Written Answers Nos. 139-149
139. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the full list of schools that have been granted the school lunch scheme in the past six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26417/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects schemes through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects. The Government has allocated an additional €2 million for the school meals programme in 2013, providing a total allocation of €37 million.
The school meals programme normally operates in line with the academic year, from September to the following June. There are approximately 1,300 schools/groups in the programme for the current academic year benefitting over 191,000 pupils. Priority for funding is given to schools which are part of the Department of Education & Skills’ initiative for disadvantaged schools, ‘Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools’ (DEIS). The Department has written to approximately 170 DEIS schools requesting expressions of interest in participating in the scheme for the coming school year. To date, some 75 schools have expressed an interest in participating in the scheme.
The Department also contacted a further 11 schools/groups who had already made an application to join the scheme. These schools were invited to participate in the scheme for the remainder of the current school year. One organisation, a School Completion Programme in Bray, Co. Wicklow, accepted and is participating in the scheme during May and June 2013. This programme will provide a food club for children attending St. Fergal’s Senior National School in Ballywaltram, Bray, Co. Wicklow. It is expected that the remaining 10 schools will join the school meals scheme from September 2013.
140. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26419/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 10th October 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 15th November 2012 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision and supplied additional information on the child’s condition. As part of the appeal process, the application along with the additional information provided was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who found the child to be medically eligible for the allowance. The person concerned was notified of the decision on the 15th May 2013. Payment of the allowance, along with arrears due issued on the 21st May 2013.
142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct level of rent support payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26438/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to rent supplement based on their household circumstances. The rent supplement claim was reassessed on 1 August 2012 in accordance with the new lease.
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current weekly rate of one parent family allowance payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26439/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a one parent family payment of €247.60. This represents the full personal rate payable with an increase in respect of two qualified children.
144. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for domiciliary care allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26441/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 18th February 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 26th April 2013 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision. As part of the appeal process, the case will be 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.
145. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the rules regarding causes of death being put on death certificates will be changed to ensure that in the future if a person dies through suicide, the cause of death will not have to appear on the report as it does at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26465/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraParticulars to be entered on the Register of Deaths are listed in Part 5 of the First Schedule of the Civil Registration Act, 2004. My Department is currently examining a range of issues in relation to the Civil Registration Act, 2004, including the provision to issue a short-form death certificate which would omit the cause of death. It is hoped that legislation amending the Civil Registration Act, 2004 will be introduced during 2013.
146. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons receiving one parent family payment by county in 2012. [26490/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were 87,918 persons in receipt of a one-parent family payment at 31 December 2012. I attach a tabular statement detailing the breakdown of this number on a county by county basis.
One-Parent Family Payment recipients at 31 December 2012
|
County |
Recipients at 31 December 2012 |
|
Carlow |
1,646 |
|
Cavan |
957 |
|
Clare |
1,390 |
|
Cork |
5,712 |
|
Donegal |
2,881 |
|
Dublin |
33,871 |
|
Galway |
3,126 |
|
Kerry |
2,966 |
|
Kildare |
4,589 |
|
Kilkenny |
924 |
|
Laois |
1,113 |
|
Leitrim |
520 |
|
Limerick |
3,542 |
|
Longford |
952 |
|
Louth |
3,789 |
|
Mayo |
1,842 |
|
Meath |
1,432 |
|
Monaghan |
822 |
|
Offaly |
1,056 |
|
Roscommon |
545 |
|
Sligo |
1,249 |
|
Tipperary |
2,737 |
|
Waterford |
2,441 |
|
Westmeath |
1,758 |
|
Wexford |
3,006 |
|
Wicklow |
3,052 |
|
Total |
87,918 |
147. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons by county in receipt of farm assist for each of the past five years. [26492/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is collated by my Department annually for inclusion in the Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report which is laid before the Dáil when published and copies lodged in the Oireachtas library. Furthermore these reports are available to the public at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Reports.aspx. I include for the Deputy’s convenience a tabular statement detailing the number of persons in receipt of farm assist at 31 December in each of the years 2008 to 2012.
Farm Assist Recipients 2008 to 2012
|
County |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Carlow |
56 |
70 |
102 |
95 |
84 |
|
Cavan |
273 |
343 |
401 |
407 |
404 |
|
Clare |
417 |
511 |
637 |
643 |
609 |
|
Cork |
582 |
757 |
917 |
957 |
922 |
|
Donegal |
1,053 |
1,219 |
1,389 |
1,491 |
1,534 |
|
Dublin |
9 |
10 |
11 |
35 |
37 |
|
Galway |
782 |
954 |
1,133 |
1,137 |
1,112 |
|
Kerry |
547 |
640 |
742 |
819 |
818 |
|
Kildare |
33 |
43 |
56 |
53 |
53 |
|
Kilkenny |
112 |
135 |
173 |
154 |
146 |
|
Laois |
75 |
96 |
149 |
177 |
158 |
|
Leitrim |
209 |
260 |
331 |
377 |
394 |
|
Limerick |
182 |
231 |
265 |
247 |
250 |
|
Longford |
91 |
129 |
176 |
258 |
260 |
|
Louth |
59 |
68 |
81 |
84 |
87 |
|
Mayo |
1,401 |
1,550 |
1,684 |
1,869 |
1,813 |
|
Meath |
57 |
74 |
90 |
82 |
93 |
|
Monaghan |
386 |
440 |
516 |
545 |
504 |
|
Offaly |
70 |
88 |
127 |
133 |
130 |
|
Roscommon |
274 |
320 |
407 |
433 |
424 |
|
Sligo |
354 |
409 |
478 |
315 |
310 |
|
Tipperary |
181 |
262 |
350 |
402 |
404 |
|
Waterford |
41 |
49 |
84 |
96 |
92 |
|
Westmeath |
72 |
96 |
134 |
193 |
197 |
|
Wexford |
129 |
163 |
202 |
255 |
248 |
|
Wicklow |
51 |
55 |
79 |
76 |
79 |
|
Totals |
7,496 |
8,972 |
10,714 |
11,333 |
11,162 |
148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the circumstances in which overpayment of child benefit took place in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26516/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild benefit was originally awarded to the person concerned under EU Regulations from 1/4/2008 in respect of her two children who were resident in Poland at the time. Payment was awarded based on her employment in this State.
Payment was stopped from 1/1/2009 when she failed to reply to correspondence. No further correspondence was received until November 2012, when she lodged a further claim for child benefit in respect of her daughter. As the person concerned had ceased employment on 21/5/2008, her entitlement to child benefit ceased on 31/5/2008 and an overpayment amounting to €2,324.00 was assessed for the period 1/6/2008 to 31/12/2008. Correspondence issued on 13/2/2013 advising her of the overpayment, proposing a method of recovering the amount due and advising that if she considered this decision incorrect to forward any further documentary evidence that she considered relevant. She was also advised of her right to appeal. A reply was received to the effect that she agreed to the overpayment recovery proposal.
No claim was received in respect of her son. He is now over the age of 18 and therefore does not qualify for child benefit.
149. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct level of jobseeker's allowance payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26525/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe jobseeker’s allowance claim of the person concerned is currently under review. The person concerned will be advised of the outcome once the review is complete.
