Written Answers Nos. 48-55
48. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the budget for the delivery of the Youth Guarantee in 2014; the amount of funding provided by the European Social Fund and the European Youth Employment Initiative and by the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34807/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is being managed as part of Ireland’s relationship with the European Social Fund (ESF) under the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020, for which the Irish Managing Authority is the Department of Education and Skills.
I am informed that the total amount of YEI funding for which Ireland is applying in relation to the years 2014-2018 is €68,145,419 in respect of overall relevant programme expenditure of €204,436,537. It is anticipated that the YEI funding will be matched by a similar amount of ESF funding, with the balance coming from matching domestic expenditure. In the normal course of events, this amount of YEI funding will be drawn down as final claims are made in respect of these years. However, I understand that an advance payment of €21,465,806.99 was made to Ireland under the YEI earlier this year.
YEI funding has been applied for in relation to only some of the programmes that go to make up Ireland’s response to the EU Recommendation on a Youth Guarantee. The overall range of such programmes is set out in the government’s Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, which estimated annual expenditure on the core programmes involved of approximately €336 million, with a further expenditure on other relevant programmes (Apprenticeship and PLC courses) of €192 million.
49. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the budget for the delivery of the Youth Guarantee in 2015; the amount of funding to be provided by the European Social Fund and the European Youth Employment Initiative and by the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34808/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is being managed as part of Ireland’s relationship with the European Social Fund (ESF) under the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020, for which the Irish Managing Authority is the Department of Education and Skills.
I am informed that the total amount of YEI funding for which Ireland is applying in relation to the years 2014-2018 is €68,145,419 in respect of overall relevant programme expenditure of €204,436,537. It is anticipated that the YEI funding will be matched by a similar amount of ESF funding, with the balance coming from matching domestic expenditure. In the normal course of events, this amount of YEI funding will be drawn down as final claims are made in respect of these years. However, I understand that an advance payment of €21,465,806.99 was made to Ireland under the YEI earlier this year.
YEI funding has been applied for in relation to only some of the programmes that go to make up Ireland’s response to the EU Recommendation on a Youth Guarantee. The overall range of such programmes is set out in the government’s Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, which estimated annual expenditure on the core programmes involved of approximately €336 million, with a further expenditure on other relevant programmes (Apprenticeship and PLC courses) of €192 million. Actual expenditure on participation by young people on this range of programmes in 2015 will depend on the take-up of places, and can be estimated only after the end of the financial year.
50. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the full adult rate of social welfare to young persons engaged in education, training and work experience in the upcoming budget to support young persons in gaining the skills and qualifications they need to obtain employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34809/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraReduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 for those aged 18 and 19. The reduced rates have been extended over the intervening years and now apply to jobseeker’s allowance recipients under 26 years of age.
The reduced rates do not apply to certain categories of jobseeker, for example those with a qualified child or those whose claim is linked to a previous claim at the higher rate made within the previous 12 months.
The reduced rates for young jobseekers are a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. The measure 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.
There are a wide range of education and training opportunities available through the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills. These opportunities for jobseekers support them in strengthening their qualifications and skills base thereby maximising their chances of meeting the requirements of the modern labour market and gaining employment. These opportunities include the back to education allowance scheme, Education and Training Board (ETB) training courses, VEC education courses, Tús and JobBridge - the national internship scheme.
There is a network of case officers at a local level who work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes for them. Young jobseekers who participate on an education or training programme will receive a higher weekly payment. For example, young jobseekers who participate in the Tús programme will have their payment increased to €208 per week and jobseekers who attend ETB training courses will have their payment increased to €160 per week.
The Department of Social Protection administers the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) which is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. The objective of the scheme is to raise educational and skills levels to enable them to better access emerging labour market needs in line with the Government’s activation strategy set out in Pathways to Work. For persons under the age of 26 who are in receipt of an age related jobseekers payment, a personal maximum rate of €160 applies. The full year cost of increasing the back to education allowance rate to €188 per week for recipients aged under 26 years is estimated at a maximum of €6.6 million. These costs are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2016.
However, it should be noted this cost only refers to the back to education allowance. If young jobseekers attending ETB training courses were to receive an increased payment of €188 this would have cost implications for the Department of Education and Skills. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a budgetary context.
51. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there is a €28 million surplus in her Department's community employment training fund; her plans to restore the training grants to community employment projects to the pre-cut rate; and, if not, her plans to spend this money on participant training. [34817/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no surplus of €28 million in the CE Training Fund. The 2015 annual training budget for Community Employment is €6.1 million. CE training expenditure up to 23rd September 2015 is €4.1 million. It is not possible at this point in time to determine if there will be an underspend in this budget by year end. As you are aware, there is always an increase in the take-up of training during September and October on CE due to the start of the academic year in most colleges. The Department encourages the full use of this budget by the adult learners on CE who for many provides a valuable opportunity to engage in learning and to make up for lost opportunities in the past.
The Department is considering the CE budget for 2016 and is reviewing the training budget as part of this process.
52. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who were and are in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance who were called upon by her Department to undergo a medical assessment over the past five years. [34818/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe domiciliary care allowance scheme (DCA) transferred to the Department of Social Protection in 2009 and is now paid to over 28,500 parents/guardians in respect of some 30,700 children.
All applications for DCA are subject to a medical assessment. There has been over 25,000 new applications received in the last 5 years. Once awarded, entitlement can be reviewed periodically to confirm continued eligibility. A total of 909 eligibility reviews, also involving medical assessments, have been carried out in the last 5 years.
Medical assessments for DCA are conducted by the Department’s medical assessors who, having examined the medical evidence and other supporting information provided by the applicant, provide an opinion on medical eligibility for the benefit of a deciding officer.
53. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of households that have applied for and been paid the water conservation grant. [34821/15]
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.
As of the afternoon of the 6th October, over 680,000 grant applications had been made by householders.
A total of 395,504 householders have received their Water Conservation Grant payment. The total value of Water Conservation Grant payments made to date is €39,550,400.
The closing date for applications is Thursday 8th October 2015.
54. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the options open to a person (details supplied) who is currently homeless to restore her weekly income, given the successive cuts to the lone-parent payment imposed by her Department. [34876/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was in receipt of one parent family payment until 2 July 2015 when their entitlement ceased. In addition to their income from part-time employment, the person is currently in receipt of family income supplement of €95 per week. The person has also been awarded back to work family dividend at the rate of €29.80 per week. This claim has been backdated to 2 July 2015 and arrears have issued.
There is currently no claim for rent supplement from the person concerned and there has been no change to the person’s address on the Department’s records since February 2013. The most recent claim for rent supplement ceased in June 2012. If the person wishes to apply for rent supplement, they should do so at their local Intreo Office.
55. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the options open to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17 to restore a weekly income given the cuts to the lone-parent payment in July 2015 and the impact this has had on this person's financial situation. [34877/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at the rate of €74.92 per week, for which the person’s means were assessed at €140.88 per week.
A claim for jobseeker's allowance has been submitted with effect from 2 October 2015 and the person has been asked to provide documentary evidence from their employer confirming the date that the hours of employment were reduced, and the current earnings.
A decision on the person’s entitlement to jobseeker's allowance will be made when this documentation is received. The requested information from the employer will also enable a review of the supplementary welfare allowance claim in order to establish if the payment was made at the correct rate.
