Written Answers Nos. 752-772
752. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has conducted a review of the optical benefit scheme; and if so, to outline in detail the outcome of this review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12510/24]
View answerThe Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
The Department have been in contact with Optometry Ireland as the representative body for Optical practitioners in Ireland and have discussed a provisional date for meeting to review the scheme. This will be finalised in the coming days with a view to an in person meeting taking place before the end of March. Engagement with other stakeholders will also form part of the process. The examination fee may be considered as part of the review.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
753. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a change to the optical benefit scheme eye examination fee for contractors is under consideration; if this matter will be raised at her Department’s next meeting with stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12511/24]
View answerThe Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
The Department have been in contact with a representative body for Optical practitioners in Ireland and have discussed a provisional date for meeting to review the scheme. This will be finalised in the coming days with a view to an in person meeting taking place before the end of March. Engagement with other stakeholders will also form part of the process. The examination fee may be considered as part of the review.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
754. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection what supports her Department will put in place for those who have been on special leave with pay and whose payments are due to cease, but who cannot return to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12512/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that his question is proper to my colleague, the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, T.D.
755. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in undertaking review of case of a person (details supplied) who requested same on 19 February 2024 by email; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12532/24]
View answerJobseekers Benefit has been awarded under the part-time option for the person concerned. A personal rate of €232.00 per week, payable from 29/01/2024 has been awarded.
Payment including arrears will issue to the persons nominated bank account on the 15/03/2024. A decision letter outlining this was issued to the person concerned on 12/03/2024.
756. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the designation of long-Covid as an occupational illness. [12533/24]
View answerIn November 2023, I published and laid a report before the Oireachtas entitled ‘Report on measures to include long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations’. This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the criteria for recognition as an occupational illness under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. A copy of the report can be found at: gov.ie - Report on the measures to include long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit regulations – November 2023 (www.gov.ie).
Specifically, presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable on a general basis in the current environment where infection rates are low. The statutory criteria for occupational injuries benefit specify that the disease or injury was caused as a risk of the person’s occupation and is not a risk outside of that profession. Community transmission became dominant by the summer of 2020. Therefore, it has not been possible since then to establish with confidence a general assumption that the disease has been contracted through a person’s occupation and not through community transmission.
It is important to note that even if Ireland did recognise COVID-19 as an occupational disease, this would not encompass long COVID and would only apply to new claims for new cases of COVID-19. Thus, it would not benefit those who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.
In relation to employees in the health services who have not recovered from a COVID-19 infection, the report found that the Temporary Scheme of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees is the appropriate channel through which a targeted sectoral support should be considered. The Department of Health has informed my Department that the Temporary Scheme will conclude on 31 March 2024. Any employee remaining unwell after that date, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.
My Department continues to provide a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness and disability, including those who have not recovered following a COVID-19 related illness.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
758. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has concerns regarding the equitability of the fact that disabled people over the age of 65 years were not entitled to the cost-of-living disability lump sum payments contained within either Budget 2023 or Budget 2024. [12611/24]
View answerAs part of Budgets 2023 and 2024, the Department of Social Protection assisted families and vulnerable citizens through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments.
The measures introduced included the provision of once-off Cost-of-Living lump sums, to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant. Recipients who are in receipt of one (or more) of these payments qualified for the payment.
Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are means tested social assistance schemes. They are subject to a medical assessment and habitual residency requirement. Disability Allowance is a working aged payment paid to people aged 16 to 66 years, while Blind Pension is paid from 18 to 66 years. Maximum rates for Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are currently €232 per week.
Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by PRSI contributions. It is a working aged payment paid to people between the ages of 18 and66 years. Currently, the maximum personal rate of Invalidity Pension is €237.50.
By contrast, the State Pension, whether Contributory or Non-Contributory, is not a working age payment. It is paid to those who have reached pensionable age 66. Currently, the maximum weekly personal rate of State Pension (Contributory) is €277.30, some €40 per week more than those in receipt of a disability payment.
Persons in receipt of a State Pension were not eligible for the one-off Cost-of-Living lump sums announced in Budgets 2023 and 2024.
However, persons in receipt of the State Pension did receive the following:
• A €12 increase in the maximum weekly rate of all State Pensions from January 2024. There are proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate.
• A €300 cost-of-living lump sum for those getting the Fuel Allowance paid in November 2023.
• A €200 cost-of-living lump sum to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase paid in November 2023.
• A Christmas Bonus paid in December 2023.
• A January cost-of-living bonus for pensioners paid in 2024.
Any person experiencing financial hardship may seek financial assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme, by way of an Exceptional Needs Payment or Urgent Needs Payment. This scheme does not have age criteria.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
759. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12637/24]
View answerThe records of my Department show that the payment details of the person concerned were sent to the Revenue Commissioners as part of our usual reporting in both 2023 and 2024. I have arranged for pension statements for 2023 and 2024 to issue to the person concerned which they may wish to forward to the Revenue Commissioners directly to assist with resolving the issue.I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
760. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; if they can pay contributions to augment their contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12676/24]
View answerThe person concerned is claiming their state pension (contributory) from 7 April 2024.
According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 1,446 contributions and credits from 1973 to 2024 giving a yearly average of 28. Based on this record, the State Pension (contributory) has been awarded at the reduced weekly rate of €249.30 from 7th April 2024.
As the person concerned was employed in the public service, they will be considered for a mixed insurance pension. Officials in my Department have contacted the relevant Department and await a copy of the modified insurance record.
Officials in my department have also contacted the person concerned requesting information on their employment in the UK. On receipt of this information, their entitlement to a pro-rata pension will be examined.
Voluntary contributions are designed to facilitate employees or self-employed persons, who are no longer subject to compulsory PRSI, to pay contributions directly to the Department on a voluntary basis, in order to protect future entitlement to State pension (contributory) and Widow(er)’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (contributory) pension.
In order to be admitted as a voluntary contributor, a person must apply within 60 months (5 years) after the end of the contribution year in which they last paid compulsory insurance or in which they were last awarded a credited contribution, prior to the year for which they wish to pay voluntary contributions.
As the person concerned has a full record of paid contributions in the last 5 years, the option of paying voluntary contributions does not arise.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
761. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to comments made by him on Budget Day (details supplied), what support are available to households that do not qualify for the mortgage interest tax credit on the grounds of insufficient income or income tax liability; if a scheme has been developed in concert with the Department of Employment and Social Protection in line with the aforementioned comments and; if not, the status of this commitment. [12691/24]
View answerIn Budget 2024, my colleague, the Minister for Finance, announced the introduction of a temporary one-year Mortgage Interest Tax Relief scheme for eligible claimants.
Lead responsibility for the provision of this tax relief rests with the Revenue Commissioners and claims can be submitted from 31 January 2024 through Revenue’s myAccount service.
The expectation is that the majority of people who are eligible will be in a position to benefit from the support via tax relief. Where Revenue confirms that there is not a sufficient tax liability for a person to benefit from the relief, the person can apply to my Department for support.
My Department is co-operating with the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners on this matter. Arrangements have been put in place in my Department to record details of eligible persons wishing to register their interest in applying for this support.
Any person who wishes to register their interest for this support is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
762. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any social welfare payment administered by her Department would be lost by a claimant in the event of them changing their gender, from male to female or from female to male, under the provisions of the Gender Recognition Act 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12696/24]
View answerSocial Welfare payments, both benefit and assistance, are generally based on specific contingencies such as pregnancy, illness, unemployment, age etc. Where a person is in receipt of such a benefit or allowance, they will have met the criteria around the payment and therefore, a change of gender under section 8 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015, would not cause a payment to be lost. I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
763. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 246 of 7 December 2023, the number of appeals that were decided on by the original decision-making official in the year preceding the July 2023 changes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12706/24]
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 system is underpinned by legislation which sets down the roles, powers and functions of the Social Welfare Appeals Office and its Appeals Officers. Under the legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer may be reviewed under section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts.
I am informed by the Appeals Office that there were 822 reviews carried out under Section 317 of the 2005 Act in the year preceding July 2023. The majority of these reviews were carried out by a different appeals officer, however in some cases it was appropriate for the same appeals officer to undertake the review, depending on the circumstances of the appeal concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
764. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish a list of the NGOs funded by her Department; and the level the funding each NGO received in the past three years, in tabular form. [12727/24]
View answerThe amounts received by non-governmental organisations in receipt of funding from the Department under the Miscellaneous Services subhead in 2022, 2023 and the allocation in 2024 is is outlined in the table below.
|
- |
2022 Outturn |
2023 Provisional Outturn |
2024 Revised Estimate |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
|
Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed |
256 |
256 |
255 |
|
Community Law and Mediation |
350 |
350 |
350 |
|
Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice (St. Vincent de Paul MESL Research Centre) |
130 |
170 |
170 |
The Department, through the Employment Support Programmes, also funds a range of other organisations through supports including Community Employment, Jobs Initiative, TUS and Rural Social Scheme. The table below outlines the total expenditure on these schemes for 2022, 2023 and estimated expenditure in 2024.
|
- |
2022 Outturn |
2023 Provisional Outturn |
2024 Revised Estimate |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
|
Community Employment/TUS/Jobs Initiative/Rural Social Scheme |
479,927 |
484,789 |
424,065 |
The Citizens Information Board also fund grants to Service Delivery companies. Funding in 2022, 2023 and estimated expenditure in 2024 is
|
- |
2022 Outturn |
2023 Provisional Outturn |
2024 Revised Estimate |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
|
Citizens Information Board |
56,309 |
59,184 |
61,495 |
765. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings that she or officials from her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department have had with an organisation (details supplied) including its representatives from 1 January 2019 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12747/24]
View answerMy Department and I engage regularly with a wide range of organisations, including the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) on matters such as the annual Budget processes and other relevant issues.
A representative from the NWCI was invited to attend each of the annual pre and post Budget fora held by my Department during the period in question. Over 60 organisations, representing the community and voluntary sector and other stakeholders, are invited to attend these fora.
In 2020, three online engagements took place with my officials in relation to Budget 2021 and the gender pension gap.
In 2021, four online engagements took place with my officials in relation to consultations on matters relating to a Lone Parents Digital Activation pilot project, a review of Child Maintenance, the launch of the NWCI’s strategic plan and Budget 2022.
In 2024, two engagements have taken place with my officials in relation to consultations on matters relating to a Lone Parents Digital Activation pilot project and a roundtable meeting, organised by the Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC) and the NWCI, on auto-enrolment.
The Statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, The Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. I can confirm that none of these bodies had any specific engagements with the NWCI during the period in question.
766. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update from her Department in response to the recent decision of the Supreme Court to rule in favour of a person (details supplied) in relation to their exclusion from the widower's contributory pension scheme; the current position of her Department in relation to this matter; when this ruling will be reflected in legislation and schemes within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12811/24]
View answerUnder the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership.
On 22nd January, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension. The Supreme Court judgment overruled a previous High Court decision and found in favour of the claimant and his children.
In simple terms the Court has found that section 124 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is inconsistent with the Constitution insofar as it excluded the claimant from the category of persons entitled to benefit from it. The Court reached that conclusion on the basis of the equality guarantee contained in Article 40.1 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court judgment notes that in order to resolve the issue raised by the judgment, a legislative amendment is required.
My officials and the Office of the Attorney General are now considering the impacts of the very detailed judgment, including the legislative changes required to respond to this decision, and drafting the necessary legislation. This is being done with all expediency.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
767. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was not paid the double week in January when they were in receipt of a carers allowance; if the matter will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12815/24]
View answerCarer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention.
To qualify, the Carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention, and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention.
The person concerned was awarded CARB from 13 July 2023 and this payment ceased on 17 January 2024.
The January 2024 Bonus Double week was introduced as part of Budget 2024. All claimants in receipt of specified social welfare payments during week commencing 29 January 2024 to 4 February 2024 were entitled to the January Bonus Double week.
Carers in receipt of, or entitled to receive, Carer's Benefit on the 1 February 2024 were paid the January 2024 Bonus Double Week automatically on that date.
The person concerned contacted this scheme by post on 11 January 2024, to advise that the care recipient was admitted to long term care on 5 January 2024. Correspondence issued to the person concerned advising that their entitlement to Carer’s Benefit payment had ceased once full time care was no longer being provided. The CARB payment for the person concerned ceased on 17 January 2024.
As the person’s concerned CARB payment had ceased prior to 1 February 2024, they were not entitled to the January 2024 Bonus Double Week.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
768. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to change the treatment of persons who are in receipt of supplementary pension payment in the context of customer service and general treatment by her Department (details supplied). [12839/24]
View answerInformation regarding the terms and conditions of the Supplementary Pension provided to retired teachers is a matter for the Department of Education. The Department of Social Protection has no policy role in determining that a retired teacher should apply for a social welfare payment nor does it administer the supplementary pension. Any queries in this regard is a matter for the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform which has policy responsibility in this area.
Any person who retires before the State Pension age of age 66 may qualify for the social insurance contribution-based Jobseeker’s Benefit or the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance if they satisfy the qualifying conditions for these schemes. One of the statutory qualifying conditions for the jobseekers’ schemes is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time employment. The qualifying conditions are designed for universal applicability, regardless of the previous employment or profession. These universal qualifying conditions cannot be amended for one sector.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
769. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing parents with children the right to claim domiciliary care allowance while living outside the State for the purpose of availing of specialist care for their children in that particular country, that is not currently available in Ireland; and if she will consider a mechanism where a special application could be made whereby the designated care and treatment programme for the child in the other state was sanctioned by an approved Government agency in Ireland before the parents could then apply for the domiciliary care allowance while living and caring for them abroad. [12861/24]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly allowance payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability that requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the level of care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for a least 12 consecutive months. This level of care and attention must be required to allow the child deal with the activities of daily living.
Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based entirely on the child's disability or diagnosis but primarily on the impact of the disability in terms of the associated level of care and attention required by the relevant child compared to a child of the same age without their disability.
At the end of February, some 54,462 customers were in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance in respect of 61,119 children. Expenditure in 2024 is estimated at over €290 million.
To qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance, the child must live at home with the person claiming the allowance for five or more days per week. If the child is in residential care but is at home for two days or more per week, a half rate allowance is payable. These criteria are set out in the legislative provisions for the scheme.
Parents or guardians in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance are eligible for an annual Carers Support Grant (€1,850) and, subject to satisfying a means test or having sufficient PRSI contributions, may also be eligible for Carer’s Allowance or Carer's Benefit.
While Domiciliary Care Allowance is not payable on an extended basis to or in respect of persons outside the State, a Carer may be absent from the state while on holiday for a maximum of 3 weeks each year and continue to receive payment.
In order to acknowledge and address the financial burden families of sick children face, the Government has made significant changes to the Domiciliary Care Allowance payment in recent years.
• As part of Budget 2022, the period during which Domiciliary Care Allowance can be paid for children in hospital was extended from 3 months to 6 months.
• As part of Budget 2023, Domiciliary Care Allowance has been made available for babies who remain in an acute hospital after birth for a period of 6 months.
During both these extended periods of eligibility and where other conditions are met, a carer may also receive Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit and the Carer's Support Grant.
It is also worth noting that from January this year, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance was increased from €330 to €340 per month. This payment has increased by €30.50 over the last two Budgets.
Any further revisions to the scheme, including the one proposed by the Deputy, would incur additional expenditure and would have to be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context. Furthermore, such a change would have implications across the other carer income supports and would need also to be considered in that context.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
770. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the level of means testing her Department is caring out on a family carer (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12889/24]
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 conditions attached to the payment of CA are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally. This system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need with the means test playing the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring.
The means test ensures that support is provided to those most in need and plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of caring. Carer's Allowance does not purport to be a payment for care, but is, like other income supports, a payment made in recognition of an income contingency.
This Department recognises the important role that family carers play in Irish society and is fully committed to supporting them through a range of payments and services. Means tests in this Department are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years.
The means test for CA has been significantly eased over the years and is now one of the most generous means tests in the Social Welfare system. The current income disregard is €350 per week for a single person and €750 per week for a couple. From June 2024, the weekly income disregard will increase from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse / partner.
Once claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement. The reviews are carried out by Deciding Officers and decisions are made in a fair and impartial manner and in accordance with the legislative provisions for the relevant scheme.
My Department was unable to identify the person concerned from the details of the question raised by the Deputy. However, if you have any further query specific to that person, my officials would be happy to assist.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
771. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the income thresholds for the fuel allowance in the case of under 70s in light of recent increases for those aged over 70 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12957/24]
View answer772. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider those aged under 70 years with modest occupational pensions which they worked for, who are unable to access the fuel allowance; if she will examine this cohort in the context of the next Budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12958/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 771 and 772 together.
The 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.
In January 2023 the weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 was increased by €80 to €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory). This was a very significant increase in the allowable means and ensured that those who previously were just above the allowable means for fuel allowance purposes were able to qualify for the payment.
In January 2024, the allowable means for those aged over 70 was increased to €512 for a single person and €1,024 for a couple. This was to ensure that no one lost their entitlement to the Fuel Allowance payment due to the increase in weekly rates of Social Welfare payments.
For those aged under 70 the allowable means is linked to the rate of State Pension Contributory and the allowable means for this cohort was automatically increased when the weekly rate of State Pension Contributory payable increased.
Any further widening of the weekly income threshold for accessing the fuel allowance scheme can only be considered while taking account of the overall policy and budgetary situation.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
