Michael Ring
Ceist:266 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the procedures in place in relation to appointing consultants for the pensions board; and if all these appointments have been put to tender. [26953/03]
Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.
Section 12 of the Pensions Act 1990 provides that the pensions board may, subject to the prior approval of the Minister, engage such consultants or advisers as it may consider necessary for the performance of its functions. In practise, there is a delegated authority in force which allows the pensions board to appoint consultants without prior approval where the value of the contract does not exceed €31,740.
Except in exceptional circumstances, all consultancy assignments are subject to competitive tendering. In the limited cases which have not involved tendering, I am satisfied that the award of assignments were in line with public sector tendering procedures.
John McGuinness
Ceist:267 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason her officials have requested a person (details supplied) in County Carlow to obtain other accommodation; if this person's rent allowance will be maintained at the same level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26991/03]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to eligible people in the state whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs. The scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards which have the function of deciding entitlement in individual cases.
One of the conditions for receipt of rent supplement relates to the amount of rent a person may incur. Each health board sets a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may incur, taking the household size and other relevant circumstances into account. This is to ensure that the rent is reasonable and that overly expensive accommodation is not being subsidised by the scheme. Taking the household's composition into account, the health board's maximum rent limit in this case is €130 per week. The person concerned had previously been advised that her rent of €155 per week was in excess of this limit. In accordance with standard practice in such instances, she was advised that she should make efforts to secure more reasonably priced accommodation or, alternatively, seek a reduction in the rent being charged by the landlord.
The board now understands that the landlord proposes increasing the rent to €175 per week. The person concerned has again been requested to make efforts to secure more reasonably priced accommodation.
The guidelines governing rent supplements allow health boards to exceed their maximum rent limits in cases where, in the opinion of the board, exceptional circumstances exist. In this regard the board has now decided to pay rent supplement in this case based on the current rent level of €155 per week for up to three months. It has also advised the person concerned that it will not be possible to pay rent supplement beyond that date at this rent level or in the event of any further increased level or rent in the meantime.
The board has also been in contact with the local authority in relation to the possibility of local authority housing being allocated in this case.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:268 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason unemployment benefit has been refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27063/03]
The person concerned was awarded unemployment benefit with effect from 6 November 2002. Following a review of his case the claim was disallowed with effect from 7 August 2003 on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work.
The person concerned appealed the deciding officer's decision to the social welfare appeals office. Following an oral hearing the appeals officer upheld the original decision and the person concerned was notified of the result on 31 October 2003. If the person concerned is in a position to provide fresh evidence that he is genuinely seeking employment, he can reapply for unemployment benefit.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:269 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the nature of the information required by her Department to facilitate inquiries to enable restoration of one parent family allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27069/03]
A deciding officer disallowed payment in this case on the grounds that the person concerned had failed to disclose all her means. She has income which is not consistent with her declared means and she has failed to explain the discrepancy to date. She was informed of this decision and of her right of appeal to the social welfare appeals office.
Under social welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.