Wednesday, 20 Apr 2016

Written Answers Nos. 76-93

Disability Allowance Applications

Ceisteanna (76)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

76. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to expedite a review of an application under the disability allowance scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [7634/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The application for disability allowance (DA) from the person in question, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 25 February 2016.

Further evidence was received on 15 March 2016 and this is currently being reviewed by a deciding officer. The person in question can expect a decision on the review of his DA application shortly. If the decision to refuse the allowance is confirmed following review, the person concerned will have the right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Carer's Allowance Applications

Ceisteanna (77)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

77. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to expedite an application under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [7635/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 4 September 2015. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that he failed to co-operate with a social welfare inspector (SWI) and, as a consequence, the SWI was unable to complete his report or to establish means.

The person concerned was notified on 21 March 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.

National Internship Scheme Data

Ceisteanna (78, 79)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

78. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of internships that were completed, by age group and by county, in 2014 and 2015; if these reports are available for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7656/16]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

79. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of internships that were not completed; the reason for this; the results by age group and by county in 2014 and 2015; if these reports are available for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7657/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together.

JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy – particularly the sharp increase in unemployment. The aim of the scheme was to help unemployed people to break the cycle whereby they could not get a job without experience, but could not get experience without a job.

To date, a total of 46,537 people started an internship, of which 15,211 progressed into employment immediately on completing the internship. Independent research indicates that c 60% of jobseekers who participated in JobBridge progressed into paid employment within 5 months of completing an internship. There are currently 4,005 participants on the programme.

A breakdown of the JobBridge internships that were completed and those that were not by age group and by county and showing the reasons provided by interns for non-completion for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to date follows.

Breakdown by County 2014

County	Finished Early	Completed in Full	Total
CARLOW	65	82	147
CAVAN	77	107	184
CLARE	130	125	255
CORK	517	525	1042
DONEGAL	164	239	403
DUBLIN	1993	1742	3735
GALWAY	356	385	741
KERRY	127	203	330
KILDARE	205	210	415
KILKENNY	70	91	161
LAOIS	78	87	165
LEITRIM	41	40	81
LIMERICK	300	328	628
LONGFORD	27	49	76
LOUTH	156	155	311
MAYO	170	194	364
MEATH	169	154	323
MONAGHAN	88	121	209
OFFALY	86	78	164
ROSCOMMON	41	58	99
SLIGO	105	132	237
TIPPERARY	165	225	390
WATERFORD	137	211	348
WESTMEATH	150	151	301
WEXFORD	145	176	321
WICKLOW	112	110	222
Total	5674	5978	11652

Breakdown by County 2015

County	Finished Early	Completed in Full	Total
CARLOW	77	73	150
CAVAN	56	97	153
CLARE	76	132	208
CORK	422	474	896
DONEGAL	110	226	336
DUBLIN	1548	1571	3119
GALWAY	304	385	689
KERRY	153	234	387
KILDARE	209	216	425
KILKENNY	60	100	160
LAOIS	75	86	161
LEITRIM	30	47	77
LIMERICK	246	351	597
LONGFORD	37	53	90
LOUTH	143	183	326
MAYO	123	197	320
MEATH	130	163	293
MONAGHAN	74	123	197
OFFALY	70	104	174
ROSCOMMON	49	66	115
SLIGO	88	123	211
TIPPERARY	126	224	350
WATERFORD	135	214	349
WESTMEATH	117	167	284
WEXFORD	112	189	301
WICKLOW	90	131	221
Total	4660	5929	10589

Breakdown by County 2016 to date - 25th March

County	Finished Early	Completed in Full	Total
CARLOW	15	12	27
CAVAN	11	15	26
CLARE	10	24	34
CORK	109	96	205
DONEGAL	25	49	74
DUBLIN	245	312	557
GALWAY	60	73	133
KERRY	31	60	91
KILDARE	42	46	88
KILKENNY	13	20	33
LAOIS	9	18	27
LEITRIM	5	12	17
LIMERICK	42	69	111
LONGFORD	7	4	11
LOUTH	38	33	71
MAYO	23	47	70
MEATH	18	25	43
MONAGHAN	10	23	33
OFFALY	11	15	26
ROSCOMMON	8	14	22
SLIGO	15	16	31
TIPPERARY	15	56	71
WATERFORD	27	53	80
WESTMEATH	32	37	69
WEXFORD	30	38	68
WICKLOW	8	26	34
Total	859	1193	2052

Breakdown by age

2014
Age	Finished Early	Completed Full Term		Grand Total
18-19	181	143		324
20-24	1555	1428		2983
25-34	2418	2438		4856
35-44	924	1099		2023
45-54	464	645		1109
55+	132	225		357
Grand Total	5674	5978		11652
2015
Age	Finished Early	Completed Full Term		Grand Total
18-19	192	163		355
20-24	1150	1274		2424
25-34	1959	2287		4246
35-44	850	1253		2103
45-54	406	717		1123
55+	103	235		338
Grand Total	4660	5929		10589
2016 (to March 25th)
Age	Finished Early	Completed Full Term		Grand Total
18-19	41	28		69
20-24	196	211		407
25-34	364	474		838
35-44	163	270		433
45-54	75	167		242
55+	20	43		63
Grand Total	859	1193		2052

Reasons for non-completion of internships

2014	2014
Caring responsibilities	65
Cost factors	153
Emigrated	71
Got job elsewhere	1441
Got job with Host Organisation	957
Got job with Host Organisation - PRSI Scheme	113
Health reasons	290
In further education and training	270
JobBridge Follow-up (Internal)	34
Maternity Leave	28
No further update available	513
Other (Unknown)	8
Personal reasons	541
Placement wasn't suitable	700
Returned to job search	371
Suspension - Various reasons	3
Took up another JobBridge placement	109
Took up WPP	3
(blank)	4
Grand Total	5674

2015
Caring responsibilities	59
Cost factors	106
Emigrated	65
Got job elsewhere	1139
Got job with Host Organisation	835
Got job with Host Organisation - PRSI Scheme	105
Health reasons	224
In further education and training	207
JobBridge Follow-up (Internal)	32
Maternity Leave	22
No further update available	421
Other (Unknown)	1
Personal reasons	404
Placement wasn't suitable	641
Returned to job search	316
Suspension - Various reasons	5
Took up another JobBridge placement	74
Took up WPP	3
(blank)	1
Grand Total	4660

2016 - TO March 25th
Caring responsibilities	9
Cost factors	25
Emigrated	8
Got job elsewhere	177
Got job with Host Organisation	182
Got job with Host Organisation - PRSI Scheme	26
Health reasons	58
In further education and training	25
JobBridge Follow-up (Internal)	5
Maternity Leave	6
No further update available	71
Personal reasons	90
Placement wasn't suitable	117
Returned to job search	45
Suspension - Various reasons	1
Took up another JobBridge placement	14
Grand Total	859

Child Benefit Eligibility

Ceisteanna (80)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

80. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if child benefit will be paid for persons over 18 years of age who are in their leaving certificate year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7677/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability.

Child Benefit is currently paid to around 623,607 families in respect of some 1.19 million children, with an estimated expenditure in the order of over €2 billion in 2016. Child Benefit is an important source of income for all families and in Budget 2016 the Government increased Child Benefit by €5 per month, at a cost of €72 million.

Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for Child Benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the participation pattern of children in education supports the current age limit for Child Benefit.

Families on low incomes can avail of a number of provisions to social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:

- qualified child increases (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;

- family income supplement (FIS) for low-paid employees with children;

- the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families (paid at the full-time second level education rate).

These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked with household income and thereby supports low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.

Parental Leave

Ceisteanna (81)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

81. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how she allows for force majeure in circumstances, other than late claims, where the claimant was unable to fulfil all of the qualifying criteria for a genuine force majeure reason. [7679/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Under the Parental Leave Acts, a civil servant is entitled to force majeure leave, which is leave with pay for urgent family reasons owing to the injury or illness of an immediate relative. Entitlement to force majeure leave is limited to circumstances where the immediate presence of the officer is indispensable, at the place where the ill or injured person is situated. In determining whether an officer is entitled to force majeure leave the following considerations apply:

- the reason is urgent when the officer has to act without delay, there is no advance notice of the illness/injury and there is little time to plan or manage it or to make alternative arrangements. In this sense, a scheduled hospital appointment or a routine childhood illness would not attract force majeure leave. An event might be urgent on the first day, but not on subsequent days if the initial urgency has passed;

- the need for the officer’s presence is immediate when the officer’s presence with the sick person could not have been delayed because of the seriousness/urgency of the illness/injury. The officer had to be with or go to the sick/injured person without any delay;

- the officer’s presence is indispensable when the situation demands the presence of the officer. Nobody else will do, or will be able to give the support that the sick/injured person requires.

These three criteria for force majeure leave must apply on each individual day for which force majeure is requested, not just the first day.

Force majeure leave shall not exceed 3 days in any period of 12 consecutive months or 5 days in any period of 36 consecutive months. An absence for part of a day is counted as one day for the purposes of force majeure leave.

During an absence on force majeure leave, an officer is deemed for all purposes to be in employment. Force majeure leave is paid leave. It cannot be treated as part of any other leave such as sick leave, maternity leave, adoptive leave, annual leave or parental leave to which the officer is entitled.

The HR Division of my Department is required, in applying the foregoing provisions, to be satisfied that, in the circumstances, an application for force majeure leave is fully justified. Where this is not the case, the officer should apply for annual leave or other form of special leave.

Maternity Leave

Ceisteanna (82)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

82. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review and address the anomalous position relating to the qualifying criteria for maternity benefit where current rules can mean that a mother who has to end their employment very early in their pregnancy due to a pregnancy related illness is denied entitlement to maternity benefit, as the rules do not make any allowance for such an illness when calculating if she satisfies the criteria for the minimum number of weeks since employment; if this matter has been raised with her Department previously; and if so, the rationale for not allowing force majeure allowances in such circumstances or providing specific amendments to legislation to deal with this scenario. [7692/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Maternity benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions in order to obviate the need for them to work pre and post-delivery of their baby. The original scheme was introduced in 1970 and was extended to include self-employed mothers with effect from June 1997.

In 2016 it is estimated that my Department will spend approximately €266 million on maternity benefit in respect of an average of 22,000 recipients per week.

The fundamental qualification criteria for maternity benefit are that a woman must be in insurable employment or self-employment and is contingent on entitlement to statutory maternity leave. The applicant must also satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions.

As stated above, to qualify for maternity benefit, a claimant must:

- be in employment which is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, immediately before the first day of her maternity leave. The last day of insurable employment must be within 16 weeks of the end of the week in which her baby is due. (If she ceases employment, her Maternity Leave must commence from the following day) and

- be certified by her employer as entitled to maternity leave under the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 and

- have her expected date of confinement certified by a registered medical practitioner and

- have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12 months before the first day of her maternity leave

or

- at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the Relevant Tax Year or in the year following the Relevant Tax Year

or

- at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Relevant Tax Year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Tax Year prior to the Relevant Tax Year.

If a person is pregnant, unemployed and claiming illness benefit they will continue to be paid illness benefit provided they have a condition other than pregnancy to warrant their being on illness benefit.

Pregnancy itself cannot be used as a medical reason to claim illness benefit. However, medical complications arising from pregnancy can satisfy the medical criteria for illness benefit. When the baby is born they may qualify for an increase in their illness benefit for a child dependant.

If a person is on sick leave from work and getting illness benefit immediately before they are due to start their maternity leave, they will be paid maternity benefit in the normal way if they satisfy the social insurance contributions.

The social insurance contributions for maternity benefit and illness benefit are not the same. Therefore, if a person is in employment but on sick leave and not getting illness benefit they may still qualify for maternity leave and maternity benefit. However, they must satisfy the social insurance contributions.

Where an individual has insufficient social insurance contributions to qualify for maternity benefit, they may be eligible for another social welfare payment provided they meet the relevant contingency conditions. For instance, new mothers who do not qualify for maternity benefit may be eligible for a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme. This scheme is considered a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system for eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Ceisteanna (83)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the degree to which the reduction in the live register can contribute to expediting the process for various social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7716/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and that backlogs in claims are kept to a minimum. Each scheme area continuously monitors and reviews claim processing operations to ensure that customers are responded to as quickly as possible.

Processing times vary by scheme but this principally reflects the fact that the eligibility criteria such as means tests, family circumstances and medical status are more complex for some schemes than for others.

Claims processing in Intreo Centres also involves the scheduling of appointments for new jobseekers and customers are informed of the documentation required in advance of his/her appointment. This ensures that the claim itself can normally be processed without delay.

The reduction in the Live Register has enhanced the Department’s capacity to process claims in that overall numbers claiming jobseekers payments is reducing year-on-year. However, it should be noted that the number of people coming on – and off - the register is substantial and this movement of customers continues to require repeated administrative intervention at each entry point.

For example, the decrease of 4,123 people on the Live Register in March 2016 was made up of 26,876 people who came onto the register and 30,999 who left.

The staffing needs of the Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising. This is to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.

Question No. 84 answered with Question No. 55.

Mortgage Interest Relief Application

Ceisteanna (85)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

85. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if any examination has been done as to the extent to which cessation of mortgage interest relief has negatively impacted upon particular families; if anything can be done by way of support where loss of the family home is imminent through no fault of the family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7718/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The administration of the mortgage interest relief scheme is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners and any changes to current arrangements is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

The most appropriate way in which families experiencing mortgage difficulties can be supported is through on-going engagement with their lender to explore sustainable solutions.

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. In addition to its traditional core business MABS has been developed to provide additional services targeted at supporting mortgage holders in arrears. Guidance has recently issued to the Department's staff in the Community Welfare Service to inform persons experiencing difficulties with their mortgage repayments of these additional supports.

A Dedicated Mortgage Arrears MABS (DMA MABS) service has been established across 24 locations, which is focused on post-MARP cases, assisting mortgage holders to assess the extent to which the option on offer from the lender is the best and most sustainable option, and where required, negotiating with the lender on the client’s behalf.

Together with the Insolvency Service of Ireland, MABS has established a national network of Court Mentors to attend relevant Courts nationwide, where repossessions hearings are listed, to provide support to distressed borrowers and direct them to the appropriate services which can provide them with the necessary help and assistance.

In addition, there are currently approximately 2,980 mortgage interest supplement recipients. This scheme was discontinued for new applicants from 1 January 2014, with customers availing of this support prior to 1st January 2014 retaining entitlement until the cessation of scheme on 1st January 2018. The continued payment of mortgage interest supplement, the purpose of which was to provide short-term support to meet mortgage interest repayments, does little to assist families in improving the long term difficulty in addressing their mortgage problem. It is expected that over the remaining period existing customers will exit the scheme through: sustainable solutions being put in place with their lenders; securing employment; or exit strategies sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, such as the Mortgage to Rent Scheme.

Youth Unemployment Measures

Ceisteanna (86)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

86. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which her Department continues to provide youth unemployment alleviation measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7719/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment continues to fall with a rate of 19.0% in March 2016 (as estimated by CSO, compared to 21.5% in March 2015 and with a peak of over 31% in 2012).

However, the Government recognises that as the recovery continues, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by unemployed jobseekers and, in accordance with the EU Council recommendation for a Youth Guarantee by young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy and the Youth Guarantee plan.

As, under services such as Intreo, Youthreach, VTOS, PLC programmes, and JobBridge, Ireland already had many of the recommended component parts of a Youth Guarantee, the main approach in Ireland is to prioritise access to these existing supports for young people, who become unemployed, with the objective of ensuring that they have an opportunity for employment, further education or work experience within the recommended period of four months as per the EU council recommendation.

The key objective is to help newly unemployed young people find and secure sustainable jobs. In this regard there is monthly engagement with all young people by case officers to discuss and achieve personal progression plans. For those who do not find employment through the process just described, additional offers are provided for, both through existing schemes and through youth-specific measures. Most such offers (over 70%) are in existing further education or training programmes. Others are in existing community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tús. Overall, over 19,100 opportunities were taken up on the relevant programmes in 2015.

Pathways to Work 2016-2020 continues to prioritise these measures for the young unemployed and additionally commits to: increasing the share of workplace-based interventions for youth unemployed; ensuring that monthly engagement, at a minimum, is consistently applied and maintained; restructuring the First Steps programme; and implementing the Defence Forces Skills for Life programme.

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Ceisteanna (87)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

87. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why those in receipt of carer's benefit while signing for credits are not entitled to jobseeker's benefit when their carer's position ends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7758/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Carer's Leave Act 2001 allows employees to leave their employment temporarily to provide full-time care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. An employee is entitled to take carer’s leave of at least 13 weeks up to a maximum of 104 weeks. Carer's leave from employment is unpaid but the Carer’s Leave Act ensures that those who propose to avail of carer's leave will have their jobs kept open for them for the duration of the leave. An employee may be eligible for Carer's Benefit if they have enough PRSI contributions. If they do not qualify for Carer's Benefit they may qualify for Carer's Allowance, which is a means-tested payment.

The jobseeker's benefit scheme provides income support for people who lose work and who have the required number of social insurance contributions. The 2016 Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure on jobseeker’s benefit of €369 million.

It is a fundamental qualifying condition for the jobseeker’s benefit scheme that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work. The schemes also require that persons must be fully unemployed for at least four in any seven consecutive days. They must also satisfy social insurance contribution and substantial loss of employment conditionality.

A person is regarded as having sustained a substantial loss of employment if s/he has lost at least one day of insurable employment in any period of 6 days as an officer of the Minister may determine, provided his/her reckonable earnings or reckonable income are reduced as a consequence of the loss of employment.

The full scheme criteria are established in the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended and associated regulations. These provisions inform detailed scheme guidelines which are available, along with further information on the schemes, at www.welfare.ie. Each application for jobseeker’s benefit is assessed by one of the Department’s Deciding Officers on a case by case basis.

Where an individual does not have entitlement under jobseeker’s benefit, they may qualify for means tested jobseeker’s allowance. Where an individual does not have entitlement under jobseeker’s benefit or allowance, they may be eligible for the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, which is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system. The SWA scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

A person who is not satisfied with the outcome of their claim for a Department of Social Protection payment has the right to appeal against the decision to the independent social welfare appeals office.

Housing Adaptation Grant

Ceisteanna (88)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

88. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the help in place for those who receive a grant for house adaptations but cannot afford the balance themselves. [7762/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The means tested housing adaptation grant for people with a disability and local authority home improvement loans, for persons who cannot get a loan from a bank or building society, are provided by local authorities and come within the remit of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

This Department’s Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) scheme is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility for the expenditure rests with another Government Department or Agency.

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (89)

John Halligan

Ceist:

89. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is considering reversing the significant funding cuts that occurred in recent years, to support the vital work that is conducted in communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7770/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

This Department is the main provider of funding for social need in Ireland. In 2016, it is expected that expenditure on income support schemes to support the unemployed, lone parents, people with a disability and older people will be €19.6 billion, despite the requirements for fiscal consolidation measures. The Department is not a direct funder of social programmes delivered by the charitable, community and voluntary sector and, therefore, has not reduced its funding for these organisations.

The Department does, however, support community initiatives through funding community work placement programmes such as community employment, Tús, rural social scheme, gateway and the community services programme. These programmes are delivered locally through sponsor organisations or local development/partnership companies. During the economic crisis, the Department examined all aspects of its expenditure which resulted in a reduction to some of the funding paid to the sponsor organisations and local development/partnership companies e.g. training grants. To minimise the effects of these reductions, the Department examined the income and expenditure of schemes that were experiencing difficulties in absorbing the changes made to the grants.

As the Deputy is aware, the recovery has allowed some leeway to increase spending in targeted areas. Any decision to increase grant payments would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.

Social Welfare Code

Ceisteanna (90, 91)

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

90. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the benefits available for widows; if widows who are working and paying pay related social insurance can receive additional benefits such as illness benefit; her plans to improve the position of widows generally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7778/16]

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

91. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will pay widows under 66 years of age the same rate of payment given to those on the State pension together with the associated benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7779/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together.

Entitlements under the social welfare system are primarily based on a number of defined contingencies such as sickness, unemployment, old age or widowhood. There are two basic principles which underpin the Irish social insurance system. Firstly there is the contributory principle which links the PRSI contributions that a person has paid and their entitlement to a range of benefits and pensions. Where a person has sufficient PRSI contributions, then benefits and pensions may be paid, subject to legislative provisions, where a particular contingency arises, and without a means test. Secondly there is the solidarity principle where the benefits and pensions that are paid are not directly related to the amount of PRSI contributions paid by insured persons. PRSI contribution income is instead redistributed to support contributors who are more likely to have an income need as a result of circumstances that have arisen in their lives. In this regard, it should be noted that most PRSI contributors do not experience all of the contingencies during their life. For example, one contributor may never require access to Invalidity Pension whereas it may be a crucial support for another. It should also be noted that access to Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension is available to those who have been married or in a civil partnership only, and that scheme will not benefit someone who has been single all their life.

The purpose of the benefits and pension system is to provide a person with an adequate income. The rate of payment is set with this objective in mind, and the fact that there are a number of ways one can qualify for a pension does not mean someone may qualify for multiple PRSI-funded payments at the same time. As is common with social security systems across the world, the Irish social welfare system generally applies the principle of one person, one payment. It can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, e.g., an unemployed person may also become sick and incapable of work. The PRSI paid by the person and their employers only provides coverage for one payment at such times. Under the legislation for the schemes, if a person experiences more than one of these contingencies at the same time, generally he or she can receive only one core payment. Amending the social welfare system to allow Illness Benefit to be paid in addition to a pension such as a Widow’s pension would be a significant change to the system, providing certain people with the income considered necessary for two people, and would greatly increase costs. This extra cost would have to be financed from either an increase in the rate of PRSI contributions, an increase in the Exchequer subvention to the scheme, or a reduction in the rate of payments.

Widows over the age of 66 are less likely to be in a position to take up employment than those of working age. When a person on a Widows’ contributory pension reaches the age of 66, their rate of payment will generally be aligned with the maximum personal rate for the State pension contributory. Increasing the rate of payment for widows under 66 to that of those who have reached State pension age would also result in a significant additional cost that would have to be met from either increased PRSI/subvention or a reduction in the rate of payments. I have no plans to introduce such a change.

There are a number of supports in the social welfare system which benefit widows, including those of working age. I was pleased to announce in Budget 2016 that the rate of the Fuel Allowance scheme was increased from €20 to €22.50, which will be of benefit to many disadvantaged widows of all ages, and householders on long-term welfare, and will assist with meeting the costs of their heating needs during the winter season. To receive Fuel Allowance, Widows pension recipients must also satisfy the other conditions for that payment, i.e., be unable to provide for their heating needs from the resources of their household, live alone or only with one of a list of exempted persons, and satisfy a means test. All recipients of non-contributory payments are accepted as satisfying the means-test.

In addition, a widow aged between 60 and 65 years, whose late spouse/civil partner received the Household Benefits package from this Department, may qualify for that package if they otherwise satisfy all other conditions and receive a relevant qualifying payment.

Question No. 92 answered with Question No. 60.

Family Income Supplement Applications

Ceisteanna (93)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

93. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how long an application for family income supplement by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been ongoing; when a decision will be made on the application; when the application was received; when a review was sought; the date the file was sent to the social welfare inspector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7787/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

An application for family income supplement (FIS) was submitted by the person concerned on 29 September 2015. That application was disallowed on the grounds that the net weekly assessable earnings exceeded the prescribed income level for the number of people in the family.

Following additional information being provided by the claimant regarding additional eligible children attending full time education, the FIS file has been sent to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 25 November, 2015 for further investigation. The SWI has been making efforts to confirm the residency of the children in question and will complete her report shortly and return it to FIS section.

Once the SWI has returned the completed report, a review of the decision in relation to FIS will be undertaken and the person in question will be informed of the outcome.