Written Answers Nos. 237-248
237. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of contracts that have been signed under the new Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47522/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects that are at contract stage of the new Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47523/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra239. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the bodies responsible for entering into contracts under the new Leader programme; if his Department received legal advice on whether the local community development committees are the appropriate bodies to enter into contracts for projects under Leader; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 239, inclusive, together.
The 20014-2020 LEADER programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been approved for each LAG area.
In the case of 4 LEADER areas under the current programme, the Local Action Group is a Local Development Company. In the other 25 areas, the Local Action Group is a Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), with the Local Authority as the Lead Financial Partner and one or more Local Development Companies operating as the Implementing Partners. My Department understands that the LCDCs have the power to enter into contracts as are necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of their functions.
To date, 429 projects have been fully approved by the LAGs for funding. The approach to the issuing of contracts is a matter for each individual Local Action Group. However, I would expect that most of these projects have already been issued with, or will soon receive, a contract for funding.
My Department does not have details regarding the number of contracts that have been signed at this stage. Information regarding the date that the contract enters into effect is provided by the Local Action Groups when the first claim for payment is made for each individual project.
240. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps undertaken by his Department to reduce the bureaucracy associated with the new Leader programme; the steps taken to monitor the impact of these changes; his views on whether these steps are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47525/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra241. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the operation of the Leader programme will be reviewed; if so, when this review will commence; the consultation process associated with the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47526/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.
LEADER plays a valuable role in supporting rural development and is an important part of the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development. I am committed to implementing the LEADER programme as effectively as possible and to continuously monitoring progress in the delivery of the programme at all levels. In that regard, it became clear earlier this year that project promoters and Local Action Groups had specific concerns regarding the implementation of the programme, including the application process and associated criteria.
In light of those concerns, a forum was held in May with participants from all of the Local Action Groups and the Local Development Companies delivering LEADER. The forum provided a platform to review the operation of the LEADER programme, to explore the administrative issues impacting on project approvals, and to identify potential solutions to the issues identified.
Arising from the forum, my Department identified a series of 31 actions designed to improve programme delivery. Most of the measures have already been introduced, while the remainder are being progressed in collaboration with the Local Action Groups and their Implementing Partners where appropriate.
I am satisfied that these actions are far reaching and will result in very significant changes to the way the programme is delivered, making the application process easier for all concerned. I am regularly updated by my Department regarding the impact of the changes and the level of progress in approving projects under the programme. While the changes need to be given time to take full effect, I am pleased to note that there are now 429 projects approved for LEADER funding of almost €11 million, compared to projects with grant aid of less than €1 million in the first 6 months of the year.
Progress on the delivery of the LEADER Programme was discussed by the Monitoring Committee on the Action Plan for Rural Development at its meeting of 26 October. There was general agreement at that meeting that progress was being made in implementing the actions and that their full effect should be seen in the coming months.
Other mechanisms for reviewing the delivery of the LEADER programme include annual reporting to my Department by each Local Action Group on progress in the delivery of their Local Development Strategies. An evaluation of the LEADER Programme is also provided to the EU Commission each year as part of the Annual Implementation Report on the Rural Development Programme.
242. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47349/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that the Department received an application for Carer's Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 23 June 2017 in respect of her parents.
It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer (DO) decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care and attention was satisfied in respect of her mother.
Carer’s allowance was awarded from 29 June 2017 to the person concerned in respect of her father on 16 September 2017 and the first payment along with arrears due issued to her nominated bank account on 21 September 2017.
The person concerned was notified on 16 September 2017 of these decisions, the reasons for them and of her right of review and appeal.
If the person concerned wants a review of the decision to disallow CA, it is open to her to submit additional evidence to demonstrate the requirement for full time care and attention.
A review can then be processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
Alternatively the person concerned may appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
243. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a charge of €100 for a community organisation in County Donegal that has a Tús participant working in the organisation is a countrywide charge or if this is a charge introduced by a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47352/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware Tús is a community work placement initiative designed to provide short-term, work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The scheme is delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. These are known as Implementing bodies (IB).
There are no specific charges set by the Department for Tús participants on a work placement However the terms and conditions of the Tús scheme do not preclude an Implementing Body from seeking a financial contribution from the community or a placement provider to offset the costs of services delivered or towards the cost of providing equipment and inputs. The arrangements regarding any such contribution remain a matter between the IB and the voluntary groups concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
244. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47366/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received in respect of this child on 21 June 2017. 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 26 October 2017 outlining the decision in this case.
In the case of an application which is refused, the applicant may submit additional information and ask to have the decision reviewed, and/or they may appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The options available have been advised in the decision letter.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
245. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason her Department and Tús do not inform employment support scheme participants of their entitlement to fuel allowance prior to entering such a scheme in view of the fact that, due to a technicality, persons are not given their fuel allowance entitlement if they apply for it after they have started on such a scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47383/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week from October to April, to some 376,000 low income households to assist them with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The fuel allowance scheme is widely advertised. To qualify for a fuel allowance, a jobseeker must satisfy a number of conditions, including being in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance for at least 391 days (time spent on jobseeker's benefit can make up the 391 days). It should be noted that free fuel application forms are issued automatically to jobseekers who reach 391 days of unemployment. Accordingly, the onus is on a jobseeker to apply for the fuel allowance if they consider themselves eligible. Further information on eligibility is available on www.welfare.ie.
Participants on Tús and other employment support schemes can be paid the fuel allowance where they applied for and were awarded the allowance prior to commencing on the scheme and where they satisfy or continue to satisfy the conditions. I would like to reiterate that claimants moving to Tús cannot accrue entitlement to the fuel allowance while on the scheme e.g. a person moving from jobseeker’s allowance with less than 391 days.
However, if there is a change in circumstances e.g. where the Tús participant has an underlying entitlement to fuel allowance, but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving it, if the fuel recipient is no longer residing at the address, then it is open to the Tús participant to apply for the fuel allowance. In these circumstances, the fuel entitlement can be reviewed and awarded provided the participant satisfies all conditions for receipt of fuel allowance.
The guidelines for the fuel allowance scheme are kept under review. Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance to allow persons on Tús to accrue entitlement to the allowance while on the scheme would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
246. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the detail of the family income supplement, FIS, scheme; and the families that are entitled to same. [47385/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFamily Income Supplement (FIS) which was introduced in 1984 is a social welfare payment which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with families. The main provisions are contained in the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended, primarily Part 6, Sections 227 to 233 and in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control Regulations) 2007 to 2017, as amended, primarily Part 6, Articles 172 to 177.
New FIS applications are administered by: Family Income Supplement Section, Department of Social Protection, Government Offices, Ballinalee Road, Longford.
Renewal applications are administered by: Family Income Supplement Section, Department of Social Protection, St Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
The main qualifying conditions are as follows:
- The applicant(s) must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as employee(s) for not less than 38 hours per fortnight
- The applicant(s) must have at least 1 qualified child, who normally resides with them or is part of a family wholly or mainly supported by them
- The weekly family income must be less than a set limit for their family size
There are set income limits for each family size. Family size is determined by the number of qualified children. Weekly family income must be below these set income limits in order for an applicant to qualify.
The current limits are as follows:
|
Family Size |
Weekly Family Income Limit |
Annual Family Income Limit |
|
1 child |
€511.00 |
€26,572.00 |
|
2 children |
€612.00 |
€31,824.00 |
|
3 children |
€713.00 |
€37,076.00 |
|
4 children |
€834.00 |
€43,368.00 |
|
5 children |
€960.00 |
€49,920.00 |
|
6 children |
€1,076.00 |
€55,952.00 |
|
7 children |
€1,212.00 |
€63,024.00 |
|
8 children |
€1,308.00 |
€68,016.00 |
Further information is available on the Welfare.ie website and the Citizens Information Board website.
247. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if contribution records requested by Deputies on behalf of persons who have no broadband or who are not familiar with computers will continue to issue to persons in the interest of equality and fairness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47391/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is committed to providing a contribution record statement to all customers who require one and will provide this in written copy by phone request in the case of customers who are not in a position to use the online facility. However, the main facility for accessing social insurance contribution statements is now online, via the MyWelfare.ie application. This service was introduced on 27 January 2017; and details of how to register are available at: https://www.mygovid.ie/en-IE/GettingStarted/ .
The online application has been designed to ensure that all customers can access their records directly and conveniently; and do so in a much shorter timeframe than was previously possible. Registering for MyWelfare.ie also enables a customer to apply online for payments including jobseeker's and maternity/paternity benefit; to close claims for payments, to make appointments, view claims and benefits information; update their address and to request payment statements.
Some 800/850 customers per week currently engage successfully with the service to request copies of their record; and this number is increasing on a month-by-month basis.
The new service is an efficient and secure service and also allows for the automated processing of requests, which as you will understand, allows the Department to concentrate its resources on maintaining and updating social insurance records for customers.
As set out at the outset, any customer who has a difficulty engaging with the MyWelfare service can contact the Department’s customer service team on 1890 690 690 or 01 4715898 for assistance. The customer service team is available to assist from 9am to 5pm and is also open during lunchtime.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be reached in the case of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47423/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 9 March 2017. Shortly after the oral hearing the Appeals Officer dealing with this case became ill and was absent on long term sick leave. The case was referred to another Appeals Officer who decided in the interest of fairness to convene a further oral hearing which took place on 2 August 2017.
However, due to the complex nature of this case the Appeals Officer is still considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The Appeals Officer hopes to be in a position to make a decision within the next two weeks and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and 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.
