Written Answers Nos. 105-112
105. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43398/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo public servant in my Department is being paid in excess of the Taoiseach’s salary or the Government’s pay cap.
106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is expected carer’s allowance will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42958/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 8th October 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
107. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures she has put in place, or will put in place, to ensure that FÁS scheme supervisors against whom complaints are made by scheme participants do not use their position to campaign against those who have made complaints against them, once the scheme participants have moved on to other employment, including instances where the company's website and Facebook have effectively been used to campaign against two former employees who made what I understand to be justified complaints. [42805/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the first instance the issue the Deputy raises is a matter between the Community Employment (CE) Sponsoring Organisation (the legal employer) and the CE participants (employees). Participants in the situation described by the Deputy should communicate their concerns to the Sponsoring Organisation directly. If the matter is not resolved and further assistance is required, an approach should be made to the Department Official who oversees the programme at Divisional level. All CE Sponsoring Organisations are expected to uphold the dignity and respect of the individual and support every individual’s right to work in an environment which is free from any form of harassment, intimidation or bullying.
108. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection when a date will be agreed for an appeal for invalidity allowance payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42824/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 April 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 23rd August 2013 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
109. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of determinations that were made by the Pensions Ombudsman; the number of these that were appealed; the number of these appeals that were successful; the total legal cost of these appeals over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42849/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of the Pensions Ombudsman is an independent agency under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection. The Pensions Ombudsman is an independent statutory officer who was appointed in 2003.
Over the ten years of its existence, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman has received 10,000 queries and opened over 5,000 detailed complaint files in relation to occupational pension matters. The vast majority of these have been settled by informal intervention by the Office and have not gone to determination. Full details and statistics are available in the annual reports published by the Pensions Ombudsman.
I understand that there have been 611 determinations made by the Pensions Ombudsman since the establishment of his Office in 2003. To date, there have been 9 appeals against determinations of the Pensions Ombudsman and none of these appeals have been successful. Five determinations are currently the subject of High Court proceedings. I further understand that the total legal costs of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman over the past five years was just under €349,000, which includes the cost of prosecutions taken by the Office against persons failing to furnish information. Legal costs have been awarded to the Pensions Ombudsman in all successful cases and are remitted directly to the State.
The Pensions Ombudsman is independent and impartial in the exercise of his statutory functions. The services of the Pensions Ombudsman are free and available to everyone.
110. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the support or assistance that will be provided by her Department to citizens who have availed of early retirement or redundancy schemes in which the scheme has specifically indicated that the citizen will begin to receive a State pension from the age of 65 years but who will not now be entitled to receive any State pension until they reach 66 years of age due to recent changes to the State pension scheme. [42856/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to provide for sustainable pensions and to facilitate a longer working life, the Government decided to increase State pension age in three separate stages. This decision to reform State pension was taken in the context of changing demographics and increasing longevity. In 2014, State pension transition will cease and the State pension age will be standardised at 66. This will be increased to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.
The Deputy may wish to note that significant numbers of people are on social welfare schemes well in advance of State pension age. For example, in 2012, 11,130 people were awarded SPT and of these, 12.5% (1,390) came from employment with 50% (5,635) coming from another social welfare payment including illness related schemes, indicating that quite a number of number of people are already in the social welfare system in advance of State pension age.
In relation to those who are already retired through early retirement schemes or through redundancy in advance of State pension age, social welfare schemes are payable up to State pension age. Each application for any social welfare scheme is assessed on its own merit in terms of qualifying criteria and contribution history. Where a person fails to meet the qualifying conditions of an insurance based scheme, the means tested assistance payment may be available provided they satisfy the qualifying conditions including a means test.
The main social welfare payments available to those who leave employment before pension age are jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance. Persons who qualify for a jobseeker's payment who are aged between 65 and 66 years are generally entitled to receive payment up to the date on which they reach pensionable age (66 years). With the changes to State pension, social welfare support will continue to be available and targeted at those most in need.
112. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects the move of the social welfare office from Rockfield medical campus, Balally, to the redeveloped social welfare office at Nutgrove shopping centre, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42869/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Welfare Office based at Rockfield Medical Campus, Balally, is designated to transfer to the proposed INTREO office at Nutgrove Shopping Centre, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, during the first quarter of 2014.
