Written Answers Nos. 742-761
742. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38156/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17th April 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 20th August 2012 and 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.
743. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when an application for carer's allowance will be decided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38158/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question. 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.
744. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has decided to withdraw disability benefit payment to persons who take up addiction rehabilitation as part of a community employment scheme; when this decision was made; the savings made as a result of this cut; and the assessments carried out to determine the effect this cut will have on the amount of drug misusers taking up special community employment rehabilitation. [38167/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe decision to cease Illness Benefit payments to recipients commencing a Community Employment (CE) scheme on or after the 16th January 2012 was announced in Budget 2012 and is detailed in Section 12 of the Social Welfare Act 2011.
The disqualification under Section 12 from certain payments while participating on a Community Employment scheme also covers other CE-qualifying payments including Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, One-Parent Family Payment, Deserted Wife’s Benefit/Allowance and Widow/ers Pension. Those affected commencing CE after 16th January 2012 would cease their original social welfare payment and swap onto an equivalent CE payment which is €20 higher (due to the CE participation bonus), including any applicable dependants increases.
Those CE Participants already on CE at 16th January 2012 in receipt of the above listed payments continue to receive their original social welfare payment simultaneously with their standard CE allowance until they exit the scheme or exhaust their eligibility to participate on CE or they reach the final cut-off date for the cessation of all double payments in December 2014.
The savings to the Department per person, per year would be €9,776 for those formerly in receipt of Illness Benefit. If all former Illness Benefit clients currently on CE were only in receipt of CE allowances, the savings would be in excess of €5.6million per annum.
As at 12th September 2012, there are 22 CE participants listed as drug rehabilitation clients classified under the Illness Benefit eligibility category. Of these 22, only 4 have commenced CE since 16th January 2012 and have ceased their Illness Benefit payment. Each of them is still €20 per week better off compared to their original payment.
745. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for domiciliary care allowance will be processed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38182/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13th February 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 have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and 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.
746. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal date for an oral hearing for an invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38189/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an oral hearing of this case was scheduled for 03rd July 2012. However, prior to the hearing the person concerned contacted that office and advised that she was not in a position to attend and the hearing was postponed.
The person concerned will be advised of the new hearing when arrangements have been completed.
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.
747. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38191/12]
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.
749. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a review of a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38194/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis matter is under investigation and a Department representative will contact Deputy Creed directly.
750. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reduce the amount of days that are required for persons who apply for back to education allowance to participate on a third level education course to take into consideration self-employed persons who may have become unemployed and are not entitled to statutory redundancey; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38223/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling eligible people on certain social welfare payments to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course that leads to a higher qualification than that already held.
In general, the qualifying period for the second level option is 3 months (78 days) on a social welfare payment while the qualifying period for third level courses is 9 months (234 days) having been reduced from 12 months in 2010. A person awarded statutory redundancy may access BTEA immediately (or within 12 months), provided an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established prior to commencing an approved course of study.
A waiting period prior to entitlement is considered essential to enable people to engage in job search and consider options available to them. The imposition of a waiting period serves to minimise the “deadweight” element which is the extent to which people would have moved into employment or training and education without access to the scheme. It is also considered necessary in the context of targeting scarce resources at those who need it most.
My Department is currently reviewing a wide range of activation supports available to DSP customers, including BTEA, and it is my intention to canvass the views of stakeholders as part of the implementation process resulting from the review.
752. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when a medical assessment by another medical assessor will be carried out in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois in respect of their disability allowance claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38229/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 17th May 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the Social Welfare services on the matter raised in the appeal have been sought. In that context, an assessment by another Medical Assessor was carried out on 27th July 2012 who also expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance.
The relevant departmental papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 27 August 2012 and 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.
753. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a one-parent family payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38239/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers and the comments of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal were received in that office on 19th July 2012. The appeal 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.
754. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on domiciliary care allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38240/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 16th May 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for DCA. A letter issued on the 17th July 2012 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision.
As part of the appeal process, the case has been forwarded to another of the Department’s Medical Assessors for further consideration, including a review of any new information supplied. Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined and will be forwarded for consideration by the Appeals Office, if necessary.
755. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in view of the current jobs market requiring many workers to switch sector and skills-set, she will review the criteria for the back to education allowance to enable applicants to enrol on courses which may be at a FETAC level, equivalent to or below their current level of qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38245/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling those in receipt of certain social welfare payments to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course that leads to a higher qualification than that already held. A person wishing to pursue the back to education allowance will have to satisfy a number of conditions such as being a certain age, in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and progressing in the level of education held by the client with reference to the national framework of qualifications among others.
Progression in education is a condition which is not unique to BTEA, indeed State support for education purposes is grounded on a student progressing from one qualification level to a higher one. This is necessary to ensure displacement does not occur, in that courses could be offered to students who are not progressing at the cost of students progressing from a lower education level. Furthermore, the BTEA scheme is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system.
My Department is currently reviewing a wide range of activation supports available to DSP customers, including BTEA, and it is my intention to canvass the views of stakeholders as part of the implementation process resulting from the review.
756. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to address concerns regarding one-year-only recommendations, and their impact on community employment schemes, in view of the challenges in respect of recruiting suitable candidates in areas in which other programmes are operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38253/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment is a labour market activation measure. It is designed as a temporary, fixed-term intervention to assist long-term unemployed and other specified disadvantaged groups to re-enter the labour market. The current structure of Community Employment (CE) has had provision for 1-year CE participation pattern under the Part-time Integration Option since 1996. The Pathways to Work policy statement mentions that one third of CE places will be realigned towards shorter more focused labour market interventions. This measure is designed to improve the outcomes for those participants and to increase the throughput on the scheme so more people can benefit from a CE placement, including relevant, tailored training and work experience.
All CE participant contracts are for 1 year at a time, even under the 3-year Part-time Job Option (PTJ) where contracts are renewable annually for up to 3 years participation. If a participant is considered “job-ready” by their CE Supervisor at contract renewal time, they will not have their contract renewed for a further year. CE Sponsors are fully aware of the transient nature of participant employment within the CE programme and must plan and accommodate for this reality. All candidates put forward for CE job interview (by the Department’s Employment Services to CE Sponsors) have to be both eligible under the CE entry criteria and suitable for placement on the programme. Where a different programme more closely suits a candidate’s needs, they will be directed towards that intervention.
757. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection if any funding is available for individual voluntary groups which provide community services, in view of recent reductions in allocations towards day centre and child care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38254/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMatters relating to the funding of day care centres and childcare services are the responsibility of the Ministers for Health and Children and Youth Affairs respectively. The funding available from my Department for community services is limited in an effort to prevent duplication or overlap in funding approaches across Departments. Support for the development and provision of community services not funded by other Departments or agencies can be made available under the community services programme (CSP). The Deputy should note that the CSP is currently fully committed to the end of 2013. Depending on the nature of the service to be supported, a community organisation can avail of work placements under a number of programmes to help with the delivery of services at little or no cost to the organisation. These programme are, JobBridge - the national internship programme, Tús - the community work placement initiative and community employment.
758. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the uptake of places on community employment schemes by citizens who are single parents; her views on the impact on uptake of loss of secondary payment; her further views on the cost of associated child care and travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38255/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are 3,279 persons under the Community Employment (CE) eligibility category One-parent Family Payment (OFP) at the end of August 2012. In January the figure was 4,539. There has been a drop in uptake for OFP clients on CE since the Budget changes in December. This reduction in take-up has been compensated by an increased take-up by persons on Jobseekers Allowance.
The Budget changes only affect those commencing CE on or after 16th January 2012. The change means that OFP clients can no longer retain their OFP payment and also simultaneously receive CE allowances. Instead they move to a CE allowance equivalent to their original OFP amount plus a €20 per week CE participation bonus. Those OFP clients already on CE as at 16th January retain their OFP payment in full and simultaneously receive a standard CE allowance of €208 per week in addition to their OFP amount. Once they exit CE, the double payment ceases.
Childcare allowances have never been a feature of Community Employment. Travel expenses are only paid for participants undergoing Department-approved training where travel costs are unavoidable. There is no provision to pay travel costs for participants on CE for attendance.
760. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal against non-payment of domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38259/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe continued entitlement of the person concerned to domiciliary care allowance was reviewed in March 2012. The case was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was no longer medically eligible for the allowance.
The person concerned was notified of the decision on 7th March 2012 and she has appealed the decision. As part of the appeal process, the case has been forwarded to another of the Department’s Medical Assessors for further consideration, including a review of any new information supplied. Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined and forwarded for consideration by the Appeals Office, if necessary.
761. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38265/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th March 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 have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and 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.
