Written Answers Nos. 153-165
153. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the membership of the technical advisory group in her Department; the number of meetings held in each of the years 2011 to 2013, inclusive; the work plan and outputs of the group in that period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1888/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Technical Advisory Group is one of the structures set up to support the implementation of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion. The Group supports the remit of the Department in developing indicators and data for the measurement of poverty and in monitoring and interpreting poverty trends. It is composed of experts in social research, social statistics and social policy from Government departments, academic organisations, state agencies and social partners. In 2011, the group met four times (17 February; 26 May; 12 September; and 12 December). In 2012, the group met three times (8 March; 25 June; and 9 November). In 2013, the group met twice (11 March; 3 July; a third meeting proposed for 3 December was deferred until early 2014).
The main activities of the group are as follows: (i) the development of indicator and data sources on poverty; (ii) the monitoring of poverty targets and supporting indicators; (iii) informing research on new and emerging aspects of poverty; and (iv) advising on cross-cutting issues at national and EU levels on poverty measurement and research). Recent activities of the group include:
- the review of the national poverty target
- the development of EU poverty indicators and targets
- the EU peer review on the setting of national poverty targets
- the implementation of the DSP research programme on the analysis and measurement of poverty and social exclusion, including technical papers and thematic reports
- the analysis of the results of the annual CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC)
- the development of the Social Inclusion Monitor to report on progress on the national social target for poverty reduction and supporting indicators.
The group provides a very important forum for strengthening the knowledge base about poverty measurement and for informing the development of evidence-based policies to tackle poverty. I am very appreciative of the support and expertise provided by the group to the Department and look forward to their continuing role in this regard.
2014 Technical Advisory Group Membership List (includes alternates)
|
Category |
TAG Representative |
Organisation |
|
Central Statistics Office |
Tom McMahon |
Central Statistics Office |
|
- |
Pamela Lafferty |
Central Statistics Office |
|
- |
Patrick Foley |
Central Statistics Office |
|
Academic experts |
Tim Callan |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
|
- |
Bertrand Maître |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
|
- |
Helen Russell |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
|
- |
Dorothy Watson |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
|
- |
Chris Whelan |
UCD School of Sociology |
|
- |
Brian Nolan |
UCD College of Human Sciences |
|
Social Partners |
Dr Seán Healy S.M.A. |
Social Justice Ireland (C&V Pillar) |
|
- |
Caroline Fahey |
Society of St Vincent de Paul (C&V Pillar) |
|
- |
Kara McGann |
IBEC (Employers' Pillar) |
|
- |
Gillian Westbrook |
ICSA (Farmers' Pillar) |
|
- |
Peter Rigney |
ICTU (Unions' Pillar) |
|
- |
Loraine Mulligan |
ICTU (Unions' Pillar) |
|
Government Departments |
Brian McCann |
D/Children and Youth Affairs |
|
- |
Diarmuid Reidy |
D/Education and Skills |
|
- |
Gillian Golden |
D/Education and Skills |
|
- |
Helen McGrath |
D/Environment, Community & Local Government |
|
- |
Geraldine Luddy |
D/Health |
|
- |
Tim McCarthy |
D/Health |
|
- |
Sinéad Quill |
D/Health - Office for Older People |
|
- |
Gráinne Whelan |
D/Justice and Equality |
|
- |
Pamela McLoughlin |
D/Justice and Equality |
|
- |
Tom Maguire |
D/Justice and Equality |
|
- |
Pauline Moreau |
D/Justice and Equality - Gender Equality Division |
|
- |
Joan O'Shea |
D/Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
- |
Colin Menton |
D/Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
- |
Yvonne Jackson |
D/Taoiseach |
|
- |
Edel Cooke |
D/Taoiseach |
|
State agencies |
Laurence Bond |
Equality Authority |
|
- |
Eithne Fitzgerald |
National Disability Authority |
|
- |
Marion Wilkinson |
National Disability Authority |
|
- |
Helen Johnston |
National Economic and Social Development Office |
|
Department of Social Protection |
Jim Walsh |
- |
|
- |
Kasey Treadwell Shine |
- |
|
- |
Joanne Mulholland |
- |
|
- |
Elaine O'Neill |
- |
|
- |
Brian King |
- |
|
- |
Paul Morrin |
- |
154. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for invalidity pension appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1921/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 20 January 2014. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the 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.
155. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the different guidelines and administrative restrictions for those employed by her Department on community employment schemes and those on Tús schemes regarding attendance and allowances for those attending training courses while on these schemes; her plans to amend these regulations so that all those participating in State-sponsored employment and training schemes are treated the same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1941/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) has as an explicit primary objective, the provision of development opportunities to participants to help them gain qualifications and to secure job placement after Community Employment. In all Community Employment projects the Sponsor (employer) is required to produce structured development and training opportunities for each participant on the project. This requires the preparation of an Individual Learner Plan (ILP) with each participant. The planning, development, management, delivery and review of the Plans are part of the day-to-day responsibility of the CE Supervisor, acting on behalf of the Sponsor.
Tús focuses on those who are long-term unemployed, and aim to improve the employability and work readiness of participants by providing them with the opportunities to put skills into practice and learn new ones enabling progression to work, further education or skill development opportunities. The aim of Tús is to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness and therefore does not require an overt training element. Every effort is make to allow attendance at training courses and a degree of flexibility is allowed in the make-up of the 19.5 hours per week that participants have to work however participants will generally carry out this training in their own time.
The objective is to ensure that both programmes support the twin aims of employment activation for the participant and social inclusion. In accordance with the policy objectives set out in the Department’s Review of Employment Support Schemes published in 2013 the programmes will be developed in a manner that supports these twin objectives whilst providing a clear progression path for participants.
156. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an application for domiciliary care allowance review in respect of a person (details supplied). [1944/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received on the 22nd August 2013. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the medical qualifying criteria for the allowance. A letter issued on the 23rd September 2013 advising of the decision. A review of this decision has been requested, additional information on this child’s condition/care needs has been supplied. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed.
157. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures she has put in place to deal with the involvement of pensioners deferred and those in payment in negotiations on defined benefit, DB, pension changes including whether she has had any progress with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation regarding changes to access for retired workers to the State's industrial relations machinery in these instances. [1968/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is normal practice for officials in my department to engage with representatives of stakeholders in consideration of any substantial change to the Pensions Act. The consultation process which preceded the publication of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act, 2013 included engagement with representatives of pensioners, the pensions industry, employers and trade unions. Written submissions were also sought from these stakeholder groups. The output from this process informed the proposals set out in the legislation.
In relation to any consideration by the trustees of a pension scheme to restructure scheme benefits under section 50 of the Pensions Act, the trustees of the scheme must comply with the provisions in the Act and with guidance issued by the Pensions Board. This guidance makes provision for the notification of all pensioners in advance of any application to the Pensions Board to restructure scheme benefits. In such circumstances a pensioner will have at least one month to make a submission to the trustees of the scheme in relation to such a proposal. The Pensions Board must be satisfied that all the provisions in the guidance are complied with before the Board will consider issuing a notice to restructure scheme benefits.
The matter of representation by pensioner and deferred member groups, in consideration of a change to scheme benefits, needs to be considered in a broader industrial relations context. I have written to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on this matter.
158. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of her Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more she expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if she will provide a full list of all agencies and organisations under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1983/14]
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 and the Social Welfare Tribunal. None of the bodies under the aegis of the Department have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011.
The Public Service Reform Programme provided for a critical review of the integration of the regulatory functions of the Pensions Board with the Financial Regulator, and the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman. The recommendations arising out of the Critical Review on the Pensions Board were approved by Government in April 2013 and were provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013. It was recommended that the governance structure of the Pensions Board be restructured with two distinct arms as follows:
- Oversight of the Pensions Board will be undertaken by a three person body called the Pensions Authority. This will consist of a Chairperson, and two officials from the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Finance.
- A separate unpaid Pensions Council, with a majority of members representing consumer interests, will be established to advise me on pensions policy.
I expect to appoint the Chairperson of the Pensions Authority shortly. I also intend to call for expressions of interest for the appointment to the Pensions Council, through the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
The Report of the Critical Review also recommended that the office of the Pensions Ombudsman be merged with the Financial Services Ombudsman and arrangements in relation to the implementation of this recommendation are under active consideration. A Steering Group will be established shortly to actively progress the merger.
159. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to approve more places on the rural social scheme to help with coastal rehabilitation works following the recent storms; the locations for which she is willing to provide extra materials and money for the existing schemes along the coast for this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1990/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, work undertaken by participants on the rural social scheme supports the provision of services of benefit to rural communities. Day-to-day operational responsibility rests with Implementing Bodies comprising of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In general, participants on both schemes are required to work on a range of service provisions within an overall framework developed and delivered by the Implementing Bodies. This framework takes account of movements in work requirements, new opportunities, completion of existing tasks, emerging pressures and priorities, weather and other matters that impact on the tasks undertaken. My understanding is that primary responsibility for determining works in respect of clean-up operations and remedial tasks rest with county councils. I am confident that if Implementing Bodies are approached to work with county councils and other statutory agencies on weather related remedial work that support will be forthcoming. The Deputy will be aware that it is not the function of this Department to provide funding of the nature suggested.
160. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to cut the free travel pass for senior citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1997/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has no plans to abolish free travel for senior citizens. The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 90 private transport operators. There are currently over 780,000 people in receipt of free travel.
I appreciate the important role that free travel plays in promoting social inclusion and preventing the isolation of elderly people. Funding for the free travel scheme was frozen by the previous Government at €77 million as outlined in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014. This cap remains in place. Given the increasing number of recipients and the funding pressures, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and I established a working group with representatives from the two Departments, as well as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority to review the free travel scheme. The purpose of this review is to examine and report on the current operation and future development of the free travel scheme. This will include the conditions imposed on the scheme in the National Recovery Plan 2011 – 2014. The work of this group is expected to conclude early this year.
161. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to include child care supports as part of the JobBridge scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1999/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs at 9 January, 2014, 24,845 internships had commenced since JobBridge came into operation, 6,451 individuals were actually on internships and 1,726 internship opportunities were advertised on the JobBridge website (www.jobbridge.ie). JobBridge is targeting scarce exchequer resources in a balanced and effective way to meet the needs of individual citizens while, through carefully considered control measures, avoiding undermining the normal activity of the labour market. The limited financial resources available for JobBridge and other activation measures do not allow for the expansion of childcare supports for JobBridge interns. The Department has no current plans to include childcare supports as part of JobBridge.
162. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the help her Department provides for those unemployed and actively seeking work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2007/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. In addition to promoting economic recovery, the Government recognises the need for interim measures to support the unemployed and keep jobseekers close to the labour market. These actions range across a number of Departments and Agencies. Given the scale of the unemployment challenge, the key objective of labour market policy is to keep those on the Live Register close to the labour market and prevent the drift into long-term unemployment. Persons from the Live Register availing of activation measures will get an opportunity to engage in employment, training and work experience and so be in a position to avail of employment opportunities as the economy improves. In this context, the major elements of this Department’s response are set out in the Pathways to Work policy which is aimed at ensuring that as many as possible of the job vacancies that are created are filled by people from the Live Register, with a particular focus on those who are long term unemployed or at risk of long-term unemployment.
The Pathways to Work policy and the establishment of the new integrated INTREO service will transform the nature and level of engagement between our employment and income support services and the unemployed. The Pathways to Work policy aims, with regards to supports for unemployed persons, to:
- Provide all registered unemployed people with efficient, work-focused income supports together with access to the information and the advice required to help them plan and action a pathway back into employment.
- Provide unemployed people, in particular people who are long-term unemployed and young unemployed people, with opportunities to enhance their job prospects through value-adding work experience, education and training activities.
In terms of the first strand, there were 122,300 activation referrals via the Group Engagement process in the first eleven months of 2013 (up from 63,700 in 2012), and 105,900 one-to-one referrals in the same time period (compared to 100,200 in 2012). During the Group Engagement process and the one-to-one interviews, unemployed persons are advised of the supports that are available to them, and of their responsibilities as jobseekers.
In terms of enhancing job prospects, the Department has a number of supports available for jobseekers:
- JobBridge (the National Internship Scheme) provides work experience placements for interns for a 6 month or a 9 month period. The aim of JobBridge is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. Some 6,400 people are currently participating on this scheme.
- The JobsPlus incentive scheme encourages employers to recruit long-term unemployed people. The incentive is payable monthly in arrears, over a 2-year period. There are 2 levels of incentive: €7,500 for recruits unemployed for more than 12 but less than 24 months and €10,000 for recruits unemployed for more than 24 months.
- In addition, the Department also manages a number of schemes providing temporary employment for the long-term unemployed on works and services of value to the community. There were almost 31,000 people participating on Community Employment and Tús in December 2013. There are also 3,000 places in 2014 on Gateway, a local authority labour activation scheme that provides short-term work and training opportunities for long-term unemployed people who have been on the Live Register for over 2 years.
- In terms of up-skilling, the Back to Education Allowance scheme run by my Department provides income maintenance, along with a contribution to education costs, for unemployed people returning to further or higher education. Approximately 26,000 people participated in the BTEA in the last academic year.
- Two further up-skilling options available are the Part-time Education Option (PTEO) and Education Training and Development Option (ET&D). Both PTEO and ET&D are designed to facilitate jobseekers who wish to engage in part time day, evening or weekend courses or more intensive short duration courses of education and training while retaining their jobseeker’s payments. The PTEO allows participants to attend part-time day/evening or weekend courses of education or training and retain their jobseeker’s payment while an entitlement exists provided that they continue to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking employment on an on-going basis. Payment is made at the same rate as the primary payment and no maximisation of payments occurs. The ET&D allows participants to attend certain courses of education, training or development of short duration and retain their jobseeker’s payment while an entitlement exists. Participants are exempt from engaging in job search but must be available for employment should an opportunity arise.
The Pathways to Work Strategy sets a target of moving 20,000 of the 180,800 people who were on the Live Register and fully unemployed for over a year at the beginning of 2012, into employment by the end of 2013. By the end of 2013, 26,611 of this group were known to have moved into employment. Of these, 19,695 had entered full-time employment and left the Live Register, and 6,916 had entered part-time employment. As there can be some time lag in the reporting of new entries to employment by the relevant employers, it is likely that these figures will increase retrospectively as further records become available.
163. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection when her Department will introduce a scheme to allow jobseekers gain work experience with local authorities by helping cleansing departments and other Government Departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2014/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraGateway was introduced by the Department of Social Protection to deliver on the policy objectives set out in Pathways to Work and is designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with individual county and city councils. Gateway has a target to provide for 3,000 placements focusing on those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. Participants are currently being selected by a random process conducted by the Department of Social Protection for recruitment by county and city councils.
Progress on the roll-out has been slower than anticipated. Delays in the main relate to the on-going staff restructuring processes of county and city councils, the need to engage with stakeholders and operational matters relating to securing resources, identifying work and supervisory cover as well as Garda vetting. So far just over 1,500 places have been identified in 29 councils in the initial phase of the rollout. Some 500 jobseekers are currently waiting Garda Vetting and will begin work with councils in the coming weeks. Despite the obstacles identified above, the initial placement of participants on Gateway commenced in Louth county council in early December with the first placements beginning in Limerick county and city councils on 20 January. County and city councils have given assurances of accelerating the recruitment process to fill all places identified and to meet the target of 3,000 placements at an early date.
164. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of each allocation from her Department’s expenditure budget to registered charities in each of the past three years. [2107/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is not immediately available in the Department. My Department will write to the Deputy when the information is compiled.
165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when 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. [2151/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer’s allowance was stopped on the 20th of November 2013 in respect of the person in question as, following a review, it was decided that the medical criteria were no longer satisfied. In order for a child under 16 years to be deemed eligible for carer's allowance, domiciliary care allowance must be in payment for that child. In those circumstances, the child is deemed to be automatically medically eligible for carer’s allowance. Once the child reaches 16 years of age entitled to domiciliary care allowance ceases, this results in a review of the continuing entitlement to carer’s allowance. The person in question has appealed this decision. All the necessary papers have recently been submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for determination. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will be in touch with the person directly regarding the progress of the appeal.
