Written Answers Nos. 45-53
45. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for a carer's allowance will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8554/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 5th January 2015. 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.
46. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the basis on which it was determined a person (details supplied) in County Kildare received an overpayment of jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8561/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn overpayment of jobseeker’s allowance was determined in the case of the person concerned for the period 1st January 2014 to 22nd April 2014. The person concerned declared that she was not available for full time employment as she was providing full time care to her son. One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of this income support is that a person be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking full-time employment. The overpayment is being reviewed by the Intreo Office and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome in due course.
47. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of participants in each electoral district, engaged in the JobBridge scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8577/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatistics matching participants to electoral districts is not routinely maintained by the Department and therefore is not available at present. However, the following table gives the number of participants in each County.
Table 1. JobBridge Participants in each County
Figures accurate at 19 th February, 2015
|
County |
Finished |
Current |
Total |
|
DUBLIN |
10,463 |
1,734 |
12,197 |
|
CORK |
2,925 |
522 |
3,447 |
|
GALWAY |
2,026 |
412 |
2,438 |
|
LIMERICK |
1,659 |
341 |
2,000 |
|
KILDARE |
1,089 |
230 |
1,319 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,016 |
223 |
1,239 |
|
WATERFORD |
1,010 |
213 |
1,223 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,002 |
213 |
1,215 |
|
KERRY |
898 |
224 |
1,122 |
|
WEXFORD |
899 |
182 |
1,081 |
|
MAYO |
814 |
202 |
1,016 |
|
LOUTH |
800 |
178 |
978 |
|
WESTMEATH |
776 |
158 |
934 |
|
MEATH |
751 |
169 |
920 |
|
CLARE |
681 |
127 |
808 |
|
WICKLOW |
662 |
136 |
798 |
|
SLIGO |
603 |
114 |
717 |
|
MONAGHAN |
510 |
136 |
646 |
|
KILKENNY |
461 |
90 |
551 |
|
LAOIS |
449 |
96 |
545 |
|
CAVAN |
434 |
98 |
532 |
|
OFFALY |
409 |
96 |
505 |
|
CARLOW |
402 |
78 |
480 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
236 |
75 |
311 |
|
LONGFORD |
228 |
50 |
278 |
|
LEITRIM |
175 |
40 |
215 |
|
Grand Total |
31,378 |
6,137 |
37,515 |
48. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a report outlining the cost of increasing the current assistance rate to an employer to employ a person in the JobsPlus scheme, to a rate which would provide each employer with a subsidy of 70% of the minimum wage, for 37.5 hours per week, for each employee, for a period of 18 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8578/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term on the live register. JobsPlus is biased in favour of those who are longer term unemployed. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 over two years where a jobseeker who is 12-24 months on the live register is recruited and €10,000 for each person recruited who has been unemployed for more than 24 months. Since January 2015, eligibility for the lower level of subsidy has been broadened to include young jobseekers (aged 18-24) unemployed for four months or more and persons in a jobseekers allowance transitional arrangement. The subsidy is paid in monthly instalments over a two year period provided the employment is maintained. At the end of January 2015, the Department provided 3,010 employers with cash payments valued at some €1.53 million in respect of 4,047 employees. Sixty-two percent of those employees supported had previously been on the live register for at least 24 months.
The proposal made by the Deputy to provide a subsidy of 70% of the minimum wage for 37.5 hours work per week for a period of 18 months for each employee would cost €983.94 per month compared with the lower level of subsidy of €312.50 per month and €416.67 per month for the upper level of subsidy. The cost of the proposal would be of the order of €17,710 for the 18 month duration against the current costs as stated above. Given the level of take up of the scheme to date and the positive feedback from employers, I do not consider that a rationale exists for increasing the level of payment as proposed, nor do I consider that the proposal would represents good value for money in achieving the objectives for JobsPlus.
49. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an appeal regarding a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8581/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18th November 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 2nd February 2015 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer 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.
50. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an increase in rent support can be approved in the case of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8637/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe family concerned have been in receipt of rent supplement from this Department in respect of their current address since July 2013. It is not possible to pre-approve an increase in their rate of payment several months before it is due to take effect.
In the intervening period this family should engage with the housing charity Threshold under the Interim Tenancy Sustainment Protocol, which was set up specifically to address the housing needs for families facing such circumstances. Threshold can negotiate with their landlord on their behalf and liaise with their Local Authority regarding their accommodation needs. Alternatively, as their rent is not increasing until July, they could look at sourcing alternative accommodation that is within the current rent limits.
51. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8638/15]
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 on 10th March 2015. The person concerned will shortly be notified of the arrangements for the 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.
52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who made 723 ORD class social insurance contributions, and 1,078 class A1 social insurance contributions, between 1964 and 2002, may not avail of a treatment benefit payment, owing to a change in that person's class of contributions, for three years after 2002; the reason the contributions made over the previous 38 years count for nothing, when determining that person's entitlement, in this case; if she will instruct the treatment benefit section of her Department to review this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8646/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraQualification for treatment benefit is based on satisfying certain PRSI conditions covering a required total number of contributions to be paid or credited and a required number to be paid or credited in the relevant tax year.
In 2013, the person concerned made an application for treatment benefit; this was refused as he did not fulfil the contribution requirements at that time. However, as the person concerned is now in receipt of a state pension, the credits resulting from his entitlement to this pension can now be counted for qualification purposes in 2015. As a result he now meets the qualifying conditions and he should now submit a new application for treatment benefit.
53. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total number of meetings she, or her officials, have held with a person (details supplied), in the context of a proposed bid to purchase Permanent TSB mortgages; if she will confirm that she was aware of any form of this proposal, that would include fees from the company being paid to the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8652/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Economic Adviser to the Tánaiste met with the person named by the Deputy on two occasions in 2015 regarding a proposal to address the mortgage arrears situation. Details of the contractual agreements between the company and the person named were not discussed.
