Written Answers Nos. 40 to 52
40. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal 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. [25480/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal was registered on 16 June 2015, and in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Appeals Office has contacted the appellant and asked him to set out the complete grounds of his appeal. On receipt of his response the relevant departmental papers will be requested from the Department of Social Protection and the appeal will then be referred in due course to an Appeals Officer for consideration.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister of Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
41. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in view of the fact that all the relevant medical documentation has been submitted and the person urgently needs this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25482/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) on 18 February 2015 from the person concerned. In order to determine the circumstances of the person in question, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector.
Once the person’s full circumstances are established a decision on his entitlement to DA will be made and the person in question will be notified directly of the outcome.
In the meantime, if the person’s means are insufficient to meet his needs, he should apply for means-tested supplementary welfare allowance from his local community welfare service.
42. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will simplify the application process for zero-hour contracts and for casual employees to make it more affordable and timely, as the current process is putting an onerous burden on persons who have to get forms filled in by their employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25488/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere a jobseeker is engaged in casual or part-time employment, the days worked each week can vary, as can the employer. Accordingly, to ensure that the correct weekly payment issues, customers are required to complete a form on a weekly basis setting out the days on which they worked and the days on which they were unemployed and also to have this form verified by their employer.
This is normally a very quick process with the returned forms scanned onto the Department’s computer system and the relevant payment due is then calculated and issued.
I recognise these arrangements can cause difficulties in a small number of cases and where this occurs, customers should contact their local Intreo centre.
While the Department reviews the way it carries out its business on an on-going basis, there are no plans at present to alter the current system for casual/part-time employees.
43. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if, prior to the change in policy, her Department considered the negative impact of the reduction in unemployment assistance for persons from 18 to 24 years of age, where it forced a certain cohort of young persons below the minimum income thresholds for medical card holders aged between 18 and 24; if she is aware of several cases where this created an extreme burden upon such persons who could not access medical services; the steps she will take to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25504/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPolicy relating to medical cards and the associated means test to determine eligibility for a Medical Card is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar.
Reduced rates for new jobseeker’s allowance recipients aged 18 and 19 were introduced in 2009. These measures were extended in Budget 2010 with the introduction of a rate of €144 for new jobseeker’s allowance aged 22-24 and further amended in Budget 2014. Young people with children are not affected.
This is a targeted activation measure. Its objective is to incentivise young jobseeker’s to avail of education and training opportunities. Those who avail of training and education are well placed to take full advantage of employment opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
The reduced rates for new jobseeker’s allowance recipients were originally introduced as part of the Budget measures in 2009 and 2010 and were approved by Government in that context. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government and would be considered in a Budgetary context.
44. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount of the underspend by her Department against its projected spending in 2015 to date; and the amount that this underspend is now expected to be by year end. [25505/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra45. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the pay related social insurance yield in 2015 to date; the amount by which this is ahead of profile; and the amount by which it is now expected it will be ahead of profile by year end. [25506/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together.
At the end of May last, total net Vote expenditure for the Department of Social Protection was €4,633 million, or an underspend on profile of €147.6 million. Overall expenditure on all schemes, services and administration was €8,116 million at end May, or an overspend of just over €49 million on profile. PRSI income at end May was €3,510 million or €200.5 million ahead of profile. The Department is currently examining the projected out-turns for all sub-heads for 2015 and this work will continue over the summer having regard to emerging trends for June and later months. It is not, therefore, possible to supply an informed projected out-turn at this stage.
46. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who are on the Gateway scheme. [25507/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra47. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total cost of the average Gateway scheme place for one year, including income support and all other costs, such as training fees and materials, incurred by her Department and the Exchequer generally; and if she will specify same. [25508/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together.
Gateway is a local authority work placement initiative that aims to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than 24 months. Participants benefit by being involved in work, work readiness is improved and they are able to apply their existing skills and learn new ones. The scheme is also intended to assist the personal and social development of participants with the objective of bridging the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce.
The overall aim of Gateway is to provide 3,000 work placement opportunities in local authorities. While progress was initially slow, as of last Friday 19 June 2015, around three quarters of placements have been taken up involving 2,219 participants.
The current average pay costs of participants, including employers’ PRSI contribution, which is met by the Department of Social Protection, amounts to €252.51 per week. The Department will also incur annual payroll and related data collection service costs of €565,000 in 2015. Expected expenditure on Gateway by the Department in 2015 is estimated at €32 million.
A once-off payment of €615 per participant is also made to county and city councils towards training and materials costs incurred. These costs are met by the Dormant Account Fund, administered by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (D/ECLG). A further €105 per participant is available to those local authorities who have reached their agreed recruitment targets, again payable by D/ECLG.
48. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the annual back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €50 in 2016. [25509/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €44.3 million for this scheme in 2015.
In 2014, BSCFA payments were made to over 166,000 families in respect of over 304,400 children at a cost of €42.5 million. The rate of payment was €100 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and €200 for children over 12 years in second level education. Payments will be made at the same rates in 2015.
Using the number of children covered by the scheme in 2014 as a basis, the cost of increasing the BSCFA payment by €50 for each eligible child would be approximately €15.2 million. Any changes to the scheme to increase the rate of payment would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
49. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of the school meals scheme in 2015; the projected cost in 2016; the number of schools in which this scheme is available; and the cost of rolling out and extending the scheme to an additional 500, 600, 700 and 800 schools. [25510/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations and benefits over 207,000 children. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million. The provision for the scheme for 2016 will be determined as part of the budgetary process.
The scheme provides support to disadvantaged children and priority is given to schools which are part of the Department of Education and Skills’ initiative for disadvantaged schools, ‘Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools’ (DEIS). In line with the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, the additional €2 million allocated to the school meals programme will be used to provide payments to schools which are part of DEIS. There is a particular focus on the provision of breakfast clubs within the programme which provide very positive outcomes for vulnerable children in terms of their school attendance, punctuality and energy levels.
The cost of further rolling out the scheme to additional schools would depend on the number of pupils involved and the types of food clubs introduced. Details of the food clubs and the maximum rates of payment per meal type are shown in the following tabular statement.
School Meals Programme:
|
Meal |
Maximum Rate of Payment (per child per day) |
Examples of Food to be Provided |
|
Breakfast/Snack |
€0.60 |
Cereal, Toast, Scone, Fruit, Yogurt, Milk, Unsweetened Juice-2 Items must be provided |
|
Lunch |
€1.40 |
Filled Sandwich/Roll or Soup & Roll or Salad Plate, plus 2 other items (e.g. Milk, Unsweetened Juice, Fruit, Yogurt) |
|
Dinner |
€1.90 |
Meat, Potatoes & Vegetables or Chicken Curry or Spaghetti Bolognaise, plus a drink (Milk, Unsweetened Juice, Water) |
50. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated revenue that would be raised by introducing a new employer’s rate of pay-related social insurance of 15.75% on the portion of salary paid in excess of €100,000 per annum. [25511/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated revenue that would be raised by introducing a new Class A employers’ rate of PRSI of 15.75% on the portion of salary paid in excess of €100,000 per annum would be c.€268m.
51. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of reversing the lower age-related rates of jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance for young persons and restoring the maximum rate of €188, regardless of age. [25512/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraReduced rates for younger jobseeker's allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates of jobseeker's allowance to recipients under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. It aims to incentivise young jobseeker’s allowance recipients to avail of education and training opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker's allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
Based on data from April, 2015 the additional full year cost for my Department of providing a weekly rate of €188 for all Jobseeker's Allowance and €186 for all Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients aged 25 and under is some €144 million. However, it should be noted that such an increase will also have cost implications for the Department of Education and Skills as it will impact on the allowances paid by the Education and Training Boards. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a Budgetary context.
52. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing by €20 the payments received by every young person in receipt of an age-related jobseeker’s allowance or supplementary welfare allowance. [25513/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraReduced rates for younger jobseeker's allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates of jobseeker's allowance to recipients under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. It aims to incentivise young jobseeker's allowance recipients to avail of education and training opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
Based on data from April, 2015 the additional full year cost for my Department of increasing by €20 the payments received by every young person in receipt of an age-related Jobseeker's Allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment, is some €37 million. However, it should be noted that such an increase will also have cost implications for the Department of Education and Skills, as it will impact on the equivalent allowances paid by the Education and Training Boards. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a Budgetary context.
