Written Answers Nos.88-95
88. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reviewing the eligibility criteria for the new Gateway scheme so that jobseekers who have participated in a Tús or community employment scheme within the previous 24 months are eligible to participate in Gateway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12271/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraGateway is a work placement initiative which the Department is introducing with the assistance of county and city councils. The initiative aims to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. Both Tús and Community Employment (CE) also focus on those who are long-term unemployed with the aim of improving their employability.
I consider participation on Tús and CE to be adequate to meet the objectives of the schemes, whilst also ensuring that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit. This is critical in the context of high unemployment and demand for activation places to meet the Department’s commitments under Pathways to Work. We have focused Gateway at those who are longer away from the labour market and who have skills predominately in the construction sector. I do not consider that Gateway will provide the jobseeker with the appropriate type of progression from Tús or CE that they might require in the longer term.
89. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the issue of those with mobility issues who are notified to attend public service card appointments but need alternative arrangements made (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12281/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, has developed a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This programme of work, which is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment or SAFE for short provides for a number of levels of identity authentication. An individual’s SAFE level is determined by the degree of assurance that can be provided as to his or her identity.
SAFE also provides for the introduction of a Public Services Card (PSC) to enable individuals to gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort. A PSC is currently issued following a registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature, the verification of identity and current address as well as the capture of additional data such as answers to security questions to be used in ensuring the future integrity of customers’ data.
At present certain cohorts of the Department’s customers are being invited by letter to a Face-to-Face registration. These include people applying for, or in receipt of, social protection payments or benefits, including Jobseeker payments, Free Travel entitlement, Child Benefits payments, State Pensions, and One Parent Family payments. The Department recognises that not all persons will be able to attend at a PSC registration centre and for that reason the invitation letter which issues asks customers to make contact with the Department if they have any special requirements, or are unable to attend the appointment. The provision of mobile SAFE registration facilities to facilitate such persons is currently being examined.
In the case mentioned by the Deputy, a letter was sent inviting the person to attend for registration. He telephoned on 18 February and left a message asking to be contacted to make arrangements to attend. Messages are dealt with in the order they are received, and because of the large volume of calls received at that time, his call was not replied to until 25 February. At that time, several attempts were made to contact the person on his mobile phone, but the calls were not answered. Attempts were also made at that time to contact him on different phone numbers which the Department has on record for him, but these were also unsuccessful. A reminder letter subsequently issued to him.
He has now been contacted and a new appointment made and the arrangements that he has requested to facilitate him, have been put in place.
92. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons engaged in JobBridge from each year since its foundation; if she will provide a full breakdown of all Government employment schemes and a breakdown of the numbers involved in all types of activation schemes since 2006: if she will provide all this information in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12311/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraData on participation on full-time activation programmes have been published by the CSO only since the beginning of 2007.
Figures for participation at the end of January in each year since then are contained in the following table:
Participation in Activation Programmes End- Jan 2007 to End Jan 2014
|
- |
End-Jan 2007 |
End-Jan 2008 |
End-Jan 2009 |
End-Jan 2010 |
End-Jan 2011 |
End-Jan 2012 |
End-Jan 2013 |
End-Jan 2014 |
|
Back to work allowance (employee strand) |
#NA |
#NA |
#NA |
1881 |
786 |
162 |
14 |
9 |
|
Back to work allowance (self-employed strand)1 |
#NA |
#NA |
#NA |
5902 |
9483 |
11973 |
11814 |
10648 |
|
Back to work allowance total |
8265 |
9069 |
7908 |
7783 |
10269 |
12135 |
11828 |
10657 |
|
Other activation programmes - DSP part-time job incentive |
201 |
210 |
194 |
173 |
161 |
190 |
215 |
296 |
|
Other activation programmes - TUS - community work placement initiative |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2337 |
4510 |
7119 |
|
Other activation programmes - JobBridge |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3469 |
5565 |
6440 |
|
Other Activation programmes - total |
201 |
210 |
194 |
173 |
161 |
5996 |
10290 |
13855 |
|
Community employment schemes (excluding supervisors) |
22591 |
21142 |
22468 |
21679 |
21824 |
22298 |
21063 |
22512 |
|
FAS/SOLAS full time training for unemployed people |
8465 |
8835 |
9264 |
11221 |
8660 |
9001 |
9346 |
8276 |
|
Vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) (estimated) |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
5000 |
|
Back to education allowance (BTEA) |
7601 |
7880 |
11534 |
20810 |
25050 |
25646 |
25805 |
24728 |
|
Back to education programmes total |
12601 |
12880 |
16534 |
25810 |
30050 |
30646 |
30805 |
29728 |
|
Total activation programmes |
52123 |
52136 |
56368 |
66666 |
70964 |
80076 |
83332 |
85028 |
1 including Short-term Enterprise Allowance
93. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding jobseeker's benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12314/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the Department’s guidelines, the person concerned is entitled to receive jobseeker’s benefit beyond the normal entitlement period of 9 months up until the date on which she reaches pensionable age, her 66th birthday. Arrangements have been put in place by her Intreo Office to ensure that her payments will continue until that time.
94. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for disability allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12321/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 28 February 2014, 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.
