Written Answers Nos. 710-726
710. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an appeal for a higher rate of rent support will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37953/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 19th June 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
711. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a claim for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary submitted in November 2011; when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37967/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10th January 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 25th July 2012 and the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
712. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection when a national roll-out of the public service ID cards will take place; if there is information available on the success of the pilot programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37968/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection (DSP) has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This programme of work, which is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment or SAFE for short, also provided for the introduction of a Public Services Card (PSC) to enable individuals to gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible.
A PSC is currently issued following a “face-to-face” registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data already held by the Department. In order to ensure that the processes, facilities and ICT systems worked in practice, the SAFE registration process was successfully piloted in three DSP Local Offices (Tullamore, Dublin Kings Inn and Sligo). The pilot also aimed to establish the resources needed to roll-out SAFE/PSC registration nationally. It also indicated the need for legislative changes to support the new processes and some of these were included in this year’s Social Welfare Act.
The pilot has been completed and a roll-out of SAFE/PSC registration centres nationally is now in progress. SAFE/PSC registration is currently being extended via the DSP Local Office network, and a number of new dedicated SAFE Centres are being set up initially in Dublin and, over time, in locations nationally.
713. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when payment of carer's allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37970/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has been in contact with carer’s allowance section and arrears issued on August 30th for payment due for the period June to September 2012. The person concerned has requested a change in post office of payment. Arrears due for the period from March to May will issue once that change has been made.
714. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to indicate if and when an application for rent allowance will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37971/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th May 2012. The case has been assigned to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. 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.
715. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when child dependant allowance will be paid in respect of a jobseeker's allowance payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37972/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is now in receipt of a qualified child dependent allowance on their jobseeker’s allowance claim and arrears due have been paid.
716. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a late appeal will be accepted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37974/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for invalidity pension, by the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 18th October 2011. I am informed by the Social Welfare appeals Office that there is no trace of appeal against this decision, by the person concerned. In the normal course, an appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made within 21 days of a decision being notified. Appeals received outside of this time limit may be accepted at the discretion of the Chief Appeals Officer. This limit is not rigidly enforced but in view of the length of time which has elapsed since the person concerned was notified the decision and in the absence of any explanation for the failure to make the appeal within the prescribed time, it is considered that the acceptance of an appeal would not be warranted at this late stage.
I understand that the person concerned has lodged a new application for invalidity pension and her case will be determined afresh in the light of any changed circumstances. If she is dissatisfied with the decision given in that regard, it would be open to her to appeal the decision by writing to the Appeals Office stating clearly the grounds of her appeal. 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.
717. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when eligibility for disability allowance will be determined in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37976/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that an application for disability allowance has been received from the person concerned. A decision on her application will be made shortly and the person will be notified in writing of the decision.
718. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for one-parent family allowance will be reopened in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37979/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe one parent family payment claim of the person concerned has been reinstated.
719. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of supplementary welfare payable in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37980/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was paid supplementary welfare allowance while her one parent family payment claim was under review. She was paid a weekly rate of €135.80. This consisted of a personal rate of €186.00 plus €29.80 qualified child allowance less weekly means of €80.00 in respect of a maintenance payment.
720. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance application will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37988/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question. The medical assessment has been completed and the application is awaiting examination by a deciding officer for a means assessment and a full decision. The application will be processed as quickly as possible and when a decision is made the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
721. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to withdraw social welfare payments from persons who are found to be illegally importing tobacco into the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37989/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that persons engaged in illegal activity are primarily a matter for the Garda Siochána. While there is no general prohibition on claiming welfare payments where a person has a conviction, even a social welfare conviction, if the sentence involves a period in prison, then s/he would not be entitled to claim any welfare payment for the period of imprisonment.
722. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if rent allowance will be restored in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38013/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of rent supplement.
723. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will approve an application for rent supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38018/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has made an application for rent supplement and has been requested to provide further information in order to process her claim. A decision will be made on her application when the information has been provided.
724. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the situation regarding young people facing homelessness and problems with emergency accommodation (details supplied). [38036/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra759. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection her views regarding young persons who are homeless and in need of an adult payment (details supplied) to enable them to live independently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38258/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 724 and 759 together.
The €100 rate of jobseeker’s allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. The €100 rate does not apply to certain categories of claimant including: claimants with a qualified child; those transferring to Jobseeker's Allowance immediately after exhausting their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit; those making a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance where that claim is linked to a Jobseeker's Allowance claim made within the previous 12 months to which the maximum personal rate applied; those transferring directly to Jobseeker's Allowance from Disability Allowance; certain people who were in the care of the HSE during the period of 12 months before he or she reached the age of 18.
A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22-24. The adoption of these measures reflected the need to encourage more young jobseekers to improve their skills by either pursuing further study or accessing a labour market programme.
Receiving the full adult rate of a jobseeker’s payment without a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training can lead to welfare dependency. While many young people with low levels of education and training were able to get work in construction and other areas when the economy was doing well, they are likely to find it much harder to get work over the course of the next few years. The measures encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and will help them to progress into sustainable employment on a long-term basis.
Where a person is in receipt of a rate of jobseeker's allowance described above and he or she participates in a course of education, training, community employment, rural social scheme or Tús, the full normal rate of payment applicable to that course or scheme applies without any reduction for persons aged under 25.
I understand that Deputies have been contacted with regard to these measures following a campaign by Focus Ireland. My officials have engaged in constructive dialogue with Focus Ireland with regard to their concerns. Currently, Focus Ireland is working to supply my Department with details from their network organisations of relevant individual cases. On receipt of this information, my Department will engage in further discussions with Focus Ireland. These discussions will seek to achieve a satisfactory resolution of any issues arising in respect of these persons, while also preserving the integrity of the social welfare system and avoiding any potential drift towards welfare dependency.
725. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the total number of persons who have applied, partially completed, and completed a three, six or nine-month internship under the JobBridge work placement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38040/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors. Internships cannot be advertised for 3 months duration. The Scheme has made significant progress to-date. Over 9,900 internship placements have commenced since 1st July 2011, with 4,817 internships in place as at 6th September 2012 and over 1,800 opportunities presently advertised on www.jobbridge.ie.
The following table provides a breakdown of completed placements.
|
- |
Placements |
|
Total Finishers to date |
5,104 |
|
Fully Completed Internship |
2,052 |
|
Early Completion of Internship |
3,052 |
|
Early Completers who progressed directly into employment: |
1,407 |
Our records indicate that almost 40% of finishers to-date have progressed directly into employment. The process for applying for internships requires that an eligible individual must apply directly to the Host Organisation in the manner prescribed by that organisation. As such, the Department of Social Protection would not have access to the current figures concerning applications.
726. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for disability allowance will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38041/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for disability allowance on 5 June 2012. The medical evidence supplied with her application was referred to one of the department’s medical assessors who was of the opinion, based on the information supplied, that she was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and the claim was refused and the person was notified in writing of this decision on 4 September 2012.
