Written Answers Nos. 450-464
450. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect a decision on their invalidity pension application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23053/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 30th April 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. It is not possible to advise at this point when the appeal will be determined. 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.
452. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a rent supplement appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23078/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 28th April 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. It is not possible at this point to confirm when the appeal process will be completed. However every effort will be made the determine the appeal as quickly as possible.
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.
453. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will receive a decision on their jobseeker's allowance appeal; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23106/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 20th May 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The additional information submitted will be brought to the attention of the Appeals Officer dealing with this case. 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.
454. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available for persons seeking financial assistance towards the cost of treatment facilities for addiction since 1 January 2013 when social welfare management withdrew exceptional needs payments towards treatment costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23138/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
There is no automatic entitlement to an ENP payment. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. The ENP scheme is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility for the expenditure rests with another Government Department or Agency. Funding in relation to the costs of addiction treatment is a matter for the Health Service Executive.
456. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and who has received an offer of part-time work, three hours a day, five days a week, at a minimum rate of pay, is entitled to retain some or part of their jobseeker's allowance in view of the fact that the maximum hours involved is 18 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23140/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobseeker’s allowance is a means-based social assistance scheme for unemployed people in respect of a week of unemployment, which is defined in law as a period of four days of unemployment in seven consecutive days. A person working five days per week would not satisfy this condition and jobseeker’s allowance would not be payable.
The social welfare system provides a number of supports for people who are working part-time or who are in low income full-time employment and, given the particular set of circumstances outlined, the customer may have an entitlement to payment under the part-time job incentive (PTJI) scheme which supports long-term, fully unemployed people who receive an offer of employment which is less than 24 hours per week. The customer should raise the matter with his or her Intreo/Local office where all available options can be explored.
457. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which one parent family payment is likely to affected by forthcoming changes to the one-parent family payment as advised by letter dated 9 May 2014 in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if the actual payment is likely to be reduced; if a combination of family income supplement, employment and-or one-parent family payment will remain in place as at present for an applicant with one child who is 18 years old, in college and in their care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23144/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned will receive her final one parent family payment on the 26th of June. The family income support payment will be increased as a result of the termination of one parent family. This change will happen automatically.
458. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pension benefits are secure in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23148/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra465. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding pensions in an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23227/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 465 together.
The Deputy will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to an individual pension scheme. Defined benefit pension schemes in Ireland are generally established under trust and the trustees of such pension schemes have a fiduciary duty under Trust Law to act in the best interests of all scheme members. A member of a scheme who has queries in relation to that scheme should contact the trustees in writing as they are responsible for its management.
I am very aware of the serious funding challenge facing many pension schemes at this time. A number of measures have been put in place in recent years to assist both the employer and the trustees of pension schemes respond to the difficulties encountered by many pension schemes. At the end of last year, I amended the Pension Act to provide for a more equitable distribution of scheme resources in the event of the wind up of a pension scheme. I also extended the options available to the trustee to restructure scheme benefits.
One of the key measures provided for policing the funding position of defined benefit pension schemes is the Funding Standard requirement as set out in Part IV of the Pensions Act. Under the Funding Standard, the trustees of a pension scheme are required to maintain sufficient assets to meet the liabilities of the scheme in the event of the wind up of a scheme.
The Pension Regulator supervises compliance with the provision in the Pensions Act and is actively engaged with the schemes which do not meet this requirement in order to assist schemes, particularly those in a weak funding position, achieve a more sustainable funding position.
459. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a domiciliary care allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23157/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 7th April 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.
460. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm if FÁS made funding available to pay enhanced redundancy to any community employment supervisor in circumstances where a sponsor has closed the project on its own initiative. [23163/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that FÁS did not make funding available to pay enhanced redundancy to community employment supervisors in circumstances where a sponsor closed the project on its own initiative.
461. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare appeal in respect of person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23165/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
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.
462. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review eligibility for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23167/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on means grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision and the reason(s) for it on 9 April 2014. If the person has further information he wishes to submit his claim will be sent to a social welfare investigator for review.
464. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 107 of 14 May 2014, if she will provide an update on the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23197/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra473. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a delay in a jobseeker’s allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23402/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 473 together.
As the person concerned has been on a career break from his previous employment, he has been contacted and asked to supply a letter from his employer stating that they currently have no position to offer him. A decision on his jobseeker’s allowance application can be made as soon as this information is received.
