Written Answers Nos. 216 - 233
216. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21783/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30 April 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.
217. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer's allowance will be determined in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21812/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 23rd January 2015. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. He was notified on the 9th of April 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal. The person concerned requested a review of this decision and submitted further evidence in support of the application. This evidence was reviewed by a deciding officer who decided that the care recipient satisfied the medical criteria for carer’s allowance. The application was awarded on 4th June 2015 and the first payment and arrears due will issue to the bank on 11th June 2015. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 4th June 2015.
218. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a late appeal will be accepted in respect of an alleged overpayment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, who submitted a previous appeal which appears not to have been received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21827/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 7 October 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 2 June 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.
219. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the level of payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is receiving €138 per week, who has no other source of income and who has just completed a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21828/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepartment records indicate that the customer mentioned has means from self-employment, thus reducing Job Seekers entitlement from €188.00 to €138.00 per week. If the customer has new information relevant to his entitlement he should contact his local Intreo Centre.
220. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, in five year blocks, the length of service accrued by currently employed community employment scheme supervisors, both male and female; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21829/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below is based on data from May 2015 and is shown in terms of “completed years” i.e. a person with 4 completed years is currently employed in their fifth year as a supervisor. There are no instances above 15 completed years.
Table - CE Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors by Gender and Completed Years
|
No. of Completed Years |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
0 to 4 years |
188 |
108 |
296 |
|
5 to 10 years |
268 |
155 |
423 |
|
11 to 15 years |
425 |
259 |
684 |
|
Total |
881 |
522 |
1,403 |
221. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a companion free travel pass in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21834/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application including medical report, submitted for a Companion Free Travel Pass from the customer named above, was medically assessed by a Medical Assessor on 5 June, 2015. The medical opinion has been conveyed to Household Benefits Section, Sligo and the customer will be contacted in due course regarding the decision on the application.
222. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the free travel pass to include pensioners from other European Union countries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21842/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement. Accordingly, there are currently approx. 828,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €77 million.
The current scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services in Ireland for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 90 private transport operators. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland and within Northern Ireland for customers aged 66 years and over.
Any decision to extend the free travel scheme would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.
223. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the name of the successful tenderer for the information technology development, via an existing framework agreement, for the online application and payment process in respect of the conservation grant to be paid by her Department; the successful company and the costs involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21885/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Water Conservation Grant is being administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. 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. The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.
Following a procurement process, a contract for the extension of payment functionality and development of a customer self-service web service for the Water Conservation Grant has been awarded to Bearing Point. The value of the contract is €637,230.81 exclusive of all taxes and exclusive of VAT. Every effort is being made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum. In this regard, it is intended that the ICT infrastructure put in place for this project will be reused for the provision of online services in the future.
224. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the details regarding the tender for the short-term call centre facility to support the application process in respect of the conversation grants to be paid by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21886/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Water Conservation Grant is being administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. 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. The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.
A Request for Tender for the provision of Customer Call Centre Services was advertised on eTenders in April 2015. The closing date for receipt of tenders was 13 May 2015. The tender evaluation process is currently being finalised and the tenderers will be advised of the outcome through the normal channels.
225. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork regarding an entitlement to a disability allowance; if this allowance might be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21907/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability allowance is a means tested scheme and the way means are assessed is laid down in social welfare legislation. In summary, any income, with some exceptions, belonging to the person and his or her spouse/partner or co-habitant is assessable as means for disability allowance purposes. When the means of the person concerned were assessed, which were derived from his spouse’s employment, they were in excess of the threshold applicable for his circumstances. It is in the nature of means tested schemes that there is no entitlement to a payment once means exceed a given amount. There is no discretion allowed as deciding officers are obliged to follow the legislation when assessing means.
However, as disability allowance ceased with effect from 18 March 2015, there may be an entitlement to have a qualified adult allowance paid on spouse’s illness benefit claim. This entitlement is currently being reviewed by illness benefit section and they will also review after death benefit.
226. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21938/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received applications for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 9th April 2015. The application was awarded on 5th June 2015 and the first payment is due to issue to the bank on 18th June 2015. Any arrears of allowance due (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 5th June 2015.
227. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the policy in relation to the audit procedure to be carried out by community employment schemes on an annual basis; the separate audit procedures for the companies that operate these schemes which have a financial year ending that does not coincide with the renewal dates of the schemes; if her Department indicated the amount they should be paying for the audit; if any guidelines or benchmarks have been set for these figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21945/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) schemes work on annual contracts. As part of the contract, the CE Sponsoring organisation is given an advance payment at the project commencement (called the Initial Grant) equivalent to 8 weeks estimated wages to cover the initial wages for the Supervisor and participants (who are paid on a current week basis) and other set-up costs (insurance costs, start-up materials, training etc.).
The CE project year is divided into 13 four-week pay cycles. The Sponsor can claim the actual wages paid out in each 4-week cycle at the end of that cycle. The advance payment/Initial Grant is clawed back in tranches over the last 4 cycles (15% in Cycle 10, 15% in Cycle 11, 35% in Cycle 12 and 35% in Cycle 13). The Cycle 13 payment is withheld pending the audit/final reconciliation being carried out on the project finances at the end of the 12th cycle. On completion and sign-off of the audit, a final payment is issued by the Department to cover Cycle 13, taking account of any net over/under payment up to Cycle 12.
At the end of each project, the Sponsor must have a record of all financial transactions of the project presented in a coherent manner. These records must be supported by the submission of an independent, professionally certified, audited Statement of Income and Expenditure.
The requirement under the CE Procedures for an annual audit of projects reflects the fact that funding for CE comes from the Exchequer and the Department is answerable to the Government, the Comptroller & Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee for the administration of this funding.
There is a separate legal requirement under the Companies Acts for an annual audit of the registered company, as the organisation running a CE project may have other business interests or activities outside of the CE funding. In the majority of cases the work carried out for the CE audit can be used to assist with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) audit.
There is a guideline maximum audit fee of €1,000 on CE, but this can be exceeded for larger CE schemes, where justified. This figure was arrived at as part of the Financial Review of Community Employment, carried out in 2012. Prior to that there were substantial variations in audit fees (ranging from €20 to €9,500).
Overall, the Department seeks to maximise the value for money to be achieved from the CE programme, while maintaining control of the finances in its charge.
228. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an application for a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21976/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application for carer’s allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 2nd June 2015 and the first payment was issued to the post office on 4th June 2015. Arrears of allowance due from 5th March 2015 to 3rd June 2015 were issued to the post office on the 2nd June 2015. The person in question was notified on the 2nd of June of this decision.
229. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if payment of the back to work family dividend scheme will be backdated to January 2015, when the form was first submitted, as opposed to March 2015 when it was received, in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21985/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme gives financial support to people with qualified children who are in or take up employment or self-employment and as a result stop claiming a jobseeker's payment or a one-parent family payment (OFP) on or after 5 January 2015.
While the person concerned completed the BTWFD application form in January 2015, she continued to be in receipt of an OFP payment until 5 March 2015. Consequently, there are no grounds to back-date the BTWFD payment further.
230. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will conduct public hearings along the lines of those under way at the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs in the European Parliament in relation to the institutions for occupational retirement provision directive and the implications for cross-border pension schemes. [21988/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2003 IORPS (Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision) Directive 2003/41/EC applies to all occupational pension schemes in Ireland including Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) schemes and was transposed into Irish law in September 2005. It established basic EU requirements for occupational pension funds and their supervision. The EU Commission published its proposal to review the Directive in March 2014. In making its proposals for revision of the Directive, the EU Commission highlighted an intention to –
- Give greater protection to scheme members and beneficiaries;
- Require IORPS to provide members with clear and relevant information about their pension entitlements;
- Remove obstacles for cross-border provision of services; and
- Ensure that the supervisors have the necessary tools to enable them to effectively supervise IORPS.
Given its responsibility for pensions policy, between March and December 2014, the Department of Social Protection led negotiations on the proposal at EU Council Working Party level. On the 10th December 2014 the Permanent Representatives Committee agreed, on behalf of the Council, a general approach on the revised draft directive.
To ensure the Irish position in these discussions at EU level was as fully informed as possible, rather than conduct public hearings, in the period from July to September 2014, the Department of Social Protection initiated an open ‘IORPS Consultation and Invitation for Submissions’ regarding the Commission’s proposals. As well as being made available to the general public on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie, the social partners along with consumer and industry representatives were invited to submit comments and observations on Commission proposals. Whilst submissions received covered a wide range of views, it is reasonable to say that the proposals of most interest and concern to sectoral interests reflected those which Ireland had raised at Working Party level and on which significant progress has been made. Officials from the Department of Social Protection also engaged with the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Education and Social Protection on a number of occasions during the course of IORPS II negotiations.
Following accommodation of a range of amendments tabled by Ireland and other Member States, agreement on a General Approach was secured at Council in December 2014. Negotiations have now started within the European Parliament. Once the Parliament votes for its Report on the Directive, discussions will commence between the Council, Commission and Parliament. This may result in the Directive being further amended or adopted. The Department of Social Protection will continue to engage with sectoral interests as necessary as the proposal progresses through the legislative process.
231. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a decision remains with an inspector since March 2015 pertaining to a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; the reason the inspector in question is unable to reach a decision to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21989/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 12 December 2014. The application was 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. The investigative officer has completed the report and forwarded the file to carer’s allowance section. Once received the deciding officer will make a decision on entitlement and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
232. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of claims under the dental treatment services scheme in each of the years 2010 to 2014; the annual cost of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21997/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of claims received and the cost of the DSP dental benefit scheme, during the years between 2010 and 2014, are detailed in the table.
|
YEAR |
CLAIMS |
COST (€ M) |
|
2010 |
388,938 |
25.01 |
|
2011 |
272,865 |
9.15 |
|
2012 |
270,602 |
8.93 |
|
2013 |
298,658 |
9.85 |
|
2014 |
310,350 |
10.24 |
233. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of claims under the optical treatment benefit scheme in each of the years 2010 to 2014; the annual cost of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21999/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of claims received and cost for the DSP optical benefit scheme, for each of the years 2010 to 2014, are detailed in the table.
|
YEAR |
CLAIMS |
COST (€M) |
|
2010 |
163,378 |
6.20 |
|
2011 |
135,593 |
3.29 |
|
2012 |
139,805 |
3.39 |
|
2013 |
141,972 |
3.45 |
|
2014 |
149,026 |
3.61 |
