Written Answers Nos. 100-117
100. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of a weekly social welfare payment who do not receive the household benefits package and who consequently will not receive any assistance with the water charges to be introduced next year and the difference between the size of the new payment in the household benefits package and the relevant average annual bill. [39797/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection (DSP) will spend €230 million this year on the household benefits package for almost 415,000 customers. The fuel allowance is paid for 26 weeks from October to April to almost 415,000 households at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2014. The Government has already announced that from 2015 both the household benefits package and the fuel allowance will also include a quarterly water support payment of €25. The estimated cost of this new water support payment of €100 per annum will be in the region of €66 million in 2015. I understand that the average water charge will be €238 per year.
I am confident that the combination of both household benefits and fuel allowance as qualifying payments for water support will ensure that the payment is made to those most likely to be impacted by the charges, including the elderly, the disabled and those on long term social protection payments.
The following schemes provide entitlement to household benefits or fuel allowance, in some cases subject to a means or household composition test:
- State pension contributory, non-contributory and transition
- widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's contributory and non-contributory pension
- pre-retirement allowance, farm assist and long term (over 15 months) jobseeker's allowance
- one parent family payment
- deserted wife's allowance
- deserted wife's benefit
- disability allowance
- blind pension
- carer's allowance (if carer lives with person being cared for)
- invalidity pension
- injury benefit
- guardian's payment (non-contributory)
- guardian's payment (contributory)
- others, including people over 70, people in receipt of a foreign pension, people aged 66-70 subject to a means test.
People who had an entitlement to household benefits or fuel allowance before beginning employment support or back to education schemes normally retain their entitlements while on the schemes.
The following short term schemes are not qualifying schemes for either household benefits or fuel allowance:
- basic supplementary welfare allowance (under 15 months)
- short term jobseeker's allowance (under 15 months)
- jobseekers benefit
- maternity or adoptive benefit
- family income supplement
- illness benefit
- carers benefit
- health and safety benefit.
As regards the number who will not be entitled to water support, it is not possible to give a definitive answer, as both household benefits and fuel allowance are paid on a household basis, i.e., a house with several people in receipt of weekly payments from this Department will only receive one water support payment. People who are in receipt of non-qualifying payments may live in households which qualify through other people in the household. Similarly, while family income supplement (FIS) is not a qualifying payment itself, a person in receipt of both FIS and one parent family payment may qualify for fuel allowance.
In addition to these measures, an income tax relief will apply to water charges from January 2015. This will mean that people paying income tax will be able to reduce their tax bill by 20% of their water charges, up to a maximum relief of €100 a year.
101. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if existing training schemes and courses are designed to solely reduce numbers on the live register and that opening these schemes to persons on other social welfare allowances would actually have a greater impact on returning persons to the work force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39869/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraExisting training schemes and courses are not designed to solely reduce numbers on the live register. However, the key objective of activation policy, encapsulated in the recently launched Pathways to Work 2015 strategy, is to provide a pathway back to employment for people with a work capacity who are already, or who will in the absence of support become, long term unemployed. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to persons who are signing on the Live Register for the requisite period of time. Accordingly, the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people. Notwithstanding the current focus on the Live Register, the State is also mindful that other jobseekers could benefit from support in accessing the labour market. Hence, it will continue to increase the level of awareness among these groups of the employment supports that are available to them. A range of services are available to persons who are unemployed but in receipt of other social welfare payments. For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with my Department’s employment services offices, regardless of their social welfare status. Further, unemployed persons in receipt of other social welfare payments such as Disability Allowance and the One Parent Family Payment (OFP) are also eligible to avail of up-skilling opportunities for example through ETB training for unemployed people, as well as schemes such as Community Employment and JobBridge, while also retaining their social welfare payment. In particular, the Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing any barriers that remain which prevent those persons with disabilities from participating in activation programmes and employment. Aside from mainstream provision, SOLAS also funds customised training for people with disabilities provided by a range of Specialist Training Providers. The Department also provides a wide range of income and work-related supports specifically for people with disabilities. Work-related supports include:
- the EmployAbility service (formerly the Supported Employment Programme) which facilitates the integration of people with disabilities into paid employment in the open labour market; and
- a number of other supports specifically for employers (the Wage Subsidy Scheme - which pays an employer a subsidy for employing a person with a disability; the Work Equipment Adaptation Grant, the Employee Retention Grant, and the Disability Awareness Scheme).
In relation to OFP, a new payment, the Jobseeker's Transition Payment, was introduced in 2013, which allows former recipients of OFP to receive the full support of the Department's activation services to help them return to work, training or education, while recognising the particular difficulties they face, such as childcare and long-term absence from the labour market.
The Department will also develop proposals as to how the Intreo activation process could, in time, be extended to jobseekers not on the Live Register. In this regard careful consideration will be given to how to balance the ‘obligation’ to engage with the Intreo service (which is a defining feature of ‘activation’) with an opportunity based approach which may be more suitable to non-Live Register cohorts. Specifically, Pathways to Work 2015 commits to:
- Developing options for extension of employment services options to cohorts other than jobseeker on the Live Register;
- Developing resourcing options to support extension of employment services activity to cohorts other than those of the Live Register by 2016.
In short, the Government is committed to supporting as many people as possible to participate more fully in employment and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers they may encounter in finding and sustaining work employment.
102. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the regulations related to the time a person must be in receipt of social welfare payments before being eligible for the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39866/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA person wishing to pursue a course of study under the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme must satisfy a number of conditions. These include age, being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a specific period, be pursuing a full-time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and be progressing in the level of education with reference to the National Framework of Qualifications among others. The qualifying period for the second-level option is three months while the qualifying period for third-level courses is nine months prior to the date of commencement of the course. A person awarded statutory redundancy may access BTEA immediately, provided an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established. A waiting period is considered necessary in the context of targeting scarce resources at those who need them most. People who qualify for a social welfare payment need some time to engage in job search activities and to consider options available to them. The BTEA confers entitlement to income support for an extended period while in full-time education. There are no plans at present to modify the existing BTEA qualifying criteria for persons who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for the required duration.
103. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of elderly persons have been compelled to abandon security systems within their homes due to the abolition of the telephone allowance; her plans to rectify this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39806/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department will spend €230 million this year on the household benefits package for almost 415,000 customers. The Government has already announced that from 2015 the household benefits package and the fuel allowance will also include a quarterly water support payment of €25. The estimated cost of this new water support payment of €100 per annum will be in the region of €66 million in 2015. The living alone allowance has been increased to €9 benefitting 177,500 people at a cost of €12 million. A 25% Christmas bonus will benefit over 1.16 million people at a cost of €63.5 million. I am confident that these measures will continue to meet the needs of those most in need.
The Department published a social impact assessment of the main welfare and tax measures in Budget 2014, including the discontinuing of the telephone allowance. The analysis showed that the family type most affected was unemployed single people, not the elderly. There was no significant change in the at-risk-of-poverty rate, as social transfers continue to perform strongly, substantially reducing the at-risk-of-poverty rate during the economic recession.
The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. These are valuable supports for recipients. The fuel allowance scheme and the free travel pass were also protected for older people and people with disabilities.
The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government operates the seniors alert scheme which provides grant support for the supply of equipment such as personal alarms, smoke detectors and security lighting to enable older people without sufficient means to continue to live securely in their homes. Funding for this scheme will continue in 2015.
104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which it is possible to address any issues arising for those with special needs and-or respite requirements in the context of budget 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39849/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn framing budgetary adjustments over the past number of years, the primary concern of Government has been to protect primary social welfare rates including disability payments, pensions and carer’s allowance. Budget 2015 fully protects all existing schemes and supports and will provide for an estimated expenditure of €3.39 billion on the illness, disability & carers programme. This represents 17.5% of total Departmental expenditure in 2015. Budget 2015 provides for a range of targeted increases to assist families and other vulnerable groups. Pensioners and people with disabilities who are living alone will have their living alone allowance increased to €9 per week from January or a total of €468 over the course of the year. Some 177,500 people will benefit from this increase, including around 33,400 in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, incapacity supplement or blind pension. This payment was last increased in 1996. Budget 2015 will also provide for a partial restoration of the Christmas bonus, which will see 25% of the rate of the weekly payment being paid to all long-term welfare recipients in early December 2014. The bonus is being paid in recognition of the position of vulnerable households at this time of year and in light of the costs associated with this period. Consequently, the bonus payment is targeted at those who rely wholly or mainly on their social welfare payment for financial support, including those in receipt of carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, disability allowance, invalidity pension and the blind pension.
People with disabilities and carers who receiving a household benefits package or fuel allowance will also benefit from the introduction of water support payment. The value of this payment is €100 a year and will be paid at a rate of €25 every three months. There will be some 653,000 beneficiaries, including some 73,600 people with disabilities and 31,950 carers.
Over the last three Budgets the Government has succeeded in protecting basic social welfare rates and this year’s Budget provides for a range of targeted increases to assist people with disabilities, carers and other vulnerable groups.
105. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have lost or had a deduction of their social welfare allowance because they refused to engage with labour activation schemes. [39863/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to qualify for a jobseeker payment, a person must meet certain conditions, including the requirement to be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking full-time work. A range of sanctions, including disqualification, closure or disallowance of the jobseeker claim, may be imposed where a client fails to meet the stated conditions. A jobseeker claim may be reviewed at any time in order to establish continued entitlement. Additionally, in relation to activation, legislation provides that further sanctions/penalties in the form of reduced payments may be imposed by a Deciding Officer where clients fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group or individual meetings, and/or avail of suitable education, training or development opportunities, or specified employment programmes, which are considered appropriate to a person’s circumstances. Where a person continues to fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures, while on a penalty rate, he/she may be disqualified from receiving the personal rate of payment. The normal rate of payment may be reinstated at any time, if the jobseeker complies, as requested, with activation measures.
Total numbers of reduced rates applied (including zero rate), since their introduction in the second quarter of 2011, are as follows:
|
Year |
Number Applied |
|
2011 |
359 |
|
2012 |
1,519 |
|
2013 |
3,395 |
|
2014 (to end September) |
3,889 |
|
Total |
9,162 |
106. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a reversal of the reductions in rent supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39862/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. There have been no changes to rent supplement announced as part of Budget 2015. I am acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation, including those in receipt of rent supplement, in the current market. Raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to add to further rental inflation and impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on many lower income workers, their families and students. I plan to keep the matter under close review.
I can assure the Deputy that officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience in dealing with customers and make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met including through the use of their discretionary statutory powers as necessary. In light of a particular concentration of the homelessness problem in the Dublin area, the Department has agreed a tenancy sustainment protocol with the Dublin local authorities and voluntary organisations so that families on rent supplement who are at risk of losing their accommodation can have more timely and appropriate interventions made on their behalf. Since the launch of this protocol in mid-June 2014, almost 140 families have had their rent supplement claims revised by the Department.
Increasing housing supply and the reactivation of the construction activity is a key issue for Government and the resolution of the housing supply situation is critical to restoring stability to the rental market. The Government has recently launched its Construction Strategy 2020.
As part of Budget 2015, Government has announced significant capital investment of over €2.2 billion for social housing for the next three years. In 2015, over €800 million will be invested in a range of housing programmes which represents the first major investment in housing since 2009. An additional €10.5 million will be provided for accommodation and related services for homeless persons, increasing the annual expenditure for tackling homelessness to €55.5 million next year.
My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly TD, is also due to shortly publish a Social Housing Strategy to provide a basis for an improved and sustainable approach to the provision of social housing supports in Ireland.
107. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps that have been taken to address the situation where persons in receipt of rent supplement are unable to find private rented accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39860/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. I am acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation, including those in receipt of rent supplement, in the current market. Raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to add to further rental inflation and impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on many lower income workers, their families and students. I plan to keep the matter under close review. I can assure the Deputy that officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience in dealing with customers and make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met including through the use of their discretionary statutory powers as necessary. In light of a particular concentration of the homelessness problem in the Dublin area, the Department has agreed a tenancy sustainment protocol with the Dublin local authorities and voluntary organisations so that families on rent supplement who are at risk of losing their accommodation can have more timely and appropriate interventions made on their behalf. Since the launch of the protocol in mid-June 2014, almost 140 families have had their rent supplement claims revised by the Department.
Increasing housing supply and the reactivation of the construction activity is a key issue for Government and is critical to restoring stability to the rental market. The Government has recently launched its Construction Strategy 2020.
As part of Budget 2015, Government has announced significant capital investment of over €2.2 billion for social housing for the next three years. In 2015, over €800 million will be invested in a range of housing programmes which represents the first major investment in housing since 2009. An additional €10.5 million will be provided for accommodation and related services for homeless persons, increasing the annual expenditure for tackling homelessness to €55.5 million next year.
My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly TD, is also due to shortly publish a Social Housing Strategy to provide a basis for an improved and sustainable approach to the provision of social housing supports in Ireland.
108. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in cases where workers lost their job due to a business closure and have been awarded a claim for unpaid wages, holiday pay and payment in lieu of notice, the mechanism that exists to allow them to claim from the social insurance fund where there is no receiver or liquidator appointed to the now closed business. [39809/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the insolvency payments scheme, which operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984, which, in turn, derives from EU Council Directive 987/80, is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These entitlements include wages, holiday pay, sick pay, payment in lieu of minimum notice due under the Minimum Notice & Terms of Employment Acts, 1973-2001, and certain pension contributions. Various other statutory awards made by the Employment Appeals Tribunal, Rights Commissioners, etc., are also covered by the scheme. Where a person’s former employer was a limited company, the company must be in liquidation or receivership in order for the person to be eligible to claim under the insolvency payments scheme. In such circumstances, the liquidator or receiver becomes the relevant officer for submitting claims as he or she has access to the company records and can certify that the amounts claimed are in order. I am aware that there are cases where companies have ceased trading without engaging in a formal winding-up process and that in some such cases those employers may owe monies to their employees. Such employees are not eligible for payments under the insolvency payments scheme. I have asked my Department to review the position to establish what, if anything can be done to progress payments to individuals in these situations.
My Department is consulting with a range of interested parties in this review including the ODCE, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Revenue Commissioners. The Department has received submissions from ICTU on the issue. In its review the Department will also have to have regard to legal issues arising in the general area of insolvency law and the potential impacts that any proposed policy development will have in that area of law. To date my officials have had one meeting with the various parties mentioned above in connection with this issue.
I am not in a position to indicate when this review will be completed.
109. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that in future figures released by her Department that a distinction be made between fraud figures and error figures relating to payments made; her views that the general perception of the level of fraud amongst the population is tainted because of the poor reporting of the level of fraud caused by associating control figures, error figures and actual fraud figures. [39808/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department recognises that the vast majority of people receiving social welfare payments are legitimately entitled to them. However, fraud and abuse of the welfare system is also a reality and it needs to be tackled to protect the integrity of the system and ensure that the resources available are targeted at those who need them most. The Department’s overall approach to tackling fraud and abuse is set out in its Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 which was published earlier this year. Control work is measured in terms of control savings and they are used as a performance indicator for year-on-year activities. Control savings represent an estimate of the value of prevented expenditure on claims over a future period. They refer to future expenditure that would have been incurred but for this control work. Without this control work, the social welfare expenditure would over time increase by this amount. Control savings do not include any cases of departmental error or any cases where the customer voluntarily told the Department of their means or circumstances, which resulted in a change to their rate of payment. Control savings arise from proactive reviews on claims in payment. The control savings achieved in 2013 were €631m.
The Department also reports on overpayments raised each year. In 2013, the total value of overpayments raised amounted to €127m. The Department distinguishes between overpayments it attributes to fraud or suspected fraud, client error or departmental error and estate cases.
Fraud or suspected fraud overpayments arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income or family status. Error cases are primarily due to customer or third party error or departmental error. Estate cases arise where undisclosed means by customers (usually pensioners) come to light after their deaths.
The Department in undertaking measures to combat fraud and error does so to protect the integrity of the system for those who are in genuine need of support, the taxpayer and Irish society generally.
110. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address the growing concerns about the increases in rent being imposed by landlords and the fact that the rate of rent allowance provided by social welfare Departments is not comparative; in view of the difficulties persons on rent allowance are having with a very large number of properties not accepting rent allowance as a means of rent; her views that this practice is discriminatory; and the Department's measures to address these concerns. [39853/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. Prospective tenants are finding it increasingly difficult to secure accommodation due to the reduced availability of properties. Raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to add to further rental inflation and impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on many lower income workers and students. I plan to keep the matter under close review. Increasing housing supply and the reactivation of the construction activity is a critical issue for Government and key to restoring stability to the rental market. As part of Budget 2015, Government has announced significant capital investment of over €2.2 billion for social housing for the next three years. In 2014, over €800 million will be invested in a range of housing programmes which represents the first major investment in housing since 2009.
Officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience in dealing with customers and make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met, including through the use of their discretionary statutory powers as necessary and engagement with the Dublin local authorities and voluntary organisations under the tenancy sustainment protocol. The fact that approximately 73,500 people are in receipt of rent supplement, of which some 16,500 were awarded this year, shows that a significant number of persons are being accommodated under the scheme.
It is clearly my preference that a person in receipt of rent supplement should not be refused accommodation. This position has been advised to the two larger property website owners in terms of their advertising, following which, one subsequently removed the reference to rent supplement on their website. Officials in the Department are also engaging with the Department of Justice and Equality in regard to this matter.
111. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update regarding discussions she has had with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in relation to required changes to give pensioners a voice in discussions involving changes to their pension scheme, which they currently do not have as former employees and are excluded from the State's industrial relations machinery. [39810/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis matter is under active consideration by my officials who have engaged both with officials from the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation and with the Pensions Authority in efforts to explore possible responses to the concerns raised.
You may be aware that defined benefit pension schemes are generally set up under trust. The trustees of such pension schemes have a fiduciary duty under trust law and the Pensions Act to act in the best interest of all scheme members. In addition, the Pensions Act provides for further safeguards to protect the interest of pensioners.
The issue of representation is being considered in the context of access to the industrial relations machinery and in the context of engagement with the trustees of a pension scheme. I expect that it will be brought to a conclusion shortly.
112. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will revise and reduce the total number of weekly PRSI contribution payments which must be paid to qualify for the widow-widowers and the surviving civil partner’s contributory pensions which has been increased from 156 to 520, and if not, the reasons for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39792/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo qualify for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, either the person claiming or their late spouse or civil partner must have a certain number of PRSI contributions. All the PRSI requirements must be met on one person's record - one may not combine the contributions of both spouses or civil partners. All must have been made before the death of the spouse or civil partner.
The Deputy should note that from December 2013 new applicants for Widow's, Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension and Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension require 260 paid PRSI contributions to qualify, an increase from the 156 contributions previously required. This change was one of a number of measures introduced in the pension system since the economic downturn, to ensure that the system was sustainable, while maintaining core rates of payment. Virtually all PRSI contributions count towards this pension, including contributions paid by public servants and the self-employed.
In order to qualify, either the person claiming or their spouse or civil partner must have:
- At least 260 paid contributions paid before the relevant date (which is either the date of the bereavement or the 66th birthday of one of the spouses, depending on the basis of qualification); and
- An average of 39 paid or credited contributions in either the 3 or 5 years before the death of the spouse or civil partner or before he or she reached pension age (66);
or
- A yearly average of at least 24 paid or credited contributions from the year of first entry into insurance until the year of death or reaching pension age. If this average is used then an average of 24 will entitle a person to a minimum payment, they will need an average of 48 per year to get the full pension.
Once a customer has qualified, the pension is paid as long as the person remains widowed (e.g. it is withdrawn if they re-marry), and is increased to the level of the State pension contributory at age 66. There is no means test, with the maximum rate payable regardless of other income.
The previous requirement of 156 paid contributions equated in real terms to three years attachment to work by either spouse or civil partner, and had been in place since 1953. This was not sustainable, particularly at a time when the qualifying condition for the State Pension contributory has increased to 520 paid contributions. In comparison, the previous qualifying conditions to Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension were very low, and it was decided to increase the contribution requirements to 260 paid contributions. There are no plans to reverse this decision.
In cases where someone becomes widowed and neither they nor their late spouse/ civil partner satisfy these conditions, but they have an income need, they may qualify for a means-tested non-contributory pension.
113. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address the PRSI anomaly resulting in lower paid workers taking home less pay when they earn more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39803/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraEmployee PRSI is not charged where weekly earnings are €352 or less. Where weekly earnings exceed €352, employees become liable for PRSI which is charged at 4% on all earnings. While the effect of paying PRSI on all earnings once the €352 employee PRSI threshold is exceeded, is an issue, the yield from those paying PRSI contributes to keeping workers on lower earnings (below the €352 threshold) outside of the PRSI net.
Family Income Supplement (FIS) is available for lower paid workers with families, whose income falls below the relevant FIS thresholds. The level of FIS entitlement is based on net income after all relevant deductions, including the deduction of PRSI. The payment effectively preserves the incentive to take up or remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if s/he were claiming other social welfare payments.
114. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to privatise the Department's Jobs Ireland website and if her attention has been drawn to the experience of same in Britain where the website once outsourced became rife with fake jobs. [39794/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is engaged in an ongoing programme to continuously improve its services. This continuous improvement programme is fundamental to the Department’s objectives of delivering a comprehensive service to people, positioning the Department to better adapt to changing customer needs and priorities, while delivering on internal effectiveness and efficiency goals. JobsIreland is a vacancy advertising system developed by FÁS in the early 2000s and is now the largest jobsite in Ireland. The current service is approaching its end of life and some of its functionality is limited compared to what is typically available on jobsites operated by public employment services in other States, in particular, with regard to the ability of employers and jobseekers to ‘match’ and ‘search’ for suitable candidates/jobs. The current system also operates outside of the Department’s IT architecture and would need development in order to integrate/automate information flows between the systems the Department uses to support jobseekers in Intreo centres and JobsIreland itself. It is therefore timely to consider refreshing/replacing the system.
The Department has therefore invited tenders for the provision, maintenance, support and operation of a new online Public Employment Jobs Matching/Vacancy Service, to replace the existing JobsIreland (www.JobsIreland.ie) service. If and when contracts are awarded the new service will continue to be administered and managed by the Department and there are no plans to privatise the service.
115. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on her proposal to privatise social welfare services via JobPath. [39796/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobPath is the Government’s new labour market activation service aimed specifically at long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market, with the primary objective of assisting such persons to gain sustained employment. JobPath will augment and complement both the Department’s own employment services as well as the services contracted under existing arrangements with private registered companies that deliver the Local Employment Service (LES) and operate Job Clubs. JobPath will not replace any existing service provision, either that provided directly by staff within the Department or that provided under existing contract arrangements. In addition JobPath does not involve the outsourcing of any existing activities undertaken by staff of the Department. Moreover all decisions with regard to underlying entitlement to social welfare payments and services is at all times a matter for the Department of Social Protection. The description of JobPath as being the “privatisation” of social welfare services is therefore misconceived and unfounded. Following the completion of a public procurement process, conducted in accordance with EU and national procurement rules, two preferred tenderers were selected. The two preferred tenderers are Turas Nua Ltd. and Seetec Business Technology Centre Ltd.
Turas Nua is a new business and is a joint venture between FRS Recruitment (a co-operative recruitment company based in Roscrea) and Working Links (a UK-based well-established provider of employment services to long-term unemployed people). Turas Nua Limited will operate in the southern half of the country including towns and cities such as Cork, Limerick, and Waterford.
Seetec is a private company delivering a wide range of employability and skills programmes across both urban and rural areas of England. Seetec will operate in the northern half of the country including towns and cities such as Dublin, Galway, Sligo and Dundalk.
Turas Nua and Seetec will work with a range of local subcontractors, including local training companies and existing LES and Job Club providers, in the delivery of JobPath.
Between them, the preferred tenderers will provide some 1,000 additional staff in approximately 100 outlets across the country to assist the long-term unemployed in finding suitable employment and training options.
Subject to successful finalisation of contracts, it is anticipated that JobPath will commence in the first half of 2015.
116. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form, the number of participants in the Department's various labour activation and training schemes, including, but not limited to: Youthreach, JobBridge, Tús, JobPlus, Momentum, back to education allowance, BTWEA, VTOS, FÁS-Solas, International Work Experience and Training, Gateway and Community Employment. [39865/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of participants in the Department's various labour activation and training schemes at the end of September 2014 is set out in the table. The schemes not referenced in the table are the responsibility of the Department of Education and Skills.
|
Scheme Description |
Number of Recipients |
|
Community Employment Programme |
24,515 |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
2,534 |
|
Tús - Community Work Placement |
7,349 |
|
Job Initiative |
1,053 |
|
Back To Work Allowance Employee |
5 |
|
Back To Work Enterprise Allowance |
|
|
- Self Employed First Year |
6,115 |
|
- Self Employed Years 2 - 4 |
4,617 |
|
JobBridge National Internship Scheme |
5,581 |
|
Back To Education Allowance |
14,070 |
|
Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme |
298 |
|
Gateway |
931 |
|
JobsPlus |
3,000 |
|
Momentum (only started) |
308 |
|
Total Number of Recipients of Working Age on Employment Supports |
70,190 |
117. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the social welfare appeals office will collate statistics on the number of requests made by appellants for oral hearings to take place in respect of their appeals; if her Department carries out an analysis of the impact of oral hearings on the outcome of social welfare appeals. [39799/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that it is not practical without undergoing significant costs in changing their systems to collate statistics on the number of appellants who request oral hearings. Social Welfare legislation provides that an Appeal Officer may determine an appeal without an oral hearing where s/he is of the opinion that it can be determined fairly on the basis of the documentary evidence provided. I am advised that where an appellant requests an oral hearing, the request is generally granted unless the Appeals Officer is of the opinion that the appeal can be allowed on a summary basis, or where there is clearly nothing to be gained by granting an oral hearing, for example where the appeal question relates to contribution conditions or means and the underlying means or contribution figures are not disputed. As reported in the 2013 Annual Report of the Social Welfare Appeals Office, 28,062 appeals were finalised by Appeals Officers in 2013, and of these 7,598 (27.1%) were decided following an oral appeal hearing. Of these 4,568 (60.1%) had a favourable outcome. Of the 20,464 (72.9%) appeals decided on a summary basis, 8,509 (41.6%) had a favourable outcome for the appellant.
While it appears that there is a proportionately higher rate of success following oral hearing this is not surprising given that the Appeals Officer who convenes the hearing is the same Appeals Officer who decided that the case could not be decided fairly on a summary basis.
