Written Answers Nos. 604-626
604. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41724/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 28 September 2016. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 25 January 2017.
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).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
605. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41725/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 17 August 2016. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 18 January 2017.
Arrears of payment due issued to the person on 10 January 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
606. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41726/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis lady has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 6 April 2016. The first payment will be made by her chosen payment method on 1 February 2017.
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).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
607. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41727/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 28th November 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the 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.
608. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41729/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
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.
609. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41730/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 7 September 2016. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 18 January 2017.
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).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
610. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41731/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance from this lady on 22 August 2016.
On 19 December 2016 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
611. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41732/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance (DA) from this man.
On 19 August 2016 the application was referred by a deciding officer (DO) to a social welfare investigative officer (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. The SWI has confirmed that following a meeting on 10 November 2016, some documents are still outstanding. The SWI contacted the person in question on 28 November 2016 to advise that these documents are required in order to complete the means assessment.
Once the SWI has submitted his/her report to the DO, a decision will be made on the application and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
612. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41733/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance appeal of the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 06th December 2016. However, the hearing was adjourned in order to allow the provision of additional information. On receipt of the additional evidence the Appeals Officer will schedule a further 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.
615. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41736/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received in respect of this child on the 26th July 2016. The application was not allowed as it was considered that the child did not meet the eligibility criteria for the allowance. A letter issued on 9th November 2016 outlining the decision in this case.
A request for a review of this decision was received on 16th November 2016. The application will be re-examined by a deciding officer and a revised decision will be made if warranted. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as it is completed. Such reviews can take up to 12 weeks to complete at present.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
616. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason farmers who were in receipt of farm assist and who paid an annual self-employed stamp are not receiving the benefit of that stamp in their contributory pensions for the years 1999 to 2007; his plans to rectify this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41743/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra664. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the anomaly that arises from the exclusion from the class S PRSI charge on self-employed to the farm assist scheme from 1999 to 2006 inclusive, which in turn has resulted in a small number of farmers not having the required number of PRSI contributions to establish entitlement to either a contributory or non-contributory pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1786/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 616 and 664 together.
The farm assist scheme was introduced in 1999 to provide income support for low income farmers. It replaced the former smallholders’ unemployment assistance payment. In line with the then existing arrangements for unemployment assistance (including smallholders) and pre-retirement allowance, the income of farm assist recipients was exempt from class S PRSI for self-employed workers.
Recipients of farm assist who had previously paid Class S social insurance had the option of paying voluntary contributions to maintain their social insurance record, provided they satisfied the qualifying conditions.
Since 1st January 2007, the exemption from class S PRSI has been removed and those receiving jobseeker’s allowance and farm assist are subject to Class S PRSI as self-employed contributors on their self-employed income, provided their annual income is €5,000 or more.
Entitlement to the State pension non-contributory is not based on payment of social insurance contributions. It is available on a means tested basis for lower income pensioners, including farmers, who do not qualify for a contributory pension.
617. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's benefit application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41748/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s benefit (CARB) from the person concerned on 30 November 2016.
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.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum of 15 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.
This application was disallowed on the grounds that person concerned was working outside the home for more than 15 hours per week and accordingly could not be deemed to be providing full-time care and attention.
She was notified on 20 December 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. If you require any further assistance with this query please do not hesitate to contact Philip in my office.
619. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the value of capital investment projects and grants under way or approved for funding by his Department for County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41763/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently no capital investment projects or grants, under way or approved, for funding by my department, for County Wexford.
620. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will allow persons to work up to 66 years of age (details supplied). [41881/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in 2021 and to 68 in 2028.
It is hoped that the majority of workers will continue to work to State pension age, and I can assure the Deputy that neither I nor my Department seek to obstruct this. In fact, abolition of the State pension (transition) removed a disincentive to longer working, as that pension required the recipient to retire from work in order to receive payment. There is no such retirement criterion for the State pension (contributory) or State pension (non-contributory), and there are significant income disregards in the means-test for the latter payment which also encourage longer working while in receipt of a State pension.
The Deputy should note that there is no legally mandated retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for the terms and conditions of employment and pensions of public servants, including the age at which they may be required to retire. I am informed by that Department that the specific compulsory retirement age and minimum pension age provisions which affect individual public servants will reflect their particular employment sector and time of original recruitment.
An interdepartmental group on fuller working lives was chaired last year by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to consider policy around retirement age in both the public and private sectors and it reported in August. Any question regarding the work of that group, and the retirement age of public servants, may be addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
621. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the situation in relation to persons who were self-employed and paid their taxes to the Revenue Commissioners each year, which included an element for PRSI contributions, which allowed them to be eligible for the contributory old age pension but they were not aware that these contributions were building up and they did not apply for their pension on reaching their 66th birthday and subsequently applied and only had their pension backdated for six months resulting in them losing a number of years in pension entitlements to which they had contributed; if he will ensure that persons in this situation can apply for their pension from their 66th birthday at this stage where they have a full entitlement to it based on their contributions; the mechanism he will put in place to notify all persons concerned of their entitlement to a pension coming up to their 66th birthday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41892/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGenerally customers are more likely now than before to have an attachment to the workforce thus ensuring more awareness of their entitlements arising from their PRSI contributions. This, together with my Department’s focus on providing information to the public, ensures that people are more aware than ever of social welfare schemes and entitlements and are more likely to apply on time.
Late claims for the State pension (contributory) may only be backdated for a maximum period of 6 months. Backdating of a late claim beyond 6 months will be considered in circumstances where the failure to claim arose as the result of either incorrect information having been supplied by my Department, or the claimant’s serious incapacity by illness or infirmity. However, my advice to everyone who approaches the age of 66, and who may potentially have an entitlement to a State pension, is to make a claim to my Department, and generally people will do so.
Developments in the administration of contributory pensions in recent years have facilitated customers in making pension application in a timely manner. It is open to anyone to request a copy of their contribution record in order to assess their pension entitlement and request assistance in a number of ways, if needed. Questions about eligibility and conditions can be made by phone, or locally at a customer’s local Intreo Centre, social welfare office or Citizens Information Centre. Queries can also be made using the online enquiry form available on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie or may be sent in writing to Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo.
In addition my Department provides a general information telephone service, where people can get information on the wide range of schemes and services operated by the Department.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
622. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to introduce emergency legislation to prevent solvent companies reneging on their pension obligations (details supplied). [1009/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra624. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding pension schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1094/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra633. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will bring forward legislation to prevent solvent companies ceasing the pension schemes for their employees and former employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1269/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 622, 624 and 633 together.
I am very much aware of the public concern highlighted by the recent publicity surrounding the Independent News and Media (INM) pension scheme.
In considering this matter it is imperative that any potential legislative change should be fully evaluated to ensure that the equilibrium of the pension sector is maintained. Any changes to the Pensions Act that legislatively alters the relationship between a pension scheme and its sponsoring employer could have far reaching implications for pensioners and the pension sector as a whole.
While there are strong arguments for the introduction of greater employer obligations as suggested by the Deputies, it is also the case that certain less desirable side effects may be a consequence. These could include prompting well-funded schemes to wind up to avoid new obligations; threatening a company’s financial stability; rendering some employers insolvent; and/or giving a competitive advantage to employers who either never provided a pension and/or put defined contribution schemes in place.
I would like to assure the Deputies that my Department and the Pensions Authority are closely monitoring developments in the defined benefit sector and keep the need for legislative change under continuous review.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
623. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline all funding announcements made by him or by his Department for projects in County Mayo since January 2015, in tabular form; the details of each project; the status of the project at 31 December 2016; the amount of funding drawn down at 31 December 2016; and the reason for the delay in the project or funding draw down. [1065/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Westport INTREO office was completed in 2015 and officially opened on 26 May, 2015.
|
Project |
Status @ 31/12/2016 |
Funding (2014-2016) |
|
Westport INTREO |
Completed |
€1,011,492 |
625. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost per year for the past three years for the storage and archiving of his Department's files and records at off-site locations by third party companies and at State owned storage facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1127/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s costs in relation to 3rd party off-site storage from 2014 to 2016 are set out in the following table:-
|
Year |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Cost |
€164,393 |
€187,436 |
€121,020 |
These costs relate mainly to document handling and retrieval at the off-site facility. The cost of the facility itself is borne by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The OPW also provides the Department with warehousing space for document storage. This space is funded by the OPW. The only costs incurred by my Department in these locations are some small costs in relation to the utility services (electricity, cleaning, waste, etc.).
626. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for a disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); when a decision will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1174/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance from this lady on 28 October 2016.
On 14 December 2016 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
