Written Answers Nos. 309-328
309. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on the procurement of office space and furniture and office IT equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [5410/24]
View answerProcurement of office space for Government Departments is provided by the OPW. The costs for the past 10 years are not readily available for the purchase of office IT equipment but they are being compiled and will be sent to the Deputy separately as soon as possible. The amount spent by Department of Social Protection on furniture for the past ten years is outlined in the following table:
|
Year |
DSP Furniture |
|
2014 |
€2,044,150 |
|
2015 |
€3,290,939 |
|
2016 |
€1,551,122 |
|
2017 |
€763,994 |
|
2018 |
€928,194 |
|
2019 |
€1,008,348 |
|
2020 |
€632,398 |
|
2021 |
€421,703 |
|
2022 |
€607,103 |
|
2023 |
€895,215 |
|
2024 YTD (31st January) |
€98,593 |
310. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a jobseeker's payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5426/24]
View answerThe Person Concerned is an Education Sector Worker and applies for Jobseeker's during school holidays. Their application has been processed following receipt of necessary documentation and a decision letter has issued advising that their payment will be available on Friday 02/02/2024 in their nominated bank account.
311. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a case (details supplied); if she will provide advice on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5504/24]
View answerIllness benefit is a weekly payment that a person may get if they cannot work because they are sick or ill. To qualify for illness benefit a person must meet the scheme's qualifying conditions, in particular, that they have paid a specific number of social insurance contributions within relevant tax years under PRSI classes A, E, H or P.
The details supplied with the Deputy's question indicate that the person concerned has made voluntary contributions since 2018. Voluntary contributions ensure continuity of social insurance (for pension purposes only) during periods where former contributors are no longer insured as employed or self-employed persons and are not in receipt of credited employment contributions. They do not provide for entitlement for illness benefit.
From the supporting information provided it may be the case that this person is working for her husband's solicitors firm which operates under a sole trading status. Since 2014, certain spouses and civil partners of self-employed sole traders can pay PRSI and therefore establish entitlements to certain benefits in their own right. People affected by this change are people who work in their self-employed spouse or civil partner’s business doing similar or ancillary (supporting) tasks but who are not business partners or employees. The €5,000 income threshold applies to these spouses or civil partners in the same way as other self-employed people under PRSI class S. Once this threshold is met, such spouses or civil partners are covered for all the benefits under PRSI class S. These include State pension (contributory), widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory), guardian’s payment (contributory), benefit for 65-year-olds, maternity, adoptive and paternity benefits, treatment benefits, invalidity pension, partial capacity benefit if in receipt of invalidity pension, jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed) and parent’s benefit. However, PRSI contributions under class S do not provide entitlement for illness benefit.
With regard to additional supports, my Department also provides an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes 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.
The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment. The payment amount will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Payments are made at the discretion of the local Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme, considering all the circumstances of the case.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
312. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reassess the criteria around the duration a person can be in receipt of partial capacity benefit, in the case of both someone moving from illness benefit and someone moving from an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5541/24]
View answerMy Department provides income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability, both social insurance and means tested schemes. There are a range of schemes available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions.
Invalidity Pension is a social insurance payment for people who are deemed permanently incapable of work due to a long-term illness or disability. Illness Benefit is the primary income support payment for people who are unable to attend work due to illness, and who have made the necessary PRSI contributions.
Partial 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 personal rate of payment of Partial Capacity Benefit is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work. After the medical assessment, if a person's disability is rated as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50%, 75% or 100% per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as mild they will not qualify for Partial Capacity Benefit. The duration that a person can be in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit is linked to the payment they moved from. For someone moving from Illness Benefit, the maximum duration is two years (less the 26 weeks required to be eligible). In the case of Invalidity Pension, a maximum duration of 3 years applies.
Partial Capacity Benefit has been designed so there are no restrictions or limits on earnings from employment or on the number of hours a person can work.
The Green Paper on Disability Reform addresses my department’s commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. Any changes to existing income or employment supports will be considered within the context of the Green Paper.
I encourage all those with an interest in disability supports to express their views in our public consultation by making a submission in writing or by video. It is essential that we hear from as many disabled people and representatives as possible. I have extended the consultation period until 15 March 2024 to ensure everyone has adequate time to make a submission.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
313. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite arrangements for the delivery of PPS numbers to EU applicants wishing to work here in the construction sector; if she is aware that the construction industry has indicated that its international recruitment efforts are being hampered by this delay of up to 12 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5561/24]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the allocation of Personal Public Service Numbers to those who require one to take up employment or education or to access public services. The national average processing time to action PPSN applications is less than two weeks.
While the PPSN application process is relatively straightforward, delays can occur where incomplete applications are submitted or there are problems with the quality of documents provided. When this occurs, the applicant is contacted by my Department to help progress their application.
If the Deputy has a particular case or instance in mind he can bring it to the attention of the Department for further clarification.
314. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection how many adults over the age of 66 years are in receipt of the increase for qualified adult under the State pension (contributory). [5568/24]
View answerAs of 31st December 2023, there were 47,017 adults aged over 66 in receipt of the State Pension (Contributory) who were also receiving an increase for a qualified adult.
315. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown in tabular form of the amount of carer’s allowance applications that were appealed; and how many appeals were successful in the years: 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [5569/24]
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.
Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years.
Further improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer. A significant Appeals Modernisation Project is currently under way 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.
The following table provides the number of Carer's Allowance appeals registered, the number of Carer's Allowance appeals allowed, and the number of Carer's Allowance appeals part allowed from 2020 to 2023.
The Deputy should note that not all appeals registered are decided on. A number of appeals are cancelled, withdrawn by the appellant, and withdrawn due to the Department revising their decision.
|
Carers Allowance Appeals 2020 - 2023 |
- |
||
|
Year |
Appeals Registered |
Appeals Allowed |
Part Allowed |
|
2020 |
3,594 |
1,079 |
115 |
|
2021 |
3,243 |
886 |
95 |
|
2022 |
3,464 |
804 |
67 |
|
2023 |
2,688 |
679 |
52 |
I trust this clarifies matters the matter for the Deputy.
316. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will agree to a request (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5654/24]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department which funds and supports the eight regional companies of the Citizens Information Service (CIS).
I absolutely recognise and value the essential work carried out by staff of the CIS and their dedication to their role in ensuring that people have access to quality and independent information, advice and advocacy services across the country.
DSP allocates annual Exchequer funding to CIB to deliver its services and the services of its Service Delivery Companies, including the CIS companies. However, staff of the CIS are not employees of my Department nor are they public servants. They are employees of independent companies that provide important services to CIB, which are delivered under a Service Level Agreement between each company and CIB.
In July 2023, as part of the Estimates process, a funding request for 2024 was submitted to my Department, which included additional funding for an 11% pay increase for employees of the CIS. My Department understands that this followed a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process that directly involved both SIPTU and the CIS Employers Group. There was no involvement of CIB in the WRC process.
Neither was my Department aware of this pay request in advance. It is important that any pay request, which impacts important services, are carefully considered well in advance and have the involvement of the relevant stakeholders from early in the process.
In relation to the Labour Court recommendation attached to the Deputy's question, dated 3 January 2024, this relates to a pay request from another CIB Service Delivery Company, the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities, and not the CIS. Similar to the CIS process, there was no involvement of CIB in the WRC process that preceded this Labour Court recommendation, and my Department was not aware of the pay request in advance.
In relation to both the CIS and NAS pay requests, I believe that the best way forward is for the relevant stakeholders, including CIB, the employer, and staff representatives, to engage further on this issue.
I trust this answers your query.
317. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement on the SCOPE investigation into RTÉ; and if her Department is in a position to project when all cases will conclude. [5684/24]
View answerIn late 2020, my Department commenced an investigation into the PRSI classification of RTÉ’s contractors. RTÉ provided the Department with lists of 695 workers engaged on a contract basis in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and these formed the basis of the investigation. The scale of the Department’s investigation in RTÉ is significant and further workers may be brought into the scope of the investigation as it proceeds.
Employment status investigations can be complex; each case involves at least two parties and each case must be investigated having regard to its own facts and with an opportunity for each party to be interviewed and to make and respond to submissions.
It is in the interests of workers, RTÉ and the Department that the investigations are progressed in a timely and efficient manner.
It is a matter for RTÉ and the worker concerned to separately decide on their approach to the Department’s investigation, including whether to agree to a reclassification at the outset of an investigation or to appeal any resulting decisions by the Department.
The employer and the worker are entitled to have each case investigated separately and to have a separate decision issued.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
318. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5692/24]
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 29 September 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 4 December 2023 and the case was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 9 January 2024, 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.
319. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason payment of mortgage interest supplement was stopped in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5694/24]
View answerThe Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme (MIS) provided short-term support to eligible people who were unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which was their sole place of residence, due to temporary unemployment or loss of earnings. The MIS scheme was discontinued for new entrants from 1 January 2014. The most appropriate support for customers experiencing mortgage difficulties is through on-going engagement with their lender to explore a sustainable and appropriate repayment structures with their lending institution.
According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has been in receipt of the MIS since 01/05/2012. The MIS claim of the person concerned is currently under review. As part of this review, a letter issued to the person on 27/11/2023 in which they were asked to submit documentation including an up-to-date copy of the current arrangements with their lender. A further request issued to the person concerned on 10/01/2024 in which they were asked to submit evidence of engagement with their local Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) in relation to their ABHAILE scheme. As this documentation was not received, the claim of the person concerned was suspended on 25/01/2024. The person concerned should provide the requested documentation to my Department so that the review of their MIS claim can be finalised.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
320. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if assistance will be provided given the circumstances. [5710/24]
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 DA from the person concerned on 27 June 2023. Based on the information provided to my Department, the person concerned was awarded the maximum personal rate of Disability Allowance with effect from 5 July 2023, with their first payment been made via their chosen payment method on 6 September 2023. The person concerned was notified of the decision in writing via correspondence dated 30 August 2023.
DA arrears, covering the period 5 July 2023 to 5 September 2023, issued to the person concerned on 30 August 2023. I can also confirm that the person concerned received the €400.00 cost of living bonus on 22 November 2023 and the additional week's payment on 6 December 2023 and 31 January 2024.
Fuel Allowance is an administrative (non-statutory) scheme and is payable to people who satisfy the conditions of the scheme and who either live alone or only with certain qualified people. As part of the initial application for DA, the DO assessed the persons concerned entitlement to Fuel Allowance. Based on the information supplied, it was decided that the person concerned did not have an entitlement to the fuel allowance as their household consisted of persons who were not in a qualifying category for Fuel Allowance.
The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 30 August 2023. They were also informed that if their circumstances changed, they should make a new application for the fuel allowance.
The person concerned submitted a further application for Fuel Allowance on 18 October 2023. Based on the information supplied, it was decided that the person concerned did not have an entitlement to the fuel allowance as their household consisted of persons who were not in a qualifying category for Fuel Allowance. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 29 December 2023. They were also informed that if their circumstances changed, they should make a new application for the fuel allowance.
The person concerned may wish to make an application to the Community Welfare Officer based in their local Intreo office for an Additional Needs payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
321. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the reason Tusla have not yet committed to a budget for the Donegal Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre for the following year, if she can provide any assurances to staff who still await confirmation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4978/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, earlier this year the Government established Cuan, a new statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue. As part of its remit, the agency has responsibility for the provision of DSGBV services, including the provision and funding of refuge spaces and rape crisis centres.
Under Budget 2024, in excess of €10m in additional funding for combatting DSGBV has been allocated. This represents a significant increase and will support the implementation of the Zero Tolerance plan - including through the new agency. It will also assist the agency in meeting the acute needs for services throughout the country.
In 2024, Cuan has a total budget of approximately €59 million. Some €40.115 million of this transferred from the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Of this, approximately €36 million relates to core funding allocated to DSGBV services.
I have referred the specific question raised by the Deputy to Cuan for direct reply.
322. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Justice if all Ukrainian refugees are Garda vetted coming into Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5086/24]
View answerApplications for temporary protection are dealt with by officials of my Department who assess applications under the criteria outlined in the temporary protection directive (2001/55), available at the link below, which was activated by EU Council decision of 4 March 2022.
eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2022/382/oj.
Registration of persons granted temporary protection are processed on a Garda system similar to any non-EEA national entering the State and residing for more than 90 days. Biometric details, including fingerprints and photographs are taken as part of the registration process.
Each and every person arriving at a port of entry in is subject to a Schengen Information System (SIS) check. Ireland sends and receives SIS II information (termed ‘Alerts’) on persons and objects; for example, persons wanted by Member States for criminal purposes, missing persons and objects which have been stolen or are wanted as evidence for a judicial purpose.
323. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice the actions that are being taken to improve the retention and recruitment levels in An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5502/24]
View answerThe Single Public Service Pension Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, established on 1 January 2013 under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.
The entitlements of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law and were enacted on 28 July 2012. All new entrant public servants, including members of An Garda Síochána, hired after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Scheme. The introduction of the Single Scheme is the biggest change to public pensions since the formation of the state, and has been instrumental in ensuring the sustainability of the Public Service pension bill for decades to come, while public service employee numbers continue to increase.
It should be noted that while career averaging pension schemes are common across the public and private sectors, Defined Benefit schemes are no longer commonly available in the private sector, where Defined Contribution schemes are more common. It is generally agreed that Defined Benefit schemes are more beneficial for the employee, due to the fixed nature of such schemes during a person's membership.
Staff retention issues within individual public sector organisations are generally a matter for the employing organisation, who may employ tools such as exit interviews with departing staff to identify reasons for leaving.
My Department does not have any evidence, at this time, to indicate that the Single Scheme is contributing to staff retention issues across the public sector, or within An Garda Síochána specifically.
324. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5693/24]
View answerThe granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed in line with the eligibility criteria as set out under this Act.
The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy was not progressed due to lack of engagement; specifically, the failure to provide a copy of the applicant's passport. I am advised the Citizenship Division will seek to make further contact with the applicant directly in this regard.
325. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice how her Department evaluates and determines whether a country of origin is deemed to be safe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4988/24]
View answerUnder section 72 of the International Protection Act 2015 the Minister for Justice may make an order designating a country as a safe country of origin. A country may only be designated as a safe country of origin where satisfied that, on the basis of the legal situation, the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there:
• is generally and consistently no persecution;
• no torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and
• no threat by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.
In making the assessment, it must be taken into account, among other things, the extent to which protection is provided against persecution or mistreatment by:
• The relevant laws and regulations of the country and the manner in which they are applied.
• The observance of the rights and freedoms laid down in specified European and International Conventions.
• Respect for the principle of non-refoulement in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
• Provision for a system of effective remedies against violation of those rights and freedoms.
The assessment is based on a range of sources of information, including from other EU Member States, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council of Europe and other international organisations as appropriate.
If an applicant for international protection is from a country designated as a safe country of origin, their application will still receive a full consideration on its merits by the International Protection Office.
A country that has been designated under section 72 as a safe country of origin shall, for the purposes of the assessment of an application for international protection, be considered to be a safe country of origin in relation to a particular applicant only where—
(a) the country is the country of origin of the applicant, and
(b) the applicant has not submitted any serious grounds for considering the country not to be a safe country of origin in his or her particular circumstances and in terms of his or her eligibility for international protection.
326. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice for details of the documentation that is acceptable to confirm that an applicant has fulfilled the necessary residency requirements to apply for a passport in the name of a child born in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5037/24]
View answerThe granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Where a child is born to an Irish citizen either in Ireland or abroad then that child is an Irish Citizen from birth and has an entitlement to an Irish passport. Where that child is born abroad they should register the birth on the Foreign Births Register maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
There is no automatic right to Irish Citizenship for the children of Non-EEA national parents resident in the State. However, where a child is born in the State to a Non-EEA national parent who has 3 years reckonable residence in the State prior to the birth, an application for Citizenship can be made in respect of that child.
The documentation requested by the Deputy, is available on my Department's website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/declaration-of-residence/.
The only other means by which a minor can obtain Irish citizenship is through naturalisation. As minors cannot apply for naturalisation in their own right, any application must be made by their parent, legal guardian or person acting on the child's behalf "in loco parentis".
Detailed information on how to apply for naturalisation is available on my Department's Irish Immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/ .
327. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice for an update on how many applications are currently being processed by her Department under the Immigrant Investor Programme; what is the timeline for assessing and processing them, and when are they all likely to be processed by; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5063/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023.
There has been an unprecedented level of applications to the Programme in recent years and it is hoped in the coming months that we will be in a better position to understand the impact this will have on the likely timeframes within which final decisions on projects will be made. As the position becomes clearer, my Department will seek to communicate how we anticipate projects will progress and will make every effort to share that information in as timely a manner as possible.
Currently, my Department has approximately 2,700 investor applications on hand.
I am advised that the IIP Unit are committed to exploring any new ways of working that could expedite the examination of project applications and reduce the overall timeframe for decisions.
I can advise the Deputy that updated information in relation to the winding down of the Programme and the processing of applications has recently been published on my Department’s website and an updated FAQ is now available also. Both are available at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/processing-of-iip-applications-on-hand-following-the-closure-of-the-programme/ .
328. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice for an update on a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5087/24]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy was, as an exceptional measure, granted an extension of their visitor permission on Stamp 3 immigration conditions until 16 March 2024.
Any non-EEA national who comes to the State as a visitor is expected to leave Ireland before the expiry of their visitor permission. Any Extension of Visitor Conditions (EVIC) application would only be granted where the circumstances have changed from the time the person was granted the original visa or from when they entered the State if they are not from a visa-required country. An extension to visitor conditions should only be granted once up to a maximum of 180 days in total. Residence in the State beyond 180 days may not qualify as visitor permission.
Applications for family members to reside in the State are governed by the Immigration Service’s Non EEA-National Family Reunification Policy. The person’s correspondence to the Deputy will be considered as an application to the Immigration Service and will be processed in line with this policy. Officials of my Department will contact the person concerned in due course.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
