Written Answers Nos. 381-393
381. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a working family payment application submitted by a person (details supplied) in September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2430/24]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them. The customer must also be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment.
An application from the person concerned was received on 21 November 2023, a review has been completed and the claim has been awarded from 23 November 2023.
Arrears due to the person concerned from the 23 November 2023 have issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
382. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a jobseeker's application submitted by a person (details supplied) in September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2431/24]
View answerThe person concerned declared that they are cohabitating with a Self-Employed Farmer. In order to determine means from their farming income, the Social Welfare Inspector will need to investigate and submit a report for consideration.
An appointment to interview both the person concerned and their partner has been arranged for this Wednesday 24/01/2024 at 1 p.m. in their Local Intreo Office. They have been advised of the information required for the interview.
As soon as the Social Welfare Inspector has completed their report the claim can be progressed.
383. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) had their rent allowance withdrawn and if she can make arrangements for the reinstatement of same. [2448/24]
View answerThe person concerned is currently residing in a property owned by a voluntary housing association. Capital Assistance Scheme tenancies are funded through the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) by local authorities. The person concerned was awarded Rent Supplement under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which ended on 25/02/2023. Following your representation my officials are liaising with the person’s local authority and voluntary housing association to determine they are receiving appropriate rent support. My officials will contact the Deputy in the coming days with the outcome.I trust this clarifies the matter.
384. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering the excluding of maintenance payments made by social welfare recipients in the calculation of weekly means in determining eligibility for the free fuel allowance; if she considers it fair and reasonable to include such regular outgoing payments as means; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2453/24]
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 €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including a means test and the household composition criteria. The means test ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.
The means test does not take account of a person’s expenditure commitments or income tax circumstances. Allowing deductions in means assessed for outgoings would significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes.
Where a person has maintenance obligations on foot of a Court order and they find that they can no longer afford to meet those obligations, for example because their circumstances have changed, it is open to that person to seek to have the Court review the order in light of their changed income position.
In terms of those receiving maintenance payments, I am currently bringing legislation through the Oireachtas to provide that maintenance received will not be counted as part of the means test under social welfare schemes. This will benefit 16,000 parents at an estimated cost of €10m a year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
385. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a domiciliary care allowance review in respect of a person (details supplied) a in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2522/24]
View answerAn application for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) in respect of their child was received by my Department from the person concerned on 13 July 2023.
A deciding officer disallowed their claim as per decision dated 12 October 2023 as their child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA, based on the information provided, including the available supporting documentary evidence that was provided by the person concerned in their application.
The applicant requested a review of the deciding officer's decision.
Following a review of their application, including all further additional information and documentary evidence that was provided in support of that review request, a deciding officer decided not to revise the original decision, as per further decision dated 17 November 2023.
A request for a further review of their entitlement to DCA, including further new medical evidence was subsequently received on behalf of the applicant.
Following a further review of their application in respect of the child concerned, including the further new documentary (medical) evidence (diagnostic assessment reports) that was provided for consideration, a deciding officer decided to revise the original decision, as it was considered that the child does satisfy the conditions for DCA, based on the further new evidence that was provided.
The person concerned was notified of this review decision in writing on 10 January 2024.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
386. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of appeal for carers allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2534/24]
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 19th January 2024. 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.
When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer 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.
387. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the working family payment application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2565/24]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. The customer should also be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment.
A deciding officer examined the WFP claim for the person concerned on 16th January 2024 and issued a letter requesting further information which is required to make a decision on entitlement. When this information is received, the deciding officer will re-examine the claim and issue a decision to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
388. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for full payment of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2567/24]
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 on 2 May 2023, notifying a change of circumstances regarding their DA. I can confirm that this person's previous means review had been carried out on 19 January 2022. At that time, they were assessed with weekly means of €244.35 resulting in a DA payment rate of €157.50.
Further information was requested and following a review of the information supplied, it was determined that the person concerned had a variation in her means throughout the year. Her DA remained in payment throughout this period but her rate weekly should have increased from 7 June 2023. In November, she commenced employment again but this did not impact her means for DA.
A letter notifying the person of this decision to increase her weekly rate of DA issued on 17 January 2024. The person concerned was notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
There are no arrears due to the person concerned as they were in receipt of Basic Supplementary Welfare throughout 2023 when the DA rate of payment was lower than the entitlement.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
389. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the working family payment application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2579/24]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up 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.
An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 5 January 2024. A deciding officer has examined the WFP claim for the person concerned. A letter issued on 17 January 2024, requesting further information which is required to make a decision on entitlement. When this information is received, the deciding officer will re-examine the claim and issue a decision to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
390. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a history of contributions will be provided for a person (details supplied). [2583/24]
View answerA copy of the contribution history record for the person concerned has issued directly to them. Recently, the person concerned has made an application for Invalidity Pension (IP) which has been refused as they did not satisfy the contribution conditions for the scheme.
IP is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy certain Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
Claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions class (A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their Invalidity Pension claim.
The relevant date is:
(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or
(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.
An application for IP was received from the person on 18 December 2023. It was decided that the relevant year in his case is 2019. According to the Department’s records, the individual concerned has zero contributions paid in the relevant contribution period (2017 & 2018). As he does not have the required contributions at Class A, E, H or S in either of the 2 years immediately prior to the relevant date his application was refused on 17 January 2024 on the grounds that the qualifying contribution conditions for IP were not met.
The person in question was notified of the decision on 17 January 2024 and of their right to request a review and/or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) within 21 days. If the person concerned has additional contributions that have not been applied to his record, he should rectified this with the Revenue Commissioners. The Department can then review his application for IP in light of any additional contributions paid.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
391. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2586/24]
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 confirm that my Department received an application for Disability Allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 14 February 2023. Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, his application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied, and it was also refused as the person concerned failed to supply the additional information requested on 28 February 2023.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 28 April 2023 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
The DA section of my Department was informed that person concerned requested an appeal with the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO) on 14 August 2023. A review of the decision was carried out based on the information supplied and the person concerned was notified of the outcome on 5 August 2023 regarding no change to the original decision. The file in question was then submitted to the SWAO for consideration. The person will be notified directly regarding the outcome of the appeal by the SWAO.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
392. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection what arrangements, if any, she has made with private bus operators such as CityLink to ensure that there are no charges, such as booking on-line charges to be paid by passengers with free travel passes form her Department and to ensure that a free travel pass means “free travel”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2630/24]
View answerThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are currently almost 1.1 one million recipients of the Free Travel scheme.
The Free Travel Scheme is available to all persons aged over 66 and those under age 66 on certain qualified payments, who are living legally and permanently in the State. The scheme permits those who are eligible to travel for free on most CIÉ public transport services, Local Link, LUAS and a range of transport services offered by some 79 private operators countrywide.Under the Free Travel scheme, there is no requirement or impediment for transport operators to provide additional services such as a seat booking service. Some travel operators have introduced online booking services for customers who wish to guarantee their seat on a particular service. This is entirely a matter for the transport operator concerned. Customers wishing to avail of Free Travel do not have to pre-book services with any operator participating in the Free Travel Scheme. They can continue to present on their preferred day of travel and avail of Free Travel using their Public Services Card.
It is open to any Free Travel customer who wants to be guaranteed a seat on a particular service to book their seat in advance, where a pre-booking facility exists. My Department has no control over the fee a transport company may charge for their seat pre-booking facility.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
393. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a schedule of official flights and costs of same taken by her in 2023; if a schedule will be provided of all hotels she stayed in in 2023, including hotel name and cost per night while on official State business; and if the same information will be provided in respect of all accompanying staff and advisors. [2651/24]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection funded the following flights for the Minister of Social Protection and advisors - accompanying the Minister in an official capacity - in 2023.
Flights to Porto, Portugal in May 2023 for the Minister to attend the EU Porto Social Forum - €719.29.
Flights to Porto, Portugal in May 2023 for the Minister's Advisor to attend the EU Porto Social Forum - €770.28.
Flights to Porto, Portugal in May 2023 for the Minister's Private Secretary to attend the EU Porto Social Forum - €770.28
Flights to Porto, Portugal from Brussels in May 2023 for the Social Affairs Attaché from the Department, who accompanied the Minister as part of the Irish delegation attending the EU Porto Social Forum - €469.82
Accommodation for the delegation was not arranged by the Department, but by the Irish embassy in Portugal.
The Porto Summit in May 2023 was a follow up to the summit held in Porto in 2021 where Member States, the European Parliament and the European Commission along with Social partners and civil society pledged to consolidate commitments made under the European Pillar of Social Rights. At the summit in 2023 Ministers and other representatives renewed commitments made in the original Porto declaration and also discussed relevant social issues such as the European Year of Skills, employment, Child Poverty and Social Inclusion.
