Written Answers Nos. 223 - 242
223. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 24 March 2015, if students in those situations will be facilitated in completing their courses with the current level of income support they receive. [13088/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraProcedures have been agreed between my Department and the Department of Education and Skills (D/ES) to ensure that all one-parent family payment (OFP) recipients who are participating in training or education when their entitlement to the OFP payment ends will be able to complete their course with income support, subject to normal scheme conditions. This includes individuals who are engaging in Springboard courses.
For OFP recipients who are currently in education and, who were scheduled to exit OFP in July 2015, they can remain on OFP until their course finishes and then transition to either Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Allowance transitional arrangement as appropriate. For customers who are undertaking courses that are eligible for a SUSI maintenance grant from the D/ES, they can retain this grant until they complete their current education course, subject to the normal D/ES conditions for the grant.
OFP recipients are also eligible to avail of courses provided by SOLAS or the Education Training Boards. Where entitlement to the OFP payment ceases, and the person is undertaking such training, they can finish their course and their payment will be taken over by the D/ES. This arrangement has been in place since 2013.
In addition, customers who move to the Jobseeker’s Allowance transitional arrangement can participate in education courses including those that are eligible for a SUSI maintenance grant. In this situation the grant will be disregarded for the purpose of means.
This approach reinforces the policy goal to support lone parents into education and training and to assist them into sustainable employment.
224. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the one parent family payment in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13138/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were 2,488 persons in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment administered from Social Welfare Local Offices in County Tipperary at the end of February 2015.
225. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of disability allowance in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13139/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were 5,080 persons in receipt of Disability Allowance in County Tipperary at the end of February 2015.
226. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the conditions under which holders of a public service vehicle licence or plate licence qualify for jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13140/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSelf-employed taxi-drivers may apply for the means-tested jobseeker's allowance if they are on low income as a result of a reduction in demand for their services.
To qualify for jobseeker’s allowance, certain conditions must be satisfied which includes availability for full-time work, genuinely seeking work, the habitual residence condition and satisfy a means test. Means from all sources are assessable, including means from self-employment as a self-employed taxi-driver, to determine the level of jobseeker’s allowance payable to the person. If the income of the self-employed taxi driver is less than the family rate that applies and all the other conditions are satisfied, then jobseeker’s allowance is payable.
228. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a scheme of educational supports and training to assist full-time carers of children with disabilities and other special needs, whose children are now of an age that they no longer require full-time care, and who never claimed a carer's allowance but now have no entitlement to a social welfare payment. [13164/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection provides a range of income supports for carers including, Carer’s Benefit, Carer’s Allowance, Domiciliary Carer’s Allowance and the Respite Care Grant.
When a person’s caring role comes to an end, the Department provides a further range of income supports depending on the person’s circumstances. Information on the type of social welfare income support most appropriate to the former carer’s circumstances is available at the local INTREO office which provides information on all the Department’s schemes and services and information on access to employment supports. As part of the INTREO service, Employment Support Officers also offer advice and personal progression plans to those on the live register including former carers.
Where such progression plans involve training and education, such supports would be provided by SOLAS – the new Further Education and Training Authority in Ireland, which is responsible for funding, planning and co-ordinating training and further education programmes.
229. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress, to date, in determining an appeal to backdate a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if an oral hearing will be facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13180/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 26th February 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.
230. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an increase in rent support will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has three dependent children and an adult child in full-time education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13183/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe client concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on their monthly rent, weekly income and family composition.
231. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of persons in receipt of rent supplement, and at each limit, per county. [13192/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra232. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the decision to ban rent supplement in Ballymun, Dublin 11. [13193/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.
The 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 currently approximately 70,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients and the maximum rent limits is provided on a county basis in the attached tabular statement. The numbers of persons per county for each rent limit is not available.
The Department continues to allow for flexibility within the administration of the rent supplement scheme with each tenant’s circumstances considered on a case-by-case basis, and rents increased above prescribed limits if deemed appropriate, through the Department’s National Tenancy Sustainment Framework, and also the Interim Tenancy Sustainment Service, operated in conjunction with Threshold in Dublin and Cork areas.
Section 25 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007 provided that a payment of rent supplement can be refused in respect of accommodation which is situated in an area notified to the Minister for Social Protection by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, as being an area of regeneration. The lifting of the condition for rent supplement with respect to the Ballymun regeneration area is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
The measures provided for in Section 25 are not a blanket refusal of rent supplement in areas of regeneration. Specific provision is made to ensure that:
- people already residing in such areas and in receipt of rent supplement may continue to receive payment; and
- people already residing in such areas in private rental accommodation and who may have recourse to rent supplement in the future would not have their entitlement restricted.
Tabular Statement A: Rent Supplement recipients, as of end February 2015
|
County |
Recipients |
|
CARLOW |
1,087 |
|
CAVAN |
421 |
|
CLARE |
1,337 |
|
CORK |
8,078 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,739 |
|
DUBLIN |
26,063 |
|
GALWAY |
3,596 |
|
KERRY |
1,692 |
|
KILDARE |
3,652 |
|
KILKENNY |
899 |
|
LAOIS |
1,009 |
|
LEITRIM |
333 |
|
LIMERICK |
2,316 |
|
LONGFORD |
479 |
|
LOUTH |
2,144 |
|
MAYO |
1,615 |
|
MEATH |
1,683 |
|
MONAGHAN |
346 |
|
OFFALY |
1,015 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
675 |
|
SLIGO |
469 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,924 |
|
WATERFORD |
1,411 |
|
WESTMEATH |
1,525 |
|
WEXFORD |
2,584 |
|
WICKLOW |
2,091 |
|
Grand Total |
70,183 |
Tabular Statement B: Currently in force Maximum Rental Limits
|
County: |
Single Shared |
Couple Shared |
Single |
Couple |
Couple/One Parent Family - 1 qualified Child |
Couple/One Parent Family - 2 qualified Children |
Couple/One Parent Family - 3 qualified Children |
|
Dublin - Fingal |
300 |
350 |
520 |
700 |
850 |
900 |
950 |
|
Dublin - Not Fingal |
350 |
400 |
520 |
750 |
950 |
975 |
1,000 |
|
Carlow |
230 |
250 |
375 |
433 |
520 |
560 |
590 |
|
Cavan |
160 |
190 |
325 |
350 |
400 |
415 |
433 |
|
Clare |
190 |
210 |
320 |
350 |
400 |
450 |
500 |
|
Cork |
250 |
270 |
485 |
575 |
700 |
725 |
750 |
|
Donegal |
175 |
200 |
300 |
325 |
350 |
400 |
450 |
|
Galway |
280 |
300 |
475 |
540 |
700 |
725 |
750 |
|
Kerry |
190 |
220 |
365 |
390 |
500 |
520 |
540 |
|
Kildare |
250 |
300 |
433 |
500 |
650 |
700 |
750 |
|
Kilkenny |
200 |
230 |
390 |
430 |
540 |
565 |
590 |
|
Laois |
200 |
230 |
340 |
350 |
450 |
480 |
520 |
|
Leitrim |
175 |
195 |
300 |
325 |
350 |
375 |
400 |
|
Limerick |
200 |
240 |
375 |
400 |
500 |
550 |
600 |
|
Longford |
160 |
175 |
290 |
300 |
325 |
340 |
350 |
|
Louth |
215 |
250 |
390 |
400 |
550 |
575 |
600 |
|
Mayo |
195 |
215 |
375 |
390 |
433 |
465 |
500 |
|
Meath |
200 |
260 |
390 |
420 |
550 |
600 |
650 |
|
Monaghan |
180 |
190 |
300 |
350 |
400 |
433 |
450 |
|
Offaly |
200 |
220 |
360 |
400 |
450 |
475 |
500 |
|
Roscommon |
200 |
220 |
300 |
325 |
400 |
410 |
425 |
|
Sligo |
195 |
220 |
400 |
425 |
520 |
540 |
550 |
|
Tipperary |
195 |
220 |
370 |
400 |
485 |
500 |
525 |
|
Waterford |
220 |
240 |
375 |
390 |
475 |
500 |
525 |
|
Westmeath |
190 |
210 |
390 |
400 |
500 |
520 |
530 |
|
Wexford |
250 |
270 |
375 |
390 |
500 |
540 |
575 |
|
Wicklow |
240 |
290 |
425 |
450 |
600 |
610 |
625 |
|
North Kildare |
270 |
290 |
500 |
575 |
750 |
800 |
850 |
|
Bray |
275 |
300 |
520 |
680 |
850 |
925 |
1,000 |
233. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of schools in County Louth currently benefiting from school meals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13202/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations which benefits over 205,000 children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects.
Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the school meals programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million. The Department is currently considering options regarding the allocation of the additional funding.
Details on the schools in County Louth participating in the school meals local projects scheme are being compiled and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
234. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that persons are losing out on a significant portion of their contributory pension as a result of changes implemented by her Government in 2012; her views that persons should lose out on pension entitlements because they worked part-time jobs when they were students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13203/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid over their working life from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing their entitlement and the level of that entitlement.
As provided for in Budget 2012, from September 2012, new rate bands for State pension were introduced. These additional payment rate bands more accurately reflect the social insurance history of a person and ensure that those who contribute more during a working life benefit more in retirement than those with lesser contributions.
Those with lower earnings and those with lesser contribution histories continue to obtain the best value for money from the Social Insurance Fund. Even for those with an average of only 20 contributions per year (i.e. 38% of the maximum), reduced rate State pensions of €196 are now paid, i.e., a higher rate than the full rate in 2007, so that those retiring after September 2012 who are being paid a reduced amount under the new bands are still receiving more, in real terms, than the maximum rate of pension that was payable for pensioners during most of the period of their working life.
Work has commenced on replacing the current averaging approach with a total contributions approach, where the difficulties raised by the Deputy would not arise. It is expected that this approach to pension qualification will replace the current average contributions test for State pension (contributory) from 2020, although that date is subject to change, as it is a very significant reform with considerable legal, administrative and technical challenges to be overcome in its implementation. It is my intention that changes would be announced well in advance of their introduction, to allow workers factor this into their retirement planning.
For those with insufficient contributions to meet the requirements for a State pension (contributory), they may qualify for a means tested State pension (non-contributory) which has a maximum personal rate of €219, or just over 95% of the maximum rate of the State pension (contributory). Alternatively, if a person’s spouse or civil partner is in receipt of a State pension (contributory) they may instead qualify for an Increase for a Qualified Adult of up to €206.30, which is just less than 90% of the maximum personal rate of the State pension (contributory).
235. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the length of time reviews for carer's allowance are currently taking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13209/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department does not maintain statistics in relation to the average time taken to process carer’s allowance (CA) decision reviews. The Department is committed to ensuring that claims and reviews are processed as expeditiously as possible. Reviews in relation to eligibility or continued eligibility for CA are dealt with on a case by case basis based upon the individual circumstances of each applicant or recipient, relevant to the various qualifying conditions associated with CA.
Applicants and recipients are encouraged to provide complete and comprehensive information in support of their eligibility initially facilitating the Department’s deciding officers (DOs) to make good quality and timely decisions.
The current average time taken to make a decision on a new application is 12 weeks. Where an applicant receives a negative decision on a new application and sends in additional information requesting a review of that decision, this will take significantly longer. Where there is information missing or should the deciding officer consider it necessary to request additional information and/or send file to a Social Welfare Inspector for a report on means or circumstances, this can also add to the length of time taken to process both new applications or reviews.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the correct level of one-parent family payment due in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13214/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no record of a one-parent family payment application having been received on behalf of the person concerned. If she wishes to make an application she should contact her local social welfare office.
237. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will approve an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13215/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 12th March 2015. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
238. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in order to encourage persons with intellectual disabilities to take up opportunities of rehabilitative employment, if she will consider putting in place protections to ensure that payments from her Department received by persons with intellectual disabilities participating in employment will not be affected by such opportunities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13219/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability, including those with an intellectual disability, and is committed to removing barriers which prevent those persons from participating in activation programmes and employment.
At the moment, a person in receipt of disability allowance (DA) can work and earn €120 per week without it affecting the DA claim while if the weekly earnings are between €120 and €350,50 per cent of the earnings will be disregarded in the DA means test – if the person’s doctor recommends that such work is of a rehabilitative or therapeutic nature.
239. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an increase in rent supplement will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13231/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs detailed to the deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question 12376-15 of 26th March 2015, the Department has not been informed of any change in circumstance for the client concerned. As also outlined in that response, if there have been changes, the client should provide an up to date lease agreement and Rent Supplement application form to the Department. On receipt of same client's entitlement can be assessed.
240. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection If she will expedite a decision on an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13235/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 23rd January 2015. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
241. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an application for a State pension (contributory) will be processed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13271/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a recent decision by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the widow’s (non-contributory) pension application of the person concerned, their application for widow’s (contributory) pension is being reviewed by a Deciding Officer. On completion of this review, the person concerned will be notified of the outcome. In the meantime, the person concerned will continue to receive their widow’s (non-contributory) pension.
242. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to expedite an application for an appeal to the chief appeals office by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath in respect of the refusal of that person's application for an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13280/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 12th March 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.
