Written Answers Nos. 225-235
225. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a disability allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28896/23]
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.
The person concerned was a care recipient on Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) until they reached 16. There is no automatic transition from DCA to DA. An application must be made for DA and the individual will have to satisfy the qualifying criteria of this scheme.
I can confirm my Department has not received an application for DA for the person concerned. A completed DA application form must be submitted to the Department in order to establish if the person concerned has an entitlement.
An application form was posted to the person concerned on 9 June 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
226. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) which has been ongoing for months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28910/23]
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 8th 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 were received on 28th February 2023 and the case was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 16th March 2023, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing. The Appeals Officer hopes to complete this case shortly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
227. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees with a disability who applied for the wage subsidy scheme in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; the number of those who were not successful in their application over the same period; the number of those who were successful in their application over the same period; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28940/23]
View answer228. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people with disabilities who availed of the wage subsidy scheme in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; her Department's expenditure on the wage subsidy scheme over the same period; the average number of hours worked by participants in the wage subsidy scheme, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28941/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 subsidised hours per week under a contract of employment. Since January 2022, the basic rate of subsidy is €6.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy of €12,776 per annum based on a 39-hour week. The rate of the subsidy increases when an employer employs 3 WSS participants or more. The subsidy is paid to the employer. The current average number of hours worked by participants in the Wage Subsidy Scheme is 31 hours per week.
Over the past five years, the Wage Subsidy Scheme has paid just under €101 million to employers. The following table provides a breakdown of the Wage Subsidy Scheme drawn down by employers per year, the number of employers availing of the scheme and the number of WSS participants.
|
Year |
WSS Expenditure |
WSS Employers |
WSS Employees |
|
2018 |
€22,321,024 |
1880 |
3074 |
|
2019 |
€23,819,491 |
1979 |
2881 |
|
2020 |
€18,356,000 |
1895 |
2942 |
|
2021 |
€15,900,000 |
1345 |
2327 |
|
2022 |
€20,452,574* |
1538 |
2539 |
* Estimated as Appropriation accounts for 2022 not yet finalised.
The scheme funding drawn down by employers from March 2020 is significantly reduced due to the Covid Pandemic as employers in receipt of the Revenue Employer Wage Subsidy Scheme could not claim the disability Wage Subsidy Scheme payments concurrently.
The Covid Pandemic also had an impact on the Wage Subsidy Scheme applications this Department received from March 2020 as a result of the emergency measures introduced.
|
WSS Applications |
Applications Received |
Applications Rejected |
Applications Approved |
|
2018 |
881 |
2 |
879 |
|
2019 |
1117 |
36* |
1081 |
|
2020 |
518 |
5 |
513 |
|
2021 |
474 |
12 |
462 |
|
2022 |
619 |
6 |
613 |
* Clean-up following transfer of WSS to new system identified some historic disallowed applications.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
229. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the pension rate of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28959/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 03 January 2013 and they are on the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) - €265.30 per week.
The person concerned is also in receipt of Increase for Qualified Adult allowance on their State Pension (contributory) at the current weekly rate of €176.70. This is the maximum rate for this allowance where the qualified adult is under 66 years and has nil means.
The person concerned is in receipt of the correct rate of State pension (contributory) and Increase for Qualified Adult allowance, commensurate with their social insurance record as held by my Department.
Any queries about tax on a person’s income should be forwarded to the Office of the Revenue Commissioners who will be able to clarify the position on same.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
230. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the qualification criteria for a person on a jobseeker's payment to go on an educational course and retain their payment; if it is intended to review these criteria to encourage more people on social welfare payments to go on educational courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28996/23]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level. The focus of the scheme is to assist people improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment. The Government has provided €49.08 million for the scheme in 2023.
A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the Back to Education Allowance scheme must satisfy a number of conditions including:
• being over 21 years of age, or if aged between 18 and 20 years have been out of formal education for 2 years;
• being in receipt of a qualifying payment for a specified time period, which is 3 months for second-level courses and 9 months for third-level courses;
• commencing the first year of a course;
• pursuing a full-time course of study leading to a recognised qualification, and
• progressing in the level of education,
There are some limited exceptions to these conditions.
The Part-Time Education Option enables jobseekers to retain their Jobseeker's payment while undertaking a part-time course of study, provided that they continue to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking employment on an on-going basis. There are no specific eligibility criteria for availing of this option. The person may be of any age and may be unemployed for any length of time before commencing a part-time course of education.
The Education, Training and Development Option enables jobseekers to retain their Jobseeker's payment while undertaking full time courses of study of short duration. To qualify for this option a person must be in receipt of Jobseekers payment for at least 6 months immediately prior to commencing an approved course. The person must be aged over 21 years, or if aged between 18 and 20, then they must be out of formal education for two years.
There are no plans at this time to make any changes to the eligibility for these supports.
If the Deputy has a query in respect of a particular case, could I suggest that he bring it to the attention of the Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
231. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current and/or expected position in relation to jobseeker's benefit in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29054/23]
View answerThe person concerned was disallowed Jobseekers benefit as they did not meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme.
Following the receipt of additional information the person concerned has now been awarded Jobseekers Allowance (JA) from 17/04/2022. Notification has been sent to inform the person concerned that payment of €343.00 pw will issue to their nominated bank account.
232. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance or alternative might be considered in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29055/23]
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.
The person concerned is a care recipient on Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) until they reach 16, in August 2023. However, there is no automatic transition from DCA to DA. An application must be made for DA and the individual will have to satisfy the qualifying criteria of this scheme.
I can confirm my Department has not received an application for DA for the person concerned. A completed DA application form must be submitted to the Department in order to establish if the person concerned has an entitlement.
An application form was posted to the person concerned on 12 June 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a pension based on joint contributions, or combination of contributions and means test in respect of the old age pension in the case of a person (details supplied) can be facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29058/23]
View answerState pension contributory is payable from age 66, to applicants who satisfy certain eligibility conditions based on the number of social insurance contributions (paid and credited) they hold, over their working life. In certain cases, where an applicant has had periods of insurable employment both in Ireland and in another EU Member State or country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, they may have an entitlement to a pro-rata state pension contributory based on an assessment of their combined Irish and foreign social insurance periods. The person concerned does not have any record of insurable employment in Ireland and therefore does not satisfy the eligibility conditions for state pension contributory.
State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, legally and habitually residing in the state, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
There is no Irish state pension payment based on a combination of social insurance contributions and a means test.
The person concerned submitted an application for state pension non-contributory on 17 April 2023. Taking into account a report from an Inspector of the Department, received on 12 May 2023, together with some further information provided in relation to residency in the state, a Deciding Officer disallowed the person’s application as the habitual residency condition was not deemed satisfied.
The person concerned was notified, in writing, of this decision on 13 June 2023 and of their right to request a review of the decision, or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
234. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice if a central single Garda vetting process will be introduced for people who volunteer with multiple community and sporting organisations to avoid duplication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28865/23]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the primary purpose of the employment vetting carried out by the National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the importance of this task and the need for it to be carried out thoroughly and correctly.
Vetting is carried out by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 - 2016. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am advised by An Garda Síochána that there are currently no backlogs or delays in Garda vetting. I am also advised that the average turnaround time for vetting applications where there is no need to take any further action or make any further enquiries has, since the start of 2023, been seven working days.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Garda Vetting Review Group was established in April 2021 and meets regularly to discuss potential amendments to vetting legislation. This group includes members of the GNVB in An Garda Síochána, officials from my Department, from Tusla, and from other relevant stakeholders.The primary focus of the Group is strengthening the vetting legislation in an effective manner, including any changes that may be possible in relation to multipurpose vetting or re-vetting.
As per action 10 in Justice Plan 2023, which is available on the Department’s website, I expect to receive the Group’s report on arrangements for Garda Vetting in the context of the introduction of a statutory re-vetting regime in the coming weeks.
235. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice when a 'spouse of an Irish national' application (details supplied) will be processed, as it has been with her Department for over 12 months and is still in the queue for processing, given that the Department repeatedly states that applications can take approximately 12 months to finalise, and yet this application has not even begun processing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28891/23]
View answerAn application for a Spouse of Irish National (SOIN) permission was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 23 May 2022 and continues to be processed.
To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hand, individual circumstances, the complexity of applications, whether further information is required, and the resources available.
Additionally, the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department are currently receiving very high levels of applications across several of their immigration schemes, which is causing some delays. The Division are working hard to finalise applications as quickly as possible and appreciate customers’ patience as they deal with this increase.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
