Written Answers Nos. 115-124
115. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if over 1000 persons are in receipt of invalidity pension over an extended period, including persons with severe mental health problems and at risk of suicide, have had their invalidity pension withdrawn without clinical assessments being carried out; the reason for this campaign against invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42127/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension is paid to persons who meet certain contributory conditions and who are considered to be permanently incapable of work.
There is no campaign against invalidity pension. Approximately 1,000 invalidity pension customers are selected for medical review each year in order to establish if they continue to satisfy the medical criteria for receipt of an invalidity pension. Cases with a short review referral date (1 and 2 years) are prioritised for review with samples of cases with longer review referral dates being selected also.
As part of the review processes customers are issued with a medical report form by the Department for completion by their own doctor. The information provided on this medical report is then reviewed by a Medical Assessor from the Department in order to establish the customer’s on going entitlement to an invalidity pension. Invalidity pension reviews are medically assessed at desk level on the basis of medical evidence submitted. Eligibility is determined by the severity and expected duration of the medical condition. The assessment is made in accordance with the Department’s evidence based medical guidelines and protocols. The Medical Assessor presents his/her medical opinion for a Deciding Officer in the scheme area.
Customers found ineligible at review stage are offered the opportunity to submit further medical evidence in support of their case and they are also advised of their right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
116. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give consideration to the circumstances of those coming out of care who are without family supports in her budgetary discussions and decision-making and if she will protect the social welfare incomes of these and other recipient groups. [42128/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe €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. 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 are engaged in constructive dialogue with Focus Ireland with regard to their concerns and relevant individual cases.
This dialogue 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.
More generally, the Government is committed to tackling Ireland’s economic crisis in a way that is fair, balanced, and which recognises the need for social solidarity. The appropriate level of overall expenditure by my Department, including expenditure on weekly and other payments, will be considered in the context of Budget 2013 and subsequent Budgets.
118. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the closing date of 1 January 2014 for the Statetransition pension in view of the relatively short notice that was given on the closure of this scheme.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42146/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are two main contributory State pension schemes – the State pension (transition) and the State pension (contributory). The State pension (transition) is paid to people aged 65 who have retired from work and who have the required number and class of social insurance contributions. State pension contributory (SPC) is paid at age 66 to those who meet the qualifying conditions.
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This will begin in 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) thereby increasing State pension age for all to 66 years. The State pension age will be further increased to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028.
The standardisation of State pension age at 66 and the abolition of State pension (transition) removes the retirement condition associated with State pension (transition) which acts as an incentive to leave the workforce and has been widely criticised as a barrier to older people remaining in employment. There is no retirement condition attached to the State pension (contributory) which is currently payable from age 66. There are no plans to change the date of implementation.
At present, my Department is working with the relevant agencies of State who have a role to play in identifying and breaking down barriers to remaining in work past the age of 65.
The continued participation of older people in the labour market must be encouraged and facilitated to meet the challenge of an ageing society. Employees and employers need to be persuaded to change their attitudes to working longer. In the workplace, employers should try to retain older employees and create working conditions which make working longer both attractive and possible for the older worker.
Opportunities for older people to participate in education, employment and other aspects of economic and social life must be maximised.
Raising State pension age and the abolition of the State pension (transition) is a necessary step in ensuring the sustainability of pensions into the future. There is an important and significant policy background to these changes which is that with increases in life expectancy, more people are living to pension age and living longer in retirement. This has obvious and significant implications in relation to the future costs of State pension provision. The fundamental principle involved here is that people need to participate in the workforce for longer and they need to contribute more towards their pensions if they are to achieve the income they expect or would like to have in retirement.
An information campaign in relation to all of the changes has been underway since March 2012 and all information can be accessed at www.welfare.ie. My Department also met with the relevant representative groups and information leaflets were disseminated to all relevant groups as part of the information campaign.
119. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a review of a decision in relation to an application for farm assist in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42150/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17 July 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 appeal in question will be referred in 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.
120. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring in 2013 the cuts made to child benefit in Budget 2012. [42174/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra121. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring in 2013 the cuts made to the one parent family payment earnings disregard in Budget 2012. [42175/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra122. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring in 2013 the cuts made to the one parent family transition payment in Budget 2012. [42176/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra123. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring in 2013 the cuts made to the fuel allowance in Budget 2012. [42177/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra124. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring in 2013 the cuts made to the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in Budget 2012. [42178/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 120 to 124, inclusive, together.
The information requested is outlined as follows. The savings arising in 2013 from the changes made to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme, announced in Budget 2012, are €26.3 million. The savings arising in 2013 from the reduction in the duration of the Fuel Allowance payment, announced in Budget 2012, are €51 million. The savings arising in 2013 from the discontinuation of the One Parent Family Payment transition payment, announced in Budget 2012, is €1 million. The savings arising in 2013 from the changes to the disregard for the One Parent Family Payment (OFP), announced in Budget 2012, are €32 million. Those savings include the further reduction in the OFP disregard due to come into effect in January 2013. The savings arising in 2013 from the changes made to the Child Benefit scheme, announced in Budget 2012, are €70.65 million. Those savings include the standardisation of the rate of Child Benefit for the third and subsequent children at €140 per month in 2013. The savings outlined above are those estimated in Budget 2012.
