Written Answers Nos. 50-59
50. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will make a decision on an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Louth under the disability allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1661/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 8 January 2016, 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.
51. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the domiciliary care allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1675/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 3 July 2015. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 14th October 2015 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
A review of this decision was requested on 2nd November 2015 and additional information on this child's condition/care needs has been supplied. The application together with the new information supplied has been forwarded to a medical assessor for their professional opinion. Once this opinion is received the application will be re-examined by a deciding officer and a revised decision will be made if warranted. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed. Such reviews can take up to 12 weeks to complete at present.
52. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1680/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appeal of the person concerned against a refusal to backdate carer's allowance has been allowed. The application has been awarded from 27 November 2014. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 8 January 2016.
The person concerned has an outstanding disability allowance (DA) debt of €9,463.60 and this debt is recoverable by the department. The department shortly will be in touch with the person concerned with proposals for the recovery of the overpayment. Any arrangement for recovery of the debt agreed with the person in question will involve a decision regarding arrears due.
53. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer if all social protection payments were increased by 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% per year in each of the next five years. [1692/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe costings in the table below are calculated based on the estimated recipient numbers for 2016. Estimates of the average weekly number of persons, on a scheme by scheme basis, are not currently available for 2017 and later years and it is therefore not possible to accurately calculate the costs in 2017 and later years. It should be noted that such costs will be dependent on a range of factors (both negative and positive) including demographic trends as well as the performance of the labour market.
|
Scheme |
Full Year Cost – 1% €m |
Full Year Cost – 2% €m |
Full Year Cost – 3% €m |
Full Year Cost – 4% €m |
Full Year Cost – 5% €m |
|
Weekly Pension Payments including: - State Pension Contributory - State Pension Non Contributory - Widows', Widowers'/ Surviving Civil Partners' (Contributory) - Death Benefit Pension - Carer's Allowance (Aged 66 +) |
71.0 |
142.0 |
213.0 |
284.0 |
355.0 |
|
Scheme |
Full Year Cost – 1% €m |
Full Year Cost – 2% €m |
Full Year Cost – 3% €m |
Full Year Cost – 4% €m |
Full Year Cost – 5% €m |
|
Weekly Working Age Payments including: - Invalidity Pension (Aged under 65) - Widow/er's Contributory Pension (Aged under 66) - Deserted/Prisoners Wife's Benefit (Aged under 66) - Death Benefit (Aged under 66) - Carer's Benefit - Disablement Pension - Jobseeker's Benefit - Illness Benefit - Maternity Benefit & Adoptive Benefit - Incapacity Supplement - Health & Safety - Injury Benefit -Guardian's Payment (Contributory) - Jobseeker's Allowance - Pre-Retirement Allowance - Widow/er's Non Contributory Pension (Aged under 66) - Deserted Wife's Allowance - Disability Allowance & Blind Pension - Farm Assist - One Parent Family Payment - Supplementary Welfare Allowance - Carer's Allowance (Aged under 66) - Guardian's Pension (Non Con) - Community Employment, TÚS & Rural Social Scheme - JobBridge - Gateway - Back To Work Enterprise Allowance - Back To Education Allowance - Part Time Job Incentive |
80.0 |
160.0 |
240.0 |
320.0 |
400.0 |
|
Scheme |
Full Year Cost – 1% €m |
Full Year Cost – 2% €m |
Full Year Cost – 3% €m |
Full Year Cost – 4% €m |
Full Year Cost – 5% €m |
|
Other Payments |
|||||
|
Child Benefit |
19.6 |
39.2 |
58.8 |
78.4 |
98.0 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
4.1 |
8.2 |
12.3 |
16.4 |
20.5 |
|
Qualified Child Increase Payments |
5.6 |
11.2 |
16.8 |
22.4 |
28.0 |
|
Respite Care Grant |
1.6 |
3.2 |
4.8 |
6.4 |
8.0 |
|
Fuel Allowance |
2.0 |
4.0 |
6.0 |
8.0 |
10.0 |
|
Living Alone Allowance |
0.9 |
1.8 |
2.7 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
|
Over 80 Allowance |
0.8 |
1.6 |
2.4 |
3.2 |
4.0 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
1.0 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
5.0 |
|
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance |
0.4 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
|
Electricity and Gas Allowance |
1.7 |
3.4 |
5.1 |
6.8 |
8.5 |
|
Total |
188.7 |
377.4 |
566.1 |
754.8 |
943.5 |
The costings listed in the table above include, where relevant, proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payments.
54. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will lower the starting age for the State pension to 65 years of age to bring it in line with the general age of retirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1716/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided for increases in the State pension age. This process began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available at 65, thereby currently standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. The changes introduced in 2011 were on foot of a Government commitment included in the National Recovery Plan published in 2010 and in the subsequent Memorandum of Understanding with the EU/ECB/IMF.
The purpose of these changes is to make the pension system sustainable in the context of increasing life expectancy. More people are living to pension age and living longer in retirement. In this context, the duration for which an average pension will be paid will continue to increase. The number of pensions is increasing by approximately 17,000 annually as a result of demographic change. This has significant implications for the future costs of State pension provision.
In 2013, the cost of the State pension (transition) was €137 million. It was estimated at the time that the net saving resulting from its abolition, when taking into account that many people would instead be in receipt of other payments at the lower rates applicable to those under 66, would amount to €33.5m in 2014 and approximately €65 million in 2015.
The Deputy should note that there is no general retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers.
In terms of financial supports, social welfare benefits will continue to be available to the age of 66 for those who are contractually obliged to leave employment. Jobseekers whose benefit expires in their 65th year will continue to be paid benefit up until the age of 66. Where a jobseeker's benefit claim spans two benefit years, a new Governing Contribution Year requirement is not applied to the second benefit year of a claimant aged 65 (effectively this means that they may receive payment in both years based upon eligibility in the first year).
There are no plans to introduce legislation to change from the current position.
55. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the administrative costs incurred in 2015 of implementing the water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1725/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection is administering the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government. The administration and payment of this grant is a significant project for the Department and required the development and implementation of ICT systems, ICT infrastructure and various customer support and communications services.
The total administration costs to 31 December 2015 were €5,782,035.42. These included both the once-off setup costs and the operational costs for 2015. All costs in relation to the set-up and administration of the Water Conservation Grant are being recouped from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in line with existing procedures in this regard. Every effort has been made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum. In this regard, the Department has reused existing payment production systems to facilitate payment of the grant. It is also intended that the ICT infrastructure put in place for this project will be reused for the provision of online services in the future.
56. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on the water conservation grant and the number of claimants, by county in 2015 and the amount and estimated number of claimants in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1733/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection is administering the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government. A total of 887,010 householders have been paid the 2015 Water Conservation Grant to date. These payments amount to €88,701,000. A small number of residual applications from householders who meet the 2015 eligibility criteria continue to be processed.
The total administration costs to 31 December 2015 were €5,782,035.42. These included both the once-off setup costs and the operational costs for 2015. All costs in relation to the set-up and administration of the Water Conservation Grant are being recouped from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in line with existing procedures in this regard. Every effort has been made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum. In summary, the total amount spend on the 2015 Water Conservation Grant to date is €94,483,035.42.
The Water Conservation Grant is a key element of the Government's drive to promote conservation and more sustainable use of water services in the home. Regulations will be made in due course under Section 5 of the Water Services Act 2014 to set down the particulars of the 2016 grant scheme including the application process and eligibility criteria. On the basis of the administration of the 2015 grant scheme, a figure of €110 million has been provided for the 2016 grant scheme in the 2016 Revised Estimates for Public Services.
The following table provides the number of applications processed as of 12 January, 2016 on a county basis:
|
County |
No. of Principal Private Residences by county for which applications have been processed |
|
Carlow |
8,061 |
|
Cavan |
13,191 |
|
Clare |
27,260 |
|
Cork |
86,187 |
|
Donegal |
26,149 |
|
Dublin |
265,001 |
|
Galway |
43,483 |
|
Kerry |
35,002 |
|
Kildare |
42,779 |
|
Kilkenny |
15,223 |
|
Laois |
15,368 |
|
Leitrim |
8,005 |
|
Limerick |
26,942 |
|
Longford |
7,631 |
|
Louth |
21,869 |
|
Mayo |
33,902 |
|
Meath |
34,937 |
|
Monaghan |
11,673 |
|
Offaly |
15,534 |
|
Roscommon |
14,553 |
|
Sligo |
12,506 |
|
Tipperary |
36,355 |
|
Waterford |
15,708 |
|
Westmeath |
17,997 |
|
Wexford |
25,621 |
|
Wicklow |
26,073 |
|
Total |
887,010 |
57. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1738/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer's allowance from the person in question on the 21 October 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
58. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1739/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe department informs me that there is no application by the person concerned for carer's allowance registered. If the person in question wishes to make an application, he should complete and return the application form (CR1) that I have arranged to issue to him.
Only on receipt of a fully completed application form can his entitlement to carer's allowance be determined.
59. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1740/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the department received an application for carer's allowance from the person concerned on 9 October 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
