Written Answers Nos. 471-486
471. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of households availing of family income supplement in each of the years 2008 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by county, in tabular form. [47945/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
Recipients of Family Income Supplement by county yearly at end December 2008 to 2016 and end October 2017
|
County |
October 2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
2008 |
|
Carlow |
960 |
984 |
920 |
859 |
744 |
584 |
502 |
509 |
445 |
476 |
|
Cavan |
1,264 |
1,267 |
1,234 |
1,153 |
965 |
710 |
615 |
584 |
520 |
530 |
|
Clare |
1,261 |
1,313 |
1,280 |
1,181 |
1,028 |
763 |
736 |
711 |
670 |
680 |
|
Cork |
5,974 |
6,110 |
6,039 |
5,354 |
4,683 |
3,372 |
3,016 |
2,959 |
2,709 |
2,856 |
|
Donegal |
2,790 |
2,676 |
2,511 |
2,307 |
2,048 |
1,564 |
1,372 |
1,383 |
1,297 |
1,523 |
|
Dublin |
13,349 |
13,569 |
13,351 |
11,917 |
10,281 |
7,397 |
6,586 |
6,470 |
5,871 |
6,185 |
|
Galway |
2,652 |
2,761 |
2,675 |
2,357 |
2,090 |
1,535 |
1,360 |
1,343 |
1,196 |
1,310 |
|
Kerry |
1,745 |
1,717 |
1,592 |
1,433 |
1,326 |
972 |
873 |
883 |
873 |
981 |
|
Kildare |
2,395 |
2,388 |
2,386 |
2,205 |
1,873 |
1,356 |
1,159 |
1,070 |
986 |
963 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,001 |
980 |
899 |
798 |
696 |
514 |
455 |
430 |
386 |
425 |
|
Laois |
1,074 |
1,046 |
967 |
870 |
766 |
557 |
529 |
527 |
453 |
462 |
|
Leitrim |
400 |
383 |
395 |
339 |
291 |
214 |
190 |
187 |
177 |
198 |
|
Limerick |
2,425 |
2,463 |
2,350 |
2,095 |
1,889 |
1,377 |
1,284 |
1,290 |
1,203 |
1,454 |
|
Longford |
790 |
801 |
721 |
666 |
604 |
446 |
393 |
396 |
379 |
378 |
|
Louth |
2,150 |
2,193 |
2,084 |
1,872 |
1,647 |
1,159 |
1,086 |
1,063 |
993 |
1,050 |
|
Mayo |
1,595 |
1,626 |
1,568 |
1,486 |
1,366 |
992 |
910 |
914 |
845 |
909 |
|
Meath |
2,226 |
2,311 |
2,285 |
2,044 |
1,725 |
1,191 |
1,027 |
928 |
823 |
759 |
|
Monaghan |
1,118 |
1,132 |
1,073 |
956 |
842 |
631 |
556 |
513 |
454 |
519 |
|
Offaly |
1,097 |
1,085 |
1,049 |
935 |
868 |
637 |
591 |
580 |
520 |
521 |
|
Roscommon |
744 |
708 |
723 |
665 |
609 |
480 |
414 |
418 |
354 |
388 |
|
Sligo |
751 |
761 |
748 |
674 |
594 |
479 |
438 |
423 |
416 |
434 |
|
Tipperary |
2,142 |
2,171 |
2,175 |
1,969 |
1,785 |
1,353 |
1,247 |
1,227 |
1,194 |
1,248 |
|
Waterford |
1,863 |
1,828 |
1,810 |
1,641 |
1,409 |
1,011 |
936 |
938 |
916 |
991 |
|
Westmeath |
1,249 |
1,247 |
1,224 |
1,094 |
983 |
766 |
651 |
617 |
512 |
583 |
|
Wexford |
2,397 |
2,447 |
2,273 |
2,029 |
1,851 |
1,395 |
1,214 |
1,172 |
1,152 |
1,300 |
|
Wicklow |
1,486 |
1,478 |
1,442 |
1,282 |
1,073 |
770 |
665 |
628 |
568 |
627 |
|
Others |
127 |
122 |
139 |
125 |
123 |
82 |
71 |
60 |
51 |
48 |
472. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of rent supplement tenancies expected in Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council in timeframes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48010/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 36,200 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017.
The Deputy may be aware the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support following the nationwide rollout of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. There are currently over 29,000 HAP tenancies in place of which c. 8,360 (c. 30%) are direct transfers from rent supplement. In addition to the ongoing transfer of long-term rent supplement recipients to HAP, the majority of new applicants seeking State support towards their rent are supported by Local Authorities through HAP rather than rent supplement. The strategic goal as set out in Rebuilding Ireland is to transfer all long-term tenancies from rent supplement to HAP by 2020.
Rent supplement’s forecast recipient base considers inter alia the impact of HAP; on-going transfers of rent supplement tenancies to other social housing options; and the general improvement in the macroeconomic environment. Based on current transfer performance and on-going trends for the scheme, County Dublin’s expected rent supplement decline for 2018 will be in the region of 5,400, a 31% reduction of the current Dublin base of c. 17,000 recipients; the decline expected is approximately 450 per month, 1,350 per quarter. This trend is expected to continue through 2019, though dependent on Local Authorities continuing to provide exit opportunities for long term rent supplement tenancies and economic conditions prevailing. The provision of this information on an individual Local Authority basis is not available.
473. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the points raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48014/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) and Tús and the Back to Education Allowance are part of my Department’s range of programmes and schemes catering for unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. The purpose of all of these schemes is to improve someone’s opportunities of returning to the labour market or getting a job for the first time. Schemes like CE and Tús provide part-time work experience and training opportunities in local communities as a stepping stone back to employment for people on a range of social welfare payments, including those on long-term unemployment payments. However, placements on these schemes are not full-time sustainable jobs.
Participation limits are set on these schemes to allow for the maximum utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons, to ensure the benefit of the work experience placement is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. In addition, it is generally recognised that there is a greater likelihood of a ‘lock–in’ effect where a scheme is of a longer duration.
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a scheme that allows persons in receipt of long-term social welfare payments the opportunity to pursue a course of study and receive income support subject to satisfying a number of conditions.
A BTEA participant whose eligibility is based on jobseekers, transitional jobseekers or one parent family payments who engage in part-time work will be assessed in accordance with the rules of their primary payment. Participants on BTEA can work during the summer months and recommence on the scheme at the beginning of the next academic year once they continue to maintain an entitlement to an underlying scheme. The BTEA conditions were reviewed and updated following a review of all employment and educational supports schemes in 2012 The BTEA was never intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. The student universal support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education.
With the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, issues such as the number of places and the criteria for participation on all activation schemes will be kept under review by my Department to ensure the best outcome for participants.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
474. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48025/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 31 October 2017, 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.
475. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48039/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed, including those working part time and those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed, to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. In the case of part-time employed customers there will be a focus on options or opportunities to increase the level of employment either in their current role or looking at possibilities in other areas, which may also involve some training, but could provide a more sustainable income and a move away from jobseekers payments. My officials have made enquiries regarding the issues raised with the provider and I will respond directly to the Deputy shortly.
476. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1218 of 7 November 2017, the steps in relation to text messages that are generated on her Department's internal systems that are relayed through a company's (details supplied) network via a direct link for onward transmission; if during that process information is transmitted to a phone network or server outside of this jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48042/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe routing of SMS text messages generated by my Department and submitted to the Vodafone Ireland network follows the same path that any SMS text might follow. From the outset, I should say that details of how all mobile phone service providers route their texts to destination addresses, in-state or internationally, is not information that my Department has or is responsible for. The information provided to my Department by Vodafone Ireland is as follows: for recipients located in Ireland using an Irish operator, all Vodafone customers’ texts stay within Ireland using Vodafone Ireland’s network platform. Non-Vodafone customers’ texts are passed to the Vodafone Ireland network platform and then onto the recipient’s network. How and where they are routed thereafter is determined by the recipient’s operator but it is a fair assumption that all major Irish operators keep their network platforms in Ireland.
For recipients located abroad using an Irish operator, texts are passed to Vodafone Ireland’s network platform domestically and then delivered onto whatever roaming network the recipient may be on. For Vodafone customers, this will be the Vodafone network platform in the country they are in or, where Vodafone does not have a network platform, Vodafone’s roaming partner of choice. For non-Vodafone customers, it depends entirely on their operator’s routing rules.
For recipients located in Ireland using non-Irish operators, texts are passed to Vodafone Ireland who will then send it to the foreign numbers’ home operator who, presumably then passes them to their preferred network in Ireland.
As set out in the response to the Deputy’s previous question on the matter on November 7, it is important to note that no personal information is shared in the provision of this service.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
477. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the community employment scheme launched in December 2015 (details supplied) on a pilot basis will be continued following the pilot; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48044/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the publication, earlier this year, of my Department’s Report - An Analysis of the Community Employment Programme - the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions of participation on CE. At the time of publication, it was also signalled that a review of the rules governing the participation of older people on schemes would take place and I expect this review to be completed in the coming weeks. In the interim, the pilot initiative which enables those aged 62 or over to extend their participation beyond the standard maximum participation limits, providing the CE eligibility conditions are met is still in operation. Participants are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age, subject to satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by my Department. The places allocated for these participants within each individual CE scheme are limited to 7% of each scheme’s overall budgeted places. This pilot scheme is currently available nationwide.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
478. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment will be facilitated towards funeral costs in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48047/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to the records of the Department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for financial assistance with funeral expenses. The Designated Person will contact the person concerned and provide the necessary application forms for completion. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
479. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding self-employed persons becoming eligible for claim invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48050/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSelf-employed workers will be eligible to apply for invalidity pension from December 2017. This is a major reform as self-employed people could have access to income support without having to go through a means test, if they become permanently incapable of work as a result of an illness or disability. Legislation for this measure has already been enacted through the Social Welfare Act, 2016. The relevant section of this Act will be commenced shortly, thereby allowing self-employed workers to be eligible for invalidity pension from December 2017.
Details as to how to apply will be made public by my Department in the coming weeks.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
480. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1212 of 7 November 2017, if a company (details supplied) currently seeking funding under the community services programme to promote tourism in the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal was established by an organisation. [48054/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra481. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1212 of 7 November 2017, if three listed directors of an organisation (details supplied) were board members of a company at the time that the company had its funding removed under the community services programme following an independent review. [48055/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 481 together.
As the Deputy is aware, CSP funding for the Inishowen tourism service was withdrawn from Inishowen Tourism Society Limited on 30 June 2017. Officials from my Department and Pobal engaged with Inishowen Development Partnership Limited, which has an unblemished record in administering state funding in the Inishowen area, to consider how the funding for the tourism service in Inishowen could be delivered.
As a result of the discussions, it was decided that a new entity should be established comprising of the relevant community and tourism stakeholders in Inishowen. Once established, the new entity could then submit a 12 month business plan for assessment by Pobal. Following the assessment, Pobal would then make a recommendation to my Department and thereafter a decision would be made as to whether CSP funding for the tourism service in Inishowen could be delivered through the new entity.
Explore Inishowen CLG has been established but, to date, no business plan has been submitted for consideration by Pobal or my Department. I want to reiterate to the Deputy that Explore Inishowen CLG is completely independent and separate from Inishowen Development Partnership Limited.
According to Inishowen Development Partnership Limited, only one of those listed was a director of the company following the AGM of the company held on 5 December 2016. The others listed did not seek re-election and formally stepped down as directors of the company at the AGM.
This is recorded in the minutes of the company’s AGM. I understand that the information regarding the directors of Inishowen Development Partnership Limited was uploaded onto the CRO website on 6 September 2017 and the relevant papers were submitted by post to the CRO on 12 September 2017, in advance of the filing deadline of 14 September 2017.
The individual director who remains on the board of Inishowen Development Partnership Limited was elected at the last community elections held by the company and was formally adopted at the company’s AGM on 5 December 2016. He was one of 19 board members of Inishowen Development Partnership Limited at the time the CSP funding was removed from Inishowen Tourism Society Limited on 30 June 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
482. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reintroduce the bereavement grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48066/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent Budgets my Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving and allowed my Department to protect other core social welfare payments such as the State pension. Any decision to reinstate the Bereavement Grant would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
It is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the grant. These include widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pensions, which are weekly payments, based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death. In Budget 2016, the Government increased the payment after death period to 12 weeks for carer’s allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Additionally, the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Under the SWA scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. The Government has provided €31.5 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
483. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a guardian's payment application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48072/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was awarded a guardians payment (contributory) at the weekly rate of €176.00 with effect from 8 September 2017. Payment has commenced into the person’s nominated bank account. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
484. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of self employed contributions in the case of a person (details supplied); the extent of State pension to which this entitles them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48079/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEntitlement to State pension (contributory) is assessed on the basis of an applicant’s full social insurance record and the eligibility conditions applicable on the date they reach pension age. Therefore, it is not possible to predict a person’s state pension (contributory) entitlement. An individual’s eligibility is examined by a Deciding Officer on receipt of an application. According to the records of the Department, the person concerned will reach pension age on 28 October 2019. The person should submit an application for pension at least 3 months in advance of their 66th birthday.
A Frequently Asked Questions guide on state pension (contributory) entitlement has been sent to the person concerned. This explains how entitlement to state pension (contributory) is currently assessed.
Any individual can request an online statement of their social insurance record, as currently held by the Department. As a self-employed person, contributions are only accepted for self-employment insurable years where no outstanding liabilities with Revenue remain.
In the event that a person ceases insurable employment before reaching state pension age, it is advisable to continue, where possible, to maintain their insurance record. Individuals may also wish to consider the payment of voluntary contributions in order to maintain their paid contributions insurance record. The Voluntary Contributions Section, Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Cork Road, Waterford will be able to provide assistance in this regard.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
485. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a weekly jobseeker's allowance payment was reduced in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48086/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of a jobseekers payment from the department and also works part time. If a person works part-time, their employer must pay them for the public holidays which they don’t work, as long as, they have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks immediately before the week of the public holiday. If a person is paid for a public holiday (whether they work on that day or not) this is counted as a day of work. For this reason the person concerned jobseeker's payment was reduced to reflect the additional day of payment she would have received from her employer. If the person concerned has not received a payment from her employer for this bank holiday confirmation of this from her employer would be required.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
486. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a review of a child benefit application by a person (details supplied) in County Louth; if the social welfare report requested some months ago from the regional offices has been provided to her Department in order to complete the review; and when a decision will be made in respect of same. [48121/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe child benefit claim for the person concerned is currently under review. The claim has been referred to a social welfare inspector for investigation and the inspector’s report is still awaited in the Department. Once the report is received a decision will be made and communicated promptly to the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
