Written Answers Nos. 687-711
688. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in determining an appeal against disallowance of disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and when a decision will issue. [38417/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th February 2013. 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 23rd July 2013 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 7th August 2013 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.
689. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance appeal in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Cork. [38419/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2nd July 2013. 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 13th September 2013 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.
690. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding plans to redevelop the social protection office (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38451/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Kilbarrack Social Welfare Local Office is scheduled to be redeveloped as an Intreo Office in 2014.
691. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38521/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9th May 2013. 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 30th July 2013 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on the 9th August 2013 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.
692. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an incapacity supplement claim will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [38550/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that a revised decision favourable to the person concerned will be made by the Department of Social Protection in respect of her Incapacity Supplement claim. The person concerned will be notified of the decision shortly.
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.
693. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if domiciliary care allowance will be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will expedite a response. [38554/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 28th May 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 30th July 2013 advising of the decision.
The person concerned has requested a review of this decision and supplied additional information on this child’s condition/care needs. He will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed.
An appeal against the decision has also been submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The application file will be passed, if necessary, on completion of the review to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for their consideration.
694. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal of jobseeker's benefit in respect of a person (details supplied); if she will expedite same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38556/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14th August 2013. 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 10th September 2013 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.
695. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a jobseeker's benefit appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); if she will expedite same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38557/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, an appeal was registered on 17th July 2013 and in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Appeals Office has contacted the appellant and asked him to set out the complete grounds of his appeal. There is no record of any response having been received to date to this request. On receipt of his response the relevant departmental papers will be requested from the Department of Social Protection and the appeal will then be referred in due course to an Appeals Officer for consideration.
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.
696. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a file of an appeal for invalidity pension will be sent to the appeals office for consideration in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14; when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38613/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions.
This department received a claim for invalidity pension for the person concerned on 28 March 2013. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of his claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that the person concerned was not eligible for invalidity pension as he did not satisfy the medical criteria. The application for invalidity pension was disallowed by a deciding officer. The person in question was notified of this decision and the reason for it on 21 May 2013.
Further medical evidence was subsequently submitted by the claimant. This additional evidence, along with the original information, was evaluated by a different medical assessor who also expressed the opinion that the person concerned still did not satisfy the medical criteria. Accordingly, the deciding officer confirmed the original decision and notified the claimant of the outcome on 4 July 2013.
The person concerned appealed the decision and, again, submitted further medical evidence which was forwarded to a different medical assessor for evaluation. The opinion of the medical advisor based on all the evidence supplied is that the person concerned now meets the medical criteria for invalidity pension. A deciding officer has made a revised decision awarding the application for invalidity pension and an award letter will issue to the claimant today, 18 September 2013.
697. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied). [38618/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe obligation of EU member states under directive 883/2004, when a jobseeker leaves one EU country to look for work in another EU country, is that provided the person continues to meet the conditions for entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit, the country from which the jobseeker left will continue to pay jobseekers benefit directly to the person for up to 78 days.
The person concerned applied for and was awarded a transfer of her jobseeker’s benefit entitlement for a period of 78 days while seeking employment abroad in Slovakia. This 78 day entitlement period expired on 17th July 2013 and she was notified to this effect at the time; she has received her full entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit under this directive. The person concerned has written to her Social Welfare Local Office asking for an extension of this period, and a reply that it will not be possible to grant an extension is in the process of issuing.
698. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal against the refusal of disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38633/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11th June 2013. 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 31st July 2013 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.
703. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to allocate more customer service staff to phone lines operated in the administration of rent supplement for the mid-Leinster division to enable applicants and landlords to discuss queries on their applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38776/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mid Leinster Rents Unit operates a lo-call phone line Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2.15 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
The Unit has recently assumed extra responsibility, now managing over 10,000 live claims across Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow and some parts of Dublin.
While there are no immediate plans to increase staffing of the unit all aspects of work including efficient operation of phone lines is being monitored closely.
705. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to allocate more medical officers to the Department to enable medical assessments to take place in a timely manner as per targets set; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38779/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraA number of vacancies have arisen for Medical Assessors in the Department over the last year. In response, the Department in conjunction with the Public Appointment Service (PAS) is running a competition to recruit replacement/additional Medical Assessors. The closing date for applications is the 3rd October and it is hoped that appointments from this competition will take place early next year. This competition is one of a number of options that the Department is currently exploring in order to increase its capacity to carry out medical assessments and reviews of its illness/disability/caring schemes.
706. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal against the decision to refuse an application for mortgage interest relief in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38788/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13th August. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the appeal in question 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.
707. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the number of places on the rural social scheme in Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38817/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra708. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase TÚS placements in Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38818/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 708 together.
The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013 announced a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for those currently unemployed. A key element of this package was to add an additional 2,500 places to Tús – the community work placement initiative. The additional 2,500 Tús placements have been committed nationally with 60 placements allocated to Cavan and 40 to Monaghan. I am anxious to provide as many work placement opportunity as possible within the resources available to the Department of Social Protection and the take up of placements by local development companies and the community and voluntary sector is reviewed at regular intervals. The Deputy may wish to note that some 12,800 people have already been employed on Tús and currently 6,487 part-time participants and 341 full time supervisory staff are on the payroll.
The purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff of which 120 participants and 6 supervisors are engaged in Counties Cavan and Monaghan. All places nationally are allocated with funding for 2013 amounting to €45m. This does not allow for the recruitment of additional participants above the numbers stated above. I have no plans to increase the number of places available on this scheme.
710. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department intend to take to ensure semi-State bodies and other organisations and bodies under the remit of her Department advertise vacant positions through the Public Appointments Service and publicjobs.ie that is in a clear and transparent manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39256/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
The Citizen’s Information Board and the Pensions Board advertise approved posts within their Employment Control Framework, which they are unable to fill through redeployment, on publicjobs.ie.
The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman staff are civil servants and as such must be appointed by the Public Appointments Service.
Citizens Information Board
Appointments to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) are made in accordance with legislative provisions contained in the Comhairle Act 2000, and the Citizens Information Act 2007.
The CIB operates in accordance with the Revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. I have made three appointments to the CIB since coming into office. One of these was made following a public request for expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced individuals. Advertisement was by way of the Department’s website on www.welfare.ie. Interested parties registered their interest through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) website; www.publicjobs.ie. The other two appointments did not require public advertisement as one was the Department’s representative to the Board and the other was the CIB’s staff representative to the Board.
There are currently two vacancies on the Citizens Information Board. A public request for expressions of interest resulted in 76 applications being received through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Appointments will be made in accordance with the legislation on completion of the selection process.
Pensions Board
Following from the Critical Review of the Pensions Board under the Public Service Reform Plan, the governance structure of the Pensions Board is in the process of changing to form two bodies:
- the Pensions Authority, a three person body which will have oversight of the Pensions Board
- A separate unpaid Pensions Council, with a majority of members representing consumer interests, which will advise the Minister on pensions policy.
Under existing provision in the Pensions Act, the positions of Chairperson and Members are filled by Ministerial appointment and this will continue to apply to the new structures. It is expected that vacancies for the Pensions Council will be advertised on the PAS in the coming months and that this will be done in a clear and transparent manner.
Social Welfare Tribunal
The revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies does not apply to the Social Welfare Tribunal due to its structure and purpose.
711. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year saving to the Exchequer were the CEOs' pay of all commercial semi-States under the aegis of her Department reduced by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39264/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no commercial semi-State organisations operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection.
