Written Answers Nos. 1-22
1. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Taoiseach the number of new jobs that have been created since the Action Plan For Jobs was established in 2012; the sectors they were created in; the percentage of the figure that was not in Government supported employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35197/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State. The most recent figures available are for Q2 2015. As the Action Plan for Jobs was launched on 13th February 2012 the Quarter 1 2012 figures are being used in the comparison.
Table 1 below shows the seasonally adjusted number of persons aged 15 years and over in employment in Q1 of 2012 and Q2 of 2015 classified by NACE Rev.2 Economic Sector along with the three year change. As Table 1 shows the overall stock of persons employed at given points in time, the changes which are calculated using these stock figures depend both on the number of jobs lost and jobs created over the period in question. The QNHS does not record whether a job is newly created.
Table 1 Seasonally adjusted number of persons aged 15 years and over in employment classified by NACE Rev.2 Economic Sector (ILO) Q1 2012 and Q2 2015
'000
|
- |
Q1 12 |
Q2 15 |
Change from Q1 12 to Q2 15 |
|
Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
82.3 |
111.7 |
29.4 |
|
Industry |
237.2 |
248.1 |
10.9 |
|
Construction |
104.2 |
126.3 |
22.1 |
|
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
271.8 |
273.4 |
1.6 |
|
Transportation and storage |
90.0 |
92.1 |
2.1 |
|
Accommodation and food service activities |
119.8 |
136.5 |
16.7 |
|
Information and communication |
79.2 |
81.8 |
2.6 |
|
Financial, insurance and real estate activities |
102.0 |
103.7 |
1.7 |
|
Professional, scientific and technical activities |
98.0 |
115.7 |
17.7 |
|
Administrative and support service activities |
63.9 |
64.0 |
0.1 |
|
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security |
99.9 |
100.0 |
0.1 |
|
Education |
144.7 |
148.9 |
4.2 |
|
Human health and social work activities |
241.7 |
248.9 |
7.2 |
|
Other NACE activities |
98.4 |
101.4 |
3.0 |
|
In employment |
1,837.6 |
1,963.6 |
126.0 |
Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values or estimates of change.'
Source: Quarterly National Household Survey, Central Statistics Office.';
It is not possible to calculate the percentage of the net change in employment that were in Government supported employment schemes.
The Live Register is compiled from returns made for each local office to the Central Statistics Office by the Department of Social Protection.
It should be noted that the Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time workers (those who work up to three days a week), seasonal and casual workers entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Allowance.
There were 65,616 people in total engaged on activation schemes run by the Department of Social Protection in August 2015. This the most recent data available. The people who are engaged in work based activation programmes do not fall under the definition of being unemployed and do not appear in the unemployment estimates as reported by the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) which is the official source of estimates of unemployment in the State.
The primary classification used for these QNHS results is the ILO (International Labour Office) labour force classification. Those engaged in education based activation programmes may or may not be classified as unemployed; depending upon their labour force situation they are classified based on the ILO labour force definition used in the QNHS. The classification for unemployed persons includes those persons who, in the week before the survey, were without work and available for work within the next two weeks, and had taken specific steps, in the preceding four weeks, to find work.
Table 2 shows the number of people engaged on activation schemes in August of each year from 2012 to 2015 along with the three year change.
Table 2 Live Register Activation Programmes August 2012-August 2015
|
August 2012 |
August 2013 |
August 2014 |
August 2015 |
Three year change |
|
|
Back to Work Schemes |
|||||
|
Back to Work allowance scheme - Employee strand1 |
38 |
13 |
5 |
0 |
-38 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme -self employed strand |
11,023 |
10,377 |
10,732 |
11,738 |
715 |
|
Short-term Enterprise Allowance2 |
1,156 |
888 |
580 |
472 |
-684 |
|
Total Back to Work payments |
12,217 |
11,278 |
11,317 |
12,210 |
-7 |
|
Other Activation Programmes |
|||||
|
DSP Part-time Job Incentive |
190 |
258 |
317 |
369 |
179 |
|
TUS - Community Work Placement Initiative (2011) |
4,486 |
6,301 |
7,477 |
7,881 |
3,395 |
|
JobBridge (From July 2011) |
4,819 |
5,309 |
6,053 |
4,640 |
-179 |
|
Gateway (2013)3 |
.. |
.. |
610 |
2,315 |
|
|
Total Other Activation Programmes |
9,495 |
11,868 |
14,457 |
15,205 |
5,710 |
|
Community Employment Schemes (excluding Supervisors) |
21,325 |
21,426 |
23,124 |
22,839 |
1,514 |
|
FAS Full Time Training for Unemployed People(4) |
6,305 |
6,422 |
6,534 |
5,843 |
-462 |
|
Back to Education Courses |
|||||
|
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)5 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Back to Education Allowance (BTEA)6 |
3,407 |
6,392 |
3,115 |
4,519 |
1,112 |
|
Total Back to Education Courses |
8,407 |
11,392 |
8,115 |
9,519 |
1,112 |
|
Total Activation Programmes |
57,749 |
62,386 |
63,547 |
65,616 |
7,867 |
1 This scheme was closed to new applications from 1st May 2009.
2 This scheme was introduced from 1st May 2009. It provides immediate support for someone in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit who wants to start a business.
3 Gateway Scheme included from December 2013
4 Specific Skills Training/Local Training initiative/Traineeship/Return to Work.
5 VTOS figures are estimated at 5,000 each year.
6 BTEA figures include all schemes but participants from JA & JB are not entitled to BTEA during the summer holidays.
Includes MOMENTUM participants from February 2013.
2. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of commercial State and semi-State organisations whose borrowings are on the State's balance sheet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35180/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CSO is responsible for the official reporting of Ireland’s General Government Deficit/Balance, Government Debt, and other Government Finance Statistics. This requires the CSO to define the scope of the public sector (which includes the General Government Sector) in Ireland. This classification process is governed by legally binding accounting rules which must be used by all EU countries. The public sector includes all bodies which are directly or indirectly controlled by government. The general government sector comprises public sector bodies which are classified as 'non-market', i.e. not operating on a commercial basis. The borrowings of this latter group are included in general government debt as reported under the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP).
The CSO maintains and publishes the Register of Public Sector Bodies (including General Government Bodies) in Ireland. The current version of the register (reference year 2014) is available at http://www.cso.ie/en/surveysandmethodology/nationalaccounts/classificationdecisions/registerofpublicsectorbodiesinireland/. The composition of this register is not static. Government controlled bodies are established, closed and merged over time. Also the market/non-market status of bodies must be continually reviewed. Consequently the Register of Public Sector Bodies is reviewed and up-dated periodically (at least annually). Recently the CSO and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform established and carried out a survey of central government departments to routinise the updating of the register. Preliminary results of this survey are reflected in the latest version of the register, which lists the non-market agencies which are classified to the general government sector, by Department. This information is available in Table 1.1.2 of the register which is also reproduced below. A separate table in the Register provides a listing of Departments of State, Additional Votes and Extra-budgetary funds.
While all of the bodies listed above can potentially contribute to government debt not all of them will necessarily have borrowings in a given year. The composition of general government debt and the contribution of different parts of government to debt in recent years are shown in Tables 7 and 9 of the CSO's annual Government Finance Statistics release which is available at
http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/gfsa/governmentfinancestatisticsoctober2015/
Table 1.1.2 from Register of Public Bodies (including General Government Bodies) in Ireland
|
Government Department |
Agency |
|
Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB) |
|
Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) |
|
|
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Irish Sea Fisheries Board) |
|
|
FEOGA |
|
|
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) |
|
|
Horse Sport Ireland |
|
|
HRI Racecourses |
|
|
Marine Institute (Foras na Mara) |
|
|
Moorepark Technology Ltd |
|
|
National Fisheries Board |
|
|
National Milk Agency |
|
|
Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) |
|
|
Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Development Authority) |
|
|
Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaíon) |
|
|
Chester Beatty Library |
|
|
Crawford Gallery, Cork |
|
|
Council of National Cultural Institutions (CNCI) |
|
|
Discovery Programme Ltd |
|
|
Foras Teanga (The Language Body) - NS.BODY |
|
|
Foras Teanga (Ulster-Scots Agency) – NS.BODY |
|
|
Heritage Council (Comhairle Oidhreachta) |
|
|
Irish Film Board (Bord Scannán na hÉireann) |
|
|
Irish Heritage Trust |
|
|
Irish Manuscripts Commission |
|
|
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) |
|
|
Language Commissioner (Coimisinéir Teanga) |
|
|
National Archives ,Ireland |
|
|
National Archives Advisory Council |
|
|
National Library of Ireland (NLI) |
|
|
National Museum of Ireland (NMI) |
|
|
Scéim Aoisliúntas Fhoireann (Udarás na Gaeltachta/ Bhord na Gaeilge) |
|
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
|
|
Waterways Ireland - NS.BODY |
|
|
Children and Youth Affairs |
Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) |
|
Child & Family Agency (Tusla) |
|
|
Children Detention Schools |
|
|
Gaisce (President's National Challenge Award) |
|
|
Office of Ombudsman for Children |
|
|
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources |
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) |
|
Commission for Communications Regulation (CCR ComReg) |
|
|
Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) |
|
|
Inland Fisheries Ireland |
|
|
Irish National Petroleum Corporation |
|
|
National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) |
|
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) |
|
|
RTE – Raidió Teilifís Éireann |
|
|
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) |
|
|
Teilifís na Gaeilge/TG4 |
|
|
The Loughs Agency |
|
|
Defence |
Army Pensions Board |
|
Defence Forces (Oglaigh na hÉireann) |
|
|
Office of Ombudsman for the Defence Forces |
|
|
Education and Skills |
Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (Speisialta) |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
|
|
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies |
|
|
Education Finance Board |
|
|
Exchange Bureau (Léargas) |
|
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
|
|
Higher Education Authority / Údarás an Ard Oideachas |
|
|
Irish Research Council |
|
|
National Centre for Guidance in Education |
|
|
National Centre for Technology in Education |
|
|
National Council for Curriculum & Assessment |
|
|
National Council for Special Education |
|
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
|
|
Solas (ex FAS-Foras Aiseanna Saothair) |
|
|
Schools: voluntary secondary, primary, community and comprehensive schools |
|
|
Teaching Council |
|
|
Institutes of Technology · Athlone Institute of Technology · Institute of Technology Blanchardstown · Institute of Technology Carlow · Cork Institute of Technology · Dublin Institute of Technology · Dundalk Institute of Technology · Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology · Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology · Letterkenny Institute of Technology · Limerick Institute of Technology · Institute of Technology Sligo · Institute of Technology Tallaght · Institute of Technology Tralee · Waterford Institute of Technology |
|
|
Environment, Community and Local Government |
Bord Pleanála (Planning Board) |
|
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
|
|
Housing Finance Agency |
|
|
Housing & Sustainable Communities Agency |
|
|
Irish Water |
|
|
Irish Water Safety |
|
|
Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) |
|
|
Pobal |
|
|
Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) |
|
|
Western Development Commission (WDC) |
|
|
Finance |
Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau |
|
Irish Bank Resolution Corporation |
|
|
Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal |
|
|
Irish Fiscal Advisory Council |
|
|
NAMA-National Asset Management Agency |
|
|
National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) |
|
|
National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) |
|
|
Office of the National Lottery Regulator |
|
|
Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland |
|
|
Health |
Dental Council |
|
Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) |
|
|
Food Safety Promotion Board (SAFEFOOD) |
|
|
Health and Social Care Professionals Council |
|
|
Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) |
|
|
Health Insurance Authority |
|
|
Health Research Board (Bord Taighde Sláinte) (HRB) |
|
|
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) |
|
|
Health Service National Partnership Forum |
|
|
Irish Blood Transfusion Service Board (IBTS) |
|
|
Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) |
|
|
Medical Council |
|
|
Mental Health Commission |
|
|
National Cancer Registry Board |
|
|
National Treatment Purchase Fund Board |
|
|
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais) |
|
|
Opticians Board (Bord Na Radharcmhastóirí) |
|
|
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland |
|
|
Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) |
|
|
Voluntary hospitals and hospices |
|
|
Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation |
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
|
|
Health and Safety Authority |
|
|
IDA Ireland |
|
|
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority |
|
|
Labour Relations Commission |
|
|
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
|
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
|
|
Trade and Business Development Body (INTERTRADE Ireland) |
|
|
Justice and Equality |
An Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) |
|
An Garda Síochána Ombudsman Inspectorate |
|
|
Charities Regulatory Authority |
|
|
Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal |
|
|
Forensic Science Laboratory |
|
|
Office of the Data Protection Commissioner |
|
|
Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal |
|
|
Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner |
|
|
Office of the State Pathologist |
|
|
Insolvency Service Ireland |
|
|
Irish Film Classification Office |
|
|
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission |
|
|
Legal Aid Board |
|
|
Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board |
|
|
National Disability Authority |
|
|
National Property Services Regulatory Authority |
|
|
Parole Board |
|
|
Private Security Authority |
|
|
Social Protection |
Citizens Information Board |
|
Pensions Authority (formerly Pensions Board - Bord Pinsean) |
|
|
Pensions Council |
|
|
Pensions Ombudsman |
|
|
Taoiseach |
NESDO/Comhar National Economic and Social Development Office |
|
NESC National Economic and Social Council |
|
|
Transport, Tourism and Sport |
Commission for Aviation Regulation |
|
Commissioners of Irish Lights |
|
|
Fáilte Ireland |
|
|
Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) - CIE subsidiary |
|
|
Irish Sports Council |
|
|
Marine Casualty Investigation Board |
|
|
Medical Bureau Of Road Safety |
|
|
National Roads Authority |
|
|
National Sports Campus Development Authority |
|
|
National Transport Authority |
|
|
Railway Procurement Agency |
|
|
Railway Safety Commission |
|
|
Road Safety Authority |
|
|
Tourism Ireland |
3. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Taoiseach if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff under the remit of his Department who have applied to be transferred to Department or State agency offices located outside the Dublin region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35304/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on the records held in the Human Resources Unit of my Department, two members of staff in my Department applied to be transferred to a Department/Agency outside the Dublin region in 2015. Both members of staff have since transferred to their chosen location.
4. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the qualified child increase payment by €5; €10; €15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35676/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe full year cost of increasing the weekly rate of the Qualified Child Increase by €5, €10 and €15 in 2016 is €94 million, €187 million and €281 million, respectively.
5. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a review under the farm assist income support scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35181/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a farm assist payment. Based on new information received a review of the means involved will be carried out by a social welfare inspector in due course as part of the inspector’s caseload.
6. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a payment for clothing to a person (details supplied) under the supplementary welfare allowance was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35201/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for a supplementary welfare allowance payment towards clothing on 5 November, 2014. This application was refused as no exceptional need was considered to exist. The person concerned was informed of and afforded the right to a review of this decision. The original decision of the designated person was upheld on review.
7. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be reviewed; if a full statement of the way the overpayment occurred will be set out in the reply; if deductions from benefit will cease, as the review is being undertaken; and if her Department will immediately engage with the person to resolve matters. [35207/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a review of his entitlement, it was established that the person concerned had means not previously disclosed to this department. These means are derived from his spouse’s employment. On 4 September 2014, a deciding officer, decided that the person concerned had a reduced entitled to disability allowance from 23 March 2011 to 2 July 2013, because of the means from his spouse’s employment. This resulted in an overpayment.
If the person concerned wishes to reduce their repayment, they should forward an income and expenditure sheet. On receipt of this information, a deciding officer will review the current recovery amount.
8. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason the board of the Citizens Information service remains incomplete since spring 2015, following the end of tenure of several board members; if she is aware of this situation; if she will explain the way board decisions have been made, without the appropriate quorum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35211/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe legislative provisions governing membership of the Citizens Information Board are contained in the Comhairle Act 2000, the Citizens Information Act 2007, and the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011. The legislation provides for a quorum of 8, or such lesser number (being not less than 5) as the Board may from time to time determine.
On 3rd March 2015, eight vacancies, including that of Chairperson, arose on the Citizens Information Board due to the expiration of existing terms of appointment. As the Board did not then have a quorum no Board decisions were made.
Since that date, I have made a number of appointments to the Board, including that of Chairperson. As a result, there are currently eight board members on the Board of the Citizens Information Board (CIB).
Arrangements are underway to fill the remaining seven vacancies in accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, which were issued in November 2014 and the required legislative provisions.
9. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a disability allowance has not been granted to a person (details supplied); and if rent support will also be approved, as a matter of urgency. [35214/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability allowance is in payment to the person concerned at the maximum rate.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is currently in operation in Kilkenny.
Under this scheme the Local Authority are now responsible for the housing needs and the payments for new rented accommodation and are also responsible for homeless persons in the area. All new applicants are advised to apply to their Local Authority. Rent Supplements for new cases where the HAP is in operation are granted only in exceptional circumstances.
10. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35225/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has successfully made an application for the €100 Water Conservation Grant. The application was made on 8 October 2015 and payment will issue to the person concerned in the form of a cheque by the end of this month.
11. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, as a matter of urgency. [35243/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 13 March 2015.
The person concerned was refused CA on the grounds that she is not habitually resident in the State. She was notified on 11 September 2015 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
Following your last representation, the decision in relation to habitual residency is under review. Once the review is completed, the person will be notified directly of the outcome. If the decision is confirmed on review, the person concerned will retain the right to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
12. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if and when rent support will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35247/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward an application to be assessed for entitlement to the Mid-Leinster Rent Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.
13. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for non-payment of a jobseeker's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35302/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has been refused jobseeker's allowance as he is not habitually resident in the state. The person concerned was given a detailed list of the reasons why the payment was refused on 27th July 2015; he was also advised of his right to appeal this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. An appeal is currently being considered by an Appeals Officer who will advise the person concerned of the outcome.
14. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an increase in rent support has been facilitated for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, who will become homeless in the absence of any additional assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35332/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe client's rate of Rent Supplement entitlement was reassessed and increased accordingly on 21st August 2015. The client concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on their monthly rent, weekly income and family composition.
15. Deputy James Bannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be awarded a disability allowance, as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35353/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department informs me that, to date, no application for disability allowance (DA) has been received from the person in question. An application form has been sent to the person in question. Upon receipt of the completed application form, the Department will assess her entitlement to DA and the person in question will be notified of the outcome.
16. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the wage subsidy scheme to facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities who work less than 21 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35354/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe wage subsidy scheme is a support to private sector employers, providing financial incentives to employers who take on people with a disability for between 21 and 39 hours per week under a contract of employment.
The policy rationale of the scheme is to increase the potential for people with disabilities to obtain employment in the open labour market and become more independent and therefore less reliant on social welfare payments.
I am satisfied that a reduction of the 21 hours threshold would dilute this policy intent, and so I have no plans to make any changes in that regard.
17. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a review of an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35366/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 15 July 2015. Her first payment will be on 14 October 2015 by her chosen payment method and any arrears due, less any adjustment for overlapping payments made in the period, will follow shortly.
18. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the carer's allowance in budget 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35369/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appropriate level of welfare supports in the year ahead, including for carers, was considered by the Government as part of its deliberations on Budget 2016, the outcome of which will be announced later today.
19. Deputy James Bannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an application for a carer's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35386/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 1 September 2015. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
20. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding illness benefit sick certification, in order to make the processing of applications more efficient (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35396/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection issued two press releases (which were also posted on the department’s website at www.welfare.ie) outlining the contingency arrangements which were put in place during the recent of interruption of postal services. These arrangements were carried extensively across all news media.
Customers can leave medical certificates, claim forms and application forms for all other social welfare payments into any Intreo/social welfare local office or branch office.
Medical certificates are legal documents and the original must be supplied to the Department. Out of an average of 1.6m million weekly social welfare payments, only 73,200 are cheque.
Payments – 5,000 of these are illness benefit customers. A review is being undertaken of the contingency plan for the delivery of post in the event of a future interruption to postal services. The costs involved will be part of such a review.
21. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person on a widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension can partake in a community employment scheme and retain a pension plus a community employment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35402/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 247B of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) disqualifies persons in receipt of specified social insurance or social assistance payments (including widows/widowers pension) from retaining those payments for the duration of participation on the Community Employment (CE) programme, where their CE participation commenced on or after 16th January 2012. While employed on CE, they are paid at a rate €20 per week above their original social welfare rate. On completion of their CE placement, they can return to the original social welfare payment, provided they continue to meet the criteria for receipt of such payment.
22. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 24 September 2015, if she will review whether the full amount of disability allowance is payable, given the receipt of new information that the person (details supplied) in County Kildare has no income from self-employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35452/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of reduced personal rate of disability allowance as he has income from self-employment.
An application for a qualified adult allowance was received and entitlement examined. An increase for qualified adult and a qualified child was awarded with effect from 2 September 2015. Notification of this decision issued to the person concerned on 14 September 2015.
No further information regarding income has been received. Kindly forward documentation of the information received in order to review his entitlement.
