Written Answers Nos. 235-244
235. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when a review of a carer’s allowance payment will be carried out (details supplied) as requested by the carer due to a change in means; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45922/23]
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.
A request for a Means Review was received from the person concerned on 2 August 2023.
Following the review, it has been decided to increase the CA weekly rate of payment to €236.00 from 3 August 2023 and the first payment will issue to the person's nominated bank account on 19 October 2022.
Arrears for the period 3 August 2023 to 18 October 2023 will issue shortly.
The person concerned was notified on 16 October 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.
236. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason recipients of the partial capacity benefit will not receive a once-off lump sum payment; if she will review this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45971/23]
View answerAs part of Budget 2024, the Social Protection budget, which is the largest in the history of the State, will assist families and vulnerable citizens through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments.
The measures introduced include the provision of a targeted one-off €400 Cost-of-Living lump sum, which will be paid in November 2023 to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Carer's Support Grant. Recipients who are in receipt of more than one of these payments will qualify for only one €400 lump-sum payment.
The Partial Capacity Benefit scheme has been designed to allow persons in receipt of this payment to continue to receive a percentage of their previous Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit payment (i.e., 50%, 75% or 100%) while in employment. The scheme has also been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work, and there are no restrictions on earnings/earnings limits.
As persons in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit are in employment without any restriction on earnings, they are not eligible for the €400 Cost-of-Living payment.
However, Partial Capacity recipients will receive:
• A Christmas Bonus double payment, paid in December 2023;
• A Cost-of-Living bonus for people getting a weekly social welfare payment, to be paid in January 2024;
• From January 2024, an increase of €12 in maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments. There will be proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
237. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied) in relation to the renewal of their PSC. [45978/23]
View answerThe person concerned attended my Department’s Newbridge Intreo Centre on 16 October 2023 to renew their Public Services Card (PSC). A new card will issue within the next 10 days to their home address.
The PSC online renewal service requires customers to provide a photograph which has been taken in the last six months and is compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The service was introduced to facilitate renewals during the public health restrictions related to the Covid 19 pandemic, and complements the in-person PSC renewal service. The in-person renewal service does not encounter difficulties with photograph quality due to the appropriate standard of camera and lighting equipment available on site. My Department is aware that some customers using the online renewal service have experienced difficulties when submitting their photograph. Work to improve the photograph acceptance process for customers who opt to use the online service is planned.
My Department is currently experiencing high levels of demand for Public Service Cards and PSC renewals. In general, customers are dealt with on a walk in basis to allow the maximum use of available resources.
Where a customer with a disability, or a difficulty queuing, wishes to avail of a walk-in PSC service, they can request an appointment outside of the busy walk-in hours by contacting the Access Officer at their local Intreo/PSC Centre.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
238. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if social welfare entitlements can be paid to Celbridge Post Office, Main Street, Celbridge in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46019/23]
View answerIn order to update the payment method, the person should send a written request to State Pension (contributory) Maintenance Section, Department of Social Protection, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384. Their letter should include their name, address, PPS Number, preferred Post Office payment location and their signature.
I wish to reassure the Deputy that all payment change requests are being monitored carefully to ensure they are being processed as quickly as possible.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
239. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which a person (details supplied) qualifies for contributory/non-contributory State pension, keeping in mind their husband’s entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46020/23]
View answerThe person concerned will reach pension age in May 2024.
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 no paid or credited contributions recorded. Since they do not have 520 paid full-rate contributions, they will not qualify for State pension (contributory).
To qualify for a pension under EU Regulations, an individual must have full-rate paid contributions in Ireland and in one or more EU member states. The insurance records of other Member States can then be combined with the Irish full-rate contributions to satisfy the 520-contribution condition. The rate of entitlement is based on the proportion of Irish full-rate contributions to the person’s total combined Irish and EU social insurance contributions.
As the person concerned does not have full-rate contributions in Ireland, they cannot be considered for a State Pension (Contributory) under EU Regulations.
I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system last September in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.
One of the measures announced is the introduction of flexibility to the State Pension (Contributory), allowing a person to claim their State Pension (Contributory) between the age of 66 and 70 where they can use this period to establish entitlement.
Another important reform agreed by Government was the enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years (1040 weeks), it is open to them to apply for the Long-Term Carer's Contributions (LTCC). The periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive.
The equivalent of paid contributions will be attributed to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. I expect to bring the legislation required to introduce the LTCC before the Oireachtas soon, with the scheme being fully implemented from January 2024. My Department has launched an online system for people to register for LTCC. This will facilitate the expeditious processing of LTCC upon enactment of the legislation.
Where a person does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a state pension (contributory), or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for one the following -
• The State Pension (non-contributory) which is a means-tested payment. The maximum rate is equivalent to 95% of the full rate State Pension (contributory); or
• An increase for a qualified adult, equivalent to 90% of the full rate State Pension (contributory) where their spouse is in receipt of this pension
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which a person (details supplied) currently on a CE scheme, qualifies for fuel allowance or other supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46021/23]
View answerFuel Allowance is a payment to help eligible people with the cost of heating their home during the winter months. This year, Fuel Allowance season started on 25 September 2023.
Participants on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme can apply for and may qualify for Fuel Allowance while participating on the scheme. Qualification for Fuel Allowance is subject to satisfying all the relevant qualifying conditions.
Departmental records show that the person concerned has not made any recent application for assistance under the Fuel Allowance scheme. For convenience, a Fuel Allowance application form was sent to the home address of the person concerned on 17/10/2023. The completed application form together with any supporting documentation can be returned to Maynooth Branch Office, Town Hall Mall, Maynooth, Co Kildare, W23 Y6F5 where it will be assessed promptly. If the person concerned is found to be eligible to receive Fuel Allowance, correspondence advising of their entitlement will issue from my Department to their employer and payment will issue directly from them.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which a person (details supplied) qualifies for non-contributory State pension notwithstanding recent decision to the contrary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46023/23]
View answerState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, 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.
In order to establish a person’s state pension non-contributory entitlement, it is necessary for them to submit a completed application form (SPNC1), together with any necessary supporting documentation.
To assist the person concerned, this form has been issued to them by post, should they wish to make application. On receipt of the completed pension application, the person's eligibility will be examined and they will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
242. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to what extent any social protection supplement can be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46024/23]
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
I can confirm that the Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 12 October 2023. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
In the meantime, the person concerned can apply to the Community Welfare Officer for the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) if they are in need of financial assistance, while awaiting the outcome of their application.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for a contributory pension or part thereof notwithstanding the fact that he has a pension from employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46025/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 12 October 2021.
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.
To qualify for a mixed insurance pension, 520 employment contributions are required, of which at least 260 must be full-rate employment contributions with the remainder made up of modified contributions.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 169 full-rate contributions. Since their contributions fall short of the requisite contributions, they do not qualify for State pension (contributory).
I have arranged for a copy of their insurance record to issue. If the person concerned considers that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384 and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years (1040 weeks), it is open to them to apply for the Long-Term Carer's Contributions (LTCC). The periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive. The equivalent of paid contributions will be attributed to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. I expect to bring the legislation required to introduce the LTCC before the Oireachtas soon, with the scheme being fully implemented from January 2024. 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 previously applied for the means-tested State Pension (non-contributory). This was disallowed on 21 March 2023 as their means were in excess of the limits. This decision was upheld by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 13 July 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the normal five-year requirement can be waived in the case of a person (details supplied) given their disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46026/23]
View answerState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, 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. In order to satisfy the habitual residence condition, as a first step, it must be established that the person has an unconditional right of residence in the State, that does not preclude them from receipt of relevant social assistance payments, for example, state pension non-contributory.
It is not possible to apply discretion in relation to the application of the Habitual Residence Condition. Should the person be in a position to provide a verified record of at least five years continuous residency in the State, it is open to them to submit this evidence to the Department in order for their eligibility for state pension non-contributory to be considered.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
