Written Answers Nos. 35-59
35. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she continues to monitor the subject of child poverty and the number of families affected; the extent to which specific assistance continues to be diverted towards such families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27968/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2014, the Government agreed a child poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the national policy framework for children and young people. The target is to lift over 70,000 children (aged 0-17 years) out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two-thirds on the 2011 level.
The Social Inclusion Monitor, published by the Department of Social Protection, reports on progress towards the child poverty target, by providing regular, timely and accessible updates on key national indicators. The Monitor is primarily based on statistics from the annual Central Statistics Office Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC), the official data source for poverty indicators.
The latest edition of the Social Inclusion Monitor, based on 2013 SILC data, reports that 138,000 children were in consistent poverty, an increase of 23,000 children on 2012.
Overall, children have a consistent poverty rate of 11.7 per cent, compared to 7 per cent for adults. The consistent poverty rate for individuals in households with children is 10.8 per cent, compared to 4.7 per cent for those in non-child households. Among households with children, lone parent families have the highest rate of consistent poverty, while two adult families have the lowest rate.
The at-risk-of-poverty rate for children was 17.9 per cent in 2013. Social transfers (including welfare payments and child benefit) lift almost a quarter of children out of the at-risk-of-poverty. This represents a poverty reduction effect from social transfers of 60 per cent.
The Department of Social Protection provides income support for families through child benefit, qualified child increases for welfare recipients, family income supplement and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, amounting to €3 billion in 2014. In Budget 2015, the Government committed a further €96 million for children, including an increase of €5 per month in child benefit and the introduction of the back to work family dividend.
This reflects the Government commitment to ensure that low and middle-income families benefit from the economic recovery and to assist families in moving from welfare to work.
36. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons will be able to have a wedding ceremony at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27975/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe solemnisation of marriages in the State is governed by the Civil Registration Act 2004.
In relation to religious and secular marriages section 52 of the Act provides that a marriage may only be solemnised at a place and time chosen by the parties to the marriage with the agreement of the registered solemniser concerned. In relation to civil marriages solemnised by registrars the approval of the registrar is required.
Guidelines issued in relation to venues for marriages require that the place where the solemnisation occurs must be ‘a place that is open to the public’. Only venues that allow unrestricted public access without charge will be considered for approval, subject to normal security and health and safety considerations.
The place must conform to all the requirements of any place that is open to the public in respect of planning permission, certificate of fire safety and it must meet all relevant health and safety requirements.
Persons who wish to have a civil marriage at a venue other than a registrar’s office must contact the registration office in the area where the venue is located and apply to have the venue approved for the solemnisation of the marriage. This may involve the registrar making an inspection of the venue. In order that the venue can be inspected in good time for the intended marriage, it is recommended that these arrangements are made well in advance of the notification appointment with the registrar.
In the case of the venue referred to, the local registrar may be contacted at: Civil Registration Service, Sister Joseph's Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 09:30 – 13:15 & 14:00 - 16:15; Friday 09:30 – 12.45 & 14:00 – 16:15 Phone: 064 6632251 (From outside Ireland: +353 64 6632251).
37. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27726/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 20 May 2015. First payment will be on 15 July 2015 and any arrears due will follow shortly.
38. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the social welfare legislation to end the discrimination under the family income supplement whereby pension contributions made directly to providers by family income supplement applicants are not disregarded, while pension contributions made by way of wage and salary deduction by family income supplement applicants are disregarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27730/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees on low earnings with families.
The definition of weekly family income for FIS purposes is provided for in Section 227 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). This section of the Act also defines the items, payable under the PAYE system, which are deductible from weekly family income in order to arrive at net assessable income.
One of the deductible items from gross income, for FIS purposes, are allowable contributions to certain superannuation funds and schemes as referred to in Regulations 41 and 42 of the Income Tax (Employments) (Consolidated) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 559 of 2001).
Within these income tax regulations, an allowable contribution means a contribution payable by an employee and deductible by an employer from emoluments for the employee.
Accordingly, under current Social Welfare regulations, only superannuation deductions made through an employee’s salary, under the PAYE system, are allowable as deductions from gross income for FIS purposes.
Before any changes could be made in this regard it would be necessary, in the first instance, for the policy, budgetary and operational implications of such a change to be examined and agreed.
39. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a claim for an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27735/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The department is required to carry out periodic reviews to confirm that recipients continue to satisfy the conditions for receipt of the pension.
Following a review of the continued medical eligibility for IP of the person concerned, it has been decided that the person in question is no longer eligible for IP from 16 April 2015 on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme are no longer satisfied. The person in question was notified on the 02 April 2015 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
As the person concerned has appealed the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO), a submission is being prepared by the department and will be forwarded to the SWAO for determination.
The SWAO will be in touch with the person in question in due course in relation to the progress of their appeal.
40. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer's allowance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27743/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on the 2 June 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
41. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer’s allowance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27744/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a condition for receipt of a carer’s allowance (CA) that a carer must be providing full-time care and attention to a person or persons who requires such care.
The application for CA from the person concerned was refused as this condition was not satisfied. The person concerned was notified on 11 November 2014 of the decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person concerned appealed the decision and the case was submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for determination. An Appeals Officer (AO), having fully considered all of the available evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified on 12 May 2015 of the AO’s decision and was provided at that time with a detailed explanation of the basis for this decision.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an AO is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts. If there has been a change in circumstances, the person in question should submit a new application for CA and his eligibility will be determined.
42. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer’s allowance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27745/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application for carer’s allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 24 June 2015 and the first payment was issued to the person’s nominated Post Office on 25 June 2015.
Arrears of allowance due from 22 January 2015 to 24 June 2015 were issued by cheque.
43. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer’s allowance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27746/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 20 February 2015. This application was refused on the grounds that the person being cared for did not satisfy the medical conditions for the scheme.
It is a condition for receipt of a carer’s allowance that the person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself or continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions and be so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least twelve months.
The person concerned was notified on 9 April 2015 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal within 21 days. It is open to the person in question to reapply for CA at any time.
44. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal in respect of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27747/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 26 February 2014. First payment was on 1 July 2015 and any arrears due will follow shortly.
45. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an appeal in respect of a carer’s allowance, registered on 10 April 2015, will be determined for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [27761/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 23rd June 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.
46. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of each of the current grant schemes that are administrated by her Department and that are available to community groups or projects; the total amount paid for each of these schemes for each of the past four years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27788/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department funds and operates a number of scheme and programmes in partnership with community groups to support a) activation services to the longer term unemployed, b) income supports, and c) the delivery of local services of a social inclusion nature. The schemes and programmes are set out in the following table. Given the nature of the schemes, the level of resources available vary according to the nature of the services provided and the number of jobseekers/other that are engaged as participants and/or employees.
The Deputy should note that JobBridge (the national internship scheme), and JobsPlus (a wage subsidy scheme for employers) are also accessible by community groups to support their work.
|
Scheme |
Description |
Nature of resources provided |
|
Community Employment Programme |
Activation and training placement programme |
Participant allowances (pay), supervisory pay costs, training and material costs |
|
Community Services Programme |
Support for local service delivery of a social inclusion nature and employment of certain categories of jobseekers |
Grants in the form of wages subsidies for the employment of managers (up to €32,000 pa) and staff (up to €19,033 pa) plus limited operational supports also available to contractors. |
|
Tús – community work placement initiative |
Activation/work readiness scheme operated via local development companies that identify work placements for the longer term jobseeker |
No direct financial support provided. Supports provided in the form of work placement with community bodies |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
Income support scheme for mainly farmers underemployed in their farming activity. Operated via local development companies that identify work placements |
No direct financial support provided. Supports provided in the form of work placement with community bodies |
47. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress on the recent commitment (details supplied) provided by her to revise her Department's application forms, which currently provide a clear recommendation to applicants to use commercial banks in preference to the post office network; when it is expected that revised forms will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27802/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, I have asked the department to update the forms in question to ensure that a neutral wording in relation to payment options is provided and to also ensure that one payment option is not favoured over another.
These amendments will be carried out over the next number of weeks. My officials have already commenced preparatory work on this process and I expect this work to be completed in a timely manner. However, given that the department’s forms are integrated into its automated systems the work must be done carefully and properly to ensure uninterrupted service to our customers. I do not wish to cause delays to our customers through loss of our automated systems due to improperly considered changes or modifications.
48. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when payments will commence to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo under the disability allowance; and when arrears will issue in this case. [27805/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department was notified by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 17 June 2015 that the appeal for the person in question was upheld and was deemed to be medically suitable for the scheme.
Her file has been passed to a deciding officer to implement the appeals officers’ decision and the person concerned will be notified in writing once full entitlement has been established.
50. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determining an application for carer’s allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27821/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 8th May 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the updated correct level of one-parent family payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27824/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of a jobseekers transition payment (JST). The person concerned has an entitlement of €177.80 per week having regard to her means from maintenance of €80.00 per week. In addition the person concerned has been informed, that there will be a deduction of €27.00 from her weekly JST payment in order to repay an overpayment that was assessed against her. If the person concerned wishes to have the overpayment deduction reviewed she should contact her local office.
53. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determining an application for a carer’s allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27841/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's allowance (CA) is a payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to certain people with disabilities and whose income falls below certain limits.
The department informs me that there is no application for CA by the person concerned currently registered.
However I have arranged for an application form (CR1) to issue, which the person concerned should complete and return as soon as possible. Upon receipt of a fully completed application form and any necessary supporting documentation, the entitlement of the person concerned to CA will be determined and they will be notified directly of the outcome.
55. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a payment of arrears under the carer’s allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27889/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for and had his application for carer’s allowance backdated to the 25 July 2013. Arrears of allowance due from the 25 July 2013 to 10th December 2014 were issued to the person’s nominated bank account on the 30 June 2015.
56. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a national identity card which can be managed by generating a unique national identity code for every citizen by using a computerised binary system numerical code, which would virtually eliminate errors or mismatches when it comes to identifying persons on different databases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27896/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This programme of work, which is known as Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE for short, also provided for the introduction of a Public Services Card (PSC) to enable individuals to gain access to public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extent possible.
The PSC is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the social services card and free travel pass of the Department, and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers. A PSC is currently issued following a registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature and the verification of identity data. The PSC facilitates and enhances the utilisation of the PPS Number which is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. Section 262 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 provides the basis for the allocation, use and sharing of the PPS Number. Considerable progress has been made in the roll out of the PSC. Up to the end of June 2015, over 1.44 million cards were issued including over 458,000 Free Travel variants.
The question of the introduction or otherwise of a national identity card was not part of SAFE’s remit. The matter of establishing a national identity index and producing a national identity card is a wider issue. It would require due consideration by the appropriate agencies before any policy decisions could be formulated by Government and would require the development and implementation of legislation to support any such policy. Development of policy in this area would be led by the Minister for Justice and I am not aware of any current plans for her to do so.
57. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [27898/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 09 April 2015. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on the 16 July 2015. Any arrears due from 09 April 2015 to 15 July 2015 (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 06 July 2015.
58. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in the event that she is considering restoring the telephone allowance for certain persons, if she will consider an information technology allowance for those who would not wish to avail of a telephone allowance. [27913/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall concern of Government in its Budgets has been to protect the primary social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions at approx. €6.675 billion is the largest block of expenditure in the Department in the Estimate for 2015, representing approx. 34.4% of overall expenditure. Because of demographic changes, the Department’s spending on older people is increasing year on year resulting in the Department having to make provision for an additional €168 million this year. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is critical in protecting people from poverty.
The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other valuable elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. The Department will spend approx. €237 million this year on these elements of the household benefits package for over 415,000 customers.
Any decision to restore the telephone allowance, or a similar allowance in respect of IT costs, would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.
59. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision on an appeal for a carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27931/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 29th May 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.
