Written Answers Nos. 176-194
176. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the child care employment and training support programme for community employment scheme participants; the number of participants using this vital programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21456/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Employment Childcare (CEC) Programme provides childcare for children of parents who are participating on CE schemes. It provides 1,200 subsidised childcare places for CE participants with children up to 5 years of age and 800 after-school childcare places. Places are filled on a first come, first served basis. The budget for this childcare programme is €7.5m for 2015.
Take-up of the CEC Programme is monitored by the Department and at the end of March 2015 1,055 CEC places were taken up by CE participants. Table 1 below provides further detail on take-up of places in 2014.
Childcare is a crucial element for parents embarking on CE or returning to the workforce. These changes are aimed at ensuring that CE participants get the childcare supports they need to have a better future for themselves and their families. The Department continues to work closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in this regard.
Table 1: Take-up of CEC places 2014
|
Month |
No. of Places |
|
January |
197 |
|
February |
237 |
|
March |
333 |
|
April |
385 |
|
May |
438 |
|
June |
495 |
|
July |
612 |
|
August |
659 |
|
September |
753 |
|
December |
924 |
177. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an application for a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21460/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. The person in question was notified on the 11th of February 2013 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The person concerned appealed this decision and the case was submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals office for determination. An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified on the 15th May 2014 of the Appeals Officer decision and was provided at that time with a detailed explanation of the basis for this decision to disallow the appeal.
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. Correspondence received from the person concerned was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for their consideration. However the Social Welfare Appeals Office wrote to the person concerned on the 19th of August 2014 advising that no new information had been presented to warrant a change in the Appeals Officer decision.
It is open to the person in question to submit a new application for carer's allowance if she wishes.
178. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the savings and costs to the Exchequer in 2013 and 2014, and in 2015 to date, arising from the changes to the banding system of the State Pension (Contributory) in 2012. [21471/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State pension (contributory) is a very valuable benefit. Therefore, with the challenges facing the pension system given increased number of older people living longer, it is important to ensure that those qualifying for State pension (contributory) have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. As provided for in Budget 2012, from September 2012, new rate bands for State pension (contributory) 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. This is a step towards a total contributions approach by aligning the rate of pension payment more closely to the number of contributions paid over a working life.
A number of people, who would otherwise qualify for a lower rate of payment of State pension (contributory) as a result of this reform, will instead qualify for a higher rate of State pension (non-contributory), the maximum rate of which is €219. It is not possible, therefore, to state with certainty the actual net savings made as a result of this reform. The savings expected to be achieved from this measure are as follows: €0.5 million in 2012, €2.8 million in 2013, €5.5 million in 2014 and €8.2 million in 2015, and it is expected that this will increase over time, as the provisions are applied to new pensioners entering the system.
179. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the financial impact the changes to the average contribution bands have made to persons who were approaching retirement and who were in one of the middle band categories; and the steps, if any, she proposes to take to address this. [21472/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State pension (contributory) is a very valuable benefit. Therefore, with increased numbers of people living longer, it is important to ensure that those qualifying for State pension (contributory) have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. As provided for in Budget 2012, from September 2012, new rate bands for State pension (contributory) were introduced. This resulted in one of bands (in respect of those with a yearly average of 20-47 contributions), being replaced with three bands (in respect of yearly averages of 40-47, 30-39, and 20-29 respectively). These additional 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.
Prior to these changes, someone with a yearly average of 47 contributions qualified for the same rate of payment (98% of the maximum rate) as someone with a yearly average of 20 contributions, despite generally their much more significant PRSI record, and regardless of their means. Given the requirement to make savings in recent years, I considered it more equitable to address this disparity than to reduce the rate of payment for all pensioners by an across the board cut in payment rates.
The effect of this change has been to reduce the personal rate paid to those with 30-39 contributions (i.e., 57-75% of the maximum) to €207 (90% of the maximum rate), and to reduce the rate paid to those with 20-29 contributions (i.e., 38-56% of the maximum) to €196 (85% of the maximum rate). The reduced rate of €196 is still higher than the maximum rate that applied in 2007.
For those with insufficient contributions to meet the requirements for a full rate 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).
180. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views, if any, on moving to a system whereby weekly pension rates are determined by total contributions, or to otherwise change the system so that social insurance contributors who commenced contributions early in their life are not disadvantaged, as at present. [21473/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State pension 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 and the reform measures introduced to date go somewhat toward that goal. 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.
Since 1961, when contributory pensions were first introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating pension entitlement. Work has commenced on changing this to a total contributions approach, where anomalies arising with the current method would not occur. Under the total contributions approach, the number of contributions recorded over a work life will more closely reflect the rate of pension payment received. It is expected that the total contributions approach to pension qualification will replace the current average contributions test for State pension (contributory) for new pensioners from 2020, although that date is subject to change, as this is a very significant reform with considerable legal, administrative, and technical challenges to be overcome in its implementation. When proposals are agreed, legislation will be brought forward to underpin the necessary changes.
I believe that it is important that the changes be announced well in advance of introduction, to enable those workers affected to include the new factors into their retirement planning.
181. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a free travel companion pass will be provided for a person under 16 years of age where the parent is entitled to a free travel pass and a free travel companion pass but there is no other adult in the house; if a free travel companion pass may be used in any circumstances for persons under 16 years of age to travel with their parent; if she will consider making changes to facilitate this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21484/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services 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. There are currently approx. 828,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €77 million. The scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. To qualify for the scheme, applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. These 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.
A Companion Free Travel Pass entitles the Pass Holder to have any one person, aged 16 years or over, to accompany him/her free of charge when travelling. To qualify for a Free Travel Companion Pass a person must be medically assessed as unfit to travel alone as well as satisfying the other qualifying conditions. It would not be appropriate for a child under 16 to take on the role of travelling companion for someone unfit to travel alone. There are no circumstances where a child aged under 16 can be the accompanying person who is entitled to travel for free.
182. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who have never made any pay related social insurance contributions, by administrative division and age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21485/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
183. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of meetings of the interdepartmental working and retirement group that have taken place since its inception; the recommendations the group has made and, of these, which have been accepted by the Government; and if, and where, the group's deliberations and reports are published. [21488/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Interdepartmental Working and Retirement Group was established in August 2012 to consider cross departmental policy issues that may support longer working and thereby improve the sustainability and adequacy of pensions systems.
The sustainability of the pension system is a particular concern because of the demographic challenges Ireland faces, the associated increases in pension (and other age related) costs, and the deterioration in the public finances. This means that, in the future, the task of financing increased pension spending will fall to a diminishing share of the working population as demographic projections indicate the ratio of working age to older people will decrease from 5.3 to 1 at present to 2.1 to 1 by 2060. Life expectancy in Ireland is also increasing and whilst this is very welcome development, this also has obvious and significant implications in relation to the future costs of State pension provision. The fundamental principle involved here is that people need to participate in the workforce for longer and they need to contribute more towards their pensions if they are to achieve the income they expect or would like to have in retirement.
The Interdepartmental Group was chaired by the Department of Social Protection and included representatives from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Pensions Board. Further engagement was also undertaken with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health and Children. The Group, which no longer convenes on a formal basis, met on four occasions and held a 'Forum on Working and Retirement' in Croke Park in December 2012. The purpose of this forum was to obtain views from representative bodies and stakeholders and identify the wide ranging issues linked to working and retirement prior to the development of any possible policy proposals. Attendees included employer and employee representative groups, older people's representative groups, representatives from the pensions industry, academic commentators and representatives from the legal profession.
The agenda for Group meetings included discussion on the wide range of issues impacting on the labour market participation of older workers; enterprise issues and employment and equality law issues. Whilst the deliberations of the group were not published in a report or single strategy, each participating Department will take the issues that emerged and the views of sectoral interests into account in their development of relevant policy proposals. In this context and as part of a broader move towards a Total Contributions approach, the Department of Social Protection is considering potential measures to support longer working, e.g., the deferral of the State pension to allow individuals build a more complete social insurance contribution record.
184. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the options available in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is currently in receipt of a one-parent family payment, which is due to finish in June 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21505/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and Family Income Supplement (FIS). From 1 July 2015, her FIS will be adjusted to take account of the fact that she will no longer be eligible for OFP. In addition, she may also apply for the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD). The BTWFD application form issued with the information pack in April 2015.
185. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision regarding the backdating of an application for a carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21506/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application for carer's allowance in respect of the person concerned has been backdated to 25th July 2013. Any arrears of allowance due from the 25th July 2013 to 10th December 2014 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified on the 27th May 2015 of this decision.
186. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cé na bearta atá á ndéanamh ag a Roinn chun an pobal a chur ar an eolas faoi na seirbhísí i nGaeilge atá ar fáil ón Roinn agus ó na heagraíochtaí atá faoi choimirce na Roinne; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [21528/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTá an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí, lena n-áirítear na heagraíochtaí faoina coimirce, tiomanta do sheirbhís ardchaighdeáin do chustaiméirí a sholáthar i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla araon. Bhain éifeacht le Scéim Gaeilge na Roinne 2015-2018 ón 16 Márta 2015 ar aghaidh agus fanfaidh sí i bhfeidhm ar feadh tréimhse trí bliana nó go dtí go ndeimhníonn an tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta Scéim nua. Foilsíodh an Scéim seo, ina leagtar amach gealltanais na Roinne maidir le seirbhís do chustaiméirí i nGaeilge agus a chuireann an fháil in iúl atá ar sheirbhísí trí Ghaeilge, ar láithreán gréasáin na Roinne, www.welfare.ie i mí an Mhárta.
Seirbhís faisnéise criticiúla atá i láithreán gréasáin na Roinne do chustaiméirí, a chuireann foirmeacha iarratais agus sonraí ar fáil ar na scéimeanna agus na seirbhísí atá ar fáil. Anuas air sin, taispeántar fógraí a chuireann custaiméirí ar an eolas ar na seirbhísí atá ar fáil trí Ghaeilge i ngach oifig ábhartha.
Is é cuspóir na Scéime Teanga 2015-2018 an leibhéal de sheirbhís ardchaighdeáin trí Ghaeilge atá ar fáil dár gcustaiméirí a choimeád agus a fheabhsú. Sa chás go ndéanann custaiméirí comhfhreagras linn i nGaeilge, tugtar freagra dóibh i nGaeilge. Mar gheall ar an líon mór oifigí den Roinn ar fud na tíre, ní féidir comhaltaí foirne (a bhfuil líofacht dhóthanach acu chun déileáil le custaiméir trí mheán na Gaeilge) a bheith ar fáil ag gach tráth i ngach láthair. Nuair a tharlaíonn seo, is é an nós imeachta ná go gcuirtear coinne ar tairiscint don chustaiméir le comhalta foirne ar féidir leis/léi déileáil leo trí Ghaeilge. Mar rogha air sin, is féidir seirbhís ateangaireachta, a sholáthraítear trí chomhrá gutháin trí bhealach, a chur ar fáil.
Anuas air sin, tá an Roinn tiomanta, chomh maith, d'fhorbairt leantach agus d'oiliúint a chur ar an bhfoireann chun soláthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge a éascú. Tá fáil ar réimse tacaíochtaí chun na scileanna agus an mhuinín riachtanach a thabhairt don fhoireann túslíne chun seirbhís ardchaighdeáin do chustaiméirí a sholáthar i nGaeilge ar an nguthán, i litir agus i bpearsan. I measc na dtacaíochtaí atá ar fáil, tá cistiú d'fhreastal ar chúrsaí oiliúna Gaeilge; acmhainní oiliúna, ar nós dioscaí teanga agus leabhair a chur ar fáil; agus cistiú trí scéim Aisíocaíochta Táillí na Roinne, chun an fhoireann a spreagadh chun tabhairt faoi oideachas Gaeilge lasmuigh d'uaireanta oibre.
187. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21535/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 12 May 2015. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person's circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
189. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21548/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 09 October 2014. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on the 18 June 2015. Any arrears 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 the 03 June 2015.
190. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the costs of the community employment schemes for each year from 2009 to 2014; the projected costs and actual costs under the headings, materials budget, training budget, supervisory budget and participant allowances; the number of participants and supervisors employed under the schemes for each of these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21551/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below.
Community Employment Expenditure 2009 - 2014
|
Year |
Allowances/Advances €m |
Allowances/Advances €m |
Supervision €m |
Supervision €m |
Materials €m |
Materials €m |
Training €m |
Training €m |
Total €m |
Total €m |
|
Actual |
Budget |
Actual |
Budget |
Actual |
Budget |
Actual |
Budget |
Actual |
Budget |
|
|
2009 |
283.223 |
288.660 |
58.230 |
58.036 |
20.524 |
21.178 |
12.333 |
12.627 |
374.310 |
380.500 |
|
2010 |
277.518 |
274.010 |
59.993 |
60.825 |
20.338 |
21.300 |
10.433 |
11.021 |
368.282 |
367.156 |
|
2011 |
265.863 |
269.127 |
54.056 |
59.891 |
20.098 |
21.873 |
9.379 |
9.957 |
349.396 |
360.848 |
|
2012 |
258.654 |
264.859 |
56.540 |
54.819 |
13.519 |
14.418 |
1.686 |
1.098 |
330.399 |
335.194 |
|
2013 |
268.236 |
273.420 |
56.991 |
56.730 |
12.973 |
15.675 |
4.496 |
5.725 |
342.696 |
351.550 |
|
2014 |
286.372 |
285.202 |
55.081 |
55.527 |
13.025 |
10.876 |
4.995 |
5.896 |
359.474 |
357.500 |
Source: 2009 - 2011 FÁS Annual Reports; 2012 - 2014 DSP Oracle Financial
The Deputy should note that for 2009 – 2011, actual figures are based on accrual accounting while for the period 2012- 2014, they are based on cash accounting.
Community Employment Places 2009 - 2014
|
Year |
Participants |
Supervisors |
Total |
|
2009 |
22,078 |
1,434 |
23,512 |
|
2010 |
21,777 |
1,417 |
23,194 |
|
2011 |
22,589 |
1,415 |
24,004 |
|
2012 |
21,081 |
1,364 |
22,445 |
|
2013 |
22,575 |
1,368 |
23,943 |
|
2014 |
23,249 |
1,396 |
24,645 |
Source: MIS FÁS 2009-201
191. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her Department's approach to applications for jobseeker's holiday entitlement, in particular to the fact that applicants for the entitlement will have their payment suspended and backdated upon their return; her views that it is fair that jobseekers should have to survive without payment during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21555/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobseeker customers can take up to two weeks paid holiday days per calendar year, that is, for any period (consecutive or non-consecutive) of 12 days. Jobseekers are entitled to payment in respect of their claim (including dependants where applicable) for the holiday period without being subject to the normal conditions of the scheme.
The jobseeker schemes are paid weekly in arrears with the customer certifying that they did satisfy the conditions of the scheme. Where a customer avails of the holiday option, payment continues to be in arrears, with the customer presenting to their Intreo Centre on return from holidays to have their payment for the holiday period issued.
My Department has no plans at this time to alter the principal of payment in arrears for jobseekers claims.
192. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21558/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs some questions on the application form were not completed, we have written to the person concerned in order to obtain this information.
A final decision will be made on his application for disability allowance upon the receipt of the above requested information.
193. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance application will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21559/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to determine the circumstances of the person concerned, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector. S/he will arrange to meet with the person in question as soon as possible.
A final decision on his entitlement to disability allowance will be given on receipt of the Social Welfare Inspectors report. The person in question will be notified directly of the outcome.
194. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of families in Dublin whose one-parent family payment will be reduced in July 2015; and if she will provide details per post code. [21560/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe phased one-parent family payment scheme age change reforms were introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012. The purpose of these reforms is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency by ending the expectation that lone parents will remain outside of the workforce indefinitely.
These reforms aim to provide the necessary supports to lone parents to help them to access the Department's range of education, training, and employment programmes, to develop their skills set and, ultimately, to secure employment and financial independence.
The reforms have been ongoing since 2013 and the final phase of the one-parent family payment scheme age change reforms will be taking place on 2 July, 2015.
On that date, approximately 29,400 people will make the transition from the one parent family payment scheme throughout the entire country.
The breakdown of the number of recipients who will exit from the Dublin area or by post code is not available in this format.
