Written Answers Nos. 163-74
163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a back to education allowance will be made available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27984/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) in 2015 when she completed a course at FETAC level 5. This year she applied for BTEA in respect of another FETAC level 5 programme. This application was refused as it is not considered progression in accordance with the guidelines for BTEA. The application was also reviewed by a case officer to determine if the proposed course was in line her personal progression plan and activation needs. The case officer did not recommend payment of the allowance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears of rent from July 2016 are likely to be paid pending approval of a housing assistance payment, HAP, in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27986/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe client concerned has been requested to provide an up to date lease agreement confirming rent increase to €1200 per month and payslips outlining his daughter’s current income from employment.
The Deputy will also be aware that the Department has been in contact with representatives from his Constituency Office in relation to outstanding documentation required from the client concerned.
This documentation has not been received to date. On receipt of same, the clients rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be accurately re-assessed.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number will be issued in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27987/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Personal Public Service (PPS) Number is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies.
Before a PPS Number can be allocated, the person making the application must provide evidence of identity, and demonstrate the reason why s/he requires the allocation of a PPS Number. PPS Numbers are issued by the Department following checks on an individual’s identity. In addition, acceptable evidence of address must be provided. The process of allocating a PPS Number includes the capture of a photograph and signature. Photographs captured are compared with other photographs previously captured in order to detect any possible duplicates.
In order to have a PPS Number allocated, the person concerned should contact the PPS Number allocation centre for Kildare at Moorefield Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare, (045) 491500, and make an appointment for a PPS Number allocation.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
166. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for a back to work allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27989/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to the records of this Department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for the back to work enterprise allowance scheme (BTWEA). It is open to the person concerned to contact the Departments Employment Services in Maynooth, to arrange an appointment with a case officer in order to initiate the application process.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
167. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a disability allowance will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27992/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 10 August 2016. The first payment will be made by her chosen payment method on 5 October 2016.
Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable).
169. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in 2017 of restoring the young persons jobseeker's allowance rates of €100 and €150 per week to the standard rate of JSA. [28029/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraReduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 and Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates to recipients under 26 years of age. The reduced €100 rate of jobseeker's allowance applies to persons without children up to age 24 and the reduced €144 rate of jobseeker's allowance applies to persons without children who reach the age of 25. If a young jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s allowance scheme of €2.45 billion.
The full year cost of increasing the rate of jobseeker’s allowance paid to recipients under 26 years of age to the maximum rate of €188 per week is estimated at €128.4 million in 2017. This cost includes increasing the rate of Supplementary Welfare allowance for recipients under 26 years of age to the maximum weekly rate of €186 per week and increasing the €160 Back to Education allowance rate to the max rate of €188 per week.
However, this does not include the additional cost that would be incurred of paying the full weekly rate of €188 to under 26s who are on other relevant education and training schemes, that fall under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills and are currently receiving €160 per week.
170. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a number of issues (details supplied); if price and odds increase restrictions apply to the national lottery agreement with Premier Lotteries; the increases in the cost of playing the lotto, lotto plus, EuroMillions, EuroMillions Plus, Daily Millions and Daily Millions Plus since administration of these games was privatised; the amounts being allocated to charitable causes before and after privatisation; the total jackpot amounts being paid out before and after privatisation; the profits or otherwise made by Premier Lotteries since assuming administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27938/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the National Lottery Act 2013, any price increase in National Lottery tickets is a matter for decision by the operator of the National Lottery, while any change to the scheme of a National Lottery game must be approved by the National Lottery Regulator, who acts independently in the discharge of his functions.
Under the legislation, the operator decides on the prizes to be given, subject to the prizes distributed in any given year being at least 50% of the total sales revenue received by the operator in respect of National Lottery tickets in that year.
The following are the amounts that have been transferred from the National Lottery Fund to the Exchequer for each year for good causes:
2008: €265m
2009: €275m
2010: €250m
2011: €230m
2012: €220m
2013: €210m
2014 (Old Licence): €170m it is anticipated that a further €24m will be transferred to the Exchequer in respect of unclaimed prizes amount and transition costs that did not arise
2014 (New Licence): €8m - representing less than 3 weeks under the new Licence due to timing of receipts and payments
2015: €193m
2016 (up to August): €141m
In addition, a fee of €405m was received into the Exchequer for the National Lottery licence in 2014.
In the 18 months pre and post transition to the new licence holder, Premier Lotteries Ireland Ltd (PLI), the lottery jackpot information is as follows: 25 jackpots in the 18 months prior, highest being €12.2m; 20 jackpots in the 18 months post, highest being €13.8m.
The 2015 accounts of PLI have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and are published on the Oireachtas website.
171. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the application of the 10% reduction to new entrants in the public service is being applied by his Department to non-new entrants irrespective of previous service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27803/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on foot of terms set out in Circular 18/2010, had been applying the 10 % reduction in pay rates and fixed term allowances to persons recruited at entry grades to the department from 1 January 2011 onwards. I can confirm that this was not applied to staff recruited at entry grades after 1 January 2011 with previous reckonable service.
The current position is that this circular was superseded by Circular 2/2014 which provided for the Implementation of Clause 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement, whereby, the Government provided for an agreed process for the amalgamation of pay scales to address any imbalance in pay scales between those who entered the public service as new entrants after January 2011 with those applying to public servants before January 2011.
The revised scales provide for assimilation of new entrant public servants to a single applicable scale to each grade and represent a significant redressing of any imbalance particularly in the context of the savings required under the Haddington Road Agreement. These revised scales have been implemented in this Department since 1 November 2013.
172. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform , further to Parliamentary Question No. 918 of 16 September 2016, his plans for a building (details supplied); if he will invest funding to restore the building due to its historic value and position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27873/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that they have been in discussion with Louth County Council in relation to the condition of Westgate House. The Council has agreed to redecorate the façade of the building.
The future use of the property is currently being considered in line with OPW stated policy and, upon completion of this review, the issue of the restoration of the building will be addressed.
173. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reasoning behind his Department’s decision not to honour the December 2015 agreement reached between the Department of Health, the HSE and the nursing unions; his views on the fact that this has created a significant anomaly whereby 2016 graduates are earning more than those who graduated in the previous five years; and his further views on the fact that this anomaly is contributing to recruitment and retention difficulties with nurses and a resultant high agency nurse bill. [27897/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncremental credit for the 36 week clinical placement undertaken by 4th Year Student Nurses was abolished by the then Government in December 2010 as part of a range of measures aimed at reducing the public service pay bill. In the context of the Lansdowne Road Agreement it was agreed between management and unions that the issue of the 36 week incremental credit would be examined in relation to nurse/midwifery recruitment and retention. On conclusion of this process and deliberations with the Department of Health my Department agreed to sanction the restoration of incremental credit for the trainees currently on placement or who would in the future be assigned a placement. However the sanction also stated that the question of extending sanction to post 2011 nurses not in receipt of such credit may be reviewed on foot of consideration of whether the sanction granted would result in an increase in recruitment and retention rates of trainee nurses in 2016 and 2017.
174. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if funding will be made available to address a flooding threat at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27923/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a matter for Kerry County Council (KCC) in the first instance to investigate and address issues of coastal protection and flooding at the location indicated. If, following assessment, KCC can identify any economically and environmentally viable measures to address the flooding problem at this location, it is open to the Council to undertake any required remedial works using its own resources. Alternatively, if necessary, it may apply for funding to carry out proposed works under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding for flood risk management. Application forms and related guidelines are available on the OPW website under Flood Risk Management. http://www.opw.ie/en/floodriskmanagement/operations/minorfloodworkscoastalprotectionscheme/.
I can confirm that there is no current application from the Council for funding to undertake works at this location at this point in time.
