Written Answers Nos. 98-105
98. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15168/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my department received an application for carer's allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 22 February 2016. Unfortunately, there are currently delays in the processing of new applications. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working hard to make this happen.
Frequently, delays are outside the control of the Department and are caused by the customer failing to fully complete the claim form or failing to attach the supporting documentation that is requested on the application form.
This application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, the spouse of the person concerned is in receipt of a weekly social welfare support for both of them.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
99. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) following a carer's allowance appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15176/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appeal of the person concerned to the independent social welfare appeals office against a refusal of carer's allowance (CA) has been allowed and the application was awarded on 7 June 2016. The first payment of CA is due to issue to her nominated bank account on 23 June 2016. Any arrears of allowance due (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person concerned was notified of these details on the 7 June 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
100. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15185/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals office by the person concerned against a refusal of carer's allowance (CA) has been allowed and the application was awarded on 7 June 2016. The first payment of CA is due to issue to his nominated post office on 23 June 2016. Any arrears of allowance due (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person concerned was notified of these details on 7 June 2016.
101. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the Bills he will re-initiate relevant to his Department from the previous Dáil; the Bills he will introduce in the coming sessions; when he will introduce each Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15199/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government sets out the key priorities for the Government for its term in office.
There are no Department of Social Protection Bills from the previous Dáil to be re-initiated.
My Department's normal legislative cycle involves the enactment of two or more Social Welfare Bills each year:
- a Bill, usually in December each year, whose primary focus is to implement the social welfare changes announced in the October Budget - it is usual for this Bill to be enacted before the Christmas recess; and
- a Bill, usually in early Summer each year, to provide a legal basis within the social welfare code for policy, administrative and operational changes (and Budget measures, if required) - it is anticipated that any measures of this nature will be included with the Social Welfare Bill incorporating Budget changes.
My Department is also responsible for a number of other areas of legislation including civil registration and occupational and private pensions.
My Department is working closely with the Department of Justice and Equality on the Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill, which provides for the introduction of an entitlement of two weeks paternity leave and the associated social welfare payment of paternity benefit. This Bill is being brought forward as a priority Bill by the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. These provisions are due to be in place from September 2016, as announced in Budget 2016.
Once a Bill has been published it is a matter for the Oireachtas to determine the timing of the Bill through the Houses.
102. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15230/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 31 March 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 7 June 2016 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
103. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the rules as applied by PeoplePoint in his Department, in respect of limiting optical allowance for work usage purposes only (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15266/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
104. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is not eligible for jobseeker's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15304/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to qualify for a Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) payment a person must suffer a loss of employment. The normal level of employment is calculated once at the start of each JB claim and remains for the duration of the claim. The person concerned is a part-time factory worker and her pattern of employment has been calculated at one day per week.
The person concerned applied for JB on 14 March 2016. As the normal level of employment for the person concerned is set at one day, she is not entitled to the benefit as she still works one day or more and has not suffered a loss from her pattern of employment.
The person concerned cannot be classified as a casual employee, as she does not comply with the requirements for that classification. She is classified as a part-time worker.
The person concerned has been advised of her right to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
105. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to recognise the mass killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 as genocide. [15165/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Government has expressed its deepest sympathy for the enormous suffering of the Armenian people during the terrible events of 1915 which resulted in the tragic deaths of very large numbers of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire.
No Irish Government has taken a position on the recognition of the events of 1915 as genocide, believing that it is not in a position to adjudicate on this contentious matter, involving the consideration of a number of legal issues and an assessment of the actions and intentions of many parties during that time. I am aware that statements on these tragic events made in some European countries do refer to genocide. However, the position remains that there is no international consensus and neither the UN nor the EU has adopted a position on this case.
As we in Ireland know well, the process of reconciliation and coming to terms with the past is never easy. I urge both Turkey and Armenia to take advantage of any opportunity for reconciliation between their two peoples.
