Parliamentary questions

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

1. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans on increasing the threshold for rent supplements in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47007/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

2. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on figures published by a newspaper (details supplied) on 30 November 2014 that the average gap between the rent supplement caps and actual rent prices now stands at 44% across the State, and is as big as 54% in County Wicklow and 45% in Dublin city; and if she will take emergency action in response to these findings and the resulting rise in homelessness. [47108/14]

Social Insurance

Thomas Pringle

3. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will allow fishermen who own their own boats, who are sole traders or may have one or two crew members to pay class P PRSI contributions in order for them to avail of the limited benefits under class P for periods when they are unable to fish due to weather and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47110/14]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Willie O'Dea

4. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will address the issues arising from the Dano judgment in the Court of Justice of the European Union; her views at the possibility of benefit tourism here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47107/14]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Review

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

5. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the findings of the domiciliary care allowance review reports; if she is committed to implementing all the recommendations; and the steps she has taken from April 2013 to date in 2014 to implement same. [47085/14]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

6. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the implications of the European Court of Justice ruling that member states may refuse non-contributory benefits to economically inactive EU migrants; her views that this effectively excludes persons with disabilities so severe that they cannot work from the right to freedom of movement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47083/14]

Private Rented Accommodation Costs

Richard Boyd Barrett

7. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection as an emergency measure, in the interests of preventing more persons moving into homeless services and to allow those currently in these services to secure private rented accommodation, whether she will issue instructions to community welfare officers to allow for rents in excess of the caps when an applicant secures a home within the average rents of a given area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47098/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

8. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reforms she will introduce to the rent supplement scheme in response to the recent High Court ruling that the Department was wrong to discount the accommodation needs of a separated father's children when assessing his housing need; her views that the scheme as operated served to deny children their right to the care of both their parents; and the estimated number of persons for whom the ruling could potentially have implications. [47084/14]

Departmental Expenditure

Lucinda Creighton

9. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has conducted a cost analysis of the additional 20 gardaí seconded to her Department to tackle social welfare fraud; the projected benefit to the Exchequer of the additional resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47008/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Bernard Durkan

10. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she might be prepared to extend the emergency housing alleviation measures to address short-term housing needs currently available in Dublin to County Kildare and adjoining counties, having particular regard to the critical housing shortage arising from rent increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47050/14]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Maureen O'Sullivan

11. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that community employment schemes are now means tested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46999/14]

Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

12. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the changes she made to farm assist with respect to income disregards in view of the fact that it has had a serious negative affect on the income levels of struggling farming families; the reasons for not carrying out an analysis to assess the impact that the changes have made on those families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47091/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Paul Murphy

13. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has conducted research on the impact the reduction in rent supplement levels has had on the level of homelessness in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47089/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Mick Wallace

14. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that current levels of rent supplement are adequate to meet the housing needs of recipients, particularly in view of increasing rental prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47080/14]

Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

15. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has carried out an analysis on the impact her changes to farm assist with respect to income disregards have had on farmers; if she will reconsider the changes she has made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47087/14]

Community Welfare Services Provision

Mattie McGrath

16. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans for re-opening the nine community welfare clinics, including those closed in Clogheen, Ardfinnan, Newcastle and New Inn, County Tipperary in September 2013; if she will maintain that the current level of services provided since the closures are sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46998/14]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

17. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the current application process for carer's allowance being unsuitable with respect to those looking after persons with learning disabilities or autism; the reason for the delay in taking steps to reform the system; her plans to reform the system; and the expected date by which new application forms and guidance for deciding officers will be in place. [47082/14]

Social Welfare Code Reform

Catherine Murphy

18. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that where a young person who is having a domiciliary care allowance payment awarded in respect of them reaches 16 and applies for a welfare payment in their own right, pending the successful outcome of that application the parent-guardian concerned loses their payment entirely, and must wait to apply for a carer's allowance payment to be successful before having key financial support restored; her views that this creates a very serious lack of support for vulnerable families during this period; her plans to help alleviate this pressure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47092/14]

Community Employment Schemes Funding

Mattie McGrath

19. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her Department's commitment to the future of the community employment schemes; and if she will review a matter (details supplied) regarding community employment supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46997/14]

Exchequer Savings

Catherine Murphy

20. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the reported budgetary savings made in her Department throughout her time as Minister that have had a real and adverse effect on the quality and efficiency of the service provided to citizens who access their services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47093/14]

Private Rented Accommodation Costs

Maureen O'Sullivan

21. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the welcomed partial return of the Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients if she will acknowledge the need for a similar gesture by legislating to stop the discriminating practice of allowing the no rent allowance advertisement accompanying rental properties as it is contributing to making it impossible for persons on rent allowance to find a place to live; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47000/14]

Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme

Clare Daly

22. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will liaise with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to initiate an investigation into the sale of commercial property in 2013-14 by the trustees of the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme; and the implications for the pensions of the members of the scheme. [47001/14]

Personal Insolvency Practitioners

Gabrielle McFadden

23. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will explore with the Departments of Justice and Equality and Finance the possibility of putting together a financial assistance programme for social welfare recipients seeking bankruptcy declarations to allow them to engage the services of a Personal Insolvency practitioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47090/14]

Social Welfare Fraud Investigations

Denis Naughten

24. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views to review the monitoring mechanisms employed to reduce fraudulent payment of child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46996/14]

Employment Support Services

Lucinda Creighton

25. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update in respect of her Department's plans to require jobseekers to upload a copy of their CV to continue receiving social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47009/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Ruth Coppinger

26. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the rent supplement levels; her views that such an increase will have an immediate effect on the reduction of homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47079/14]

Labour Court Recommendations

Patrick O'Donovan

27. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to put a mechanism in place to implement the Labour Court recommendation of 2008 in regard to an agreed pension scheme proviso for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42006/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Denis Naughten

28. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the eligibility for rent supplement to include issues such as the need not to participate in anti-social behaviour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46995/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Bernard Durkan

29. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for disability allowance and-or carer's allowance received in the past six months in respect of children whose parents were previously deemed eligible for domiciliary care allowance; the number approved, rejected or outstanding; the extent to which individual medical circumstances were borne in mind initially; the number of instances whereby eligibility was restored in respect of both carer's and disability allowance; the numbers still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47049/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Thomas Pringle

30. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reasons she has ruled out the raising of the caps on rent assistance when they are well below the market rents for houses and contributing to the ongoing housing crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47094/14]

Exceptional Needs Payment Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

31. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the capacity of the emergency needs payment scheme to meet the growing and future demands on it, from persons who are struggling due to cuts made to other social welfare schemes and rates and the imposition of new taxes and charges such as the water charges, in view of the fact that spending on the scheme has been halved since she to took up office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47086/14]

Pensions Legislation

Willie O'Dea

32. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take to increase pension coverage here; if she will provide an update on the operation of the provisions contained in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47003/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Clare Daly

33. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will increase rent supplement levels by 25% in the areas which have experienced the sharpest rise in homelessness as a result of rising rents. [47002/14]

Child Poverty

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take to address the increasing child poverty rates here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47005/14]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

35. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on extending the period where a family can claim domiciliary care allowance for a child to 18 years rather than them going onto disability allowance at 16, as is currently the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47095/14]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

36. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has conducted an analysis of the cost and number of staff that will be required to administer the €100 water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47088/14]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Ruth Coppinger

37. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide Threshold with further power and resources to prevent homelessness, including in cases of repossessions. [47078/14]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

38. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the criteria for granting the carers' allowance for persons who care for children with severe autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47006/14]

Departmental Strategies

Willie O'Dea

39. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to transfer payments from her Department to an electronic system; if she has discussed this proposed change with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47004/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Bernard Durkan

40. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will determine a formula whereby tenants whose rent has increases substantially over the past 12 months may be offered partial rent support or increased rent support as may be necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47328/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Bernard Durkan

41. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer’s allowance, ophthalmic benefit or dental benefit, invalidity pension and disability allowance received in the past six months; the number approved, refused or pending; the way the figures compare with the previous 12 month period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47329/14]

Unemployment Data

Bernard Durkan

42. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which unemployment alleviation measures continue to make a positive impact in respect of long-term and youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47330/14]

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Bernard Durkan

43. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which measures to alleviate poverty arising from budget 2015 continue to make positive impact; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47331/14]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Bernard Durkan

44. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she may continue to improve the time taken to process appeals in respect of various social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47332/14]

Unemployment Data

Bernard Durkan

45. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the age profile of those on the live register continues to be monitored with a view to making any adjustments necessary to assist those most in need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47333/14]

Back to Work Allowance Data

Bernard Durkan

46. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which back to work applications have been approved in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which those previously self-employed and PAYE workers continue to benefit from the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47334/14]

Work Placement Programmes

Bernard Durkan

47. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for various unemployment reliefs such as JobBridge that continue to be awarded; the extent to which the schemes are proving successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47335/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Bernard Durkan

48. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of children whose parents heretofore were in receipt of domiciliary care allowance who are reaching 16 years of age qualified for invalidity pension or disability allowance thereafter in the past 12 months; the number of such applications rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47337/14]

Exceptional Needs Payments

Bernard Durkan

49. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the degree to which adequate resources continue to be made available to her Department to meet exceptional needs payment requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47338/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Bernard Durkan

50. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which backlogs have been addressed in respect of various headings and payments operated by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47339/14]