Written Answers Nos. 822-837
822. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will look at creating a childhood and adolescent and young-adult cancer-care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27910/23]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The key role of my department is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability or caring responsibilities. The income supports are for people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, and who have no other means or resources to rely upon.
The main income supports for carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2023 is expected to amount to almost €1.6 billion on these payments.
The payments are made directly to the carer and eligibility is not contingent on a particular disability or illness, the severity of disability or the age of the person being cared for.
Carer’s Allowance is primarily aimed at carers aged 18 or older on low incomes who look after people in need of full-time care and attention. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and being provided, and that the applied means test is satisfied. The application of the means test ensures that the limited resources available can be targeted at those with the greatest income need. The person being cared for (referred to in the legislation as the Relevant Person) must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and be likely to require this full-time care and attention for at least 12 months.
Non means tested payments are also available to carers, including Carer's Benefit, the Carer's Support Grant and Domiciliary Care Allowance.
The Carer's Benefit payment is an entitlement based on social insurance contributions. It is a weekly payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care. It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years.
The annual Carer’s Support Grant is available to all family carers providing full-time care and assistance, regardless of means. As part of Budget 2021, I increased the Carer’s Support Grant by €150 to its current rate of €1,850. This is the highest rate since its introduction. On 1 June some 141,000 Carer's Support Grants were paid to approximately 126,000 family carers. Estimated expenditure on this Grant in 2023 is over €268.5 million.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is designed as a support for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, who requires ongoing care and attention, substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The payment is not based on the type of disability but is based on the impact of the disability and it is not means tested.
I am satisfied that the current range of supports for carers in place is sufficient and would apply in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy, once both the carer and the care recipient meet the relevant criteria.
I will continue to keep the range of supports provided by this Department under review. However, any changes to the current supports provided - or the introduction of new payments as suggested by the Deputy - would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
823. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will look at removing the means testing for cancer patients when they apply for an exceptional needs payment/SWA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27912/23]
View answer837. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give due consideration to the review of the current means test requirement for the additional needs/exceptional needs' payment for children, adolescent and young adults (CAYA) cancer patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28241/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 823 and 837 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources.
The decision process involves consideration of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need.
This entails an assessment, as opposed to a specific means test, of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Other State supports that may already be available to the person are also considered.
There is no provision for an exemption of a medical condition from the decision process.
I consider the current assessment process used in determining Additional Needs Payment claims to be a fair and equitable approach for any person wishing to make an Additional Needs Payment application as it ensures that support is provided to people with the greatest financial need.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
824. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first- and full-year cost of increasing disability allowance by €12.50 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27920/23]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of a €12.50 increase to the weekly rate of Disability Allowance is €109.3m. This costing includes proportionate increases for qualified adults where relevant.
This costing is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023 and is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
825. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the total spend on consulting services and on ‘business-as-usual’ outsourcing, as differentiated under the Code of ‘Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016’ for each non-commercial public body under the aegis of her Department for the year 2022. [27970/23]
View answerThe statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
Neither the Pensions Council nor the Social Welfare Tribunal incur expenditure on consulting services; their operations are wholly carried out by existing resources provided from within my Department.
Details in relation to the total spend for the year 2022 on consulting services and on ‘business as usual’ outsourcing as differentiated under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016 for the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Authority is set out in tabular format below:
Citizens Information Board
|
Type |
Details of Consultancy / Business as Usual Outsourcing |
Amt € (inc. VAT) |
|
Consultancy |
Professional advice on a quality and continuous improvement system for MABS |
€23,247 |
|
Consultancy |
Procurement advice and support |
€28,444 |
|
Consultancy |
Sign Language Interpreting Services (SLIS) voucher scheme evaluation |
€12,300 |
|
Consultancy |
Consultancy services relating to the following: Post Restructuring Review, CIB Strategy, Volunteer Review |
€147,770 |
|
Consultancy |
PR consultancy |
€11,108 |
|
Consultancy |
Environment scan relating to the development of the CIB Strategy |
€19,557 |
|
Total Expenditure on Consultancy Services |
€242,426 |
|
|
Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
Outsourced payroll processing for CIB |
€17,220 |
|
Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
Outsourced HR services for CIB and its funded services |
€112,521 |
|
Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
Management Information system support |
€7,211 |
|
Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
Outsourced pensions advice |
€3,916 |
|
Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
Cyber security |
€95,251 |
|
Business-as-usual outsourcing |
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) development |
€644,366 |
|
Total expenditure on Business-as-Usual outsourcing |
€880,485 |
Pensions Authority
|
TYPE |
Details of Consultancy / Business as Usual Outsourcing |
Amt (inc. Vat) |
|
Consultancy |
Legal Advice |
€289,713 |
|
Consultancy |
Research Consultancy |
€38,573 |
|
Consultancy |
ICT Consultancy |
€154,010 |
|
Consultancy |
Investigation and Compliance Support |
€71,992 |
|
Total Expenditure on Consultancy Services |
€554,288 |
|
|
Business-as-usual outsourcing |
Financial |
€72,514 |
|
Business-as-usual outsourcing |
Other |
€56,511 |
|
Total expenditure on business-as Usual outsourcing |
€129,025
|
826. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal by a person (details supplied) will be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27984/23]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 01 June 2023. 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. The Appeals Office has contacted the Carers Allowance section in the Department of Social Protection and requested they expedite the relevant papers to their office as soon as possible.
When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
827. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the carer’s allowance payment to include an additional option for the allowance to be paid based on the needs of the person requiring the care and not based on the means of the carers and their spouse, where the applicant falls outside the limit of the means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27992/23]
View answerThe main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2023 is expected to amount to almost €1.6 billion on these payments.
The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied. The application of the means-test not only ensures that the recipient has an income need but also that scarce resources are targeted to those with the greatest need.
The current Carer's Allowance disregards are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system. As part of Budget 2022, I introduced significant improvements to the Carer's Allowance means test:
• The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was increased from €20,000 to €50,000, aligning it with the capital means test for Disability Allowance.
• For carers who work, 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.
These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years.
Removal of the means assessment for Carer’s Allowance would effectively change the nature of the scheme from a targeted support for those most in need it would to a universal social protection scheme. This would give rise to a very significant additional annual cost.
Non means tested payments are also available to carers, including Carer's Benefit, the Carer's Support Grant and the Domiciliary Care Allowance. A person in receipt of Carer's Allowance can also avail of the Carer's Support Grant and the Domiciliary Care Allowance.
As part of Budget 2023, I announced a range of measures directly benefitting family carers, including:
• A Cost of Living Double Payment to carers paid in October.
• A €500 Cost of Living payment for people receiving Carer’s Support Grant paid in November.
• Carers received the Christmas Bonus Double Payment in December.
• A €12 increase in the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit took effect from January 2023 with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate.
• A €2 increase for each Qualified Child bringing rates to €50 for Over 12s and €42 for Under 12s from January 2023.
• The Half-rate Carer’s Allowance is now disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance since January 2023.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance increased by €20.50 to €330 per month with effect from January 2023.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance is now available in respect of children with severe illness or disability who remain in hospital for up to six months after birth.
• A Cost of Living lump sum payment of €200 was paid in April to carers.
Notwithstanding the increased level of support already in place for carers, I have asked my department to keep these measures under review as part of the annual budgetary process.
Finally, I have committed to a carrying out a broad review of means testing this year which will include Carer's Allowance means test provisions.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
828. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of employees of her Department who were Class B PRSI contributors between October 2011 and December 2015; the total number of employees who were Class B PRSI contributors who paid a 5% levy on their incomes from October 2011 to December 2015; if she will provide details of the context of the payment of this levy; if any of the total number of overall employees who paid the levy were not former community welfare officers who transferred to her Department from the HSE in October 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28060/23]
View answer829. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will identify which legislation underpins the payment of a 5% levy by Class B PRSI contributors who became employees of her Department following their transfer from the HSE in 2011; if she will point to the relevant sections and/or subsections in the relevant legislation providing for the making of this payment in part of October 2011, November 2011, December 2011 and the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015; the benefits these specific employees derived from the payment of this levy; the length of time they paid it for; if she will review whether the collection of this levy after the early part of October 2011 was in fact not provided for in law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28061/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 828 and 829 together.
The rate of PRSI and the pension contribution are mutually exclusive. More specifically, the 5% Pension contribution is separate and distinct from the class of PRSI paid. PRSI contributions go to the Social Insurance Fund and is separate to any occupational pension scheme contributions.
Community Welfare Service (CWS) staff worked for the Local Health Boards and were part of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) which required a pension contribution amounting to 5% of salary. Section 23 1 (a) of S.I. 455/1998 sets out the contribution legislation in the LGSS.
When Local Health Boards were abolished and the HSE established, CWS staff transferred to the HSE and with it, to the Health Service Executive Employee Superannuation Scheme on terms no less favourable, and the pension contribution remained as 5% of salary. Section 14.2 (b) of S.I. 362/2010 sets out the contribution legislation in the HSE scheme.
On the 1st October 2011 staff from the Community Welfare Services transferred permanently to the Department of Social Protection.
In line with Labour Court recommendations LCR 20116, 20117, and pursuant to Part 4 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 in conjunction with the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, CWS staff transferred to the Department of Social Protection on the principle that their existing terms and conditions of employment would neither improve nor diminish by reason of the transfer. The pension contribution remained as 5% of salary.
During the course of the negotiations of the Public Service Stability Agreement (2013-2016) the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) raised grade assimilation issues relating to former Community Welfare Officers (CWO). It was agreed, as part of the aforementioned agreement that the parties would work towards resolving the position regarding the grade assimilation issues within the lifetime of the collective agreement. Arising from talks on the Lansdowne Road Agreement, it was agreed that any anomalies relating to former HSE staff at PSEU member grades would be resolved with effect from 1 January 2016 on the understanding that agreement had been reached between the parties on all outstanding issues related to the matter. These issues included former HSE staff who were pre-1995 entrants and who paid a pension contribution of 5% which was not paid by other pre-1995 HEOs.
A final decision on the issue of the pension contribution paid by Community Welfare Officers who formerly worked under the HSE and paid a 5% contribution paid between 2011 and 2015 was agreed as part of a number of outstanding items, in the Agreement on the Assimilation of the Pay and Conditions of Former Community Welfare Officer staff. This agreement dated 30th September 2015 followed negotiations between the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, Department of Social Protection and the Public Service Executive Union (representing CWS staff). The terms of the agreement provided among other things, that the 5% pension contribution would cease from the 1 January 2016. The pension contribution issue was tied in with a number of other outstanding issues including pay and annual leave. On foot of that agreement, with effect from 1 January 2016, the requirement for pre-1995 former HSE staff to pay the pension contribution of 5% was removed and no retrospection applied.
It is not possible to provide the total number of employees in my Department who were Class B PRSI contributors between October 2011 and December 2015 or the total number of employees who were Class B PRSI contributors who paid a 5% pension contribution between October 2011 and Dec 2015 as these numbers were constantly fluctuating due to the turnover of staff in the Department.
830. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the freepost instruction was removed from social welfare child benefit review forms (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28077/23]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17, if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
In 2010, a decision was made to firstly reduce, then remove the issuing of return Freepost envelopes. Reference to FREEPOST services was removed from all communication templates. At the time, Child Benefit customers were communicated with, providing them with the option to write FREEPOST on envelopes.
A decision was made to no longer supply FREEPOST envelopes to the majority of Child Benefit customers in February 2018.
In cases where a customer writes freepost on an envelope, the Department will accept the charges associated with same and ensure the documents are directed to the appropriate scheme area within the Department. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
831. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28088/23]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received in that office on 15th March 2023. 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. The Appeals Office requested these papers from the Department on 14th April 2023. The Appeals Office has contacted the Invalidity Pension section in the Department and requested they expedite the relevant papers to their office as soon as possible.
When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred 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 appeal hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
832. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons the May cost-of-living payment was not paid to qualified adults on a contributory pension in their own right; if she will reconsider this, given many qualified adults operate in a financially independent way from their respective spouses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28090/23]
View answerThe Government is acutely aware of the effect that high energy prices and the cost of living are having on families, businesses and the most vulnerable.
In addition to the substantial package of supports provided in Budget 2023, earlier this year, the Government announced a €470 million package of measures to help social protection recipients including families, pensioners, carers and people with disabilities.
The Spring Cost of Living Bonus is one of the range of measures put in place. It is one lump sum payment of €200 for each eligible person in receipt of a primary payment in their own right. The €200 lump sum payment was paid in the week commencing 24/4/2023 to over 1.2 million people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments at a cost of approximately €250 million.
If a person receives more than one qualifying social welfare payment, they will receive only one €200 lump sum payment. Each eligible primary recipient of a social welfare payment receives €200, regardless of the number of dependents (qualified adult or children) if any, or other social welfare payments.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
833. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when illness benefit for the period 17 April 2023 to 7 May 2023 will be paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28147/23]
View answerWhen the person concerned made an application for Illness Benefit, they were an adult dependant on their spouse's Jobseekers claim and an allowance was being paid for the individual on that Jobseekers claim. An individual cannot be paid the personal rate of Illness Benefit at the same time as being an adult dependant on another social welfare claim.
Both the Jobseekers claim and the Illness Benefit claim have been reviewed and the Illness Benefit claim has been awarded. The appropriate amount of arrears have also been awarded to the individual.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
834. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene and review the invalidity pension application in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28169/23]
View answerInvalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. Permanently incapable of work is defined as an incapacity for work of such a nature that the likelihood is that the claimant will be incapable of work for life or an incapacity which has existed for 12 months prior to the date of claim and where the Deciding Officer or Appeals Officer is satisfied that the claimant is likely to be unable to work for 1 year from the date of the claim.
My Department received an application for IP for the person in question on 25 July 2022. The person concerned was refused IP on 29 September 2022 on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. The person in question appealed the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) who have advised that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision on 17 May 2023. The person in question was notified of this decision on 23 May 2023.
Under Social Welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. In this regard, fresh medical evidence previously unseen by the Appeals Officer and relevant to the medical condition of the person concerned at date of application for IP on 25 July 2022 will be required in order to review the Appeals Office decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to Social Welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
835. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff seconded to her Department from a company (details supplied) in the past ten years to date; the title and/or role they filled; and the duration of same. [28185/23]
View answerMy Department has not seconded staff from the named company in the past ten years to date.
836. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of instances in which her Department availed of services and or consultancy and or advices from a company (details supplied) in the past ten years to date; the costs of same; the number of contracts between the company and her Department; and the duration and costs of same. [28204/23]
View answerThe Department engaged the company concerned on two occasions in the last ten years. The company was engaged to provide consultancy services and other services required in the day to day running of the Department.
Details of payments made from 2013 to date are set out by year in the table below.
|
Year |
Project - reason |
Contract Duration |
Expenditure (excl. VAT) |
|
2019 |
Data Specialist |
16/08/2018 – 15/02/2019 |
€97,150 |
|
2013 |
Consultancy for Provision of Financial Viability Assessment Report |
€6,180 |
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
