Written Answers Nos. 348-361
348. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection for the avoidance of doubt could she provide the full list of payments which will receive the Christmas bonus along with the respective dates of disbursement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53234/23]
View answer352. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the Christmas bonus, if she is aware of any concerns that the large number of different categories for social welfare payments, and the requirement for a specific type of payment to be listed amongst those eligible for the bonus, could result in some people unintendedly not receiving this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53292/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 352 together.
I was pleased to announce that a 100% Christmas Bonus will once again be paid this year to over 1.3 million recipients of long-term social welfare payments.
The Christmas Bonus is paid to pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and long-term unemployed people in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all, or most, of their income.
The list of schemes which are eligible to receive the Christmas Bonus, along with respective payment dates is below. Please note, for some payments customers will receive their payment on different days of the week and will receive the Christmas Bonus payment on whichever day they usually get paid during the week commencing 4th December 2023.
|
Scheme |
Date |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance* |
5th December 2023 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
7th December 2023 |
|
Widow(er)s' Pension (Non-Contributory) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
7th December 2023 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance* |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Daily Expenses Allowance* |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Farm Assist |
5th December 2023 |
|
Community Employment |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Job Initiative |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Part Time Job Incentive* |
5th December 2023 |
|
TUS |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
6th December 2023 |
|
Back to Education Allowance* |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
Disability Allowance |
6th December 2023 |
|
Blind Pension |
8th December 2023 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
7th December 2023 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
1st December 2023 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Back to Work Family Dividend |
6th December 2023 |
|
Magdalen Commission Scheme |
7th December 2023 |
|
Work Placement Experience Programme |
Week commencing 4th December 2023 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Widow(er)s' Surviving Civil Partners Pension (Con) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Occupational Injuries Death Benefit |
8th December 2023 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
7th December 2023 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
7th December 2023 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
7th December 2023 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
8th December 2023 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
7th December 2023 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
8th December 2023 |
|
Illness Benefit* |
4th December 2023 |
|
Over 65 Payment |
7th December 2023 |
* 12 months duration on the scheme is required in order to be eligible for the Bonus
349. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine a matter in relation to the carer's bonus payment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53238/23]
View answerThe Cost-of-Living Payment announced in Budget 2024 is payable to a person who is a carer under Section 224(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 and who on 27 November 2023 is still providing care to a relevant person under Section 224(1) of the Principal Act.
To qualify for the Cost-of-Living Payment, a carer must
• Have received or be eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant for 2023 and
• Be providing full-time care and attention to a relevant person on week commencing 27 November 2023 and satisfy the qualifying conditions for receipt of Carer’s Support Grant
The qualifying conditions for the Carer's Support Grant are outlined below
The person claiming the Grant must:
• Be aged 16 or over and ordinarily resident in this State
• Care for the person on a full-time basis
• Care for the person for a continuous period of at least six months – this period must include the first Thursday in June (1st June 2023)
• Live with the person being looked after, or this person can be contacted quickly by a direct system of communication (i.e., a telephone or alarm)
• Not be employed / self-employed for more than 18.5 hours per week
• Not be in receipt of, or entitled to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit or be signing for credited contributions
Additionally, the person being cared for must:
• Be so incapacitated as to need full-time care and attention
• Not normally live in a hospital, convalescent home, or another similar institution
• Not receive full-time care and attention within their own home from another person other than the person claiming the Grant
If a person wishes to be considered for the €400 Cost of Living Payment introduced as part of Budget 2024, they should complete a declaration form which can be issued to them on request (email: carerssupportgrant@welfare.ie).
On receipt of a fully completed declaration form, the entitlement of the person concerned to the Cost-of-Living Payment of €400 will be determined at the earliest possible date.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
350. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the report from the committee on social protection (details supplied) which recommended that the pension investment funds be prohibited from investing in fossil fuels or the arms industry; to outline the Government’s position on this recommendation; if her Department has carried out any feasibility studies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53243/23]
View answerThe introduction of a pensions auto-enrolment system is a Programme for Government commitment, and a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. The aim of introducing an AE system is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland, and to help provide for better retirement incomes for workers.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection report of its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Heads of Bill to establish the AE system has been helpful in informing the drafting of the AE Bill proper. The completion of the Committee’s scrutiny of the AE Heads of Bill represents an important step in the legislative process and I look forward to publishing the Bill in the very near future.
The JOC's report builds on the evidence-based research and extensive consultation with stakeholders that the Department has conducted over many years, and which informed the final design of the AE system. This included consideration of different approaches to investment and the application of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. Here it should be noted that the primary aim of investing AE participants’ funds is to provide a good financial return for them, so that they may have an adequate supplementary income that is over and above the level of the State Pension when they retire.
To manage and administer the AE system, a Central Processing Authority (CPA) will be established. It will procure, through the open financial services market, investment management services on behalf of AE participants. It is important to note that the CPA will not be administering a new State fund, but rather will be administering hundreds of thousands of individual savings accounts that will remain the personal property of the AE participants. The AE project is, in that sense, a State-incentivised personal retirement savings scheme for individuals rather than a new national fund. In that context, the CPA and investment managers will have a duty to, first and foremost, get a good financial return for participants.
AE participants should, therefore, enjoy the same investment opportunities as private investors in the current pensions market - which are also state-incentivised through tax relief on contributions. To this end, assets will be invested in the best long-term interests of participants, with the portfolio of investments properly diversified while avoiding reliance on any particular asset. Similarly, with the exception of globally restricted asset types, additional restrictions on particular asset types should be avoided.
In designing high level investment strategies and in contracting for investment services, the Board of the CPA will be guided by the 'prudent person principle', the European Securities and Markets Authority's risk advice, and the need to ensure investments take account of ESG principles. This will be facilitated through legislative provisions in the AE Bill.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
351. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection for a review of a carer's allowance case (details supplied) in light of the recent changing financial situation for the family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53271/23]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 26 August 2022.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant’s means are less than the statutory limit, which in this case is €267.60 weekly.
Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse / civil partner / cohabitant, property (except their own home), or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.
The evidence before the deciding officer included income from employment and capital from property. Following the means calculations and relevant disregards the person concerned was found to have means in excess of the statutory means limit of €267.60.
The application for CA was accordingly disallowed as the means of the person concerned were determined to exceed the statutory limit.
The person was notified on 21 November 2022 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.
The person requested an appeal and review of this decision and submitted additional evidence in support of their application.
The outcome of the review was that the original decision was upheld. The person concerned was notified of the outcome on 24 March 2023, and advised their file had been sent forward for appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
The outcome of the appeal is that the original decision was upheld, and the appeal was disallowed. The person concerned was notified of the Appeal decision in writing on 8 June 2023.
On foot of this parliamentary question, a further review has been initiated. If the person concerned has further evidence to support their request for a review, they should submit this evidence to the Department.
Once a decision is made, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
353. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she is aware that the social welfare appeals office is currently telling appellants that it will take six to eight weeks for their appeals to even be logged and acknowledged in the first instance; whether she believes this is acceptable; the steps she is taking to address resourcing issues in that office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53320/23]
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 significant efforts and resources have been devoted to improvements in the appeal process in recent years. The current processing times for appeals finalised from 1st January 2023 to the 30th November 2023 are 29 weeks for an oral hearing and 17.5 weeks for a summary decision.
Improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer. A significant Appeals Modernisation Project is currently underway the goal of which is to streamline and enhance the end-to-end appeals process for the customer, the Social Welfare Appeals Office and business areas across the Department. As part of this project a new IT system went live on the 6th November 2023. The new system will significantly reduce the time taken to register and acknowledge appeals lodged with the Appeals Office. Additional staff were assigned to the office as part of the project to assist with the preparation for and transition to the new IT system and the establishment of new procedures.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
354. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a domiciliary care allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53329/23]
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. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
355. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department utilises facial recognition technology; the safeguards that are in place to prevent abuse of this technology; the costs paid to providers for the operation and maintenance of this technology since it was first utilised by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53330/23]
View answerOne of my statutory functions as Minister for Social Protection is the authentication of a person's identity in the manner described, and for the purposes set out, in primary legislation. Once a person has authenticated their identity by way of the SAFE registration process, they are issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) which can be used as proof of identity when accessing public services.
The processing of personal data involved in the SAFE registration process is carried out to help ensure that the person whose identity is being authenticated has not already been authenticated under a different identity. The SAFE registration service not only provides assurance to public bodies as to the identity of the person they are dealing with, it also helps to protect that person against identity theft, and helps ensure that their data protection rights are protected.
The processing of personal data includes the creation and processing of biometric data from a photograph of the person concerned, to enable a check to be carried out as to whether the facial image matches an image already held. A similar type of processing is carried out by the Passport Office and other Governmental authorities in many other countries, with responsibilities in the area of identification and authentication.
The processing of biometric data has been an essential component of the SAFE registration process. This processing is carried out by the Department on the Department's secure IT infrastructure. This biometric data is not stored on the PSC, nor is it shared with any other public body.
The amounts paid to providers in respect of the deployment, operation and maintenance of the facial image matching technology since it was introduced are set out in the table below:
|
Year |
Amount paid |
|
2013 |
€150,239 |
|
2014 |
€27,030 |
|
2015 |
€29,733 |
|
2016 |
€30,652 |
|
2017 |
€30,652 |
|
2018 |
€23,364 |
|
2020 |
€51,400 |
|
2021 |
€377,675 |
|
2022 |
€60,715 |
|
2023 (to date) |
€159,000 |
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
356. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an oral hearing request for a carer's allowance appeal will be facilitated for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53340/23]
View answerThe details provided in the question are incorrect and therefore this PQ cannot be answered. I understand the Deputy's Office has been contacted in this regard.
357. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person’s (details supplied) travel pass will be reinstated. [53344/23]
View answerI can confirm that Free Travel was re-instated for the person concerned on 10th November 2023. A Public Services Card with Companion Free Travel was issued to the person concerned on the same date. An official of my Department has spoken to the person concerned and it was confirmed that the card has been received.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
358. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ask her Department to review the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53409/23]
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.
The legislation provides that a carer can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention to a care recipient where that care recipient is undergoing medical or other treatment of a temporary nature in a hospital, nursing or convalescent home, for a period not exceeding 13 weeks.
Following a review of their payment, it was decided that the person concerned was not entitled to CA for a period from 2 June 2022 to 26 April 2023 as the care recipient had entered a care home. As a result, it was determined that CA and the Carer's Support Grant (CSG) were overpaid during this period.
The person concerned was notified on 27 July 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal. A breakdown of the calculation of the debt was enclosed.
The Department is obliged to seek recovery of debts owed to it as quickly as possible, having due regard to the circumstances of the debtor.
The total overpayment incurred for CA and CSG is €7,934.00. The person concerned also incurred a debt on their Domiciliary Care Allowance of €3,298.90. The total debt owed to the Department is €11,147.90. This is currently being repaid at an agreed rate of €5 per week.
My Department's Central Debt Recovery Unit issued correspondence to the person concerned on 20th November regarding the current low value repayment and suggested a higher repayment amount of €17 per week. However, in light of the person's circumstances, my Department will arrange for the lower repayment rate to continue as previously agreed.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
359. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if the living alone allowance payment will be reconsidered to persons over 65 years of age (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53413/23]
View answerThe Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are living alone and who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Deserted Wife's Benefit.It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension. It is not paid to those in receipt of other payments that are available to those aged 65 including Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, the Benefit Payment for over 65 year olds, Illness Benefit, etc.The Living Alone Allowance is not means tested and the payment is made as an increase to the recipient’s primary social welfare payment.A claimant must be in receipt of a qualifying primary Social Protection payment in order to qualify for the Living Alone Allowance. Any change to the qualifying criteria for this payment would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
360. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection If a disability allowance will be approved as a matter of urgency for a person (details supplied) considering the medical report provided by her GP. [53445/23]
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.
There is no medical review ongoing for the person concerned and they have been in receipt of their current DA payment since 22 July 2020.
My Department received correspondence from the person concerned on 29 August 2023, notifying a change of circumstances regarding their DA. I can confirm that this person's previous means review was carried out on 5 April 2023. At that time, they were assessed with weekly means of €193.40 resulting in a DA payment rate of €32.50.
A request for information issued to the customer on 20 November 2023. Once the information is returned in full, a decision will be made, and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
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.
361. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that recipients of the disablement pension and unemployability supplement do not receive the cost of living bonus or fuel allowance; her views on the need to provide additional supports to such persons in view of the cost of living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53581/23]
View answerDisablement Benefit is part of the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme. This scheme caters for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling to or from work. The scheme also covers people who have contracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do.
Disablement Benefit is a compensation payment and can be paid alongside other social welfare payments. People in receipt of Disablement Pension (without another payment) can work, full or part-time. Those who are unfit for work may qualify for Illness Benefit or another social welfare payment based on their social insurance contributions (PRSI). Alternatively, they may qualify for Incapacity Supplement.
Payments under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme, including Disablement Pension, did not qualify for the once-off Cost of Living support payment in November 2023, because there are no limits to the amount that recipients can earn from work or they may already be in receipt of a supplement on an ongoing basis in the form of Incapacity Supplement.
I recognise, however, that to further address the cost of living, such people need additional support. Recipients of Disablement Pension are eligible for other increases in payment rates and double-payments announced under Budget 2024. They will receive the Christmas Bonus and the January Cost-of-Living Bonus, which will provide 100% increases in the weekly rate of payment for recipients in early December and late January respectively. The maximum rate of Disablement Benefit will also increase by €12 per week from January 2024, with an additional €4 weekly increase for qualified children. From January 2023, Disablement Benefit was disregarded from the means test for Fuel Allowance. In November, households getting the Fuel Allowance received a €300 cost-of-living lump sum payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
