Written Answers Nos. 156-173
156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the supported employment initiative. [41002/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe initiative to which the Deputy refers is the EmployAbility service - an employment service dedicated to improving employment outcomes for job seekers with a disability. The service was originally established in 2000 under the aegis of An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FAS) and was formerly known as the Supported Employment Programme. Responsibility for the programme transferred to the Department of Social Protection in 2012. The service is currently delivered by 23 limited companies, each with a specific geographical remit, thereby providing national coverage. The programme is fully funded by the Department and the estimated expenditure for the service in 2014 is €9.24 million.
The service is based on the ethos that participation in employment can be achieved by people with a disability when they are able to avail of individualised supports that are based on their choices and preferences. The supports currently provided by the service include profiling the individual needs of ‘job-ready’ people with disabilities, (which is defined as being able to work at least 8 hours per week and being motivated to do so), identifying the needs of employers, matching jobseekers with suitable employment opportunities, and the provision of on-the-job supports to both employee and employer where that is required.
157. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Galway participating on the job initiative scheme is entitled to the water support payment as well as the Christmas bonus as announced in the recent budget; if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41012/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo qualify for Water Support a person must be in receipt of either the Household Benefits Package or in receipt of fuel allowance from the Department. As Job Initiative Scheme participants do not meet the criteria for either of these measures, they also do not meet the criteria to receive Water Support.
158. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure the determination in view of the delay of an appeal for carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4. [41015/14]
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 allow 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.
159. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be approved for domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41022/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 7th April 2014. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who did not consider that the child met the medical criteria for the allowance. A letter issued on the 5th July 2014 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision. As part of the appeal process, the case has been forwarded to another of the Department’s Medical Assessors for further consideration, including a review of any new information supplied.
Upon receipt of the Medical Assessor’s opinion, the case will be further examined by a deciding officer, who will revise the original decision if warranted or alternatively, forward the case for consideration by the Appeals Office.
160. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to change the current practice of ending domiciliary care allowance for parents of children with systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis once those children are 16 years old; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by families that do not wish to expose their children to the stress of appearing before a panel to be assessed for disability allowance. [41031/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary care allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of qualified children to age 16 years, after which they may apply for disability allowance (DA) in their own right.
The DCA review group made a recommendation in its report that the age limit for DCA should be extended to 18 years for all qualified children, with entitlement to DA starting from age 18 years. The report was published in April 2013. Any change in this regard will be considered in the context of the reform of illness and disability supports.
Assessment of eligibility for disability allowance is undertaken by way of a desk assessment, based on a consideration of the completed application form together with any medical or other supporting evidence provide by the applicant. As such, there is no physical medical examination involved and no requirement for the applicant to appear in person to be assessed.
162. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance application appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41065/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 14th July 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 2nd October 2014 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on the 13th October 2014 who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
163. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [41085/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 11th June 2014. The application was sent to a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of means. The onus is on all applicants to cooperate with the Department and to demonstrate that his/her means are below the statutory limit for the scheme in question. The investigative officer has reported to the deciding officer that s/he has been unable to establish the means of the applicant. A formal decision will issue to the applicant today. The applicant will be given the option of having the decision reviewed by a deciding officer and/or the right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
164. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a SWAI appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41092/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 1st October 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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.
166. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the issuing of the public services card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; specifically the reason this person has been requested to participate in the face-to-face registration process; the criteria used to determine low-risk customers who have been invited to avail of a postal registration process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41164/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, 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, also provided 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, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible.
The PSC is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the free travel pass and the social services card of the Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers. The PSC contains advanced security features including the holder’s photograph thus preventing usage by an ineligible person.
A PSC is currently issued following either a “face-to-face” registration process, or a ‘postal’ registration process.
The “face-to-face” registration process involves the capture, at one of the Department’s offices, of a person’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.
Selected pensioners over 66, deemed low-risk from an identity perspective, have been invited to avail of one of two ‘postal’ registration process. One of these involves utilisation, with consent, of information already provided to other Government agencies, for example, a photograph supplied in connection with an application for a passport. The other applies to those who regularly collect their payments at a Post Office and requires the person to provide two passport-standard photographs. The ‘postal’ registration processes also involve the capture of additional data such as answers to security questions.
The vast majority of persons who have received PSCs have authenticated their identity by attending at a face-to-face registration. This includes persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s payments such as the individual to whom the Deputy refers.
169. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal to the social welfare appeals office in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be expedited due to the hardship the person is experiencing [41170/14]
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 allow 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.
171. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision in respect of an appeal for illness benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41175/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The Appeals Officer’s decision issued in November 2013.
Following the submission of additional evidence the Appeals Officer has set aside his decision and has re-opened the appeal by way of granting an oral hearing of the case by a different Appeals Officer.
It is anticipated that the oral hearing will be convened in the next 4 to 6 weeks and the person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing 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.
172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41187/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed that the Department has no trace of an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question. If the person in question wishes to apply for carer’s allowance, she should complete and return an application form CR1 to the Department as soon as possible.
173. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that she has received an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17 against a decision by her Department to refuse the person's claim for payment of rent supplement arrears back to the date when she would have become eligible. [41189/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 16th October 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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.
