Written Answers Nos. 106-113
106. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will receive an answer to their rent allowance application; and if she will expedite same. [49908/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe client was requested to provide outstanding information to the Department on the 8th October 2013 which was received on 11 November 2013. Rent supplement application has now been assessed and awarded and payment, including any arrears due, will issue to the client at the end of the month. The client has been duly notified.
107. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the attached correspondence (details supplied) regarding JobBridge; when the JobBridge inquiry will conclude fully; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49931/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe correspondence in question has been referred to the Department’s Employment Services Unit where the matter will be fully investigated. The customer will be notified of the outcome of this investigation as soon as possible.
108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason carer's allowance was refused in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49933/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned was refused by a deciding officer on 4 November 2013 on the ground that the person being cared for was not so invalided or disabled as to require full time care and attention as laid down in Social Welfare legislation. This decision was based upon the evidence supplied to the Department by the applicant and the care recipient’s doctor. A letter issued on 4 November 2013 which notified the person concerned of the decision, the reason(s) for it and of their right to a review or to appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
109. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide additional rural social scheme places for new entrants in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49977/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the rural social scheme 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. At present, implementing bodies covering Kerry employ a total of 279 participants and 16 supervisors. I have no plans to increase the number of places available on this scheme given the level of resources available to me for the foreseeable future. The funds allocated for 2013 amount to €45m and similar levels of resources will be made available for 2014 which should enable the scheme to continue as in previous years but does not allow for the recruitment of additional participants above the numbers stated above.
110. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an estimate of the cost of reinstating the Christmas bonus payment for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49978/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is estimated that the payment of a December Bonus, equivalent to 100% of a person’s weekly social welfare rate, to recipients of long-term social welfare payments is of the order of €261 million.
Question No. 111 withdrawn.
112. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department officials carried out interviews on persons travelling through Irish airports and ferry terminals as a means of detecting social welfare fraud; if she will provide details in tabular form of the number of interviews per airport and ferry terminals that were carried out in 2012; the number of payments that were discontinued as a result of these interviews; if she will provide details of any prosecutions that have been initiated as a result of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49994/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraProvision was made in the Social Welfare & Pension Act 2012 to allow for Social Welfare Inspectors to exercise certain functions at ports and airports for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Act. The measure is a prescribed one in that it allows for a power of enquiry in specific circumstances. The powers came into effect on 7th June 2012.
Persons are interviewed where there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence under the Social Welfare Acts has taken place. Generally activity is confined to either directly interviewing the person concerned on embarking or disembarking as well as sometimes observing a person embark/disembark with an interview subsequently being undertaken. The table indicates the level of detections which have led to payments being stopped and disallowed since June 2012.
|
Airport |
Number of detections |
Cases under investigation |
|
Dublin |
72 |
34 |
|
Cork/Shannon |
50 |
11 |
|
Total |
122 |
45 |
Resulting from the operation of these powers, there have been five cases prosecuted under Criminal Justice Legislation. All of these cases have been fully concluded before the courts and further two cases are currently waiting to be brought before the courts.
Question No. 113 withdrawn.
