Written Answers Nos. 127-148
129. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 204 of 9 December 2014 and 185 of 14 July 2015 (details supplied), the status of the review taking place into situations where a company ceases trading, but is not liquidated and has outstanding payments to be given to employees; when the review will conclude; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42318/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the provisions of the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984 an employer company shall be regarded as being insolvent if the company is placed into receivership or if a winding-up order has been made or a resolution for the voluntary liquidation of the company has been passed. The former employer of the persons concerned has not engaged in any of these processes and therefore the persons are not covered by the provisions of the 1984 Act.
The Department continues to review the position to establish what, if anything, can be done to progress payments to individuals in situations where employers cease trading without engaging in a formal winding-up process and owe moneys to their employees. The Department is consulting a range of interested parties, including the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Revenue Commissioners, in respect of these issues. Officials from the Department will continue to engage with all relevant parties to try to progress the matter. There are very difficult legal issues that need to be addressed and the potential impacts that any proposed policy development might have must be considered.
I am not in a position to indicate at this stage when the review will be completed. We do not yet have a legal solution to it because there are all sorts of consequences that might flow from taking a legal position that was not carefully worked out. It could damage other people as well as addressing the problems faced by some people. In addressing this, we must find a sensible and proportionate approach which does not have negative knock-on consequences for other workers' rights.
130. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42355/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 3 November 2015. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
131. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made regarding an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42370/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's Allowance (CA) is a social assistance payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person with a disability requiring that level of care and whose income falls below certain limits.
In April 2013, the person concerned was refused CA on the grounds that the disability of the care recipient was not such that there was a requirement for full-time care and attention and that the carer was not providing full-time care and attention as required. The person in question appealed that decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the appeal was disallowed by an appeals officer (AO) in March 2014.
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 the circumstances have changed, the person in question should submit a new application for CA. I have arranged for an application form (CR1) to issue by post to his given address. Following receipt of a fully completed application form and any necessary supporting documentation, the eligibility of the person concerned to CA will be determined and he will be notified directly of the outcome.
132. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a grant or lump sum funding is available to assist persons setting up in self-employment under the back to work enterprise allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42373/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years; 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2.
No lump-sum funds are available from the Department. The Department can provide up to 80% support for customer approved for the BTWEA for the purchase of items of business supports, mentoring, business equipment, public liability insurance, upgrading of premises owned by the applicant and accountancy, legal and related services through the Employment Support Grant (ESG) which is administered by the Department's Case Officers. Information on accessing finance and a range of other supports for start-up is available from Local Enterprise Offices. DSP Intreo centres and local development companies are also in a position to advise persons wishing to pursue self-employment opportunities.
133. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42384/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer's allowance from the person concerned on 20 August 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
134. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when payment of a disability allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42392/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability allowance arrears issued to the person in question by her chosen payment method on 26 November 2015.
135. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why children (details supplied) under 16 years of age who have high dependency and medical issues, many of whom live in rural parts of Ireland and who must travel under the supervision of a parent or guardian to meet their medical teams on a regular basis, are not eligible to apply for a free travel pass; if she will change this regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42445/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently approximately 839,000 people in Ireland in receipt of free travel at an annual cost of €77 million per annum. The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66, including those with learning disabilities, must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 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. Free travel is provided for people in receipt of carer’s allowance to facilitate their caring role and support their social inclusion.
There is a provision for free travel passes for visually impaired children who satisfy the medical conditions for the blind pension. The provision is a long standing one based on supports for the blind, including the blind pension that predated other supports for the disabled.
Children with other disabilities may qualify for the domiciliary care allowance. This is a monthly payment of €309.50 for a child with a disability. The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child and this may include additional transport costs. On most transport services children under sixteen years of age are charged fares at special concessionary child rates.
Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to persons who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Social Protection may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
Where the travel costs are non-recurring, the SWA scheme provides for exceptional needs payments to be made to assist with essential, once-off expenditure in exceptional circumstances. There is no automatic entitlement to such payments. Again, every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned. The ENP scheme is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility for the payment or the expenditure rests with another Government Department or Agency.
136. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a fuel allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42447/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is a participant on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme. Participants on CE Schemes can only be paid Fuel Allowance where they had applied for, or were awarded the allowance prior to commencing on the scheme. They may not accrue an entitlement while on the scheme. As the client concerned was not in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to commencing on the CE Scheme, he does not qualify for Fuel Allowance.
137. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a decision will be made on an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42474/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application for carer's allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 24 November 2015 and the first payment is due to issue to the person's bank nominated bank account on 3 December 2015.
Arrears of allowance due from 2 April 2015 have also issued to the bank for payment on 3 December 2015. The person concerned was notified on 24 November 2015.
138. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 190 and 195 of 20 October 2015, if she will clarify that, as the JobBridge intern is not an employee of the company, the intern is covered by the host's employer liability insurance; and if she or the relevant JobBridge authority has viewed the host's insurance policy to ensure its validity and that it provides specific cover for the intern, both on-site and off-site of the employer. [42475/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary purpose of the JobBridge scheme is to provide worthwhile work experience opportunities for unemployed people. Under the terms of the scheme interns continue to receive their Jobseeker payment and are not employees of the Host Organisation.
The Terms and Conditions of the scheme explicitly require Host Organisations to confirm that they have Public/Employer Liability Insurance (and Motor Insurance, if applicable) that will cover any JobBridge participants. They must also be fully compliant with workplace Health and Safety and all other legal and sectoral requirements. These are standard statutory requirements and all host organisations must self-certify that these requirements are met before an application is allowed to proceed. In addition all host organisations are required to return a monthly report confirming that the internship is progressing as per the terms and conditions outlined in the Standard Agreement and signed by both parties.
The Department does not inspect records of host organisations prior to accepting applications as to do so would impose a significant overhead in terms of processing times and cost. However random on-site inspections are conducted to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the scheme and the undertakings of the Host Organisation. Over 11,800 monitoring visits have been made since the scheme’s inception - over 4,600 last year alone. There have been no reported instances of Public/Employer Liability insurance not being in place.
139. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a letter to claim the water conservation grant was not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if it will be re-issued and a late application permitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42515/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe eligibility criteria for the Water Conservation Grant are set out in the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015. Under regulation 5(1) a person who registers with Irish Water, as required under section 5(2)(a) of the Water Services Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 shall be eligible to receive the grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on that date.
To date Irish Water has transferred details of over 1.3 million registered households to this Department including the details of the person concerned. A letter issued to the person concerned at the address given inviting them to apply for the grant before the deadline of 8 October 2015 and advising them that they could make this application either online or with the assistance of the Water Grant Support Team by telephone. Statutory Instrument 434 of 2015 provided for the extension of the deadline for the submission of a completed application for the Water Conservation Grant to the Department of Social Protection from 8 October 2015 to 22 October 2015. However, there is no record of the person having applied for the grant prior to the closing date.
140. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of the eligibility of participants on community employment schemes who are over 55 years of age; her plans to overturn the recent amendments preventing those over 55 years of age from remaining on a scheme for six years or more; if she will provide clear guidelines to those who administer these schemes, particularly on the subject of extensions, to avoid discrepancies in the use of discretion and to ensure that persons are retained within the community who provide a valuable contribution to it, given the pride they take in their participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42538/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other vulnerable persons (including lone parents, recovering drug users and persons with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.
With effect from 3 April 2000, lifetime participation on CE by an individual is limited to:
- 3 cumulative years for persons under 55 years of age.
- 6 cumulative years for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age (inclusive of any time spent on CE while under 55).
- Eligible persons in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked social welfare payment will be eligible for one additional year on CE over the standard maximum participation caps, i.e. 4 years for those under 55 years of age (part-time Job Option only), and 7 years for those between 55 years of age and State Pension age (Part-time Job Option only).
- Participation on CE prior to 3 April 2000 is not counted.
These participation limits are strictly adhered to in order to maximise the utilisation of CE places. Part-time Integration Option participants, who qualify on the basis of being in continuous receipt of a social welfare payment for 12 months or more, can participate on CE for one year at a time and must leave and re-qualify in order to participate further (if they remain unemployed), subject to the participation caps outlined above. Part-time Job Option participants must be in continuous receipt of qualifying payments for a minimum of 3 years or more to participate for up to 3 years on annually renewable contracts if aged under 55, or 6 years if 55 or over.
The participation limits allow for the utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons, to ensure the benefit of the CE scheme is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. The Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants.
141. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a respite care grant by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42553/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was awarded the 2014 and 2015 Respite Care Grants on 25 November 2015. Payment of €2,750 (€1,375 for each year) will be sent to her nominated bank account over the next few days.
142. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a respite care grant by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will be made. [42554/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for Respite Care Grant from the person concerned was received in my Department on 2 September 2015. This application is currently being processed and a decision will be made as soon as possible.
144. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the average time it takes to hear and decide a social protection appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42564/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe average appeal processing time for 2014 and to date in 2015 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is as outlined in the tables.
Appeal processing times generally peaked in 2011 when the overall average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and 25.1 weeks for a summary decision. In 2014 average appeal processing times for an oral hearing had almost halved to 28.6 weeks and the average time taken to process appeals involving summary decisions had also significantly reduced to 21.1 weeks. This downward trend in overall appeal processing times has continued to date in 2015 to 25.9 weeks for an oral hearing and 18.3 weeks for a summary decision. Appeal processing times are closely monitored on an ongoing basis.
The reduction in processing times reflects the significant resources which have been invested in the Social Welfare Appeals Office over the last number of years.
In addition the Department has undertaken a process of reform in many of its scheme areas aimed at reducing the time taken to respond to requests for submissions in relation to appeals. Appeal processing times are kept under continual review in the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
In addition to the improvement in processing times, these measures have also led to a significant reduction in the number of appeals on hand from 20,414 at 1 January 2013 to 9,394 at 26 November 2015.
Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. The system is flexible and accessible and allows multiple reviews and submissions of fresh evidence at all stages. For logistical reasons the process takes longer when an oral hearing is required.
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.
Appeals processing times by scheme 01/01/2014 – 31/12/14
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
17.1 |
- |
|
Blind Pension |
20.5 |
24.9 |
|
Carers Allowance |
30.1 |
34.4 |
|
Carers Benefit |
22.9 |
23.1 |
|
Child Benefit |
23.8 |
32.9 |
|
Disability Allowance |
20.8 |
26.7 |
|
Illness Benefit |
29.5 |
34.8 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
22.6 |
29.1 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
- |
64.7 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
- |
41.8 |
|
Farm Assist |
23.2 |
28.3 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
25.6 |
31.9 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
26.0 |
32.6 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
25.9 |
31.2 |
|
Liable Relatives |
21.5 |
33.2 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
24.4 |
33.5 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
22.4 |
44.7 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
48.5 |
48.5 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
25.2 |
41.9 |
|
State Pension (Non-Cont) |
20.3 |
29.4 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
27.0 |
35.1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
33.6 |
33.7 |
|
Disablement Pension |
23.6 |
30.6 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit (Medical) |
- |
53.9 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
21.5 |
59.6 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
25.9 |
24.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-con) |
19.7 |
30.3 |
|
Pre Retirement Allowance |
17.3 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
18.1 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
16.2 |
21.1 |
|
JA/JB Fraud Control |
12.1 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
16.7 |
21.1 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
20.8 |
- |
|
Respite Care Grant |
24.9 |
27.1 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
45.0 |
62.3 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
14.4 |
22.1 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
20.2 |
32.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
24.7 |
24.6 |
|
Widowed Parent Grant |
22.2 |
- |
|
All Appeals |
21.1 |
28.6 |
Appeals processing times by scheme 01/01/2015 – 31/10/2015
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Blind Pension |
21.1 |
35.2 |
|
Carers Allowance |
20.9 |
26.9 |
|
Carers Benefit |
20.0 |
22.4 |
|
Child Benefit |
24.9 |
35.5 |
|
Disability Allowance |
15.9 |
21.6 |
|
Illness Benefit |
25.9 |
33.6 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
27.0 |
43.4 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
21.2 |
28.1 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
19.7 |
24.9 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
- |
16.2 |
|
Farm Assist |
19.3 |
29.7 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
65.7 |
26.0 |
|
Death Benefit (Pension) |
- |
22.6 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
20.3 |
27.3 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
25.8 |
28.3 |
|
Liable Relatives |
22.5 |
31.2 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
20.6 |
17.5 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
23.5 |
34.8 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
25.9 |
48.2 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
20.0 |
29.7 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
80.1 |
53.4 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
21.6 |
38.8 |
|
Disablement Pension |
23.8 |
33.2 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
37.7 |
51.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
18.6 |
27.8 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
18.9 |
31.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
16.3 |
26.2 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
15.6 |
21.7 |
|
JA/JB Fraud Control |
- |
46.1 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
11.4 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
10.7 |
- |
|
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance |
12.7 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
14.8 |
21.9 |
|
Pre Retirement Allowance |
15.0 |
- |
|
Treatment Benefit |
17.9 |
- |
|
Respite Care Grant |
20.6 |
25.3 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
41.1 |
67.6 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
13.2 |
24.2 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
29.9 |
25.9 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-con) |
23.7 |
38.3 |
|
Widows Parent Grant |
20.4 |
- |
|
All Appeals |
18.3 |
25.9 |
145. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in 2015 to date under the back to work allowance scheme; the maximum, minimum and average time it takes to process an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42566/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA). The Short Term Enterprise Allowance provides immediate access to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as their entitlement to jobseekers benefit. The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years - 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2. Business proposals must be recommended by a local development company or enterprise office before an application is considered for payment of the allowance.
To date, there are 435 people availing of the Short Term Enterprise Allowance and 11,900 people availing of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, 6,228 of these were awarded in 2015. Given the nature of the application development process, the Department does not collate statistics on claim processing times with applications received being approved where the applicant is eligible. Generally, processing time for the award of the BTWEA is relatively short if the applicant has fulfilled the conditions of the scheme.
146. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person in respect of whom an adult dependent allowance is paid cannot access assistance to re-train, upskill or educate for a return to the workforce, but a person claiming jobseeker's allowance is able to do so; her plans to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42576/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraGiven the level of unemployment, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives over the past four years has been is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people.
A person in respect of whom an adult dependent allowance is paid under another’s Jobseeker Allowance payment is not required to be unemployed (i.e. available for and actively seeking employment). Such a person may however opt to apply for Jobseekers Allowance and become subject to the normal conditionality of the scheme. The Department facilitates such requests through a mechanism known as ‘claim-splitting’ whereby the total amount due to a couple is divided into two separate claims. In such situations both members of a couple hold a claim in their own right and have access to the full range of activation supports in line with the normal criteria.
In addition, in line with the commitment in Pathways to Work, a range of services are available to non-employed persons who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department’s employment services offices, regardless of their social welfare status.
Unemployed persons not in receipt of payments may be eligible to avail of upskilling opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people (at present there are 1,009 upcoming day courses and 552 upcoming evening courses). Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation.
An updated Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy is under development within the Department of Social Protection and it is intended to bring this strategy to Government for approval shortly. While the new strategy is still being formulated I expect that it will reflect labour market changes in our economy. In particular whereas the existing strategy was formulated during a period of very high unemployment and focussed on supporting people who are unemployed the new strategy is likely, given the reduction in unemployment and on-going growth in employment, to augment this focus by, in addition, seeking to support an increased level of labour market participation in order to ensure that economic growth can be sustained. The strategy will therefore focus on consolidating previous reforms and on continued prioritisation of key cohorts; as well as considering the expansion of activation services to other cohorts.
147. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in relation to her Department's Estimates for 2008, if a sum of €3.75 million was accrued under provision of a review of community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42581/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July 2008 the Labour Court recommended that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors, and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS (LCR19293). It must also be noted that the employer in this situation is the sponsoring organisation and not FÁS (or the Department of Social Protection (DSP) which now has responsibility for CE).
The annual cost of introducing a defined contribution scheme for CE Supervisors was estimated at €3.75m in 2008 by FÁS. In line with good accrual accounting practice, a one-year provision for the pension claim was made in the FÁS accounts should the debt materialise. The system of accounting used in FÁS is the Accrual Accounting method which recognises potential economic events regardless of when the actual cash transaction occurs. This meant that the accrual of €3.75m in 2008 for CE supervisor pensions was simply a provision for an event that may occur (i.e. no actual cash was transacted). No subsequent provisions were made on transfer of responsibility for the CE programme to the DSP in October 2010. The Department works under the Cash Accounting method.
148. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she granted relativity with Civil Service grades to community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors; the grade they have been aligned with; and the benefits that have accrued to them as a consequence. [42582/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) supervisors are generally employees of private companies limited by guarantee and are neither public nor civil servants. There is no relativity with civil service grades. The employment arrangements that accrue for a supervisor or assistant supervisor are a contractual matter between the individuals concerned and their legal employer, subject to compliance with Department of Social Protection CE operational procedures.
