Written Answers Nos. 653-676
653. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of requests for exceptional needs payments in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017; the number of exceptional needs payments granted; the number refused, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50269/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra654. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of successful appeals relating to exceptional needs payments in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50270/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 653 and 654 together.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department 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 out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.5 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2017.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Statistics are maintained relating to payments under the ENP scheme, however they are not maintained on the number of applications, the outcome of those applications, or the number of requests for reviews of ENP decisions or the outcomes of those reviews. Details of the number of payments under the ENP and UNP schemes for 2012 to 2017 are set out in the following tabular statement.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP should contact my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
Number of Exceptional Needs Payments made by year:
|
Year |
Number of Payments |
|
2012 |
197,000 |
|
2013 |
133,000 |
|
2014 |
107,000 |
|
2015 |
102,000 |
|
2016 |
100,000 |
|
2017 (October) |
84,800 |
655. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of complaints received against the two companies tasked with delivering JobPath since it commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50271/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra656. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons referred to JobPath since its commencement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50272/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra657. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the actions her Department has taken when a complaint has been received in relation to JobPath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50273/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 655 to 657, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is a service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment.
The service commenced operations in mid-2015, and reached full State-wide delivery of the service in July 2016.
129,000 Jobseekers have engaged with the service to the end of Oct. ‘17, with 421 complaints received in total. 305 of these were related to Customer Service, 61 involved policy issues, 40 related to client not wishing to engage, 8 Data Protection queries and 7 related to Legislation.
As of 10th November, 55 complaints are currently in the process of being investigated.
My Department logs and records all complaints received in respect of the JobPath service. Strict timeframes apply to the issuing of acknowledgements and responses and these are constantly monitored to ensure adherence.
The contract requires the JobPath provider to respond to all complaints in the first instance. To this end each provider has a comprehensive Complaints Procedure which contains successive levels of escalation, which can be availed of should the client feel the matter has not been adequately addressed. This ensures that complaints are dealt with as comprehensively as possible and at the appropriate level of authority. In the event that a customer has availed of this procedure but remains dissatisfied with the response to their complaint, they may request my Department to carry out a full review of the file and a response and / or recommendations will be issued. Customers may also refer a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman for review once they have exhausted the complaints process but remain dissatisfied.
In the JobPath context, a complaint is defined as “an expression of dissatisfaction, measurable by reference to service standards, and requiring a response.” Issues covered by the complaint process may include delays, mistakes and poor customer service and also complaints made under Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act, 2005.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
658. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a fuel allowance application by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [50292/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFuel allowance is a means tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments to provide for their heating needs. The payment is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
In order to be eligible for fuel allowance, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a household means test and live alone or only with certain other qualified people.
An application for fuel allowance has been received from the person concerned. A request for information was sent to the person concerned on 23 November 2017 to clarify details of their means and household composition. As soon as a reply is received, a decision will be made on the person’s eligibility for fuel allowance and the person concerned will be notified of that decision without delay.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
659. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to review the situation regarding carer's allowance whereby a person who is providing full time care for two persons can only be awarded 1.5 of an allowance (details supplied). [50301/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of income supports for carers including carer’s benefit, carer’s allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the carer’s support grant. Carers are entitled to an extra half-rate carer’s allowance if they care for more than one person and a respite care grant for each care recipient.
The maximum rate of carer’s allowance payable to a carer who provides full-time care and attention to one person is €209 weekly. If a carer is caring for a second person and is assessed with no means, they could qualify for a 150 per cent carer’s allowance which is payable at the weekly rate of €313.50.
The financial supports available to carers in Ireland are among the highest rates of income support in Europe. Furthermore, the means test for carer’s allowance is one of the least onerous in the range of social protection payments provided by my Department. Moreover, carers can continue to receive carer’s allowance at half the weekly rate if they are in receipt of another weekly social welfare payment. They are also entitled to free travel and if residing with the care recipient may also receive the household benefits package.
Considerable improvements have been introduced for carers in recent years. In Budget 2016, the carer’s support grant, which is payable without a means test, was increased to €1,700. In addition to this, the period when carer’s allowance can be paid following the death of a care recipient was extended from 6 to 12 weeks. Budget 2017 also introduced a measure that extends payment of carer’s allowance for 12 weeks where the care recipient enters permanent residential care. Most recently, Budget 2018 provides for a €5 increase in the weekly carer’s allowance rate. This follows on from a €5 per week increase in Budget 2017 and a €3 per week increase in Budget 2016. From the beginning of the week commencing 26 March 2018, the maximum payment rate for carer’s allowance will be €214 per week.
I can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the key role carers play in society and I will continue to keep the range of supports available to carers under review. However, any improvements or additions to these supports can only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
660. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the timeframe for the closure of a centre (details supplied). [50319/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) under the aegis of my Department is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money advice and budgeting) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. The Citizens Information Board delivers on this remit through direct provision, by supporting a network of delivery partners, and by funding targeted projects.
North Kildare Citizens Information Services (CIS) which is set to receive funding of €216,000 from the Citizens Information Board in 2017, delivers its services from a dedicated Citizens Information Centre in Maynooth and provides weekly outreach services at Leixlip and Johnstownbridge. A weekly outreach service was also provided in Celbridge Library up to April of this year, when due to accommodation difficulties, the service was suspended.
North Kildare CIS is actively seeking an alternative premises in order to reinstate the service in the town. In the meantime, people can contact the main CIS office in Maynooth or attend at one of the outreach services
Details of location, opening times and phoned numbers are available in the attached link - http://centres.citizensinformation.ie/centre.php?cic=maynooth+cic.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
661. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which the total contributions approach to the calculation of the State pension, contributory, from 2020 will be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50330/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra678. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the commitment to remove the anomalies in the method of calculation of entitlements to the State contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50660/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 678 together.
The National Pensions Framework proposed that a total contribution approach should replace the yearly average approach. Under this approach, the rate of pension paid would more closely reflect the total number of Social Insurance contributions made by a person throughout her or his working life and the anomalies of the Yearly Averaging method of calculating entitlement would be removed. It is expected that this approach to pension qualification will replace the current one from around 2020.
A proposal for the precise method of how the Total Contributions Approach will be implemented is currently being finalised by officials in my Department, having recently received the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund 2015. When this has been finalised, I intend to consult with relevant stakeholders before a decision in made on the final proposal by Government. That proposal will then be subject to the legislative process which may result in further changes.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
662. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the cost benefit analysis regarding the outsourcing of the JobPath programme will be published; if she has given consideration to keeping the scheme in-house rather than outsourcing it to a private company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50350/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the State’s Public Employment Service is managed by my Department and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Club providers.
My Department has for many years contracted with third parties for the delivery of a range of services/programmes/schemes. Contracts are in place with some 60 companies for the delivery of the JobPath, LES and Job Club services, and while these service elements are provided by third parties, jobseekers engaged with these services remain customers of the Department.
It is important to note that these services have been designed to augment and complement one another, not replace the service capacity available through the Departments Intreo offices.
For example, the capacity introduced by the JobPath service, aligned with the welcome reduction in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (from a peak of 15.2% in January 2012 to 6.0% in October 2017) has enabled the Department to reduce the caseload of LES mediators and thereby enhance the service being delivered by LES providers for jobseekers in general and for the long-term unemployed in particular (LES staff caseloads have been reduced, in line with international norms, to a maximum of 1:120).
An in-depth evaluation of the JobPath strand of the Department’s activation service has commenced data gathering. Completion of the evaluation is provisionally scheduled for the end of Quarter 3, 2018.
JobPath contracts are for a six year period and comprise two distinct phases: phase one entails four years of client referrals while phase two entails a two year ‘run off’ period during which time no additional clients will be referred.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
663. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if carers who are signing on for credits and who pay voluntary contributions will be guaranteed a full contributory pension when they reach retirement age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50391/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid or credited over their working life from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing their entitlement and the level of that entitlement.
One of the conditions of the State pension contributory is that a person needs a minimum of 520 weekly contributions (i.e. 10 years) paid since entering insurable employment, i.e. between their 16th and 66th birthdays. If a person does not have this minimum number of contributions paid, they will not generally have an entitlement to this particular pension, either at a full or reduced rate.
Since 1961, when contributory pensions were introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating the rate of pension entitlement. Entitlement is banded, with the maximum rate payable to those with a yearly average of 48-52 contributions, and the minimum rate payable to those with a yearly average in the range of 10-14 contributions per year. Even if someone has only 10 years (520 weeks) of paid reckonable contributions between their 16th and 66th birthdays, they would generally qualify for a State pension (contributory), although the rate payable would vary depending on their circumstances.
Voluntary Contributions are designed to facilitate employees / self-employed persons who are no longer subject to compulsory PRSI, to pay contributions directly to the Department on a voluntary basis, in order to protect their future State Pension Contributory (SPC), Widow(er)’s Contributory Pension and Guardian’s Contributory Payment entitlements.
There are a number of qualifying conditions attached to the Voluntary Contribution Scheme. In order to become a Voluntary Contributor a person must (i) have a minimum of 260 to 520 Contributions paid – dependant on the period he or she wishes to pay for, and (ii) apply within 60 months of the end of the year in which he or she last paid or was credited a contribution.
My Department will take into account all relevant contributions, paid or credited, as well as the time frame involved, when making a decision on an individual’s level of entitlement to the State Pension (contributory).
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
664. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the public contracts between her Department and companies, details supplied, in each of the years 2011 to 2016; the value of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50400/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe public contracts awarded to the companies concerned, in each of the years 2011 to 2016, and the value of each contract, is outlined in the table in Appendix 1.
A breakdown of annual expenditure on consultancy and IT external service provision, and a list of purchase orders for €20,000 or greater, is published routinely on the Department website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Policy.aspx.. Under the FOI publication scheme and with effect from January 2016, the Department also publishes details of public contracts awarded (over €25k) at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Contracts-Awarded.aspx.
Appendix 1
|
Company |
Year |
Contract |
Value (incl. VAT) |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2011 |
IS Audit Services |
€170,478 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2012 |
Security Partner |
€83,025 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2013 |
ICT Resources to work in the Department's Regional Service Development and BOM Modelling Development Teams (Lot 1) |
€1,564,560 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2013 |
ICT Resources to work in the Department's Regional Service Development and BOM Modelling Development Teams (Lot 2) |
€826,560 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2015 |
Provision of ICT Resources to work in the Department’s Business Intelligence Development & Architecture Teams (Lot 1) |
€228,780 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2015 |
Provision of ICT Resources to work in the Department’s Business Intelligence Development & Architecture Teams (Lot 2) |
€82,564 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2015 |
ICT Resources to work in the Department’s INTREO (Regional Service Delivery & Activation Case Management) development teams |
€3,000,000 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2016 |
External Development Services for the Development of a School Meals Scheme Processing System |
€395,193 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2016 |
Provision of ICT Resources to work in the Departments BOM Modelling Development Team |
€1,214,748 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2016 |
Provision of ICT Resources to work in the Department’s Digital Platform Development Team |
€2,091,000 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
2016 |
Extend and Re-Use BOMi functionality for PRSI Refunds Incorporating an On-Line Service |
€645,750 |
|
Ernst & Young |
2012 |
Security Partner to provide ongoing Information Security Support |
€7,623 |
|
KPMG |
2012 |
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
€153,750 |
665. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the link between social welfare and ETB courses encouraging course participants to turn down employment in view of the fact that they would lose a place on an ETB course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50425/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department’s activation service is tailored to the individual needs and circumstances of the jobseeker, with the aim of him/her progressing to suitable, sustainable full-time employment. In the context of the agreed Personal Progression Plan, a need may be identified for the jobseeker to pursue a course of education, training or development, in which case the Case Officer will nominate the person for that course. If the person’s circumstances change while participating in the course, they should contact their Case Officer to discuss suitable options. Participation in a course would generally not be viewed as a sufficient reason not to take up a suitable, sustainable job.
666. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to alter the State pension qualification criteria to ensure that all persons that have had periods outside of the PAYE system or who have been a home maker for a period of time are entitled to a full State pension; her views on whether the situation whereby many persons have lost their entitlement to a full pension due to changes made in 2012 is unacceptable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50444/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe changes made to State Pension (contributory) rate bands made in budget 2012, affected those pensioners who had a yearly average of less than 39 social insurance contributions over the course of their working life. As such, the changes did not preclude any pensioner who would have qualified for a full State Pension (contributory) pre-2012 from qualifying for a full rate after September 2012.
The current rate bands were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. The rate bands prior to 2000 were less generous, and the improved rate bands introduced in 2000 were a feature of the economic and political environment at that time. The economic crash changed the focus and while other payments were reduced as a result, the core rates of the pension, which many pensioners were solely dependent on, were maintained. Instead, the rates for people who both had additional means and lesser PRSI contribution records were reduced.
The 2012 rate bands more closely reflect the social insurance contributions history of a person than those in place between 2000 and 2012. The current rate bands still provide pensions to people which are better than proportionate with their level of contribution. A person with only 20 years of contributions over nearly 50 years will still get an 85% pension, which compares favourably with contributory pensions in other EEU countries.
It is estimated that to revert to the previous bands from January 2018 would result in an annual cost of well over €70 million in 2018, and this annual cost would increase by an estimated €10 to €12 million extra each following year. Awarding a maximum rate contributory pension to everyone who had spent time outside the PAYE system, regardless of their means, would be even more expensive and it is estimated this would cost well over €1 billion per annum.
My Department is examining in depth various options that would provide some relief to those who would have a higher contributory pension, had the rate-bands not been amended in 2012. If there are equitable changes that target such relief to those who were affected by the yearly average system, particularly those who had homemaking periods prior to the introduction of the Homemakers scheme, I will ask Government to consider if and how these might be financed.
It is intended to introduce a total contributions approach for new pensioners from 2020. This will make the rate of contributory pension more closely match contributions made by a person. It will also have significant homemakers provisions that will assist those pensioners who spent significant periods caring for their children, or adults with a caring need.
The main aim of Government policy on pensions is to make sure that pensions are affordable, sustainable and keep their value in the coming years. The reforms that are planned will result in a more inclusive and fairer pension system for all citizens.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
667. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a disability allowance payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50516/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing an appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, an Appeals Officer has decided that the person concerned is entitled to disability allowance with effect from 14 December 2016. The first payment will be made to her on 6 December 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).
668. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether her Department should not only acknowledge but offer an apology to a person (details supplied) after the Data Commissioner has found that her Department failed in its duty of care to protect information and personal data that it held on the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50519/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department takes customer privacy very seriously, works diligently to protect customer data, and has in place a suite of measures to support data protection and information security awareness and compliance. As custodian of personal information, staff members of the Department are reminded continuously about the importance of information security and to be vigilant and aware of data protection legal obligations. If there is a breach of data, the incident is investigated and corrective measures are put in place, in accordance with data protection legislation.
The incident involving this person was fully investigated, in the course of which a number of communications issued to the person. He received a number of written apologies and a Department official met with the person and again apologised. In addition, the person was registered for a Public Service Card, thus providing identity verification up to Safe Level 2, which reduces the potential for fraudulent use.
669. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the overall cost to date of the public services card, including production, activation and all other associated costs; the life span of the card; the nature of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50526/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra674. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the costs associated with the introduction of the public services card scheme during 2017, including the staff hours involved and the costs of postage to persons notifying them to obtain a card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50634/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 674 together.
My Department (on behalf of the public service) entered into a contract for the production, personalisation, distribution and associated helpdesk support of 3 million PSCs by the end of 2017. The contract was awarded to Biometric Card Services (BCS), an Irish registered company based in Co. Wicklow. It was a condition of award of the contract that all data and related services provision and operation be provided on-site in Ireland and subject to the jurisdiction of the Irish Courts. As a consequence, the cards are produced in Ireland. A number of changes have been made to the contract since its award, primarily to deal with the implementation of new and additional security measures, to facilitate the implementation of new Free Travel software specification, and to allow extension of the contract period to the end of 2017.
To date, some 2.98 million cards have been issued. As the initiative is demand-led, it isn’t possible to predict precisely when three million PSCs will be issued. My Department is considering a number of options for continued production of the PSC when the current contract expires at the end of this year.
The following table sets out, as requested, the costs to date, both overall and in 2017, of the Public Services Card project.
|
Costs |
to date |
2017 only |
|
Production, personalisation and distribution of PSCs |
€20,882,292.41 |
€3,722,187.09 |
|
Helpdesk * |
€2,615,546.71 |
€86,990.24 |
|
Staff (estimated)** |
€28,789,151.58 |
€5,573,603.81 |
|
Other*** |
€2,297,150.65 |
€95,415.12 |
|
Total |
€54,584,141.35 |
€9,478,196.26 |
Notes:
*Helpdesk costs include all calls including those related to activation, lost or stolen cards or general queries. They are charged on the basis of call-time and are not differentiated as between the nature of the call received.
**Currently the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has sanctioned a total of up to 218 posts for the Project. These posts include both temporary and permanent roles, and the numbers and locations of deployed staff are kept under constant review to ensure the best use of resources. As of end-October 2017 there were 51.96 full-time-equivalent permanent staff (FTE) and 164 Temporary Clerical Officers working on the PSC Project. These figures include four full-time IT staff assigned to the PSC project.
***Other costs include provision of external expertise in relation to related technical issues as well as development and deployment of associated software on internal IT systems.
My Department does not have a figure for the cost of postage of invites to clients for SAFE registration as, for budget purposes, postage costs are not differentiated across different business processes.
Currently, the PSC has a maximum validity period of up to 7 years. At the time the Project was being launched, the durability of similar cards, e.g., bank cards, in use at the time was three to five years. However, card technology was changing and a new, more durable form of card could be utilised. Following discussion and advice from the Project’s technical advisors, my Department settled on 7 years as a preliminary validity period for the bulk of initial cards. Obviously, this initial policy is being kept under review and changes to it will be contingent on practical experience affecting the cards’ durability in the field.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
670. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in respect of a carer's allowance application submitted by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in making a decision on this application due to the fact that the application has been lodged since June 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50556/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 11 July 2017 in respect of two care recipients.
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.
As the applicant is engaged in farming, the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 11 October 2017 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.
Once the SWI has reported, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
671. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if transmissions and or communications between her Department's servers to local office computers are transmitted over HTTP or HTTPS; if transmissions and or communications between her local offices are transmitted over HTTP or HTTPS; the date on which the certificate was applied to allow secure transmissions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50612/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is a major user of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and invests on an ongoing basis in securing the ICT technical infrastructure and the services and data used in support of our business. This includes traditional, defence-in-depth deployments of preventative controls like firewalls and endpoint protection and advanced threat detection tools. My Department also employs security technology that, together with a dedicated ICT security team and well defined processes, continually monitors the Department’s network and services.
The Department’s offices are connected to the Department’s central data centres located in secured locations in Dublin through a secure Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) running on dedicated dark fibre and through a Wide Area Network (WAN) using dedicated private network links. Data is maintained centrally in the secure data centres at the centre of the network. Data transmissions are between the offices and the data centres. Our offices are connected to the data centres using privately addressed circuits only. These circuits do not use or access or interconnect with the public internet at any point. Data transmitted across the Department’s network uses a variety of transmission and security protocols including HTTPS. There are multiple certificates involved – all with varying start dates and refresh dates.
My Department has well defined policies in relation to the use of the Department’s ICT systems and network resources including all electronic communication systems and equipment and will continue to invest in securing all ICT systems and data.
672. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have had their social welfare allowances or services withdrawn due to the fact they did not have or refused to apply for a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50632/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2005, the Government approved a rules-based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This standard is known as the Standard Authentication Framework environment – or SAFE. A person who successfully completes a SAFE 2 registration process (i.e. verifies their identity to a substantial level of assurance) may be issued with a Public Services Card (PSC).
In the case of my Department’s own services, the legislation governing identity verification for existing claimants is set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, viz.
- Section 247C(1) of the Act provides that the Minister may require any person receiving a benefit to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity;
- Section 247C(2) of the Act specifies the consequences of failure to satisfy the Minister in relation to identity as required, specifically that a person shall be disqualified from receiving a benefit; and
- Section 247C(3) of the Act specifies the manner in which the Minister may be so satisfied; in effect, this Section describes the process for registering a person’s identity - this is the SAFE 2 Process.
This legislation requires a person to satisfy the Minister as to their identity and allows disqualification from receipt of a benefit in the event that it is not done. It is not possible for a person to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity without being SAFE2 registered.
My Department does not collect data on the number of individuals who currently, or who, at any point in time, have had a payment stopped by reason of failing to complete the SAFE 2 registration process. This data is fluid in nature.
For example, a considerable number of customers who have a payment or entitlement suspended or stopped subsequently decide to complete the SAFE2 process and have their payment or entitlement reinstated. It should be noted that of the remainder, a considerable portion do not make any contact with the Department. The decision to stop a payment is never made lightly. However, where a customer does not satisfy the Minister in relation to identity, in accordance with the legislative requirements, a payment can be disqualified. In advance of any such disqualification, the Department makes every effort to engage with the customer to explain the legislative basis for the SAFE2 registration process and the consequences of potential disqualification. Where a payment has been disqualified and the customer subsequently successfully completes the SAFE2 registration process, their payment will be reinstated by my Department (assuming they continue to meet all qualifying criteria for that payment) from the date of compliance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
673. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have been sanctioned for refusing to sign a personal progression plan with companies (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50633/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is a service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service commenced operations in mid-2015, and reached full State-wide delivery of the service in July 2016.
Jobseekers who are selected for JobPath, are invited to attend an initial information session at which the jobseekers’ rights and responsibilities are explained. Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment. Each participant is assigned a personal advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a “personal progression plan” that includes a schedule of activities, actions and job focused targets. Participants are provided with a range of development supports and may also be referred for further education and training opportunities.
It is important to note that the rules and processes for the application of a reduced rate of payment are the same across all of the Department’s activation services, whether they are delivered directly by the Department’s own Intreo service or through its contracted services such as the Local Employment Service or JobPath service. Only a departmental official can make a decision to apply a reduced rate of payment. The process with regard to such decisions includes written/verbal warnings from a departmental official and an opportunity for the jobseeker to re-engage with the service prior to the application of a reduced payment rate.
Up to the end of October 2017 approximately 9,000, or 6.9% of the total 129,000 clients who engaged with the JobPath service between July 2015 and October 2017 have had, at some point, a penalty rate applied to their payment: some of these clients may have had the penalty rate applied after finishing their engagement period with the JobPath service, so the actual numbers who have had a penalty rate applied while with the JobPath service will be lower.
Data specifically related to the application of reduced payments for clients refusing to sign a personal progression plan is not available. It is important to note that the factors to be considered in applying a penalty rate precludes me from making a definitive statement that the sole context involved would have been non engagement with JobPath.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
675. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the obtaining of data through SAFE 2 and the public services card is fully compliant with the general data protection regulation law including ensuring that ownership of the data ultimately rests with the persons rather than her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50635/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will come into force on the 25th May 2018, replaces the existing data protection framework under the EU Data Protection Directive and imposes a general necessity to have specific legislative provisions underpinning the methods organisations use to process data.
The main legal powers providing for and relating to SAFE registration and the PSC are set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) as follows –
- Sections 262 and 263B provide for the verification of identity to facilitate the issuing and use of a Personal Public Services Number (PPS Number or PPSN)
- Sections 263, 263A and 263B provide for the verification of identity to facilitate the issuing, use and cancellation of a PSC;
- Section 241 provides that a person must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity when making a new claim and sets out how that can be done; and
- Section 247C provides that an existing claimant must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity, sets out how that can be done, and provides for disqualification where an existing claimant fails to so do.
The recently published “Comprehensive Guide to SAFE Registration and the Public Services Card” is available on my Department’s website http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Public-Services-Card_holder.aspx under “Downloads”. This document contains 54 detailed questions and answers which address a wide range of questions about SAFE Registration and the PSC. Appendix 1 of this document lists legislative provisions associated with the Public Services Card.
My Department collects and holds large volumes of personal data on customers and is very aware of the need to have adequate data protection policies, procedures and structures in place in line with the GDPR. Preparations for the GDPR are being overseen by the Department’s Data Management Programme Board which comprises many of the Department’s most senior personnel. The Department has a dedicated GDPR implementation team in place and has commissioned external expertise to assist it with achieving GDPR compliance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
676. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she issued a communication to An Post requesting that presentation of public services cards be made mandatory for receipt of any social protection payment; the date on which this communication was issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50636/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection operates its contract for cash payment services with An Post. The Department and An Post agreed a protocol in 2014 governing the forms of identification which claimants, or their agents, must produce in order to collect payments. There has been no change in this agreed protocol or in the forms of identification required of claimants to collect their social welfare payments.
Social welfare claimants must present one of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payment cards when collecting payments. These cards are; the Public Services Card, the Social Services Card and the Temporary Payment Card.
The Public Services Card, or PSC, is an identity token, issued by the Department, following a face to face registration process which involves the capture of an individual’s photograph and signature plus the verification of identity data already held by the Department. No other identification is required of clients when a PSC is presented.
The Social Services Card, or SSC, is a payment token, used to collect DSP payments. The token is issued to claimants who have not yet been registered for and received a PSC. If presenting for payment with an SSC, a person must also provide additional identification. Ideally this should photographic. Acceptable forms of photographic ID are:
- Current Passport (For Irish and UK passport holders, a passport which has expired within the previous 12 months is acceptable)
- Current (in date) National ID card for EU citizens other than Ireland or UK
- Current (in date) Irish or UK Drivers Licence or Irish Driver Learner Permit
- Current (in date) Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) Card
- Emergency Photo ID produced by the Department.
If a claimant holds an SSC but does not have appropriate photographic ID then the following documents are acceptable:
- Medical Card and Proof of Address
- Bank Card and Proof of Address
- Recent work ID and Proof of Address
- Recent communication from Public Service body or Local Authority and Proof of Address.
If a customer holds an SSC but is unable to present either acceptable Photo ID or alternative ID, An Post may make payment based on the personal validation of the Post Office staff on the basis that the customer is known to them by sight and name.
Finally the Temporary Payment Card is a paper document issued by the Department for short-term use by a claimant pending receipt of a PSC or SSC. A temporary payment card is valid for a specific period. An Post may not accept the Temporary Payment Card without the additional forms of identification listed above for the SSC.
In addition to the identity requirements for claimants collecting in person, post offices are obliged to apply the following controls in respect of payments collected by authorised agents. These agents are of two types; temporary and permanent.
Payment should only be made to a temporary agent on presentation of the following:
- A Temporary Agent form (TA1) signed by the claimant authorising the agent to collect their payments.
- The claimant’s PSC, SSC or Temporary Card
- The Agent’s own photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID are the same as set out for SSC card.
An Post have recently begun the roll out of an updated counter transaction system. This change would appear to have caused some confusion among staff in post offices as my Department has received an increase in public queries regarding the use of the PSC for identification. In each case the Department has asked An Post to contact the relevant post office to clarify that there has been no change in the agreed protocol governing the forms of identification which claimants, or their agents, must produce in order to collect payments. To date these communications have been successful in ensuring that these instances have been resolved.
