Written Answers Nos. 252-273
252. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if councils should proceed with traditional build social housing in order to ensure there are no delays with regard to councils that are awaiting details of the rapid delivery procurement procedures before they proceed with housing plans on specific sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35918/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll local authorities have active programmes of new social housing construction through standard construction approaches. This includes those authorities who are also undertaking rapid build social housing programmes.
Since the launch of the Social Housing Strategy, and continuing with the increased targets announced under Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a substantial pipeline of standard-build construction units is now in place for all local authorities. The rapid build housing programme is adding to this pipeline, but standard-build social housing projects will continue to be advanced across all local authorities.
In that regard, our efforts to significantly ramp up social housing construction nationally are taking effect. In 2015, only 74 units were constructed by local authorities. In 2016, the construction of over 1,400 new social housing units will start or have already started on site and more than 3,000 additional units are scheduled to start on site in 2017. In addition, we will continue to use other streams for early social housing delivery, such as acquisitions, remediation, turn-key developments and long-term leasing.
253. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of money that has been available for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to draw down and the amount that has been drawn down for capital spending on Traveller accommodation over each of the years 2011 to 2015 and to date in 2016; and the way these figures compare with all other councils across the country. [35919/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
The first three TAPs covered the periods 2000-2004, 2005-2008 and 2009-2013. Local authorities adopted the fourth and current round of TAPs in April 2014, with the five-year rolling programmes running from 2014 to 2018. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for Traveller accommodation. Local authorities submit proposals for individual Traveller-specific projects and developments which are assessed on a case-by-case basis in my Department in advance of allocations being made.
The capital allocations and amounts recouped to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the totals for all City and County Councils nationally in respect of Traveller-specific accommodation for the years 2011 to 2015 and to date in 2016 are set out in the following tables.
The allocations and recoupment profiles for capital Traveller accommodation projects can vary across local authorities given the local priorities, circumstances and project timelines as set out in the local TAPs. Also, where it is likely that an allocation to a local authority may be unspent or under-spent, my Department engages with local authorities to re-allocate the funding in order to ensure that drawdown is maximised. Typically. the bulk of expenditure occurs in the last quarter of the year, having regard to lead in times for planning, design and construction of capital projects. As regards the drawdown of 2016 funding, my Department has been in contact recently with the relevant local authorities, including Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. regarding the drawdown of the funding. The position will continue to be monitored closely by my Department over the coming weeks.
|
Allocation 2011 € |
Allocation 2012 € |
Allocation 2013 € |
Allocation 2014 € |
Allocation 2015 € |
Allocation 2016 € |
|
|
Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown County Council |
750,000 |
313,150 |
160,000 |
8,793 |
0 |
419,095 |
|
All City and County Councils (incl. DLR Co Co) |
15,000,000 |
6,000,000 |
4,000,000 |
3,000,000 |
4,300,000 |
5,500,000 |
|
Recouped 2011 € |
Recouped 2012 € |
Recouped 2013 € |
Recouped 2014 € |
Recouped 2015 € |
Recouped to date in 2016 € |
|
|
Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown County Council |
330,349 |
155,051 |
204,352 |
23,986 |
1,592,429 |
59,262 |
|
All City and County Councils (incl. DLR Co Co) |
9,314,910 |
4,000,000 |
4,142,933 |
3,163,688 |
4,129,630 |
2,386,164 |
254. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the arrangements made for ex gratia or other payments to workers made redundant in the process relating to the termination in 2015 of the local and community development programme and its replacement by the social inclusion and community activation programme; the number of workers included in the payment scheme; the body by which payments were made; the authority used to make payments; the funds from which payments were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35937/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) was the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. LCDP was implemented by Local Development Companies until 31 March 2015 when it was replaced by the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), which was rolled out across communities following a procurement process.
My Department considered the impact following the outcome of the competitive process for the new SICAP Programme, with regard to the network of Local Development Companies (LDCs). It should be noted that my Department has no role in the internal operations of LDCs, which are independent limited companies, and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment matters, which are for the Board of each company, as the employer, to manage. Each funding Department is responsible for its own funding and contractual arrangements with the LDCs.
That said, in the past, my Department has, under certain circumstances, supported organisations to ensure that statutory redundancy payments have been made available to cushion the impact of job losses occurring as a result of reductions or cessation in funding for a particular activity or company. During 2015, Ministerial approval was granted for the amendment of the LCDP financial guidelines to allow for certain redundancy costs to be charged to LCDP funding, subject to written agreement to the limits of spend. The total number of employees who benefited from the scheme amounted to 66 employees, which equated to 52 Full Time Equivalents. A limit was set of statutory payments plus an additional 1.5 weeks, subject to a cap of €40,000 per person.
Pobal managed the process on behalf of my Department, including acting as the paying authority, commensurate with its contractual role in LCDP. It also engaged with stakeholders on mechanisms to address some of the issues and concerns in terms of business continuity, and due diligence etc., to achieve an orderly closure of LCDP, within a workable timeframe, commensurate with the need to observe EU procurement rules. The process has concluded.
255. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of applications that have been refused for injury warrants under the Superannuation Acts since 1995 within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35984/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has no record of any injury warrant applications under the Superannuation Acts since 1995.
256. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of offers of social housing supports made to approved applicants for social housing which were refused by the applicants for each of the past five years. [35999/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold information on the allocation of, or refusal of offers of, social housing supports to households on the waiting list. The allocation of social housing support is a matter for each housing authority in accordance with its allocation scheme made under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and, as Minister, I am precluded by law from intervening in individual housing cases.
I am aware of the impact refusals of housing support can have on the efficient administration of the social housing support system. Choice-Based Letting (CBL) is a system that allocates social housing in a more efficient manner and also offers more choice and involvement for applicant households in selecting a new home, thereby reducing the likelihood of refusals. Local authorities that have introduced CBL over recent years have seen a significant reduction in their refusal rates.
Accordingly on 30 September 2016, in line with a commitment in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, I introduced the Social Housing Allocation (Amendment) Regulations 2016. These Regulations were made under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and amend the Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011 to require that each housing authority must provide for a CBL procedure in their allocation schemes no later than 31 December 2016.
257. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of homes that have been remediated under the pyrite remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36092/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra258. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for homes that are affected by pyrite but which have been left out of the current remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36093/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra259. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to extend and expand the pyrite remediation scheme for homes that failed to reach the high thresholds set down under the previous Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36094/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 257 to 259, inclusive, together.
The latest figures available from the Pyrite Resolution Board indicate that 1,409 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme, of which 1,064 have been approved for inclusion in the scheme as follows:
- 271 are at remedial works planning stage,
- 41 are at tender-tender analysis,
- 35 are at tender decision,
- 241 are under remediation, and
- 476 are complete.
The Pyrite Resolution Board have indicated that applications have been received from 45 developments containing multiple applications, 27 developments with only one application, and 36 single site applications.
The Report of the Pyrite Panel (June 2012) recommended a categorisation system as a means of prioritising pyrite remediation works in recognition of the expensive and intrusive nature of pyrite remediation and the unpredictability of pyritic heave. The independent Pyrite Panel was clear in its view that only dwellings with significant damage due to pyritic heave should be remediated and that it would be unreasonable to expect dwellings not exhibiting such damage to be remediated. Dwellings which have no significant damage but have reactive pyrite in the hardcore should be monitored and only remediated if they display significant damage due to pyritic heave. This remains the position with regard to dwellings which do not display significant pyritic damage.
The relevant provisions of Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 and the eligibility criteria of the pyrite remediation scheme are reflective of the conclusions and recommendations of Panel’s report. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material - Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. It is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2.
There is no sunset provision in the Act. Where a dwelling, which has a Damage Condition Rating of 1 and is currently not eligible under the scheme, progresses to a Damage Condition Rating of 2, an application can be made at that point in time for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme.
260. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will examine an anomaly under the tenant incremental purchase scheme to determine if a person's (details supplied) carer's allowance and other social protection payments can be considered part of their weekly income; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that carer's allowance is taken into account when deciding the amount of rent to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36113/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came in to operation on 1 January 2016 and offers eligible local authority tenants the opportunity to buy their homes. To be eligible for the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme, tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum. This is in order to ensure that they are in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the Scheme is determined by the relevant housing authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, housing authorities can include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income. At present, as set out in the Ministerial direction on reckonable income, the Scheme does not cover those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government and reaffirmed in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, it is intended that a review of the Scheme will be undertaken in January 2017 following the first 12 months of operation and any changes to the terms and conditions of the scheme which are considered necessary based on the evidence gathered at that stage will be brought forward.
261. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will instruct the Pyrite Resolution Board to amend the pyrite remediation scheme to make available expenses for storage and accommodation in advance of homeowners moving out for the remediation period, to facilitate organising deposits and up-front payments without having to apply for a social protection payment or put themselves through unnecessary hardship. [36115/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pyrite Resolution Board, with the support of the Housing Agency, is responsible for making and overseeing the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme.
In accordance with the provisions of the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013, the Board is independent in the performance of its functions, and as Minister, I have no role in the operational matters pertaining to the implementation of the scheme. The Board may be contacted by telephone at LoCall 1890 252 842 or by email at info@pyriteboard.ie.
Notwithstanding the above, the pyrite remediation scheme provides for the recoupment by scheme participants of the vouched cost of alternative accommodation, furniture removal and storage subject to limits of €3,000 and €2,500 (inclusive of VAT), respectively. In addition, the scheme already provides that earlier payment in part or in whole may be made where a scheme participant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Housing Agency that payment of these costs on completion of the works would cause financial hardship.
In this regard, I am satisfied that the scheme provides the necessary flexibility to enable advance payments to be made to scheme participants in respect of alternative accommodation and the removal and storage of furniture where the case for financial hardship has been made to the satisfaction of the Housing Agency.
262. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address problems with the centralised tender for book supplies to public libraries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36190/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of public library services is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the procurement of books and other library related services. My Department has no direct role in these matters.
I understand that the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is currently working with the Educational Procurement Service (EPS) on a collaborative engagement for book stock procurement under the new Office of Government Procurement centralised model. In this context, a public library stock tender was published on 21 October 2016. The tender is being managed by the EPS on behalf of the LGMA and it is expected that a national framework will be in place for January 2017.
A national tender was considered the most appropriate approach to securing the best outcome for the public library service in terms of stock ordering and servicing. In this regard, the tender seeks to deliver greater efficiencies and value-for-money for public libraries, maximising the cost-effectiveness of resource expenditure, increasing purchasing power and getting the best choice of material. While the tender process complies fully with public procurement requirements, and will deliver a more cost effective service, the LGMA is confident that the publication of the tender in six lots will guarantee an equitable process for all suppliers and will yield very competitive tenders from Irish suppliers.
263. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if a Brexit sub-committee has been established in his Department; if so, when the sub-committee was convened; the number of times the sub-committee has met; the number of members on the sub-committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36203/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not established a Brexit sub Committee but a Brexit coordinator has been appointed to manage any impacts of Brexit on the business of the Department and to liaise with the Departments of An Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade. My Department is also represented on the Inter-Departmental Group on EU-UK Affairs.
Ireland's preparations for Brexit are being strongly co-ordinated from the centre of Government through the Brexit Cabinet Committee chaired by An Taoiseach. In all negotiations the Government will strive to ensure that the best possible outcomes will be achieved for our citizens, for the economy, for Northern Ireland and for the Common Travel Area. We continue to outline these priority issues at all of our meetings with EU counterparts at both official and political level.
264. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of vacant sites, properties and land owned by his Department or by bodies and agencies under the aegis of his Department, in the Dublin City Council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36220/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not own any vacant sites, property or land in the functional area of Dublin City Council.
The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is as below:
|
Agency |
E-mail Address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Irish Water Safety |
oireachtas@iws.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Pobal |
oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie |
265. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will include figures provided from Tusla of adults and children in domestic violence refuges in his Department's monthly homeless reports. [36271/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the provision, funding and oversight of services to support victims of domestic violence, including refuges, rests with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, under the aegis of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
The official monthly homeless data published by my Department is provided by housing authorities via the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on the homeless emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. It therefore captures details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities only. It does not include clients of domestic violence refuges, and any relevant data compilation and management in relation to those clients is a matter for Tusla in the first instance.
266. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he will set up the review into the local authority commercial rates and valuation system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36357/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001-2015. The Commissioner of Valuation comes under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.
The principle of local authorities levying rates based on an independent valuation is well established and I have no plans to change this. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a consolidated Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. I hope to bring proposals to Government in this regard shortly.
267. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the circumstances in which a recipient of jobseeker's payment and jobseeker's benefit would fail or have a sanction of reduced payment applied against them; if there has been any recent changes to those circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36330/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative employment. It is a fundamental qualifying condition for these schemes that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work as well as being fully unemployed for at least four in any seven consecutive days. In the case of jobseeker’s benefit, they must also satisfy social insurance contribution and substantial loss of employment conditionality. In the case of jobseeker’s allowance they must satisfy a means test. Claimants are also required to comply with activation measures.
Generally, entitlement under the schemes is withdrawn as a result of failure on the part of a claimant to satisfy fundamental scheme criteria. Consistent with the objective of operating the schemes efficiently and effectively such withdrawals may be temporary in nature or a full disallowance may be imposed depending on the circumstances of an individual case.
Where a person fails, without good cause to comply with activation measures, they may have their personal rate reduced. The normal rate of payment may be reinstated at any time if the jobseeker complies with activation measures. In July 2013, new legal provisions introduced a 9 week disqualification from payment after 3 weeks on a reduced Penalty Rate, for continued failure to engage with activation measures and extended the sanctions to prescribed employment programmes (Community Employment) and education courses. No further changes to the Penalty Rate provisions have been made since then.
268. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount of money paid out under the humanitarian assistance scheme per annum from 2010 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35729/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra269. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting times for payment under the humanitarian assistance scheme in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35730/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together.
The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding.
The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to prevent hardship by providing income tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair.
Expenditure under the scheme since 2010 is some €5.3 million and a yearly breakdown of this expenditure is provided in the tabular statement. There was expenditure of €1.8 million to assist householders affected following the flooding last winter, which was the wettest winter ever recorded in Ireland.
Following a severe weather event staff, in my Department’s Community Welfare Service, closely monitor the situation on the ground and engage with the relevant local authorities and other agencies to ensure supports are provided to those affected as swiftly as possible. Emergency income support payments to cover essential items such as food, clothing and personal items are quickly issued in the immediate aftermath of the event. Financial supports towards the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items may take longer as it is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes will become known. The longer term financial support covers necessary remedial works and can include plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting. It could take several months before this final stage of the response is completed. Statistics are not maintained on the average waiting times for payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Expenditure under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme 2010 - 2015
|
Year |
Outturn €000 |
|
2010 |
1,045 |
|
2011 |
1 |
|
2012 |
714 |
|
2013 |
118 |
|
2014 |
1,189 |
|
2015 |
233 |
|
2016 estimated outturn |
€1,800 |
270. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing a carer's benefit application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35742/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. It is payable for a maximum of 104 weeks for each person being cared for.
CARB was awarded to the person concerned for 85 weeks from 18 July 2013 to 4 March 2015.
She re-applied for the balance of 19 weeks and was awarded on 10 November 2016 with effect from 4 August 2016. Payment will continue until 14 December 2016 when her benefit will be exhausted as she will have claimed the maximum entitlement of 104 weeks.
My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 18 October 2016. The application is currently being processed and should be completed before her CARB ceases. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
271. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the results of a survey (details supplied); and his views regarding the effects of cuts in recent years to disability payments, supports and services on the mental health of persons in receipt of disability allowance. [35762/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall objective of the 2015 Disability Allowance Survey was to inform the design of supports and interventions which will assist people in receipt of the allowance to participate in the labour force according to their capacity. In doing so, the survey explored the work experience and ambitions of disability allowance (DA) recipients.
The survey found that 13% of DA recipients are currently working (part-time or full-time) while 31% had never worked. 56% of respondents stated they had previously worked (full-time or part-time) but were not currently working. The survey also asked those who are not currently working to give an indication of their employment ambitions given the right supports. Of those who completed this question, 35% expressed an interest in working part time, while 8% expressed an interest in full time employment.
The survey, undertaken as part of my Department’s commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES), also explores disability allowance recipients’ experience and ambitions in four key areas: education level and ambitions; work experience and ambitions; supports which would be helpful to achieve employment ambitions and barriers to achieving employment ambitions. In addition, the survey explores recipients’ self-declared health status. The survey will provide considerable assistance to my Department and the Comprehensive Employment strategy overall in the management and development of supports and services to help persons with disabilities find and maintain employment where this is appropriate and voluntary.
The CSO survey of income and living conditions estimated that payments to people with disabilities reduced the pre-transfer risk of poverty rate from 80% to 15% showing the effectiveness of the social protection system both in terms of its adequacy and coverage. In Budget 2017, I increased the rate of payment for those in receipt of disability and illness related payments by €5 per week, with proportionate increases for qualified adults.
272. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the schemes available to help a person who is in part-time employment and wishes to start their own business but retain their part-time job; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35765/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates two schemes providing financial and business assistance for people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed - the Short Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA). The STEA provides immediate access to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as their entitlement to jobseekers benefit.
The BTWEA is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years. Following the announcement in the 2017 Budget, BTWEA will now be available to jobseekers after a reduced duration of 9 months.
Under both schemes, those taking up self-employment must first have their self-employment project approved as viable and sustainable. The proposed business/project must be approved in advance by a Local Development Company (LDC) or a case officer of the Department.
The BTWEA is not available to persons already in employment or undertaking formal education as the scheme participants should be dedicating all of their time to the new enterprise. The case officer or LDC must be satisfied that the self-employment venture will be full-time and sustainable into the future.
It should also be noted that other business supports for people considering starting their own business, who are not eligible for the BTWEA or the STEA, are available from LDCs under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme or from the Local Enterprise Offices.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
273. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a decision in respect of an FIS payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35768/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe family income supplement (FIS) claim of the person in question was due for renewal from 14 September 2016. The information supplied with the renewal claim evidenced that the person concerned was not working the required number of hours per week in order to re-qualify for FIS so the renewal claim was disallowed by a deciding officer (DO).
The person concerned appealed that decision to the social welfare appeals office on 10 October 2016 enclosing a letter from her employer, dated 5 October 2016, which stated that the lady in question was working the 19 hours per week as required for eligibility for FIS. That additional information was sent to a DO in FIS section and, as a direct result, FIS was awarded on 17 November 2016 to the person concerned at the rate appropriate to their income and family size.
Payment of FIS, including arrears, has issued to the person by their chosen payment method.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
