Wednesday, 5 Mar 2014

Written Answers Nos. 12-18

Work Placement Programmes

Ceisteanna (12)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

12. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that companies advertising job vacancies on the Intreo website are using loopholes in company law to lay off long-term employees, register new companies providing the same service, and advertise the same jobs but on a much reduced salary; her view on whether such practice are ethical; and if not, if she will introduce some mechanism to allow those who fall foul of such practices to report this to Intreo and her Department with a view to them taking appropriate action on the matter. [10342/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Department provides a free recruitment service to employers through the Jobs-Ireland website (www.jobsireland.ie). The purpose of this service is to support employers to increase employment and to provide a mechanism through which jobseekers can search for job openings and submit applications.

An important feature of Jobs-Ireland is that, unlike some other recruitment websites, the Department seeks to validate the jobs offered by confirming that the advertiser is a bona-fide employer. Towards this end, all employers who wish to avail of this service are required to register their company prior to using the service and are issued a service level understanding which sets out the terms and conditions of use of the service.

All vacancies advertised on the Jobs-Ireland service are advertised in good faith on behalf of the employer following the registration process. The Department does not seek information from employers when they are submitting individual vacancy notices about previous company closures or redundancies. In practice, companies may be operating in a number of geographic areas or in different business sectors. Accordingly, some companies may be simultaneously hiring in one area or sector, while reducing numbers in a different areas or sector. This means that it would be very difficult to isolate opportunistic behaviour of the type referred to by the Deputy while at the same time providing an easy to use and accessible service to the large majority of bona fide employers and jobseekers.

The Jobs-Ireland service has not received any complaints from members of the public or employers engaging in the practice the Deputy has outlined. I would encourage the Deputy to bring any such cases that he is aware of to the attention of the Department and they will be investigated. If the companies concerned are found to be operating in breach of the service level understanding or of employment law related to recruitment they will be barred from using the Jobs-Ireland service.

I would also bring the Deputy's attention to the Workplace Relations Customer Services function established by the Government under the aegis of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. This service amalgamates the information services previously provided by the National Employment Rights Authority and the general enquiries functions of the Equality Tribunal, the Rights Commissioner Service and the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Since 3rd January 2012 all complaints related to employment issues should be channelled through this service, where they will be registered, acknowledged and referred to the National Employment Rights Authority or another relevant adjudication body.

Family Income Supplement

Ceisteanna (13)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

13. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to promote the uptake of family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10336/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Family income supplement (FIS) is an employee incentive scheme for low income working families, including one-parent families, aimed at supporting them through supplementing their income while they remain in work. There has been a steady growth in the number of families supported by FIS over recent years and associated expenditure as set in the table appended to this reply.

Expenditure on the FIS scheme is estimated to be €281.7 million in 2014, up €20 million on 2013. The processing of applications for the FIS scheme is now totally up to date and delivering a fast and efficient service to lower-income working families. The backlog in claim processing was reduced substantially in 2013 from nearly 11,000 at the start of the year to just over 2,500 at the end of the year. All first-time claims and renewals are now processed promptly on receipt.

The Department avails of every opportunity in its engagement with employers and jobseekers to build awareness of the availability of FIS and how this payment may benefit potential employees with children. The increasing numbers of families in receipt of FIS is testament to the effectiveness of the Department's information strategy for the scheme and the significant improvements in customer service and processing times for FIS customers.

The Departments web site www.welfare.ie has full information on the FIS scheme and provides typical family scenarios to aid understanding and provide comparisons. This information is also available in all the Department local offices, CICs and information offices. The Department is embarking shortly on a poster campaign in all of its local offices to further promote FIS.

A series of road-shows have also been held around the country designed to inform employers about the wide range of employment support services provided by the Department, including FIS.

In addition, the Department launched a Benefit of Work ready reckoner in December last year. The ready reckoner gives an indication of the difference between a person’s potential in-work payment, including FIS, and current out-of-work payments.

In conclusion, I am satisfied that the FIS scheme is fulfilling its role in assisting employees to take up employment opportunities and to remain at work.

Year	Number in payment (approx.)	Expenditure (€ Millions)
2011	28,875	204.5
2012	32,310	223.6
2013	44,160	261.5 (provisional)

National Internship Scheme Placements

Ceisteanna (14)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

14. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of JobBridge participants that have been employed by her Department; the number of JobBridge participants that have gained full employment in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10444/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

As the Deputy is aware, the JobBridge scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on 1st July 2011. Over 26,000 placements have commenced to-date and over 6,500 jobseekers are currently participating in the scheme. A recent independent evaluation conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants found that 61% of interns progress to paid employment after completing their internship. The 61% progression rate for JobBridge is among the best in Europe, where progression rates for similar internship schemes average just 34%. I am also very encouraged by the high rate of employment among participants who completed their internships in the public sector with 41% of these interns progressing into paid employment.

The positive rates of progression into employment among public sector interns also show that the benefits of the development and experience that interns gain in public sector host organisations facilitates them in gaining employment. In addition to the positive progression outcomes, interns found that they also benefited from an increase in their self-confidence, the opportunity to gain quality work experience and the opportunity to establish a network of contacts.

In relation to my own Department, since the inception of the JobBridge internship scheme, this Department has taken on 9 interns. As the Deputy will be aware, there has been a moratorium on employment in the Civil Service for a number of years. Accordingly, it has not been possible for any JobBridge intern to gain full employment in my Department.

In the letter of offer issued to interns, they were informed of the temporary nature of the internship, that it is not a civil service position and that it carries no entitlement to permanent appointment. Please find below a table indicating the number of interns by year and employment in my Department as requested.

Year	Number of JobBridge Interns	Number that gained full employment in DSP
2011	2	Nil
2012	2	Nil
2013	4	Nil
2014	1	Nil

Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility

Ceisteanna (15, 20)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

15. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has carried out an analysis on the impact her changes to farm assist with respect to income disregards have had on farmers; and if she will reconsider the changes she has made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10442/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

20. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on reversing the changes made to farm assist with respect to income disregards in view of the fact that it has had a serious negative affect on the income levels of already struggling farming families; the reasons she is refusing to carry out an analysis to assess the impact that the changes have made on those families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10443/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 20 together.

There were just over 10,300 recipients of farm assist at end December last and nearly €99.5 million was spent on the scheme in 2013. The farm assist scheme is based on jobseeker’s allowance. It was introduced in 1999 and farm assist recipients retain all the advantages of the jobseeker's allowance scheme such as retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes.

Recent changes to the scheme have brought it into closer alignment with the jobseeker's allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons.

Farm assist is a flexible payment and any farmer experiencing lower levels of income or cash-flow issues can ask his/her local social welfare/Intreo office to review the level of means applying to their claim.

The assessment of means for the purpose of qualifying for farm assist is designed to reflect the actual net income from farming. In addition, account is taken of any exceptional circumstances so as to ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the current situation.

As part of the normal budget process, all potential budget measures, including any changes to the farm assist scheme are assessed in terms of the impact they would have if introduced. Since the introduction of the changes to the farm assist scheme over recent budgets, the scheme, is kept under ongoing review by my officials. Last year I met with representatives from the Irish Farmers Association to discuss a number of issues including the farm assist scheme. There are no plans to change the current scheme criteria.

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Ceisteanna (16, 25, 32)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

16. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on media reports that a family in Dublin have been forced out of their home due to a €400 monthly rent hike which they could not afford due to the cap on rent supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10467/14]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

25. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the most recent available data (details supplied) clearly shows that market rents in north east portion of County Kildare are 80% higher than those in southern Kildare for a three bedroom accommodation; if she considers the average 12% higher rate of rent supplement limit for the north east Kildare region adequate in view of the fact that the difference in market rents is far more extreme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that average market rents in north east Kildare are at the same level as west Dublin even though rent supplement limits are much higher for the latter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10340/14]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

32. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to address the rising crisis of homelessness amongst families recently highlighted by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive; her views on the contribution that the rent supplement caps make to the growing problem of homelessness; and if she has discussed the matter with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in the wake of the DRHE report. [10346/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 25 and 32 together.

There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.

Following an extensive review of the private rental market revised maximum rent limits were introduced from Monday 17 June 2013 until 31 December 2014. The purpose of the review is to ensure availability of accommodation for rent supplement tenancies and not to provide access to all housing in all areas while ensuring that maximum value for money is achieved.

Despite the overall pressures on the Social Protection budget, there have been increases in the rent limits in Dublin, Galway, North Kildare and Bray areas.

There are currently 4,090 rent supplement recipients in County Kildare, of which approximately 940 reside in the North Kildare area indicating that it is possible to secure 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. In relation to the family referred to in the media, I do not propose to comment further on the details of this particular case other than to advise that the Department is engaging with them.

I assume that the Deputy is referring to media reports last week after the Dublin Region Homeless Executive presented 2013 figures to Dublin City Council, the detail of which has not been published. However, I welcome the publication of the First Report of the Homelessness Oversight Group which was recently presented to Government. The Group's recommendations will be supported by the Department in its roles in supporting those who are homeless.

Question No. 17 answered with Question No. 9.

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Ceisteanna (18, 24)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

18. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding proposals to introduce a housing assistance payment and thereby transfer recipients of rent supplement from her Department to local authorities. [10339/14]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

24. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will change the policy whereby those who are working full time are not eligible for rent allowance as this forces many in low paid jobs into poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10474/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 24 together.

There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. 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.

Rent supplement is not generally payable where a person or their spouse/partner is in full time employment, i.e. 30 hours or more per week. However, since 2007, a person on rent supplement who is deemed by a local authority to be eligible to participate in the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) may engage in full-time employment, subject to satisfying the standard means test, and may still be paid rent supplement.

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 which responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from this Department to local authorities. Payments under the HAP scheme will be based on the local authority differential rent means test under which the full-time employment restriction does not apply and therefore will remove a key barrier to persons on social welfare in getting back to work.

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 Limerick local authority by end March 2014 with further roll out to selected local authorities during the year.