Written Answers Nos. 96 - 103
96. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an invalidity allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12325/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of this case was scheduled to take place on 26 February 2014. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the hearing had to be cancelled and the person concerned was advised of this by telephone on 25 February 2014. Every effort will be made to re-convene the hearing as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed of the new arrangements for the oral hearing as soon as these are finalised.
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.
97. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12326/14]
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.
98. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer's allowance appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12327/14]
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. It is anticipated that the hearing will be scheduled for week-commencing 31 March 2014. The person concerned will be informed of the arrangements for the hearing when finalised. 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.
99. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer's allowance appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12329/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered the matter, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by means of a summary decision dated 22 January. However, following the submission of additional information by the person concerned, the Appeals Officer, having reviewed the matter, has decided to set aside his original decision and has re-opened the appeal to be determined by means of an oral hearing. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.
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.
102. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has concerns that the number of landlords refusing to accept rent allowance tenants is having a negative impact on rent allowance tenants being able to secure a property; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12346/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.
Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme. The tenant’s engagement with the Department usually takes place after the tenant has reached an agreement with the landlord.
I am aware of the difficulties facing people in sourcing accommodation and the latest Daft.ie rental report indicates that the number of advertised rental units in Dublin has declined from 6,700 in 2009 to under 1,500 at the end of 2013. All prospective tenants, including those seeking to access rent supplement, are now finding it increasingly difficult to secure appropriate accommodation due to the reduced availability of rental properties, particularly in Dublin.
However, the fact that approximately 78,000 people are currently in receipt of rent supplement, of which almost 30,000 are in the Dublin area, shows that a significant number of landlords are accommodating applicants on the scheme. The Department continues to monitor trends in the private rental market to determine the impact on rent supplement recipients. Department officials administering rent supplement have considerable experience in dealing with customers of the scheme and will continue to make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met.
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. Officials in the Department are working closely with those in the lead Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, to pilot HAP in the Limerick local authority by the end of March 2014 with further roll out to selected local authorities during the year.
103. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide to an applicant a tracking service for all applications to her Department and agencies under the aegis of her Department from members of the public for all schemes processed by her Department similar to the passport applications tracking scheme processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12358/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department operates more than 70 schemes across a number of different information technology systems catering for some 2 million new claims annually and issues some 80 million payments to customers each year. Due to the number of different technology systems in use, it would be a major exercise to develop a tracking system as described.
Over the past number of years extensive investment has been made in new technology and a high proportion of our customers claims are now processed and paid via new systems. In respect of these claims the customer is issued with a text acknowledgement on receipt of the customer claim, where they provide a mobile telephone number. However, it is not intended to retrofit this solution to claims processed on older systems, as it would not be cost effective to do so.
Efficient and prompt processing of all customer claims remains a key priority for the department. Claim processing standards are regularly reviewed and the target achieved in each scheme area is published to inform customers of the likely time required to process individual claims. In some schemes, customers have their claims processed and paid within one to two weeks and in such cases developing and maintaining a tracking system would possibly slow the process. I am satisfied that the processes in place to manage applications and to keep customers informed are appropriate and that customer service is kept under continual review to ensure the best possible service is provided to the Department’s customers.
