Written Answers Nos. 403-426
403. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has any intention to make Covid-19 an occupational disease as has been done in other EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29612/23]
View answerThe Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme is provided by my Department under Section 87 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. The scheme provides a range of benefits in the form of compensation or income supports to those injured by an accident at work or travelling to and from work, or who contracted a prescribed disease at work.
COVID-19 is not a prescribed disease or illness under this scheme. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
I have consulted with relevant departments and ministers regarding the prescription of COVID-19, including the Minister for Health, and the responses received are currently under consideration.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
404. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29723/23]
View answer421. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in publishing the Review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund; the timeline he is working towards for publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29661/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 421 together.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund aims to support the employment of disabled people by providing financial support to help make workplaces more accessible.
The review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund is near finalisation and I expect to publish it in the coming weeks. The aim of the review is to improve the effectiveness of the supports to employees and employers, to identify gaps in provision, and to improve the application and payment processes.
In Budget 2023 I announced an additional €1 million for improvements to the scheme, which will be informed by the recommendations in the forthcoming review.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
405. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer of introducing a cost-of-disability payment of €20, €25, €30, €40 and €50 per week to support the additional costs as a disabled person living in Irish society, as set out in a report (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29065/23]
View answerThe Indecon Cost of Disability report highlighted that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. It also highlighted that the cost of disability is significantly broader than the income support system and includes housing, equipment, transport, medicines and care. The report therefore suggested the issue needs a whole-of-government response.
The Department of Social Protection provides income supports for people with disabilities. The main long term disability payment supports are Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension. The combined number of recipients of these payments was 216,000 as of April 2023.
Based on the current recipients of disability payments, the estimated costs associated with introducing a cost-of-disability payment of €20, €25, €30, €40 and €50 per week/annum would be:
|
Recipients of disability payment |
€20 per week |
€25 per week |
€30 per week |
€40 per week |
€50 per week |
|
216,300 |
€4.33 million per week |
€5.41 million per week |
€6.49 million per week |
€8.65 million per week |
€10.82 million per week |
|
216,300 |
€224.95 million per annum |
€281.19 million per annum |
€337.43 million per annum |
€449.9 million per annum |
€562.38 million per annum |
The 2022 census suggests there are 1.1 million people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty, therefore the costs estimated above are likely to be significantly higher.
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.
406. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the criteria for the additional needs payment to ensure that money saved to pay for items such as funeral and headstone costs are exempt from inclusion as income or savings in the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29210/23]
View answerThe 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 from other personal and household resources.
All of the relevant circumstances of the case are taken into consideration by an officer of the community welfare service when deciding the level of support required. The decision process involves consideration of the nature of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need. This entails an assessment of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.
The current assessment process used in determining Additional Needs Payment claims is a fair and equitable approach as it ensures that support is provided to people with the greatest financial need.
An application can also be made under the scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship.
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.
407. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29216/23]
View answerI can confirm that the Department received an application for Disability Allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 25 May 2023. The application was not complete as it was missing vital information, requested to make an assessment of eligibility. On 13 June 2023, the person concerned was contacted by the Disability Section to supply this supporting documentation.
On receipt of this information, a decision can be made on their DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
408. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the work undertaken by her Department to date to develop proposals to benchmark rates of pension payments to gross average industrial earnings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29222/23]
View answerAs part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, Government committed to finalising an approach for the benchmarking and indexation of pension payments.
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.
It references published CSO earnings statistics – calculating 34% of average earnings (excluding irregular earnings and overtime) and referencing the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) to calculate a price adjusted rate.
409. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views in relation to the finding of the Data Protection Committee that her Department improperly gathered data through the public services card (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29266/23]
View answerThe recent finding of the Data Protection Commissioner, which was on foot of an individual complaint made a number of years ago, has been noted by my Department.
It is noteworthy that the Commissioner did not make any order following its investigation of this complaint because it found my Department had already implemented the necessary measures in relation to transparency from August 2016, and in relation to proportionate and necessary data collection from February 2020.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
410. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a claim for carer’s allowance by a person (details supplied) considering that the application has been ongoing for several months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29269/23]
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.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 2 February 2023.
The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 9 February 2023 to assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.
Following the SWI report, CA was awarded to the person concerned on 13 June 2023, with effect from 2 March 2023. The person concerned was taking part in a Community Employment scheme up to 24 February 2023 and qualifies for CA from 2 March 2023.
The first CA payment will issue to their nominated post office on 29 June 2023.
Arrears for the period 2 March 2023 to 28 June 2023 will issue in due course.
The Carer's Support Grant for 2023 will issue to their nominated post office on 22 June 2023.
The person concerned was notified on 13 June 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
411. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider increasing the income means threshold for carer’s allowance given the cost-of-living increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29277/23]
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 and caring responsibilities. The payments provided are an income support to 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 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.
As part of Budget 2022, I introduced significant improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance. These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years:
• 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.
• 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.
• The Carer's Allowance disregards are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system.
• More recently, as part of Budget 2023, I announced a range of measures directly benefitting family carers, particularly in light of the current cost of living crisis. These include:
• 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 €200 lump sum payment for those in receipt of long-term payments, including carers, in April 2023.
• 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.
In addition to Carer's Allowance, my department also provides a non-means tested payment to those carers who have to leave the workforce or reduce their hours in the form of Carer’s Benefit. For those providing ongoing care and attention for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available and is also not means-tested. Furthermore, the Carer's Support Grant - which I increased to its highest-ever rate of €1,850 - is also available to carers who are not on a social welfare payment. On Thursday 1 June, some 141,000 Carer's Support Grants were paid to approximately 126,000 family 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 the Carer's Allowance means test provisions. Changes to any of the schemes on foot of this review will only be done in the context of ensuring the most effective and targeted use of public funds that are required to provide income support on a broad societal level.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
412. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she agrees that the report from her Department given to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee in December 2019, which stated that her Department received free travel pass “usage data” which “indicates that a FT Travel pass was used at a particular time and date” and that “this data is non-identifying and does not provide journey duration or fare collected” was inaccurate, given the finding of the Data Protection Commissioner that her Department was collecting massive amounts of excess data using the free travel pass, including identifying information, journey duration and fare collected. [29311/23]
View answerThe recent finding of the Data Protection Commissioner, which was on foot of an individual complaint made a number of years ago, has been noted by my Department.
However, it is noteworthy that the Commissioner did not make any order following its investigation of this complaint because it found my Department had already implemented the necessary measures in relation to transparency from August 2016, and in relation to proportionate and necessary data collection from February 2020.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
413. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person’s disability allowance payment (details supplied) will be increased following the reduction in his spouse’s employment hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29320/23]
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.
My Department received correspondence from the person concerned notifying a change of circumstances regarding his DA. Following a review, based on the information available to the Department, it was found that the person's means had decreased with effect from 26 October 2022 and had decreased further from 4 January 2023.
A letter notifying the person of this decision issued on 14 June 2023 and arrears of payment due will be issued via electronic transfer on 21 June 2023. The person was notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
414. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the household benefits package to all cancer patients from the point of diagnosis to the cessation of treatment without means testing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29358/23]
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.
Providing an accurate projection of the cost of the measure outlined by the Deputy is very difficult. My Department would require information on the number of people who are receiving, or will receive treatment for cancer and the expected duration of this treatment. Consideration would also have to be given to the fact that people who are receiving cancer treatment may already be in receipt of the HHB package based on their age or because they are in receipt of a qualifying Social Protection payment.
Therefore, my Department is not able to provide an accurate estimate cost of the measure outlined by the Deputy.
It is important to note that, in general, access to the HHB Package for those aged under 66 is a secondary benefit 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. As many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact ranging 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 and in the case of Disability and Carer's allowance to an assessment of their means. In this way, resources can be targeted to people in most need.
Extending the eligibility of the HHB package to the cohort of people the Deputy has suggested would change the nature of the scheme and may generate the need for consideration of other cohorts. Accordingly, it would require additional funding and administrative staff and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary 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 and include help towards costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
415. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if the expansion of the partial capacity payment scheme will be considered in Budget 2024, to introduce a new statutory payment for employees and self-employed people with chronic illness to attend medical appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29359/23]
View answerThe Partial Capacity Benefit scheme allows a person who is in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for 26 weeks) to enter or return to employment or self-employment and to continue to receive a partial or full payment. This is an employment support scheme and would not be an appropriate scheme for the issue of travel to medical appointments.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme an additional needs payment can be sought to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This could include payment for costs such as travel and necessary temporary accommodation while attending hospital appointments. In addition, support can be provided through a supplement under the scheme which can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
I understand that for patients undergoing cancer treatment, funding is provided by the HSE under the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) for a transportation assistance fund, known as Travel2Care, to assist patients who have a financial difficulty in meeting some of the costs of travelling to appointments. This scheme is administered by the Irish Cancer Society.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
416. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal regarding a State pension review; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29401/23]
View answerState 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.
The person concerned is in receipt of a state pension non-contributory. Based on their assessed weekly means, they are entitled to a reduced-rate pension payment, together with a living alone increase, telephone support allowance, and a fuel allowance (payable during the winter season).
On receipt of correspondence from the person concerned on 16 August 2022, a review of their state pension non-contributory entitlement was undertaken. Further information was sought by the Deciding Officer on 29 August 2022 and 20 September 2022, and the case was subsequently assigned to a Social Welfare Inspector to investigate the person's means.
Following on from receipt of the Inspector's report in February 2023, the Deciding Officer has now completed their review and decided that the person concerned has an entitlement to an increase in their rate of state pension non-contributory, backdated to 19 August 2022.
On 15 June 2023, the person was notified in writing of this decision and their right to request a review of the decision, or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
Arrears of pension, in the amount of €6,847.50, will be lodged to the account of the person concerned and available from 23 June 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
417. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the implementation of circular 25/2016 by each State body under the aegis of her Department; and if she will provide, in tabular form, by State agency, the compliance with each of the standards and timelines set out in responding to Oireachtas Members’ queries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29482/23]
View answerCircular 25/2016 states that State Bodies under the aegis of Government Departments must provide and maintain a dedicated email address for queries by Oireachtas members.
The 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. Details in relation to the compliance by each of these bodies with the provisions in the relevant circular is set out in tabular format below:
Citizens Information Board (CIB)
|
Dedicated E-mail Address for Oireachtas Members |
|
|
Provide and maintain a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, and notify/publicise this to Oireachtas members. |
The CIB has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members: oireachtas@ciboard.ie. This email address is regularly monitored by CIB staff. |
|
Target Deadlines |
|
|
Comply with target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to queries, as follows: 1. Response time for acknowledgement of a query is 3 working days. Acknowledgement should include contact details for the staff member dealing with the query. 2. Response time for substantive reply 15 working days. [Bodies should of course seek to surpass the target response times where possible]. |
The CIB complies with all target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to queries from Oireachtas members as outlined in DPENDPDR Circular 25/2016. |
|
Designation of Responsible Person |
|
|
4. Designate a person at senior management level within the State body with responsibility for ensuring the timely provision of information to members of the Oireachtas. |
A staff member at Principal Officer level of the CIB’s Corporate Services Section is responsible for ensuring timely provision of information to Oireachtas members. |
|
Open Government Partnership |
|
|
In the spirit of Open Government Partnership, bodies should seek, where appropriate, to publish the response to queries from members of the Oireachtas on their website.
|
Enquiries received typically contain sensitive information. On that basis, CIB does not publish details of these enquiries. |
Pensions Authority
|
Dedicated E-mail Address for Oireachtas Members |
|
|
Provide and maintain a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, and notify/publicise this to Oireachtas members. |
The Pensions Authority has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members: oireachtas@pensionsauthority.ie It has two permanent members of its Operations Unit assigned to this dedicated email address. Details of this email address is published on the Pensions Authority’s website: The Pensions Authority - Information. |
|
Target Deadlines |
|
|
Comply with target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to queries as follows: 1.Response time for acknowledgement of a query is 3 working days. Acknowledgement should include contact details for the staff member dealing with the query. 2.Response time for substantive reply 15 working days. [Bodies should of course seek to surpass the target response times where possible]. |
The Pensions Authority complies with all target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to queries from Oireachtas members as outlined in DPENDPDR Circular 25/2016. The Authority monitors all queries received to ensure they are dealt with in line with its Customer Charter. |
|
Designation of Responsible Person |
|
|
Designate a person at senior management level within the State body with responsibility for ensuring the timely provision of information to members of the Oireachtas. |
The Head of Operations/Data Protection Officer is responsible for ensuring the timely provision of information to the members of the Oireachtas. |
|
Open Government Partnership |
|
|
In the spirit of Open Government Partnership, bodies should seek, where appropriate, to publish the response to queries from members of the Oireachtas on their website.
|
Enquiries received typically contain sensitive information in relation to individual’s personal pension arrangements. On that basis, the authority does not publish details of these enquiries. |
Pensions Council
The Pensions Council was established to provide policy advice to the Minister for Social Protection. Administrative staff from the Pensions Authority provide secretariat support to the Council and deal with any enquiries received by it from Oireachtas members. The Head of Operations/Data Protection Officer of the Pensions Authority has responsibility for ensuring compliance to the standards set out in the Circular are met in the same manner for the Pensions Council as outlined above for the Pensions Authority.
Social Welfare Tribunal
The administrative functions of the Social Welfare Tribunal are carried out wholly by existing staff resources provided from within my Department. A staff members’ email address is provided for Oireachtas members' queries. It should be noted that the Tribunal has not been required to sit since 2014.
418. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average wait time for an additional/urgent needs payment in Cork city. [29614/23]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANP) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. An ANP is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain other Supplements available to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
Work on hand is within the scheme's normal processing levels and fully completed applications are processed within two weeks. Applications for ANPs are varied and often quite complex, reflecting the individual circumstances being experienced. Where an application cannot be finalised promptly, the delay is normally due to the need for additional information or documentation and the time it takes for the customer to respond. Upon receipt of this information, the application is then processed quickly.
It is important to note that where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. Community Welfare Officers are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
The Deputy can be certain the Community Welfare Service is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made quickly.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
419. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that no response has issued from the disability allowance section of her Department for a person (details supplied) considering that four queries were sent by email to that section; if the claimant can continue to be paid through their bank account rather than having to collect the payment at the post office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29629/23]
View answerDisability Allowance 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 examination, a means test and Habitual Residence conditions.
My Department periodically reviews claims to ensure there is continued entitlement to the payment. As a result of a review on the payment to the person concerned, as a control measure, their payment will continue to be paid through the Post Office.
I can confirm that the replies to your representations received on 15 May 2023, 22 May 2023 and 29 May 2023 issued directly to the person concerned. I apologise for this oversight and confirm that copies of these responses have now also been sent to the Deputy's email address. A reply to your e-mail dated 12 June 2023 will issue to you shortly.
It should be noted that the person concerned may nominate a different Post Office if this would be more convenient to them.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
420. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify if a social welfare claimant selected for participation in a programme (details supplied) is obliged to sign a PPP; if they do not, if there can be any sanctions applied by her Department; if the claimant has the right to appeal such sanctions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29640/23]
View answerMy Department provides a range of employment services to support jobseekers in preparing for, securing and sustaining employment. These services are provided directly by my Department’s own staff or through the Intreo Partner and other services provided on behalf of my Department.
The Personal Progression Plan (PPP) is a crucial element of each Jobseeker’s engagement with any of my Department’s employment services. The PPP sets out the steps to be taken in order to assist the jobseeker in finding employment, and it is reviewed throughout their engagement period as they develop employment-related skills and competencies or job-related experience from short periods of employment.
Jobseekers have a right to claim an income support from my Department, and a corresponding mandatory requirement to engage with the employment services offered by my Department. While it is desirable that the jobseeker sign the PPP as part of this engagement, a person’s signature is not required in order to proceed with the service.
Where a jobseeker is not engaging with the Department's employment services, reduced rates may be applied to their payment. The application of reduced rates is entirely a matter for my Department and officials involved take all relevant factors into account. Should any reduced rates be applied, the client will have the right to appeal this decision.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
422. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she can clarify if Seetec have been awarded the contract for operating the JobPath programme; the costs of this award; the length of time the company will operate it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29665/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, referrals to the JobPath service have ceased and the service is now in a run-off phase, with only clients referred up to June 2022 remaining engaged with the service.
Following comprehensive procurement processes, new Intreo Partners employment services were introduced to engage with the long-term unemployed and other clients as appropriate.
Seetec operates two employment service contracts on behalf of my Department; an Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service (IPLAES) which engages with clients, often with multiple barriers to the labour market, in the Longford-Westmeath area and an Intreo Partners National Employment Service (IPNES) contract covering the counties of Dublin, Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
IPLAES contracts are for 36 months, with the option of two extensions of up to 12 months each. A run-off period of 12 months is also provided for. IPNES contracts are for 48 months, with the option of two extensions of up to 12 months each. A run-off period of 12 months is also provided for.
The specific contract costs are considered commercial sensitive information and are not publicly available.
I trust this clarifies the mater for the Deputy.
423. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork is on a reduced rate of contributory pension. [29689/23]
View answerAccording to the records of my Department, the person concerned does not have paid reckonable contributions in their own right for a state pension contributory.
The person concerned is the beneficiary of an Increase for Qualified Adult allowance on their spouse’s State Pension (contributory). This is paid at the maximum weekly rate of €237.80, which equates to 90% of the maximum rate State Pension (contributory).
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). I have arranged for a State Pension non-contributory application form to issue to them.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
424. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Defence Forces personnel that received family income supplement or working family payment in each of the years 2013 to 2022 and to date in 2023. [29715/23]
View answerThe Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment. Once awarded WFP is payable for 52 weeks. At the end of the 52-week period, a customer must reapply (renew) to determine ongoing eligibility.
The details requested for the number of Defence Forces personnel that received Working Family Payments in each of the years 2013 to 2022 inclusive and to date in 2023 as follows:
Year No. of claims
2013 251
2014 255
2015 249
2016 225
2017 180
2018 111
2019 113
2020 107
2021 102
2022 87
* 2023 *Up to 16th June 2023 70
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
425. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department can provide any form of funding, one-off or reoccurring, to an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29780/23]
View answerMy Department has no funding or grant scheme available that could cover a case such as the one outlined by the Deputy. I note that the Deputy has also submitted this question to a number of Departments to check on other potential funding available to support the initiative.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
426. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of a decision on an exceptional needs payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29791/23]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANPs) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. An ANP is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain other Supplements available to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
ANPs are not however intended to cover circumstances where another Department or Government Agency has the primary responsibility.
Decisions on claims are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
The person applied for an ANP for assistance with the cost of road repairs outside her home. The ANP was disallowed as it was determined that SWA is not intended to subsidise services which are the responsibility of another Government Department/Agency, in this case the local authority.
Determinations made in relation to claims made under Sections 200, 201 and 202 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005, namely allowances-in-kind, ENPs and UNPs, can be reviewed by a SWA Reviewing Officer under Section 323 of that Act.
Following a request, a SWA Review Officer undertook a review of the case. The Review Officer determined that the expense did not fall within the scope of the SWA scheme and so upheld the original decision. A letter issued to the person on 23/05/2023 advising them of the decision.
It is open to the person to apply for an ANP in the future should they experience financial difficulty with expenses which fall within the remit of the SWA scheme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
