Written Answers Nos. 418-441
421. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4123/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 10th December 2013. 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 case 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 appeal 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.
424. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare to facilitate the fixing of wires to provide electricity to a residence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4130/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no record of an application for an exceptional needs payment from the person concerned. However, an officer from the Department will call to the person concerned to assess eligibility for a payment.
425. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the current amount of rent allowance payable in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4132/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs outlined previously to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question 45021-13 on 23rd of October 2013 the person concerned is in receipt of full entitlement. As the Deputy is aware changes in Budget 2014 increased the minimum contribution towards Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement for couples by €5 per week, from €35 to €40 for new and existing recipients. This equates to a reduction of €21.60 per calendar month to the client in question. These changes align Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement contributions with Local Authority rents structures.
426. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a disability allowance appeal in respect of a person (detail supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4143/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received in that office on the 30th September 2013. 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. These were requested from the Department on 6th November 2013. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case 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 appeal 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.
427. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of a review in respect of one-parent family allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4173/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was previously in receipt of a one-parent family payment. An annual review form was issued to her on 11th November 2013 for completion, however, the form was not returned. On 2nd December 2013 her payment was suspended and as she did not make any contact with her local office, her claim was subsequently closed on 17th December 2013. The person concerned submitted a new application for a one-parent family payment on 7th January 2014. In the meantime, while her application is being processed, she has been awarded a weekly supplementary welfare allowance payment.
429. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of long-term unemployed persons that moved into employment during 2013; the number that moved into full-time employment; the number that moved into part-time; if sufficient progress is being made to reach the target of 75,000 by end 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4206/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 410,725 live register claims were closed 2013. Information relating to the total number who found full-time or part-time employment is not available in my Department. However, the breakdown of closure reasons as offered by people when they signed off is set out in the attached tabular statement along with the duration of their claim on exiting the live register. In relation to the target to ‘Move 75,000 long term unemployed at the start of 2012 into employment by end 2015’ from ‘Pathways to Work’, progress is in line with target levels. 40,700 people in this category have entered employment in the period to the end of 2013, which is the mid point for the period covered by the target.
Live Register Claim Closures 2013.
|
- |
Under 3 Mths |
3 - 6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
1-2 Yrs |
2 -3 Yrs |
3-5 Yrs |
Over 5 Yrs |
Total |
|
Found Work (Including Back to Work) |
61,628 |
27,882 |
21,997 |
13,922 |
5,591 |
5,581 |
928 |
137,529 |
|
No Longer Entitled to Unemployment |
55,738 |
20,391 |
33,646 |
25,730 |
5,253 |
3,789 |
1,178 |
145,725 |
|
No Reason Stated |
9,667 |
11,395 |
11,007 |
7,795 |
3,468 |
3,676 |
1,116 |
48,124 |
|
Other |
6,870 |
3,528 |
3,282 |
2,545 |
1,184 |
1,392 |
485 |
19,286 |
|
Took up Educational, Training or Employment Placement |
6,431 |
5,629 |
5,958 |
4,827 |
2,306 |
3,107 |
1,071 |
29,329 |
|
Transferred to other DSP Schemes |
5,741 |
3,828 |
5,041 |
5,346 |
3,380 |
4,948 |
2,448 |
30,732 |
|
Total |
146,075 |
72,653 |
80,931 |
60,165 |
21,182 |
22,493 |
7,226 |
410,725 |
430. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will, in respect of her Department's audit committee, provide details of its current membership; the date of appointment of each member; the fees paid to each member; if members of the committee are required to hold certain professional qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4223/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department, as part of its overall governance systems has an Audit Committee which operates under a written charter (or rules). There are currently five members, three of whom are external to the Department. One of the external members is chairperson to the committee. Members are not required to hold a professional qualification but in line with the recommendations of the Mullarkey Report must have appropriate experience. The committee has members with financial/audit qualifications and experience. Details of members are:
|
Name |
Organisation |
Date of Appointment |
Fees paid |
|
Mr. Sean Carey |
I.T. Audit Manager, CRH Group Internal Audit |
21 Jan 2010 |
Nil |
|
Ms Mary Donnelly |
Principal Officer, Dept. of Social Protection |
01 Jan 2014 |
Nil |
|
Ms Eilish Keegan |
Principal Officer, Revenue Commissioners |
01 May 2010 |
Nil |
|
Mr. Niall Kelly |
Head of Internal Audit, Garda Síochána |
01 Jan 2010 |
Nil |
|
Ms Kathleen Stack |
Assistant Secretary, Dept. of Social Protection |
31 Aug 2012 |
Nil |
431. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has undertaken an assessment of the rapidly escalating rent levels throughout the greater Dublin area resulting in the inadequacy of the current rent support system to meet requirements and consequent hardship; if she contemplates any particular measures to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4234/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra432. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she has received indications regarding the inadequacy of the rental support system to meet current market requirements in respect of those on local authority housing waiting lists who are dependent on private rented accommodation; if her attention has been drawn to the necessity to seek emergency steps to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4235/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra433. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of families currently dependent on rent support in Dublin and the surrounding counties; if she has received indications to the effect that current rent increases makes it impossible for families dependent on such rent support to exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4236/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra434. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the escalating crisis for families dependent on rent support who now find that up to 60% of their income from employment or social welfare goes towards their rent payment with resultant hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4237/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 431 to 434, inclusive, together.
The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently approximately 80,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. The tabular statement provides details of the number of rent supplement recipients in Dublin and the surrounding counties.
Revised rent limits under the rent supplement scheme have been implemented with effect from Monday 17 June 2013 and will be in place until 31 December 2014. The rent limits were determined following an extensive review of the private rental market based on the most up-to-date data available. The purpose of the rent limit review is to ensure availability of accommodation for rent supplement tenancies and not to provide rent supplement tenants with access to all housing in all areas while ensuring that maximum value for money for tenants and the taxpayer is achieved.
There have been increases in the maximum rent limits in Dublin and Galway while there have been some reductions across a number of rural counties reflecting the conditions in the rental markets in those counties. Separate to the county limits, higher rent limits have been provided for in North Kildare and Bray areas.
The Department continues to monitor trends in the private rental market to determine the impact on rent supplement recipients. The fact that approximately 80,000 people are currently in receipt of rent supplement, with almost 38,000 in Counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, shows rent supplement recipients are able to access accommodation within the rent limits. Department officials dealing with rent supplement tenants continue to make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met and that the residence is reasonably suited to their residential and other needs.
Rent supplement is calculated to ensure that an eligible person, after the payment of rent, has a minimum income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum weekly contribution of €30 for a single person or €40 for a couple which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources. The minimum contribution represents between 13% and 16% of the basic rate of supplementary welfare allowance.
The Department has no evidence showing widespread or systemic ‘false declarations’ of rent supplement through the use of illegal top-ups. The tenant, landlord or landlord’s agent must complete the rent supplement application form, which includes the amount of rent, and declare that the information provided is correct and accurate. The Department’s form clearly states that making a false statement or withholding information may lead to prosecution.
The Department, in June 2012, introduced powers of enquiry for staff to formally request and oblige landlords to provide information in respect of rent supplement tenants, principally to verify the agreed rent and existence of the tenancy. Any instance of false declarations should be reported to the relevant Department representatives who have specific legislative powers to deal with such offences.
The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of a short-term income support. In July 2013 the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Under HAP, responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from the Department of Social Protection to local authorities using HAP. Officials in the Department of Social protection are working with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, who are leading the project, in developing proposals to give effect to this transfer. It is intended that the scheme will be piloted in early 2014 in Limerick local authority with further roll out to selected authorities during the year.
Rent Supplement Recipients in Dublin and surrounding counties – December 2013
|
County |
No Cases |
|
Dublin |
29,541 |
|
Kildare |
4,135 |
|
Meath |
1,941 |
|
Wicklow |
2,381 |
435. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of appeals currently on hand in respect of each category of social welfare payment; the current average waiting time for decisions in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4238/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of appeals currently on hand and the average waiting time for each category of social welfare payment is contained in the table below. The average processing time for all appeals peaked in 2011 at 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.1 weeks for a summary decision. In 2012, processing times improved by 10.3 weeks when the average time for an oral hearing was 39.5 weeks while there was a slight increase to 27.8 weeks for a summary decision. This improvement continued in 2013 to 33.9 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.8 weeks for a summary decision.
There has been a rapid and sustained increase in the number of appeals received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2009 which has placed extraordinary pressure on the office. Up to 2009, the average number of appeals received was 15,000 per annum whereas in 2012, the number of appeals received peaked at 35,484, reducing to 32,777 appeals in 2013.
In order to manage this increasing workload, significant resources and efforts have been put into reducing backlogs and improving appeals processing times for appellants, including the assignment of 15 additional Appeals Officers, in addition to 10 former Community Welfare Service Appeals Officers who joined the appeals office in 2011, bringing the total number of serving Appeals Officers to 41; reviewing and improving business processes; and implementing a new operating model within the appeals office. A major programme of process redesign and modernisation is also underway in the Department in relation to many of its scheme areas, aimed at reducing backlogs and reducing the time taken by the Department to respond to requests from the appeals office for submissions in relation to appeals.
In addition to the improvements in processing times mentioned above, these measures have also led to a significant increase in the number of appeals finalised in the appeals office from 17,787 in 2009 to 38,421 in 2013. An additional 5,863 appeals were finalised in 2013 compared to 2012. Good progress has also been made in reducing the number of appeals on hand from 20,414 at 1 January 2013 to 14,996 at 24 January 2014.
Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process. While this process carries an inherent delay in terms of finalising an appeal, it also crystalises the flexibility and accessibility of the appeals system.
By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial function, the processing of appeals takes time and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.
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.
Appeals processing times 01/01/2013 to 31/12/2013 & Appeals on hand at 2/1/14
|
- |
Appeals on hand 2/1/2014 |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
- |
34.2 |
- |
|
Blind Pension |
10 |
24.6 |
16.1 |
|
Carers Allowance |
1,877 |
27.9 |
33.5 |
|
Carers Benefit |
44 |
22.5 |
27.4 |
|
Child Benefit |
313 |
28.8 |
37.7 |
|
Disability Allowance |
3,064 |
29.0 |
36.2 |
|
Illness Benefit |
803 |
37.4 |
43.3 |
|
Domiciliary Care |
695 |
27.6 |
34.4 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
1 |
31.6 |
26.1 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
3 |
12.2 |
- |
|
Farm Assist |
177 |
23.0 |
28.2 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
44 |
26.7 |
12.4 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
299 |
30.7 |
41.0 |
|
Homemaker |
1 |
19.0 |
- |
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,865 |
35.0 |
42.5 |
|
Liable Relatives |
35 |
30.1 |
42.9 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
428 |
29.4 |
38.3 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
14 |
28.4 |
50.0 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
79 |
39.2 |
38.1 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
81 |
26.4 |
44.5 |
|
State Pension (Non-Cont) |
159 |
26.8 |
41.9 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
21 |
23.7 |
43.2 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
12 |
36.1 |
54.1 |
|
Disablement Pension |
203 |
30.7 |
36.9 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
16 |
25.8 |
60.8 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit (Medical) |
19 |
- |
- |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
21 |
21.9 |
44.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-con) |
8 |
45.5 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
1,543 |
21.2 |
29.7 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
1,206 |
20.5 |
26.7 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
390 |
21.1 |
28.9 |
|
Jobseeker's Fraud Control |
1 |
17.6 |
101.8 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
1 |
- |
- |
|
Respite Care Grant |
96 |
28.6 |
33.1 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
129 |
35.8 |
78.4 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
1,285 |
17.1 |
24.1 |
|
Treatment Benefits |
2 |
27.7 |
- |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
28 |
26.4 |
39.2 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
15 |
28.0 |
38.5 |
|
Widowed Parent Grant |
8 |
26.3 |
- |
|
All Appeals |
14,996 |
25.8 |
33.9 |
436. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for non-contributory State pension received in each of the past three years to date; the number of applications for contributory pension in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4239/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. Claim applications for State Pension Non- Contributory and State Pension Contributory 2011, 2012 and 2013.
|
Scheme |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
7,344 |
9,035 |
9,429 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
36,281 |
35,198 |
39,215 |
438. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department have examined issues preventing or discouraging persons, those unemployed from obtaining employments; if she has examined various schemes available to her Department with a view to ensuring adequate incentivisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4241/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI established the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare in 2011 to harness expert opinion and experience to address a number of specific issues around the interaction of the tax and social protection systems, recommend cost-effective solutions as to how employment incentives can be improved and better poverty outcomes achieved.
The Advisory Group is currently progressing its final module of work on the issue of working age income supports and the interaction of the tax and social welfare systems to determine how the social welfare system can best achieve its goals of supporting persons through periods of involuntary unemployment while incentivising work and disincentivising welfare dependency. The Group will report to me on these issues once their examination of the various issues has been completed.
As part of their analysis the Advisory Group are examining replacement rates for given income levels. Replacement rates are tools used to measure the degree to which out-of-work benefits when unemployed replace take home income from work. While there is no pre-determined level of replacement rate, which would influence every individual’s decision to work, higher replacement rates may indicate lower incentives to take up employment. In this regard a replacement rate in excess of 70% may be considered to be excessive.
Replacement rate analysis, as supported by research by the ESRI, demonstrates that the great majority of people on the Live Register have a strong financial incentive to work and significant numbers leave the Register each year.
In this regard it may be noted that almost three-quarters of the people on the Live Register are only claiming a personal rate for themselves. They are either single or may have a spouse or partner who is working. In addition, 52% of the people on the Live Register receive less than the maximum personal weekly rate.
High replacement rates are generally associated with a relatively high number of dependent children and/or receipt of rent or mortgage supplement. However, it is important to note that only some 9% of persons on the Live Register are in receipt of rent supplement, with a further 1.5% in receipt of mortgage interest supplement. The vast majority of jobseekers do not receive these additional supports.
Significant moves have already been taken to address the impact of housing entitlements upon replacement rates. Arising out of commitments in the Programme for Government to review the operation of the rent supplement scheme, proposals to integrate the systems for providing rent supplement and social housing support have been advanced. It is intended to transfer responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to persons with a long term housing need from the Department of Social Protection (currently provided through rent supplement) to housing authorities using a new housing assistance payment.
The effect of this transfer and the introduction of a new form of housing assistance payment will be to address one of the significant disincentives to accessing full-time employment that exists under the rent supplement scheme. This will have a positive impact on replacement rates.
439. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of previously self-employed applicants currently awaiting decision in respect of entitlement to jobseeker's allowance or other allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4244/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not segregated from the total number of jobseeker's allowance claims pending decision, which I am informed was 10,148 at the end of December 2013.
440. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the numbers on the live register have been reduced in the course of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4245/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement.
Live Register Year end and average for 2011, 2012 and 2013
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Total Live Register |
434,784 |
423,733 |
395,411 |
|
Change from previous year |
-2,295 |
-11,051 |
-28,322 |
|
Percentage change over the previous year |
-0.5% |
-2.5% |
-6.7% |
|
Monthly Average for the Year |
444,905 |
436,254 |
418,950 |
441. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a domiciliary care allowance appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4264/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 5th April 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors, who provided an opinion that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 5th June 2013 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision. As part of the appeal process, the case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor on the 21st January 2014. Their opinion was also that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. The file was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 22nd January 2014 for the appeal to be processed.
