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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Vol. 805 No. 2

Written Nos. 136-144

Disability Allowance Appeals

Ciaran Lynch

Ceist:

136. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social Protection when a determination will be made on an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26194/13]

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was scheduled for oral hearing by an Appeals Officer on 27 May 2013. As soon as the Appeals Officer has had an opportunity to fully consider all the evidence, including that adduced at the oral hearing, a decision will issue to the person concerned. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

European Council Meetings

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

137. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the Minister or Minister of State that represented Ireland at the Ministerial Council meetings of the European Union during the Irish Presidency of the Council to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26219/13]

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) is the relevant Council formation dealing with issues relating to social protection. The work of EPSCO also covers issues relevant to other Departments including Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Education and Skills and, to a lesser extent, Environment, Community and Local Government. To date, during the Presidency, EPSCO has met on two occasions; informally on 7/8 February in Dublin and formally on the 28 February in Brussels. Both meetings were attended by myself as Minister for Social Protection. I shared the Chairing of both meetings with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation. The Minister for State in the Department of Justice and Equality also participated at the informal Council meeting.

Parliamentary Questions Data

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

138. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of parliamentary replies issued by her to this Deputy in 2013 containing an undertaking to provide extra information requested; the date of the question in each case; the date on which the information was provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26234/13]

There were five parliamentary questions withdrawn on the basis that the information would be provided directly to the Deputy. Their details are laid out in the table below.

PQ No.

PQ Date

Date information provided

3160/13

23/01/13

18/01/13

16625/13

16/04/13

10/04/13

19118/13

23/04/13

08/05/13

20582/13

01/05/13

The PQ was withdrawn

based on the information

provided. Deputy Ó’Cuív

submitted information on the

30/04/13 which was replied

to on the 07/05/13.

23559/13

16/05/13

Customer’s file currently

with Inspector for

further examination.

If there is a particular issue the Deputy would like raised, please let me know and I will ask my officials to investigate.

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

139. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the context of the review of the maximum rent in respect of which rent allowance is paid, with particular reference to the urgent need to address the situation whereby persons on local authority housing lists now find it impossible to obtain suitable rent supported alternative accommodation, resulting in severe hardship; if she will outline the results of the review and her intentions to address the issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26262/13]

The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are approximately 86,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided a sum of over €403 million for 2013.

As the Department currently funds almost 30% of the private rented sector it is essential that State support for rents are continually kept under review, reflect current market conditions and do not distort the market in a way that could increase rent prices for others such as low-income workers and students.

I previously committed to a review of maximum rent limits by June with new limits in place from July. However, I am pleased to say that the Department is finalising the rent review with new rent limits expected to be in place in early June. I propose to advise the results of the review to my Government colleagues within the next week.

Questions Nos. 140 and 141 answered with Question No. 44.

Pension Provisions

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which on-going review and discussion continues to take place in respect of the funding of the various forms of pension schemes in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26266/13]

The Government is very aware of the serious funding challenges facing pension schemes. It is acknowledged that the fundamental problem is that pensions are significantly more expensive due to increasing life expectancy and lower than expected investment returns which are reflected in increased annuity rates. You will be aware of the range of both administrative and legislative measures that have been put in place in the last few years to assist trustees and employer respond to the impact the financial downturn has had on the funding levels of pension scheme. These changes have been put in place against the backdrop of the Green Paper on Pensions which was published in 2007, the downturn in financial markets in 2008, and the review of the defined benefit pension model in 2011.

The Review of the Irish Pension System which was published by the OECD in April this year looks at issues relating to the sustainability, adequacy, modernity and equity of the pensions system. Consideration of the recommendations of this Report will also inform further developments in this area.

Question No. 143 answered with Question No. 41.

Pension Provisions

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which persons who gave up employment to care for a relative continue to be credited with contributions for old age pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26268/13]

Those who leave the workplace for homemaking/caring purposes can, if eligible, avail of the homemakers scheme which helps to provide a higher rate of pension for those who meet the qualifying conditions. The homemaker scheme comprises a period of disregard when calculating eligibility for a State pension so time taken out of the workforce for caring duties for those who qualify for the scheme, can be disregarded when assessment is being made for State pension.

The scheme was introduced in and took effect from 1994, and allows up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. It impacts on women in particular as it assists them to qualify for a State pension (contributory) by recognising periods spent caring for children or incapacitated persons. The homemaker disregard will not, of itself, qualify a person for a pension. Eligibility for the homemaker’s scheme is conditional on firstly meeting the standard qualifying conditions for State pension.

You may wish to note that for those who give up work to care, and the evidence suggests that it is mostly women, the recently published Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund confirms that the Fund provides better value to women. The Review shows that those with lower earnings and those with shorter contribution histories, mostly women, have and will continue to obtain the best value for money from the Fund due to the redistributive nature of the Fund. For those who do not qualify for the State pension, the means non-contributory pension will continue to be available to those with an income need and details of same are available at www.welfare.ie.

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