Written Answers Nos. 640-660
640. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on her Department’s review report in relation to the expansion of free travel scheme to people with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40245/23]
View answerThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million.It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass 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 those most in need.I am aware of an ongoing campaign by Epilepsy Ireland. I fully recognise the issues and difficulties that can arise due to a person being diagnosed with epilepsy and who is unable to drive as a result of their condition.I have met with representatives of Epilepsy Ireland to discuss its proposal in detail and, following the meeting, I asked my Department officials to examine the issues raised in relation to access to the Free Travel scheme.As the Deputy is aware, I am awaiting a report from my officials on the issues raised by Epilepsy Ireland. I expect to receive the report shortly and will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
641. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing the WALK providing equal employment routes, PEER, employment support service model in all 26 counties for people with disabilities. [40255/23]
View answerWALK PEER is one of 27 projects funded by my Department under the former Ability Programme. The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. The total funding for the programme amounted to approximately €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme and the Irish Exchequer. The Ability Programme concluded at the end of August 2021.
Total Ability funding of approximately €641,000 was awarded to WALK PEER over the course of the 3 year Ability programme. If the WALK PEER project were to be replicated on the same scale to an additional 26 counties, based on a simplistic calculation, this would cost €5.5m per year. This figure is based on previous levels of funding to WALK PEER under the former Ability Programme. It does not include set up costs and nor does it factor in a county-by-county analysis i.e. an analysis, for example, of existing service provision by county, demand factors etc. This figure also does not include monitoring and oversight of a national programme. These costs would not be insignificant.
Finally, it was worth noting that the organisation is one of 37 projects currently funded by my Department under a Dormant Accounts Measure to Support the Employment of People with Disabilities which began in September 2021 and runs up to the end of December 2023. The WALK PEER organisation was awarded funding up to €350,000 and is funded as a standalone project under this Dormant Accounts measure and not as a programme in its own right.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
642. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection what campaigns are being undertaken to inform people of their ability to purchase voluntary social insurance contributions to help maintain their social insurance record and help them to qualify for social insurance payments in the future. [40297/23]
View answerThe purpose of the voluntary contributions scheme is to provide persons who were but are no longer compulsorily insured under the social insurance system, either as an employee or as a self-employed person, with the opportunity to pay contributions directly to my Department. Voluntary contributions act to maintain a person’s established social insurance record in respect of eligibility for State pensions in the future.
The scheme’s entry criteria require applicants to have at least 520 social insurance contributions paid from either employment or self-employment. An application to become a voluntary contributor must be made within 60 months (5 years) from the end of the contribution year during which the applicant last paid a compulsory social insurance contribution or was last awarded a credited employment contribution.
My Department is not currently running a campaign on the voluntary contributions scheme but information relating to the scheme is widely available. For instance, detailed information relating to the scheme can be found on gov.ie as well as on the citizens information website. Persons seeking information relating to the scheme can also visit our network of Intreo centres around the country.
In addition, self-employed contributors who are not liable for a PRSI charge for a contribution year are provided with information on their Notices of Assessment from Revenue advising them to contact my Department to query their eligibility to become a voluntary contributor.
The Voluntary Contributions Section in my Department can be contacted as follows:
Department of Social Protection, Cork Road, Waterford, Co. Waterford, X91 EH04.
Email: volcons@welfare.ie
Phone: 0818 690 690
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40308/23]
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.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. A letter was issued to the person concerned notifying them of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 14th September 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
644. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the partial capacity benefit for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40309/23]
View answerPartial Capacity Benefit is a scheme which extends the Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people in receipt of these payments have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State.
People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return to work are eligible for Partial Capacity Benefit if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.
The person concerned has been in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit since 2017 with additional allowances for an increase for a qualified adult (IQA) and two qualified children. Their third child was born in July 2019. The person concerned did not apply to have a third child added to their claim until May 2023, when a reassessment form issued to them.
When the payment and allowances were reassessed in 2023, it transpired that this person no longer had an entitlement to the allowances for Qualified Adult/Children as information available to the Department indicates that his spouse is employed and has earnings above the statutory limit for receipt of IQA and IQC.
The person concerned also requested backdating of the Increase for a qualified child (IQC) allowance in respect of their third child.
The legislation provisions allow for backdating where throughout the period between theearlier date and date on which the claim is made:
• There was a good cause for the delay in making the claim.
• The failure to claim within the prescribed time arose as a result of information suppliedby staff of the Department to the person concerned or to his/her appointed agent.
• The delay arose because the person was so incapacitated by illness or infirmitybetween the date that the claim can be legally backdated to (maximum 6 months) tothe date of receipt of the claim to such an extent that the claimant could not have beenexpected to make a claim or appoint an agent to act on his/her behalf.
My Department reviewed the eligibility for backdating. However, the evidence submitted does not show throughout the period that the criteria for applying backdating had been met and, therefore, the request for backdating was disallowed. The person was advised of this on 30 June 2023 and 4 August 2023 along with their right to appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
645. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when urgent financial assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40344/23]
View answerThere is a range of supports provided by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. These supports can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments (ANPs).
The basic SWA provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. ANPs can be made to help meet expenses that an eligible person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for a basic SWA in April 2023 pending the outcome of his Invalidity Pension claim. A request for further information subsequently issued to him from the CWS but as the requested documentation was not provided, the application could not be progressed and the claim was closed.
Departmental records show that the person concerned has not made any other recent application for assistance under the SWA scheme or any of the primary payment schemes administered by my Department. As the persons invalidity claim was disallowed, it is open to the person to submit a new application for a primary payment. In the meantime, If the person is experiencing financial difficulties they can apply for assistance under the SWA scheme by completing a SWA1 form which is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can also be requested by calling 0818 60 70 80 and by using this link www.eforms.gov.ie/en/forms/5. A completed application form together with any supporting documentation can be returned to my Department where it will be assessed promptly. Alternatively, if the person has a verified MyGovID account they can apply for an ANP at www.MyWelfare.ie.
Further information on all of my Department’s schemes and payments is available at www.gov.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
646. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she intends to rectify the anomaly in relation to carers whose periods of care-giving are inferior to 20 years, but which have nonetheless negatively impacted on their eligibility for the State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40345/23]
View answerThe State Pension (Contributory) system currently gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. PRSI Credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Since April 2019, State Pension (Contributory) applications are assessed under all possible methods with the most beneficial payment rate paid to the applicant.
Where a person reaches State Pension age and does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a SPC or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for one of the following:
• The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) (SPNC) which is a means-tested payment with a maximum payment of 95% of the SPC; or
• An increase for a qualified adult, amounting up to 90% of a full rate SPC pension where their spouse has a contributory pension; or
• Where their spouse/civil partner is deceased, a widow's/widower's/civil partner's contributory pension, which they may claim either based on their spouse's or their own social insurance record. The qualifying conditions for this require fewer paid contributions (260) than the SPC and the current maximum personal rate for those aged 66 or over is €265.30, i.e., the same as the maximum rate of the SPC, with allowances (e.g., the Living Alone Increase) payable where applicable.
In addition, in 2022 I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system to enhance State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record.
I am also introducing a system to allow people to choose to defer access to the State Pension (Contributory) up to age 70 and receive a cost neutral actuarial increase in their State Pension payment. This system provides for a person to continue to pay social insurance contributions past State Pension age to improve their social insurance record for State Pension (Contributory) purposes. These PRSI contributions may enable individuals without a full contribution record (and who have deferred access to the State Pension) to become entitled to the State Pension (Contributory), or increase the pension rate of payment, as a consequence of the additional paid contributions. People will still be able to retire at 66 and draw-down their pension in the same way as they can today. These measures will become effective from January 2024.
Further information in relation to the State Pension changes can be obtained on the Department's website: gov.ie/pension
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
647. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection whether improvements in maternity, paternity or parental benefit is scheduled; and if so, the dates that they will take effect. [40354/23]
View answerThe Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. In April 2021, an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave was made available to each qualifying parent. The period in which the leave can be taken has also been extended to the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Furthermore, in July 2022 Parent's Leave and Benefit was increased from five weeks to seven weeks. In line with the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, Parent’s Leave and Benefit is required to increase by an additional two weeks to nine weeks by August 2024.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
648. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will indicate her latest estimate for the numbers of recipients of domiciliary care allowance, working family payment, carer's allowance, carer's benefit and carer's support grant; and her estimate of the number of children deriving support from these payments in each case. [40361/23]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is shown in the attached tabular statement.
|
Number of recipients |
Number of children |
|
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
52,667 |
58,968 |
|
Working Family Payment |
45,504 |
97,366 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
94,310 |
53,055 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
3,859 |
779 |
|
Carer's Support Grant |
128,374 |
63,408 |
649. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for the disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40362/23]
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 on the 5th July 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.
These papers were received on 20th July 2023 and the case was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 26th July 2023, 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.
650. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a list of all studies, research and reports commissioned by her Department that were outsourced, in each year since the formation of this Government, in tabular form; the names of the companies to which each study, research and report was outsourced; the total cost for each; the number of reports finalised and presented to her that have yet to be released by her Department; the dates on which any such reports yet to be released were first provided to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40378/23]
View answerDetails of studies, research and reports which were outsourced are contained in the table below:
|
Name of outsourced Study/Research/Report |
Name of outsourced company |
Total Cost (inc. VAT) |
Dates on which any such reports yet to be published were first provided to the Minister (only if not yet released) |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
KPMG |
€352,395 |
Not applicable as report published |
|
Evaluation of the School Meals Programme |
RSM Ireland |
€118,307 |
Not applicable as report published |
|
Hot School Meals Pilot Project Report |
B&A Research & Insight |
€18,204 |
Not applicable as report published |
|
FEAD Programme Evaluation Report |
B&A Research & Insight |
€24,600 |
Not applicable as published |
|
Strategic Review of the Abhaile service |
Indecon (Ireland) |
€99,445.50 |
Not applicable as report published |
|
Evaluation of the Community Employment and Tús Schemes. |
OECD - Joint Research Centre (JRC) |
Nil |
Not applicable as published |
|
Research into the drivers and mitigating actions relating to Food Poverty based on case studies of two geographic locations (one urban, one rural) |
Amárach |
€58,974 |
Not applicable as published |
|
Poverty and Social Inclusion Research Programme, thematic report on EU poverty indicators used in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion in a comparative perspective 2018 - 2021 |
ESRI |
Part of a three year joint research programme €60,280 - for the thematic paper |
Sent to Minister 15th September 2023 |
|
Public Employment Services Review |
Institute of Employment Studies (IES) |
€123,318 |
2020 |
651. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to fuel allowance. [40383/23]
View answerFuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs.
In order to receive the Fuel Allowance, a person under 70 years of age must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and live alone or with other qualifying persons.
The person concerned is receiving a Working Family Payment which is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
652. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she would consider extending eligibility of the fuel allowance to those in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40427/23]
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. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.
The Working Family Payment gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources.
While Working Family Payment is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, people may receive Fuel Allowance while on Working Family Payment if they are in receipt of One Parent Family Payment.
In response to an amendment tabled at Committee Stage of the the Social Welfare Bill 2023, I have asked my Department officials to prepare a report on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. The work is ongoing and when finished, I will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
653. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the reasons her Department chooses to means test the disability allowance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40564/23]
View answerMy Department provides a number of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.
The primary disability related social assistance scheme is the Disability Allowance, which is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In addition to the means test, in order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.
Means-testing of Disability Allowance is a statutory requirement under social welfare legislation.
In general, social welfare assistance schemes are targeted and not universal and this is possible by way of a means test. The means test plays a critical role in determining if an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, caring, unemployment or disability.
Applying a means-test not only ensures that the recipient has an income need but also that scarce resources are targeted. The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves so that social welfare expenditure can be directed towards those who need it most.
By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure. In line with most social assistance payments, deductions permitted for Disability Allowance include PRSI, union dues and pension contributions.
Currently recipients of Disability Allowance can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment. This is compared with €20,000 for most social welfare payments.
In addition to this, Disability Allowance recipients may work and earn up to €495.10 per week and still retain a small amount of their payment. The earnings disregard for recipients of Disability Allowance increased by almost 38% over the last three budgets. It is currently set at €165 per week where a person can retain the full amount of their payment; above €165 a taper on earnings applies.
My Department is committed to consulting on proposals to reform long-term disabilities payments. In this regard, I expect to launch a Green Paper in the coming weeks.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
654. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) can purchase additional credits in order to qualify the minimum State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40612/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 11 May 2023. An application form for State Pension (contributory) was received on 24 May 2023.
Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 492 full-rate contributions. Since their contributions fall short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions, they do not qualify for State Pension (contributory).
The person concerned applied for Home Caring Periods (HCP) for their three children. The HCPs were awarded for the period 16 June 1980 to 30 June 1998. However, HCPs can only be used to improve pension entitlement and cannot be used to satisfy the qualify conditions for State Pension (contributory). A person must satisfy the qualifying conditions for State Pension (contributory) before HCPs are used in a pension calculation.
They were notified in writing of this decision on 26 August 2023, provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based, and afforded the right of review and appeal.
Voluntary contributions can help maintain a person’s social insurance record. One of the qualifying criteria to make voluntary contributions is that a person must have at least 520 contributions paid under compulsory insurance in either employment or self-employment. As the person concerned does not have the required 520 contributions, they do not satisfy the eligibility criteria for purchasing voluntary contributions.
In September 2022, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system. The measures are in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations and represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system.
One of the most important reforms agreed by Government is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record.
The Long-Term Carer's Contributions (LTCC) will be available to those who provided full time care for 20 years (1040 weeks) or more to an incapacitated dependent. The periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive. I expect to bring the legislation required to introduce the LTCC before the Oireachtas soon, with the scheme being fully implemented from January 2024. This month, my Department launched an online system for people to register for LTCC. This will facilitate the expeditious processing of LTCC upon enactment of the legislation.
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the means-tested state pension (non-contributory), the maximum rate of which equates to 95% of the maximum rate of state pension (contributory).
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
655. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2024 of extending parental leave and benefits by four weeks for mothers, and six weeks for fathers. [40679/23]
View answerParent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for seven weeks to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Parent’s Benefit is paid at €262 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefits.
A budget in excess of €89 million is provided for Parent’s Benefit in 2023. Any decision to extend the period of Parent's Leave is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability, and Youth, who has policy and legal responsibility for Parent's Leave.
The cost of extending Parent's Benefit by 4 weeks for mothers is approximately €30.7 million while the cost of extending Parent's Benefit for fathers by 6 weeks is €30.8 million. This would result in an annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €151 million. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.
These estimates do not reflect any additional costs which may be incurred by employers who provide substitution or salary top-ups. In line with the EU Work Life Balance Directive, Parent’s Leave and Benefit will increase by two weeks to nine weeks by August 2024.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
656. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2024 if the carer's support grant increased to €2,000. [40680/23]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer's Support Grant by €150 to €2,000 is €21.8 million. It should be noted that this cost is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
657. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40685/23]
View answerThe person concerned was recently awarded Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) in respect of their child.
As the applicant had a debt of €20,336.30 owing to the Department, the local Debt Recovery Unit (DRU) wrote to the applicant on 26 July 2023 proposing to withhold the DCA payment arrears of €660.00 owing to them, for partial recovery of the outstanding debt and they were allowed 21 days to respond to this proposal.
A further written communication was issued from the local DRU to the person concerned on 28 August 2023, advising that it was proposed to commence weekly deductions of €30.00 from their social protection payment. The person concerned was also allowed 21 days to respond to this proposal. This proposed weekly deduction plan referred to the Carer's Allowance (CA) payment which is currently in payment to the person concerned.
As no response was received from the person concerned to date, relating to the above written communications, the DCA arrears were offset against their debt. The department has also implemented weekly deductions amounting to €30.00 on the claimant's weekly CA payment, with effect from 14 September 2023.
As per the Department's records, the relevant person's outstanding Debt balance is currently €19303.45
For the purpose of debt recovery, the withholding of arrears without the consent of the person concerned is permitted under Statutory Instrument No 142 of 2007. Where a person is in receipt of a weekly social protection payment, their weekly payment can be reduced by up to 15% of their personal rate without their consent, as provided for in legislation.
In relation to debt recovery the department does consider factors such as a person's circumstances, capacity to repay and other relevant facts.
If the person concerned is experiencing undue financial difficulty as a consequence of the above debt recovery plan, they should complete and return the form A, that issued along with the written communication of 28 August 2023, so that their debt recovery plan can be reviewed. The local DRU will engage with them and consider any resulting financial burden.
Any new repayment plan applied must be reasonable to the person concerned and the Department.
As with all debts owed to the Department, every effort must be made to recover debts.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
658. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the State pension contributions of a person (details supplied). [40686/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 2 June 2013. An application form for State Pension (contributory) was received on 4 April 2013.
To qualify for State Pension (contributory), 520 full-rate paid contributions are required which equates to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 54 full-rate contributions. Since their contributions fall short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions, they do not qualify for State pension (contributory).
They were notified in writing of this decision on 22 April 2013, provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based, and afforded the right of review and appeal.
The person applied for the Home Caring Periods (HCP) on 22 July 2023. A decision letter issued to the person informing them that HCP was awarded for the period 14 September 1974 to 26 November 1990. While both the Homemaker’s scheme and Home Caring Periods can be used to improve a person’s rate of pension entitlement, a person must firstly satisfy the qualifying conditions for State Pension (contributory) to avail of either of these.
In September 2022, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system. The measures are in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations and represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system.One of the most important reforms agreed by Government is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record.
The Long-Term Carer's Contributions (LTCC) will be available to those who provided full time care for 20 years (1040 weeks) or more to an incapacitated dependent. The periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive. I expect to bring the legislation required to introduce the LTCC before the Oireachtas soon, with the scheme being fully implemented from January 2024. This month, my Department launched an online system for people to register for LTCC. This will facilitate the expeditious processing of LTCC upon enactment of the legislation.
The person concerned also applied for a State Pension Non Contributory on the 30 May 2013. This was disallowed as their means exceeded the statutory limits. It is open to them to re-apply for the State Pension (non-contributory) if their financial circumstances have changed since 2013. The maximum rate payable equates to 95% of the maximum rate of state pension (contributory).
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
659. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the disregard of only a portion of maintenance payments in means tests continues to apply; whether she intends to make changes to this provision in the Social Welfare Bill planned for later in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40717/23]
View answerThe Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group was published last November and the Government has accepted the Group's recommendations regarding the social welfare system. I am pleased to say that, pending the introduction of the necessary legislation, my Department has already implemented some of the recommended changes on an administrative basis.
My Department is no longer applying the "efforts to seek maintenance" requirement to One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment. This had been done on an administrative basis since the end of last year. However, I have since signed a Regulation to remove this requirement from the statutory provisions. This requirement often involved lone parents having to go to Court to seek a maintenance order, so this change removes a potential additional stress for them, as well as helping to reduce the burden on our courts system.
In addition, the liable relative provisions are not being applied to new claims for One-Parent Family Payment. This means that my Department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the non-resident parent in these cases. I want to be very clear that removing these provisions does not replace or supersede the primary responsibility of parents to maintain their children.Furthermore, child maintenance payments will be disregarded in the means test for social welfare payments. This measure will mean that many lone parents currently on reduced rates of payment will see their payment increase and some additional lone parents will qualify for a payment. It is estimated that this measure will be of direct benefit to approximately 16,000 lone parents at a cost of approximately €10 million per year.
Work on the legislation to allow for the exclusion of child maintenance payments in the assessment of means and the removal of the liable relative provisions is at an advanced stage. The draft Heads of Bill are undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development today.
These reforms decouple child maintenance and social welfare. These are very significant reforms of the social welfare system, which will be of great benefit to lone parents.
660. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline how the working family payment is estimated in the case of a single parent who works and is in receipt of the one parent family allowance; and if she will provide some worked examples. [40718/23]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. When awarded, WFP is payable for 52 weeks once the conditions of the scheme are met.
WFP entitlement is calculated on a customer’s average weekly household income. This includes certain assessable social welfare payments. One Parent Family Payment is assessable income for WFP purposes. A customer’s rate of WFP is based on the difference between their weekly income, and the prescribed income limit set out in legislation for a family of their size with qualified children. WFP is then paid at 60% of this difference.
If entitlement to One Parent Family Payment ceases due to a child reaching the age of 7, the rate of WFP is automatically adjusted to reflect this change in household income.
Please see examples below:
Income limits based on rates effective from 5th January 2023.
Example of WFP assessment where One Parent Family is in payment.
|
Assessable income from Employment |
€243.10 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
€121.00 |
|
Weekly Income |
€364.10 |
|
Income limit (2 children) |
€692.00 |
|
Difference |
€327.90 |
|
WFP (60%) |
€196.74 |
|
WFP Payable (rounded) |
€197.00 |
In this example, total household income (Wages+OFP+WFP) is €561.10 per week.
Example of WFP assessment where One Parent Family is not in payment:
|
Assessable income from Employment |
€243.10 |
|
Weekly Income |
€243.10 |
|
Income limit (2 children) |
€692.00 |
|
Difference |
€448.90 |
|
WFP (60%) |
€269.34 |
|
WFP Payable (rounded) |
€270.00 |
In this example, total household income (Wages+WFP) is €513.10 per week.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
