Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Written Replies Nos. 299-319

Disability Support Services

Ceisteanna (299, 300)

John Brady

Ceist:

299. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the spend in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date under the reasonable accommodation fund scheme in tabular form. [11507/16]

John Brady

Ceist:

300. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimates provided and the overturn, by cost, under the reasonable accommodation fund scheme in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date in tabular form. [11508/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together.

Reasonable Accommodation Fund for People with Disabilities

The DSP has the responsibility for providing labour market services for disabled people, assisting them with finding paid employment or preparing them for employment through a training or employment programme. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund is a demand-led scheme in that the applicant applies directly to DSP for these grants.

Expenditure on The Reasonable Accommodation Fund for People with Disabilities in 2015 was €73,925

The Reasonable Accommodation Fund assists employers to take appropriate measures to enable a person with a disability/impairment to have access to employment by providing a range of grants. These grants and supports include:

- Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant,

- the Personal Reader Grant,

- the Job Interview Interpreter Grant, and

- the Employee Retention Grant.

Actual Expenditure on the Reasonable Accommodation Fund for People with Disabilities 2013-2015

Year	2013	2014	2015
Expenditure	€112,017	€77,864	€73,925

Given the small scale of each of these grants, a separate estimate for each of these schemes is not set out in the revised estimates volume and only actual expenditure from 2013 is available.

Disability Activation Projects

Ceisteanna (301, 330)

John Brady

Ceist:

301. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of securing and replicating the WALK PEER programme for 2017 in tabular form. [11509/16]

Joan Collins

Ceist:

330. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection to continue funding to the WALK PEER programme under the disability activation project to ensure the programme remains in place, given that it ceases on 30 July 2016 and that the cost of continuing it is €280,000 per year. [11791/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 330 together.

The Providing Equal Employment Routes (PEER) project was one of 14 disability activation projects (DACT), in the Border, Midlands and West region, which were jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), from the end of 2012 to April 2015. The project was delivered by the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK).

A key criterion applied when selecting projects was that the learning from this activity should be capable, where appropriate, of being mainstreamed in the future. Therefore, it is important to note that the projects were never intended to become ongoing service delivery organisations in their own right, no matter how successful the projects might have been.

The objective of the DACT programme was to explore a variety of routes towards ensuring that people with disabilities were enabled to avail of progression, education and development opportunities within the world of work. It was on this basis that each of the DACT projects was awarded funding with a specified end date of 30 April 2015.

However, in the closure phase of the programme, it was recognised by the Department that there would be a number of people still actively participating on some of the DACT projects, so a decision was made to provide funding to seven of the projects, which included the WALK PEER project, for a short period to the end of July 2015. This funding was provided so as to allow projects to ensure that their participants finished their involvement in an orderly manner. All DSP funding to WALK PEER ceased at the end of July 2015.

I understand that the WALK PEER project was subsequently successful in obtaining additional funding from a private sector organisation and I believe that it is this source of support that is referred to and that will terminate in July.

Given the circumstances set out above, there is no provision in the Department's estimates to provide funding to this project and it is not possible to provide a costing for replicating the current arrangements.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Farm Assist Scheme

Ceisteanna (302)

John Brady

Ceist:

302. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the farm assist scheme for 2017 in tabular form. [11510/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The information, including the detailed breakdown that the Deputy has requested, is currently not available but is being calculated by my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

Rural Social Scheme

Ceisteanna (303)

John Brady

Ceist:

303. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing an additional 500 places for 2017 under the rural social scheme in tabular form. [11511/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and fishermen who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Funding allocated for the scheme in 2016 is €44.3m.

Assuming that the participants supported by the RSS remain at the current payment rate, the full year cost of an additional 500 places in 2017 is estimated at €8.5m while the net cost is estimated at €3.8m. This costing consists of wages paid to participants, fuel allowance, supervisory costs, fees to implementing bodies, fees to the payroll provider and provision of input costs for implementing bodies.

Number of additional RSS participants in 2017	Estimated Gross cost - € million	Estimated net cost - € million
500	€8.5m	€3.8m

Disability Allowance

Ceisteanna (304)

John Brady

Ceist:

304. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing funding under the national disability allowance scheme for 2017 in tabular form. [11513/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Disability Allowance scheme.

Disability Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment which is paid to persons aged 16 to 66 who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria). Each €1 increase in the weekly personal rate would cost €6.6 million in 2017 and a full year.

There is an analogous social insurance payment, Invalidity Pension, which is paid to persons who are permanently incapable of work (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and a minimum number - 5 years - of paid Class A PRSI contributions). Each €1 increase in the weekly rate of Invalidity Pension would cost €2.9 million in 2017 and a full year.

In addition, Blind pension is available for those aged 18 to 66 who are blind or visually impaired. The cost of a €1 weekly personal increase in the Blind Pension is €0.07 million in 2017 and a full year.

It should be noted that (i) in the event of the Disability Allowance weekly rate exceeding the Invalidity Pension rate, some Invalidity pensioners (number not determinable) would transfer to the means tested Disability Allowance scheme to avail of the higher rate on that scheme; (ii) the costs shown above do not include the cost of proportionate increases for qualified adults; (iii) any additional costs which might arise as some persons in receipt of other welfare schemes might potentially apply for and qualify for Disability Allowance thereby also benefitting from a higher rate of payment than that which applies to their current scheme or (iv) offsetting savings on the Rent Supplement scheme as the additional weekly increase would reduce the level of entitlement under that scheme.

All of the costings above are provisional and may be subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients. The costs outlined above are based on recipient data for 2016.

Questions Nos. 305 and 306 answered with Question No.291.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

Ceisteanna (307)

John Brady

Ceist:

307. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for persons under 26 years of age in 2017 in tabular form. [11516/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants and who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The Government has provided €79.7 million for basic SWA payments in 2016.

In cases where age related rates apply, the maximum payment for a person aged 18-24 years of age is €100 per week, while for a person aged 25 years of age, the maximum weekly payment is €144.

There are currently some 2,640 persons under 26 who have been awarded a basic SWA payment. Of these claims, some 1,700 persons are being paid at the appropriate age related rate. Using the current claimant numbers as a basis, the additional full year cost for my Department of providing a weekly rate of €186 for all basic SWA recipients aged 25 and under is some €7.36 million.

Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a budgetary context. Details of the number of SWA recipients under 26 years of age at the end of April 2016 and the calculation of the annualised additional cost are provided in the following table.

Tabular Statement

Cost to restore SWA age related payments to full rate based on current recipient numbers

-	Single under 25	Couple under 25	Single age 25	Couple age 25	Total
Number of payments	1,565	18	117	2	1,702
Age related rate	€100.00	€200.00	€144.00	€268.80
Full Basic SWA Rate	€186.00	€310.80	€186.00	€310.80
Weekly Cost to increase to full rate	€134,590.00	€1,994.40	€4,914.00	€84.00	€141,582.40
Annualised cost to increase to full rate	€6,998,680	€103,709	€255,528	€4,368	€7,362,285

State Pensions

Ceisteanna (308, 309, 310)

John Brady

Ceist:

308. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the pension band rates to pre-September 2012 rates in 2017 in tabular form. [11517/16]

John Brady

Ceist:

309. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of re-instating the State pension (transition) in 2017 in tabular form. [11518/16]

John Brady

Ceist:

310. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of reducing pension contribution requirements for the State pension (contributory) from 520 to 260 in 2017 in tabular form. [11519/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 to 310, inclusive, together.

State pensions account for the single largest block of social welfare expenditure. In 2016, €6.976 billion will be spent on pensions, which represents 35% of the Department’s total current expenditure. While expenditure on pensions is increasing by approximately €1 billion every five years because of demographic pressures, this is being successfully managed within the overall welfare budget. A number of significant reforms to State pensions were introduced in recent years which have allowed my Department maintain the value of the State pension, and indeed increase it in Budget 2016.

Firstly, from September 2012, new rate bands for State Pension contributory were introduced. These additional payment rate bands more accurately reflect the social insurance history of a person and ensure that those who contributed to the Social Insurance Fund more frequently during their working life will, generally, benefit more in retirement than those who made less frequent contributions. People who qualify for a lower contributory pension as a result, but who have an income need, may still claim the means-tested State pension (non-contributory), the maximum rate of which is 95% that of the State pension contributory. At the time this measure was introduced, the net exchequer savings arising were estimated to be in the region of €2.8 million in 2013, €5m in 2014 and €8m in 2015. While a projection was not made at that time for 2017, it is now estimated that a figure of approximately €13.8 million would apply.

Secondly, in order to provide for sustainable pensions and to facilitate a longer working life, the Government decided to increase State pension age in three separate stages. In 2014, the State pension age was standardised at 66. This will be increased to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. This process saw the abolition of the State Pension Transition payment from 2014. In 2013, the cost of the State pension (transition) was €137 million. Its abolition was not expected to save that amount of expenditure in full, as some people who were affected would alternatively claim working age payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit (albeit at a lower rate than the rate of the State pension), or may claim an Increase for a Qualified Adult in respect of their spouse’s pension. However, it is anticipated that well over half of that cost has been saved each year as a result of this measure, and this would be expected to increase as (a) the number of 65 year olds increases, and (b) the change results in a higher percentage of people working while aged 65. It is estimated that the net saving in 2017 is likely to be in the region of €75-80 million.

Thirdly, with effect from April 2012, the number of paid contributions required to qualify for a State Pension increased from 260 paid contributions to 520 paid contributions. At the time this measure was introduced, the annual exchequer savings were expected to be in the region of €6m per annum in the short term, with the savings expected to increase significantly over the longer term. There are currently no more up-to-date figures available.

Disability Allowance Applications

Ceisteanna (311)

Timmy Dooley

Ceist:

311. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will make a decision on an application submitted in September 2015 under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11580/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I can confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 11 September 2015. In order to assist him/her to make a decision on eligibility, the deciding officer (DO) referred the application to a local social welfare investigative officer for a report on the relevant circumstances of the case.

The DO has received the report from the investigative officer but there was some essential supporting documentation still outstanding. This information has been requested by the DO directly from the person concerned. On receipt of this information a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

Family Income Supplement

Ceisteanna (312)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

312. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of making the family income supplement payable with the jobseekers transitional payment to eligible persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11609/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The jobseeker’s transitional payment (JST) is available to lone parents (both former one-parent family payment recipients and new lone parents), who have a youngest child aged 7 to 13 years inclusive. These customers are exempt from the jobseeker’s allowance conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work.

While it is a condition of the JST scheme that recipients must continue to parent alone, this is not a qualifying condition of the family income supplement (FIS) and so this information is not maintained for FIS recipients. From the data currently available on household composition within the FIS scheme, it is not possible to determine which FIS recipients, who are also lone parents, would be eligible for JST, given the specific conditionality which applies to the JST scheme.

One-Parent Family Payment

Ceisteanna (313)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

313. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of increasing the earnings disregard under the one-parent family payment scheme to €146.50 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11610/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Ceisteanna (314)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

314. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of increasing the earnings disregard under the jobseeker's transitional payment scheme to €146.50 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11611/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

One-Parent Family Payment

Ceisteanna (315)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

315. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of paying the one-parent family payment until the youngest child in a family reaches 14 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11612/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

Social Welfare Benefits

Ceisteanna (316)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

316. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of making jobseeker's transitional payment and the Student Universal Support Ireland maintenance grant payable to eligible lone parents who are undertaking an educational or training course for the duration of the course, regardless of the age of the youngest child in the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11613/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

In order to provide the costings requested by the Deputy it would require my Department to anticipate the number of lone parents who intend to undertake a course of education where the course will continue beyond their youngest child reaching 14 years of age. My Department would not have access to these projections and therefore cannot provide these costings.

However, the Deputy should note that the current supports provided, outlined below, ensure that lone parents can complete a course of education with support from my Department regardless of the age of their youngest child.

Former one-parent family payment (OFP) recipients who transitioned from the scheme on 2 July 2015 and who were in the middle of a course of education were allowed to complete their course on OFP and then transition to an appropriate payment.

From 2 July 2015 onwards lone parents who transition to the jobseeker’s transitional payment (JST) have a youngest child of 7 years of age. These customers then have two options if they wish to complete a course of education while on JST. Where the course can be completed within the 7 years that they have access to JST (i.e. until their youngest child is 14 years of age), these customers can avail of the SUSI grant and a JST payment subject to the conditions of both schemes (eligibility for a SUSI grant is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills).

Where the course cannot be completed within the potentially 7 years available on JST, for example if the course is over 3 years and the youngest child is now 12, the customer can instead avail of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) when s/he commences the course. This allowance will continue to be paid, subject to the conditions of the BTEA scheme, until the course is completed even when the customer’s youngest child reaches 14 years of age.

All lone parents on a jobseeker’s allowance or JST payment have access to activation supports from my Department.

JST recipients receive for the first time a one to one meeting with a case officer from my Department who will assist them to produce a personal development plan and guide them towards appropriate education, training and employment opportunities. While the customer is on the JST payment this support is available and is not limited to the 12 month engagement that applies for other jobseekers from their one to one meeting.

Through the JST payment, lone parents with children aged between 7 and 13 years are provided with a very long transition period of seven years within which to engage with the Department’s Intreo service. The aim of this broader support is to improve the individual’s education and employment prospects.

Back to Education Allowance

Ceisteanna (317)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

317. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of making the Student Universal Support Ireland maintenance grant payable with the back to education allowance for lone parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11614/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education. The eligibility rules that govern the payment of a student maintenance grant are a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.

My Department remains committed to supporting lone parents who wish to pursue education and training courses. Given that there is no work conditionality attached to the OFP payment, recipients of the payment can participate in training and education programmes and remain on OFP. The SUSI grant is available to lone parents on OFP and the jobseeker’s transitional payment. The maintenance grant is disregarded for means on the OFP payment.

The back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme remains an attractive scheme for social welfare recipients who wish to further their education. It is open to lone parents to apply for BTEA on return to education and receive a payment equivalent to their OFP. While the SUSI maintenance grant is not payable with BTEA, these students may be considered for the student contribution under the grant.

At the end of April 2016, there were 916 former OFP recipients on BTEA. If all of these qualified for an average SUSI maintenance grant of €4,500 per annum, the cost would be in the region of €4 million per annum.

Invalidity Pension Applications

Ceisteanna (318)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

318. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11627/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 19 February 2016. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on the 20 May 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 319 withdrawn.