Written Answers Nos. 216 - 232
216. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the number of current recipients of the one-parent family payment by county. [20384/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the relating to the county breakdown of the number of current recipients of the One Parent Family Payment at the end of April is detailed in the following tabular statement.
It should be noted that the county level statistics indicate the number of people signing-on for payment at an office located in the county indicated. As the catchment area of many local offices cross county borders this data is not equivalent to the number of people residing in each county who are signing-on.
Recipients of One-parent Family Payment at the end of April 2015
|
County |
Recipients |
|
Carlow |
1,038 |
|
Cavan |
798 |
|
Clare |
1,158 |
|
Cork |
6,479 |
|
Donegal |
2,544 |
|
Dublin |
24,258 |
|
Galway |
2,549 |
|
Kerry |
1,865 |
|
Kildare |
2,699 |
|
Kilkenny |
807 |
|
Laois |
1,142 |
|
Leitrim |
294 |
|
Limerick |
3,209 |
|
Longford |
707 |
|
Louth |
2,711 |
|
Mayo |
1,457 |
|
Meath |
1,259 |
|
Monaghan |
677 |
|
Offaly |
1,120 |
|
Roscommon |
372 |
|
Sligo |
736 |
|
Tipperary |
2,463 |
|
Waterford |
2,338 |
|
Westmeath |
1,351 |
|
Wexford |
2,649 |
|
Wicklow |
1,978 |
|
Grand Total |
68,658 |
217. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the full respite care grant in the forthcoming budget as a recognition of the excellent delivery of care to dependent patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20411/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra220. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an up-to-date progress report regarding the national carers strategy and its impact on family carers' lives since its launch in July 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20426/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra227. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if he will support national organisations representing the interests of carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20561/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 217, 220 and 227 together.
I must first acknowledge the valuable role that carers play in providing caring supports to family members and friends.
The National Carers’ Strategy (NCS) demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting carers, to ensure that their contribution to society is recognised and, in the case of the Department, that they receive appropriate financial supports.
Acknowledgement of this key role is reflected in the range of significant income supports provided by the Department to support carers in their caring role and ameliorate the financial burden of caring – it is worth pointing out that the income supports that carers receive from the Department are among the highest rates in Europe.
Over the last three years, during a period of significant economic challenge, the Government has ensured that the core rates of payments to carers have been protected and maintained. The rates of carers allowance and carers benefit are among the higher rates of social welfare payments. The weekly payment rate for a person aged under 66, caring for 1 person is €204, while the rate for a person aged over 66 is €239. An increase of 50% is paid where a carer is caring for more than one person (€306 and €358.50 for carers under and over 66 respectively).
Total expenditure on carers (Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Respite Care Grant) has increased from just under €752 million in 2010 to almost €806 million in 2014. This is an increase of €53.9 million or 7.2%.
In addition to the provision of income support, the Department made a commitment in the NCS to organise an annual meeting where organisations representing carers would be afforded an opportunity to meet officials from the relevant Departments with responsibilities in this area and the HSE to discuss issues of concern. The most recent of these meetings was in February last, and the feedback from the carers’ organisations to this development is very positive. In addition to that annual meeting, I am pleased to say that the Department also meets regularly with the carers’ representative groups to discuss both policy and operational issues. Carers’ groups are also represented at the Department’s annual pre-Budget forum.
In relation to the rate of respite care grant, I am aware that the reduction in the rate of the grant in 2013 was challenging for carers but in framing budgetary adjustments, the concern has been to protect primary social welfare rates, as indicated above, and any change to the rate of the grant can only be considered in the context of the overall economic and budgetary position.
However, I would point out that the rate of €1,375 is still more than twice what it was in 2002 (when it was €635), and higher than it was in 2006 at the height of the economic boom, (when it was €1,200).
218. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application-appeal in respect of an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; if the appeal will be expedited; and if an oral hearing will be considered as the medical evidence states clearly that the applicant will not be able to work for the foreseeable future. [20422/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 May 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.
219. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if she will arrange an oral hearing, in view of the fact that the details and circumstances of the case need to be articulated on a one-to-one basis; and if she will expedite a positive response, in view of the fact that the decision is the cause of upset and trauma for the person. [20424/15]
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. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts.
I am advised that the person concerned has submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his/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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
221. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of all official foreign trips she and Ministers of State in her Department plan to take between now and the end of 2015; if she will provide details of whom she and the Ministers of State in her Department will be meeting on these trips; the purpose of these trips; the duration of these trips; her plans to use all of these trips to promote Ireland as a good place for doing business and as a destination for foreign direct investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20446/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI plan to attend the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on June 10 and take the opportunity while there to engage with as many members of the Parliament as is possible on matters of importance to Ireland.
While neither myself nor the Minister of State have any additional plans to travel in the coming months, I would expect that we will be represented at meetings of the EU employment and social affairs Ministers council (EPSCO) which are due to take place between now and the end of the year. Decisions in that regard will be made nearer the dates of the meetings as attendance will depend on the agendas and other business commitments which may arise at the time.
I use all occasions to promote Ireland as appropriate.
222. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a decision on a claim for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20450/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to determine the circumstances of the person in question, her file was forwarded to her local Social Welfare Inspector. S/he will arrange to meet with the person concerned as soon as possible.
A final decision on her entitlement to disability allowance will be given on receipt of the Social Welfare Inspector's report. The person in question will be notified directly of the outcome.
223. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current stage of the review by her Department into its position to establish the action that can be taken where employers such as a company (details supplied) which have ceased trading without engaging in a formal wind-up process and which owe moneys to an employee; when the review will be completed; her plans regarding this type of problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20464/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is continuing to review the position to establish what, if anything, can be done to progress payments to individuals in situations where employers cease trading without engaging in a formal winding-up process and who owe monies to their employees.
The Department is consulting with a range of interested parties including the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Revenue Commissioners to establish what, if anything can be done to progress payments to individuals in these situations. To date officials from the Department have had one formal meeting with the various parties mentioned above in connection with this issue and continue to engage with all relevant parties to try to progress the matter.
However, I am not in a position to indicate when this review will be completed.
224. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of working-age claimants who receive more than €256, €292, €329 and €365 every week in total welfare support payments. [20471/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
However I am informed during the week ended 22 May there were a total of 65,095 payments made to weekly recipients of back to work allowance, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s allowance and jobseeker’s benefit which exceeded €256. These payments were made to the recipients solely in respect of their entitlements, which may include increases in respect of a qualified adult allowance and qualified child increases, under the relevant scheme and exclude any other entitlement to a social welfare payment such as child benefit.
A breakdown of these recipients by scheme and payment band is detailed in the attached tabular statement.
|
- |
€256.00 to €291.90 |
€292.00 to €328.90 |
€329.00 to €364.90 |
€365.00 plus |
|
Back to Work |
748 |
574 |
373 |
1,071 |
|
One-parent Family Payment |
6,654 |
2,236 |
599 |
584 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
6,526 |
11,926 |
8,976 |
20,1473 |
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit |
593 |
1,312 |
554 |
2,196 |
|
Totals |
14,521 |
16,048 |
10,502 |
24,024 |
225. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the principles of the service proposed and advertised in the newspaper under the heading provision, maintenance, support and operation of a new online public employment jobs-matching-vacancy service; if the service in mind is more appropriately adaptable to existing recruitment agencies and start-up companies specialising in online recruitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20553/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection has invited tenders for the Provision, Maintenance, Support and Operation of a new online Public Employment Jobs Matching/Vacancy Service to replace the current Jobs Ireland service (www.jobsireland.ie). The Request for Tender (RFT) document was published on the government’s e-tenders website and the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) website.
The Department is engaged in a programme to modernise its services. This modernisation programme is fundamental to the Department’s objectives of delivering a comprehensive service to people and positioning the Department to better adapt to political priorities and changing customer needs.
The Department has established a new Employment and Support Service (Intreo), as provided for in the Programme for Government. The objective of the Intreo service is to integrate the provision of employment services and benefit payment services so as to ensure that the payment of income supports to jobseekers is directly linked to the equally, if not more important, task of supporting them in their pursuit of employment and related opportunities and improving their life chances. The provision of a new online Public Employment Jobs Matching/Vacancy service is central to that effort.
Tenderers are asked to outline their approach to providing a system as a service that meets the requirements set out in the RFT, namely, to provide a solution that will:
- Provide a new on-line Public Employment Vacancy/Jobs Matching Service;
- Deliver an improved online Vacancy advertising and matching service;
- Populate the EURES Public Employment Portal with validated Irish Vacancies;
- Allow DSP staff and Employers to manage DSP Employment Programmes;
- Automatically validate Vacancies where possible;
- Aggregate Vacancies from other selected websites for display on the JobsIreland website;
- Allow unregistered Jobfinders to search for vacancies;
- Allow Jobfinders to create an account;
- Allow registered Jobfinders to manage multiple CVs from their profiles;
- Automatically match Jobfinders to Vacancies and vice-versa;
- Allow Employers to search registered Jobfinder profiles;
- Allow Jobfinders to apply for Vacancies via the system;
- Allow DSP to create a link between a Jobseeker and their registered (JobsIreland) Jobfinder account;
- Allow DSP to search Jobfinder accounts in JobsIreland where the Jobfinder is a Jobseeker;
- Provide a EURES Ireland feature with relevant links to EURES service;
- Permit DSP staff to monitor a Jobseeker’s activity via the Department’s Activation Case Management system;
- Support the Department by eliminating paper based business processes and reducing telephone queries.
The solution proposed should also enable employers, inter alia, to:
- Register to use the service;
- Create Vacancies, including the specification of key role requirements and competencies in a manner that can be easily matched with Jobfinders Jobseeker profiles;
- Display salaried Vacancies on the EURES website;
- Be notified of Jobfinders who are matched to a Vacancy by the JobsIreland system and view the details of their profiles;
- Communicate with Jobfinders or DSP staff/Administrators; amd
- Invite, receive, view and download detailed applications for Vacancies from Jobfinders
226. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the correct procedure to be followed by a person who is in casual employment to ensure that payment for bank holidays in respect of the person's jobseeker's claim is paid on the correct week that it is due when no casual employment has taken place on that day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20560/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 employers are liable for payment of bank holidays if the employee has worked at least 40 hours in the last 5 weeks before a bank holiday. Part-time employees are not entitled to jobseeker's benefit or allowance in respect of bank holidays where the employer has liability for payment. The Department only pays a customer for a bank holiday if the employer is not liable for payment.
If a bank holiday is included in a week in which a customer submits a casual docket, the Department’s payment system defaults to non-payment for that day as the vast majority of customers would qualify for payment from their employer. However, if a customer is not due payment for a bank holiday from their employer, the Department will pay a jobseeker’s payment for that day. The customer must notify the Department if their employer has no liability for payment.
228. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection with regard to the domiciliary care allowance if she will provide a breakdown for 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015 of the number of applicants whose children suffer from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hyper mobility type; the number of these applications that were granted or refused; the criteria used to assess the severity of the condition in determining eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20597/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is paid in respect of children who have a severe disability requiring care and attention substantially in excess of that needed by a child of the same age without the disability. The need for the additional care and attention must be likely to last for at least 12 months.
Eligibility for DCA is not based on the type of disability, but on the resultant care needs. Each application is assessed on its individual merits and on the basis of the medical evidence and the detail on the child’s care needs, as provided in the application and supporting documentation.
Statistics relating to the numbers of children by particular medical condition is not routinely collated. As a result, a figure for the number of children affected by Ehler Danlos Syndrome is not available.
229. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total number of claimants of the living alone allowance for each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; the total expenditure on this allowance for each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20606/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of recipients of the living alone allowance during the period 2010 to 2015 is detailed in the following tabular statement.
The living alone allowance is an extra allowance paid by my Department to people on certain social welfare payments who are living alone. Information regarding the cost of this allowance is not segregated from the expenditure statistics of the schemes under which it is paid. However I am informed that during the period 2010 to 2014 a weekly rate of €7.70 was payable and that this rate was increased in Budget 2015 by €1.30 to €9.00 per week with effect from January 2015. On this basis, the estimated spend is in the order of €9.5 million.
Number of Recipients of Living Alone Allowance 2010 to April 2015
|
Year |
State Pension (Non-Contributory) Pension |
State Pension (Contributory) |
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension |
Death Benefit |
Disability Allowance |
Invalidity Pension |
Blind Pension |
|
2010 |
32,942 |
56,736 |
47,613 |
210 |
22,989 |
9,130 |
267 |
|
2011 |
33,058 |
59,093 |
48,076 |
215 |
23,491 |
9,064 |
263 |
|
2012 |
32,854 |
60,437 |
48,973 |
232 |
23,210 |
9,019 |
266 |
|
2013 |
32,969 |
62,234 |
49,597 |
236 |
24,006 |
9,348 |
248 |
|
2014 |
32,908 |
64,879 |
50,365 |
238 |
24,978 |
9,369 |
n/a |
|
Apr 2015 |
32,806 |
66,603 |
50,674 |
n/a |
25,627 |
9,375 |
n/a |
230. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total number of claimants of the over 80s allowance for each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; the total expenditure on this allowance for each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20607/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of recipients of the age 80 allowance during the period 2010 to 2015 is detailed in the attached tabular statement.
The age 80 allowance is an extra allowance paid automatically by my Department to people in receipt of certain social welfare payments on their 80th birthday. Information regarding the cost of this allowance is not segregated from the expenditure statistics of the schemes under which it is paid. However I am informed that a weekly rate of €10.00 is payable to all qualifying recipients. On this basis, the estimated spend is in the order of €8 million.
Number of Recipients of Age 80 Allowance 2010 to April 2015
|
Year |
State Pension (Non-Contributory) Pension |
State Pension (Contributory) |
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension |
Death Benefit |
Over 80 Allowance
|
2010 |
36,942 |
56,736 |
34,086 |
118 |
|
|
2011 |
36,432 |
57,316 |
35,071 |
118 |
|
|
2012 |
35,842 |
61,490 |
36,022 |
128 |
|
|
2013 |
34,946 |
66,171 |
36,999 |
137 |
|
|
2014 |
34,156 |
71,070 |
38,050 |
147 |
|
|
Apr 2015 |
33,552 |
72,139 |
38,061 |
n/a |
231. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when the water conservation payment registration will commence; when and the way payment will issue; the estimated administrative cost of the scheme; if additional staff will be required to administer the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20619/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2015 grant of €100 will be paid beginning in September 2015 to households registered with Irish Water by 30th June 2015 in respect of their principal private residence. The Department will be writing to registered customers in late August and September to advise them of the application process. In order to minimise costs payment will be by electronic funds transfer. In exceptional cases a cheque may be issued.
A total of fifteen staff are being assigned initially to administer the scheme. In addition, staff from a variety of disciplines within the Department are inputting to the project as required.
It is anticipated that the grant will operate over a number of years, and at least until the end of 2018 in keeping with the package of measures announced by the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government on 19 November 2014. The administration and payment of this grant is a significant project for the Department and requires the development and implementation of ICT systems, ICT infrastructure and various customer support and communications services. It requires a number of public procurement exercises, one of which is underway at present. Accordingly, the start-up costs to develop and set up the ICT solutions, and put in place comprehensive customer support services, will be incurred in 2015. On the basis of the scoping work done to date, it is now estimated that these once-off costs, together with the operational costs for 2015, will amount in total to approx. €6 million. As expenditure in forthcoming years will be limited to operational costs, it should be considerably less, resulting in overall administrative costs being within 2-3% of scheme costs over its lifetime.
Every effort is being made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum. In this regard, the Department will be reusing existing payment production systems to facilitate payment of the grant. It is also intended that the ICT infrastructure put in place for this project will be reused for the provision of online services in the future.
232. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a determination will be made on an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20620/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for CA from the person in question on the 20th November 2014. The application is currently with a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of the level of care being provided, assessment of means and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the investigative officer has completed and submitted the report a deciding officer will make a decision on entitlement. The application will be processed as quickly as possible and when a decision is made the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
