifying weaknesses and directing the focus of control activities.
It is also important to note that Social Welfare legislation obliges every claimant or beneficiary to notify the Department of any change in circumstances which may affect their entitlement to that benefit/assistance, this includes change of address. The Department informs claimants of this requirement when a payment is awarded.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
360. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing children's allowance by 10%, and extending the payment until children are finished in full-time education or turn 18 years, whichever is the later; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23787/23]
View answer388. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending child benefit to 18-year-olds still in secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23964/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 388 together.
The estimated full-year cost of extending child benefit to 18-year-olds still in secondary school at the current rate of payment is €65m.
The estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by 10% and extending the payment to children aged 18 or 19 in secondary school is in the region of €293m.
These costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
361. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the respite carer's support grant to €2,500; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23788/23]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer’s Support Grant to €2,500 is €94.2 million.
The cost shown above is on a full year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. This costing is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.
362. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the domiciliary care allowance to €350; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23789/23]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing Domiciliary Care Allowance from €330 to €350 per month is €13.8 million.
The cost shown above is on a full year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
363. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all post-primary school pupils in public schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23790/23]
View answer364. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all primary school pupils in public schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23791/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together.
The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2023 provided €94.4 million for the programme. The Government recently approved an additional €14.5m to allow access to the Hot School Meals scheme for all remaining DEIS schools from September 2023.
Funding under the school meals programme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided.
According to information contained on the Department of Education’s website there are 3,231 primary schools and 727 secondary schools with a combined enrolment of 964,590 students (558,133 in primary schools and 406,457 in secondary schools). If a breakfast/snack at 75c per child, per day, and a hot school meal at €3.20 per child, per day was provided to all primary students it would cost approximately €397m for a full school year. If a breakfast/snack at 75c per child, per day, and lunch at €1.70 per child, per day, was provided to all post primary pupils it would cost approximately €164m for a full school year.
I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, I intend to roll out the Hot School Meals to all remaining DEIS primary and Special schools from September 2023, benefiting more than 60,000 children. I will also bring forward proposals in the coming weeks on commencing the roll out of the Hot School Meals to non-DEIS primary schools from 2024.
Any additional measures to expand the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
365. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending eligibility for the fuel allowance to all pensioners, to all in receipt of the working family payment and/or a medical card; the estimated cost of abolishing the waiting period of a year for those on JSA, and by increasing the rate by €20 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23792/23]
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, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023 and received by approximately 404,256 households at the end of the Fuel Season. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
My Department does not hold data on persons in receipt of a medical card and is therefore unable to provide a costing for the extension of fuel allowance to this cohort.
There are approximately 674,685 pensioners in receipt of qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance. Of these, 191,771 are already in receipt of fuel allowance. This would give an additional 482,914 Fuel Allowance claims if the fuel payment was awarded to all pensioners in receipt of a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. My Department does not hold data on household composition of all pensioner households and, therefore, Fuel Allowance may already be payable to another member of the household. Taking this into consideration, the estimated cost of extending eligibility for the fuel allowance to all pensioners in receipt of a qualifying payment is as follows: -
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
482,914 |
€446.2m |
|
€53 |
28 |
482,914 |
€716.6m |
Based on 41,761 additional recipients of the working family payment (WFP) qualifying for the fuel allowance, the estimate cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to all those in receipt of WFP is as follows: -
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
41,761 |
€38.6m |
|
€53 |
28 |
41,761 |
€62m |
Because of the household and seasonal nature of the fuel allowance payment, it is difficult to provide an accurate estimate of the full-year cost of abolishing the 12-month waiting period for eligibility for the scheme for those in receipt of jobseekers allowance. Fuel Allowance is paid to people on long term payments as they are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that the Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources to help this cohort of claimants.
However, based on an assumption of 20,938 additional recipients of jobseeker’s allowance qualifying for the fuel allowance if the waiting period of 12 months was abolished, the estimate cost of the measure is as follows: -
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
20,938 |
€19.3m |
|
€53 |
28 |
20,938 |
€31.1m |
If the rate of Fuel Allowance payable was increased by €20 a week, the estimated yearly cost of the measure for those currently in receipt of the Fuel Allowance on the one hand, and, on the other hand, including the increased numbers who would qualify if Fuel Allowance was extended to all pensioners in receipt of a qualifying payment for fuel allowance, WFP and jobseekers allowance claimants without a waiting period, is as follows: -
|
Increase in Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€20 |
28 |
404,256 |
€226.4m |
|
€20 |
28 |
545,613 |
€305.5m |
|
Total |
|
949,869 |
€531.9m |
The estimated combined additional yearly cost of the measures set out by the Deputy would likely be in excess of €1 billion .
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance or to increase the weekly rate payable would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
This year, funds raised through the carbon tax will again support targeted social welfare and other initiatives to alleviate fuel poverty and ensure a just transition. In this regard, in the forthcoming budget, the Government will consider how it can support people on low incomes and those on social welfare payments who are at risk of fuel poverty.
Finally, my Department 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.
366. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending eligibility for the household benefits package to all pensioners and to all in receipt of the working family payment and/or a medical card, and by increasing the rate to €60; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23793/23]
View answerThe Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €285 million this year on HHB for over 511,000 customers.
People over the age of 70 receive the HHB package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
My Department does not hold data on persons in receipt of a medical card and is therefore unable to provide a costing for the extension of these measures to this cohort.
There are approximately 674,685 pensioners in receipt of qualifying payments for HHB. Of these, 383,250 are already in receipt of HHB package. This would give an additional 291,435 HHB claims if HHB was awarded to all pensioners in receipt of a qualifying payment for HHB. My Department does not hold data on household composition of pensioner households and, therefore, HHB may already be payable to another member of the household. Taking this into consideration, the estimated cost of extending eligibility for the HHB to all pensioners in receipt of a qualifying payment is as follows: -
|
Yearly cost per claim |
Number of Recipients |
Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€580 (€35 a month electricity/gas rate + €160 TV licence) |
291,435 |
€169m |
|
€880 (€60 a month electricity/gas rate + €160 TV licence) |
291,435 |
€256.5m |
Based on 48,661 recipients of the working family payment (WFP) and a yearly cost of €580 per HHB claim, extending the HHB to all those in receipt of WFP would cost an estimated €28.2 million. If also increasing the monthly rate to €60, the cost would be an estimated €42.8m for WFP recipients.
|
Yearly cost per claim |
Number of Recipients |
Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€580 (€35 a month electricity/gas rate + €160 TV licence) |
48,661 |
€28.2m |
|
€880 (€60 a month electricity/gas rate + €160 TV licence) |
48,661 |
€42.8m |
If the increases to the electricity/gas element outlined in the question were introduced in 2024, the estimated additional yearly cost for those estimated to be in receipt of HHB in 2024 based on current qualifying criteria (533,000) along with the additional claims if the measure in relation to pensioners and WFP was implemented would be as follows: -
|
Proposed Monthly Rate Increase |
New Monthly Rate |
Number of Recipients |
Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€25 |
€60 |
533,000 projected number based on current eligibility |
€159.9m |
|
€25 |
€60 |
340,096 new |
€102m |
|
Total |
|
873,096 |
€261.9m |
The estimated combined additional yearly cost of the measures outlined by the Deputy would be in the region of €459.2 million .
Any decision to change the qualifying criteria for the HHB package payment or to increase the electricity/gas element of the package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.
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.
