Parliamentary questions

Rent Supplement Scheme Applications

Bernard Durkan

53. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will extend rent support in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14099/15]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Thomas P. Broughan

54. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on State pensions for married couples and the restrictions placed on them regarding joint assets; the limit on assets of a dependant of a main contributory pension; the way these restrictions would differ if a couple held their assets in separate accounts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14135/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

56. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the activation options open to recipients of disability allowance; and if she will provide, in tabular form, the numbers of recipients who availed of each of these options, in each of the past five years. [14157/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

57. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the original expenditure estimate and actual outturn on the wage subsidy, the EmployAbility Service, the partial capacity benefit, the workplace equipment/adaptation grant, the employee retention grant, and the disability awareness training schemes, for each of the past five years. [14158/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

58. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of new people and the total number of persons supported by the wage subsidy, EmployAbility Service, partial capacity benefit, workplace equipment/adaptation grant, and employee retention grant schemes, for each of the past five years. [14159/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

59. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of employers availing of the wage subsidy scheme, and the numbers of employees this relates to, as follows: one, five or more, ten or more, 20 or more, 30 or more, 50 or more, or 100 or more. [14160/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

60. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of employers availing of strand 1 of the wage subsidy scheme only, for each of the past five years. [14161/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

61. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of full-time equivalent job coaches engaged under the EmployAbility Service programme and its predecessor programme in each of the past five years; and the corresponding number of persons with disabilities who were supported into work. [14162/15]

Irish Language

Terence Flanagan

62. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to promote the use of Irish in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14177/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Jack Wall

63. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14207/15]

Disability Allowance Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

66. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if computerised data on the medical conditions giving rise to claims for disability allowance are stored, as recommended by the value-for money-review of the scheme, in order to better inform the planning and delivery of employment and training supports; and if so, the main diagnosis types associated with claims, and any relevant trends identifiable from the data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Willie O'Dea

67. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will acknowledge that it is current Government policy to discourage lone parents from engaging with postgraduate education in view of the fact that it is virtually impossible to undertake a postgraduate course without a maintenance grant; her views on whether the provision for the special rate is in actual fact a smoke screen to convey that such an option is a possibility for some when in reality, under the current legislation, any support, scholarship or moneys granted for the purpose of completing a Master of Arts degree can result in the withdrawal of the provision of fees at the special rate; in view of the fact that 98% of lone parents are women, if she acknowledges that the reforms discriminate against lone parents on grounds of class and gender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14268/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Tom Fleming

68. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the updated number of applicants for jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit; the average timeframe for processing new applications; and the arrangements that are being made to process these applications in a more timely manner. [14281/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Tom Fleming

69. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of carer's allowance and carer's benefit granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for a decision on appeal; the number on appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentages of these approved and refused. [14293/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Tom Fleming

70. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the updated number of applicants for carer's allowance and carer's benefit; the average timeframe for processing new applications; and the arrangements that are being made to process these applications in a more timely manner. [14294/15]

Home-makers Scheme

Stephen Donnelly

71. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to make adjustments to the home-maker's scheme; when these changes are planned to come into force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14308/15]

National Fuel Scheme

Mattie McGrath

72. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there are grants available from her Department for home heating solid fuel stoves or ranges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14329/15]

Postal Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

73. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of postmasters in rural post offices regarding letters being sent from her Department to pensioners promoting ways of collecting pension payments, including through banks, other than collection at their local post office; and if she will meet the Irish Postmasters' Union to discuss those concerns. [14336/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Sandra McLellan

74. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will approve and expedite an appeal under the carer's allowance scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14345/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Clare Daly

75. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way persons who are signing on for credits can access a community employment scheme; and her plans to address this matter. [14362/15]

Water Conservation Grant

Clare Daly

76. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way in which the water conservation grant will be paid to residents; and if it will be paid in one payment or in instalments. [14363/15]

Child Benefit Eligibility

Dara Calleary

77. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the age limit for receipt of child benefit beyond 17 years to include dependent children still in full-time education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14379/15]

Postal Services

Andrew Doyle

78. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of her Department's initiatives to transfer funds electronically directly into personal accounts for persons in receipt of social welfare payments and contributions, the way it is intended to structure this payment process, considering the Government's commitment to post offices nationally; if it is intended that such payments will continue to be processed through the post office network; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14431/15]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

79. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the weekly means of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be re-examined as the person claims the incorrect figures are being used and differ from those in the P45 and P60 submitted; and if that person's overall claim will be reviewed as the reduction in benefit is causing them hardship. [14435/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Terence Flanagan

81. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if changes to the assessment process for carer's allowance will be reversed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14443/15]

State Pensions Payments

Tom Fleming

83. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of State pensions (contributory) and (non-contributory) granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number of appeals referred to an independent oral appeal; and the percentages of these approved and refused. [14485/15]

Invalidity Pension Payments

Tom Fleming

84. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of invalidity pensions granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number on appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14487/15]

Illness Benefit Payments

Tom Fleming

85. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, by county, the number of recipients of illness benefit granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14488/15]

Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility

Fergus O'Dowd

86. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on an issue (details supplied) regarding voluntary work while in receipt of a jobseeker's payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14489/15]

Disability Allowance Data

Tom Fleming

87. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of recipients of disability allowance granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14490/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Data

Tom Fleming

88. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of recipients of the domiciliary care allowance granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting times for decisions on appeal; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14491/15]

Family Income Supplement Data

Tom Fleming

89. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, by county, the number of recipients of family income supplement granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeal; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14492/15]

Farm Assist Scheme Data

Tom Fleming

90. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of recipients of farm assist granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14493/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Tom Fleming

91. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, in view of the fact that it has been pending for some time and all relevant information has been submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14494/15]

Rural Social Scheme Applications Data

Tom Fleming

92. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form and by county, the number of recipients of the rural social scheme granted and refused from 1 January 2014 to date in 2015; the average waiting time for decisions on appeals; the number of appeals referred for independent oral appeal; and the percentage of these approved and refused. [14495/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Lucinda Creighton

93. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the rate of jobseeker's allowance payments for young persons who are most at risk of homelessness, in line with those young persons who were in the care of the Child and Family Agency, and are assessed using the jobseeker's allowance rate for persons of 26 years of age or over when they leave care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14503/15]

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Noel Coonan

96. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal under the invalidity pension will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14519/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Noel Coonan

97. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal under the carer's allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14521/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Noel Coonan

98. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal under the jobseeker's allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14523/15]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Thomas P. Broughan

99. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the proposed changes to the special status of some community employment programmes; when these changes are intended to begin and what they will entail; the number of such programmes currently running; the impact analysis of changes that has been conducted; if reviews of outcomes have taken place on any of these programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14578/15]

Family Income Supplement Payments

Ciaran Lynch

101. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a family income supplement payment amount will be reviewed in the event that a person in receipt of the one-parent family payment transfers to the back to work family dividend; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14597/15]

Personal Public Service Numbers Data

Michael Healy-Rae

103. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a personal public service number in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14665/15]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Patrick O'Donovan

104. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding pensions for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14672/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Michelle Mulherin

105. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the changes to age limits effective from 3 July 2015, when a one-parent family payment recipient must apply for the back to education allowance in order to be able to reapply for the one-parent family payment, based on the condition of the youngest child which applied at the time of the original application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14695/15]

Farm Assist Scheme Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

106. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application under the farm assist scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14700/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Peadar Tóibín

107. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that a payment of €144 under the jobseeker's scheme is sufficient to meet the basic cost of living needs of a person who lives independently; if she will provide the differing basic cost of living expenses between an average 24 year old and an average 26 year old, who live independently; and if she will provide the data and-or evidence upon which she based her decision to cut payments under the scheme to those under 25 years of age. [14728/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Bernard Durkan

108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when an oral hearing will take place in respect of an appeal for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14736/15]

Pensions Council

Terence Flanagan

110. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the initiatives that the Pensions Council plans to undertake in 2015 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14760/15]

Departmental Bodies Establishment

Terence Flanagan

111. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the persons who have been appointed to the interdepartmental group on auto-enrolment; the external bodies or persons who are, or will be, consulted on the matter; the group's objectives and time frame; if she will publish the minutes of its meetings; the budget that has been allocated for research; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14761/15]

Occupational Injuries Benefit Applications

Ruth Coppinger

112. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 receiving an occupational injury benefit. [14786/15]