Written Answers Nos. 153 -168
153. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to reintroduce the dietary allowance for coeliac food; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9885/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDiet supplement administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition.
During 2013, the Department commissioned the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) to update their previous research published in 2006 and updated in 2007 on the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets. Pricing for a selection of foods based on branded and own label foods was surveyed in a sample of retail outlets for each diet. These outlets included large stores, large low cost stores, medium sized stores and convenience stores.
The research shows that the range of costs associated with a specialised diet is influenced mainly by the shopping location with the lowest costs being the large discount store and the highest cost the convenience store. The research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate of €186 per week. The scheme was discontinued on the basis of this evidence and I have no plans to reverse this decision.
Payment of the supplement will continue to be made to the existing 4,800 recipients for as long as they continue to be entitled to the payment. In cases of particular hardship that may present, officials have the legislative power to award a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in cases of exceptional need.
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the rent support available to persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9886/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward an application to be assessed for entitlement to the Mid-Leinster rent Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.
157. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine an application for a review in respect of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as all relevant documentation has been submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9891/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28 January 2015. 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 were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 26 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.
158. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9896/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who scheduled an oral hearing for 10 March 2015. However, this office was informed that the person concerned was in hospital and was unable to attend the oral hearing.
An oral hearing will be re-scheduled and the person concerned will be informed when the arrangements 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 on social welfare entitlements
159. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine an application for jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as there is undue delay in processing this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9899/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 December 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. These papers were received from the Department and the appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 3 February 2015, 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.
160. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the working age benefits or allowances that do not permit recipients to apply for the fuel allowance. [9910/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe fuel allowance is a payment, of €20 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to low income households to assist them with their energy costs. The payment represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The allowance is paid to more than 400,000 customers at an estimated cost of €195 million in 2015. This includes people in receipt of job-seekers allowance or basic supplementary welfare allowance for more than 15 months (390 days), pensioners, widows, people in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, and one parent families payment.
Payments which do not qualify people for fuel allowance include: jobseeker’s benefit, illness benefit, short term jobseeker’s allowance, carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit.
The fuel allowance is a means tested payment, targeted at those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
161. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9923/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts.
Following the submission of additional evidence, the Appeals Officer has agreed to review this case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of her appeal has been 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 on social welfare entitlements.
162. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending child benefit to all children living in direct provision. [9964/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years in line with the statutory school attendance age. The payment continues to be paid for children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, subject to certification from school or college of educational attendance for each of these years.
In order to qualify for payment of child benefit, a person must satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition. Section 246 (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 lists persons who shall not be regarded as habitually resident and this includes those who are at any stage of the asylum process, or who have similar forms of request for permission to remain in Ireland, but in respect of whom such permission has not yet been granted.
The Department does not hold information regarding the ages or school attendance records of children in direct provision. Therefore it is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the cost of extending child benefit to these children. The potential cost of Child Benefit to children in Direct Provision is in the region of €2.3 million. However this figure is based on a calculation of the total number of children of Direct Provision Allowance (DPA) claimants, without any knowledge of whether they would meet the qualifying criteria as set out above. The payment of DPA is made on administrative basis by this Department of behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality.
The Department is represented on the Government Working Group on improvements to the protection process including direct provision and supports for asylum seekers. It is expected that this Group will report to Government over the coming weeks.
164. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the measures her Department takes to pursue parents not making maintenance payments to claimants of one-parent family allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10035/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn every case where a one-parent family payment (OFP) is awarded the Department seeks to trace the other parent, referred to as the liable relative, in order to ascertain whether he or she is in a financial position to contribute towards the cost of the OFP.
Part 12 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, sets out the legislative basis for the implementation of the Liability to Maintain Family Provisions. The method of assessment of the liable relative’s ability to pay is specified in detail in Regulations (SI No. 571 of 2006 and SI No. 142 of 2007). The financial position of each liable relative is assessed in accordance with these regulations.
All liable relatives assessed with a maintenance liability are notified by the Department and are issued with a maintenance contribution assessment. The amount assessed can be reviewed where information comes to light about the financial or household circumstances of the liable relative. A liable relative is given the option to commence making payments to the OFP recipient or to the Department. Maintenance payments made directly to the OFP recipient are assessed as means and may have an impact on their weekly payment from the Department. The Department continues to pursue all liable relatives where a liability is determined. Where a liable relative fails to commence maintenance payments their suitability for prosecution is considered.
165. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason information relating to the misuse of the JobBridge scheme at a factory (details supplied) in County Donegal was not acted upon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10095/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobBridge the National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for people who have been either getting a jobseeker’s payment or signing for credits for at least 3 months. The placements are in organisations operating in the private, public and community voluntary sectors. Internship opportunities can vary significantly spanning many occupations/disciplines from high skill specialist placements to lower skilled general placements.
The principal aim of the scheme is to provide interns with an opportunity to keep close to the labour market while gaining valuable experience in a working environment. Records indicate that a significant proportion of individuals have progressed into employment across various occupations/ disciplines on completion of their internship placements.
A variety of measures have been introduced to protect the intern and to ensure the integrity of the JobBridge Scheme. In order for an application from a Host Organisation to be approved the host organisation must meet a number of criteria. These criteria are to ensure that the internship does not displace an existing position; that it provides appropriate training and development experience; and that appropriate mentoring and support is provided to the Intern.
Participation in the scheme is voluntary and an intern may contact the JobBridge team at any stage of their Internship for advice and support. Additionally, any individual, who has concerns regarding an internship or where they feel that an organisation may be in breach of the scheme’s criteria, they should contact the JobBridge team by calling 046 9738080 or Freephone 1890 8000 24.
Case Officers in Donegal are not aware of any issues with the administration of Job Bridge in the organisations mentioned in the PQ. However the team can examine individual cases if further details are provided.
167. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if it is no longer possible for persons to open new rent supplement claims with certain local authorities that are in the first wave of housing assistance payment implementation; if she will provide details of these local authorities; if persons on the housing list in one housing assistance payment local authority wave 1 area may apply for rent supplement in another housing assistance payment wave 1 local authority area where they are unable to secure appropriate housing assistance payment accommodation in the local authority area in which they are listed. [10108/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rent supplement scheme provides 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 approximately 70,200 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015. The financial provision for rent supplement reflects a transfer of funding of some €20 million to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to support the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short term income support by transferring responsibility for persons with long term housing needs to the local authorities under HAP. The rent supplement scheme will continue to be in existence for persons in private rented accommodation with short term housing needs, for example during periods of temporary unemployment.
HAP is currently being administered in selected local authority areas and will be expanded shortly to include additional local authorities. A breakdown of HAP designated areas by local authority and household type is provided in the following tabular statement. New applicants with long term housing needs will be considered under HAP in these local authority areas rather than rent supplement. The applicant’s eligibility for social housing support, including HAP, will be assessed by the relevant local authority. HAP is being designed so as to bring all of the social housing services provided by the State together under the local authority system.
Policy in relation to applications for HAP across local authority areas and housing lists is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Tabular Statement: HAP Designated Local Authorities and Household Types.
|
Local Authority |
Household Type |
Commencement Date |
|
Cork County Council |
All |
15 September 2014 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
All |
15 September 2014 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
All |
15 September 2014 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
All |
1 October 2014 |
|
Louth County Council |
All |
1 October 2014 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
All |
1 October 2014 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
All |
1 October 2014 |
|
Dublin City Council |
Homeless households |
18 December 2014 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
Homeless households |
18 December 2014 |
|
Fingal County Council |
Homeless households |
18 December 2014 |
168. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason her Department has failed and refused to engage in any meaningful process with the property owners (details supplied) in Ballybay, County Monaghan, who have made their town centre premises available to her Department as an alternative location for her departmental office, which is currently located at Main Street, Ballybay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10117/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe OPW is the exclusive procurer of office accommodation for the civil service and the sole authority for allocating space to the civil service. This Department would not normally make contact with the landlords or potential property owners. Following a meeting that was held on the 3/12/2014 between Minister Kevin Humphreys and a delegation from County Monaghan representing the interests of Ballybay, a number of property options in Ballybay were discussed with a view to retaining the Department’s offices in the town. It was agreed that the Department would ask the OPW to refrain from signing a lease for a premises in Monaghan Town in order to allow the representatives and the officials to put forward some potential alternatives in Ballybay.
All four submissions received (via Monaghan County Council) were forwarded from the Department to the OPW for consideration. All of the submissions were reviewed by the OPW but unfortunately were not deemed to be viable.
