Written Answers Nos. 490-509
490. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of expanding the child benefit payment to include 18 year olds who are still in full-time secondary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52871/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to 627,318 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2017. Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for Child Benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the participation pattern of children in education supports the current age limit for Child Benefit.
The current estimated annual cost of extending the upper age limit for payment for those persons who are 18 years and under 19 years of age and in secondary school, based on figures from the Department of Education and Skills, is over €62 million.
Extending Child Benefit entitlement to parents of full time students in second level education to include 18 year olds would not be a targeted approach given the universality of Child Benefit. The adoption of such a proposal would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes can avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- qualified child increases (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- the working family payment (formerly Family Income Supplement) for low-paid employees with children;
- the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families (paid at the full-time second-level education rate).
As part of the measures under Budget 2018, the qualified child payment which is paid each week to families with children will increase from €29.80 to €31.80 for each child. This is an increase of 6.7%, and will benefit over 400,000 children.
The Working Family Payment earnings thresholds were increased by €10 per week for families with up to three children. This will particularly benefit low-income working families.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
491. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 22 November 2017, if she will review correspondence received in response to same; if this area's classification has changed in view of the latest Pobal HP deprivation index statistics; if this company will be recategorised as eligible for funding under this scheme as a result of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52955/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. This Department does not use the Pobal HP Deprivation Index to determine eligibility for the school meals scheme. As I have already advised the Deputy, in recent years priority for new applications for funding had been given to schools which are part of the DEIS programme, designed to give tailored support to schools who have high concentration of disadvantage. For the first time in many years, breakfasts are also now available to some schools outside DEIS that have been identified in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills which has developed a more robust and responsive framework for assessing individual schools levels of concentrated disadvantage.
While there have been expansions to the school meals scheme, any further changes to increase the funding to allow an extension to crèches would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter at this time.
492. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of providing living allowance to adults and children in direct provision by category, in tabular form. [52961/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe direct provision allowance (DPA) is a non-statutory payment paid by my Department on behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality to protection applicants living in the Direct Provision system. The weekly rate of DPA for children and adults is €21.60. There are currently some 3,430 adults and 1,420 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom the direct provision allowance is being paid. The Government has provided €3.7 million for the allowance, covering adult and children payments, in the Revised Estimates for 2017 with an additional €250,000 made available through the recent Supplementary Estimate giving a total allocation of €3.95 million in 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
493. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance. [52592/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for disability allowance (DA) from this gentleman was received on 2 November 2017.
Further medical evidence was received from this gentleman’s mother on 20 November 2017 and on 7 December 2017. This is currently being reviewed by a deciding officer. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
494. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52602/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has participated on CE since 2011 and reached his six year lifetime limit in November 2017. He was then referred to JobPath for activation support and he is currently engaging with his JobPath provider who will support and assist him to look for a full time sustainable job. Participants with JobPath, who are all long-term unemployed jobseekers, receive intensive individual support to help them overcome barriers to employment and to find jobs. Each person is assigned a personal advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals, including those skills gained with CE and other schemes for the purpose of agreeing a personal progression plan (PPP). The PPP contains a schedule of activities to assist the person to find employment, this may include relevant training and educational programmes and there are no barriers to any participants pursuing employment focussed training.
In the event that the person concerned does not find sustainable employment, he may be eligible to again participate on CE under the pilot initiative which enables those aged 62 or over to extend their participation beyond the 6 year participation limit. This initiative enables participants over 62 years to participate up to the state pension age, subject to satisfying the conditions of satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by the Department.
I am confident the person concerned will benefit from participation with JobPath and would encourage him to continue to engage with the service.
495. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on the further review of a maternity benefit appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52623/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 15 May 2017. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts, or where there has been a change of circumstances which has come to notice since the date of the Appeals Officer's original decision. I am advised that the person concerned has submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his/her appeal has been finalised.
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.
496. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the decision taken by her Department concerning an application for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if the decision will be overturned based on the evidence and professional opinion submitted (details supplied). [52635/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received in respect of this child on 28 August 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 23 November 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.
497. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to provide a pension for community employment scheme supervisors in line with a Labour Court recommendation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52715/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector. The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for such employees even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. It is open to individuals to make provision for a pension by way of PRSA which all employers are obliged to facilitate. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the issue of CE supervisors' pension provision is currently being examined by a Community Sector High Level Forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department is represented on this group, as are IMPACT, SIPTU, Pobal and other relevant Government Departments.
The Forum last met on 23 November 2017 and I understand that a paper outlining the costs involved was presented. The unions have agreed to review and revert as soon as possible. Following on from this, a meeting is to be arranged between the trade unions and my colleague, the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
498. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which she plans to address the inequality within differing levels of pension payments between persons retiring before and after 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52716/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra499. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the date on which the report investigating the effects of the 2012 changes to contributory pensions will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52717/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 498 and 499 together.
The changes made to State Pension (contributory) rate bands 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.
The current rate bands were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. The rate bands in place between 2000 and 2012 were more generous than those in place before and after that period, and 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 were maintained. Instead of reducing those payments, which many vulnerable pensioners were solely reliant upon, the rates paid to new pensioners who both have additional means and lesser PRSI contribution records were reduced.
It should be noted that, for a person with a yearly average of 20 contributions, the new rate of payment introduced in 2012 was still higher than the maximum rate that was in place at the start of 2006. Also, it should be noted that in all European countries and beyond, pension reforms have been introduced to make them more sustainable, and these will generally result in people having different payments depending upon when they reach pension age. The only way to avoid this would be to introduce the reforms for existing pensioners, and decrease the incomes pensioners have become dependent upon.
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 EU 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.
The 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.
As soon as the report is finished I intend to bring it to a cabinet committee meeting and subsequently to Government for consideration early in the New Year.
If there are equitable changes that target relief to those who were particularly affected by anomalies under the yearly average system, especially if they had home-making periods prior to the introduction of the Homemakers scheme, I will ask Government to consider if and how these might be financed.
The National Pensions Framework proposed that a total contribution approach should replace the yearly average approach to the calculation of the State Pension (contributory). 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 incongruities 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 2020.
A discussion paper is being drafted by my Department and it is hoped to start the consultation process with relevant stakeholders including interest groups, representative bodies and the Oireachtas shortly. Following the consultation period, a proposal to Government will be submitted seeking approval of the new approach.
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.
500. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the allowable period for persons to work under the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52720/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include employment programmes such as Community Employment (CE). The purpose of CE is to help a person re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. Participation on CE is intended to be for a temporary fixed-term. Participation limits are in place to ensure that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit from the scheme and to meet the scheme’s objectives of breaking the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market.
International evidence does not advocate a long-term dependency on work programmes. While it is accepted that these schemes serve a role in times of high unemployment, the evidence points to longer duration participation being prone to ‘locking’ unemployed people into programmes, rather than engaging them to actively search for jobs.
Following the publication of my Department’s Report - An Analysis of the Community Employment (CE) Programme – earlier in the year, the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions around participation on CE. The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register, to standardise eligibility and other conditions regarding the length of time a person can participate on the programme and to promote progression outcomes.
The changes, which have been in effect since early July 2017, have seen the general qualifying age for CE, for those on the live register, reduced from 25 to 21 years. It is also now easier for previous participants, who have exhausted their CE entitlement, to requalify as participation prior to the year 2007 will be disregarded. While participants between 21 and 55 years can avail of one year on the programme, this can be extended on approval by my Department by up to 2 more years if they are working towards a major award/industry recognised equivalent to support their progression to employment. CE participants aged 55 and over can now avail of up to 3 consecutive years on a scheme. An overall lifetime limit of 6 years will apply to CE participants (7 years if on a disability payment). A person may re-qualify for CE after 12 months of being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, provided they have not reached their 6 year overall lifetime limit.
This Government is also very conscious of the valuable contribution that programmes such as CE are making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
501. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52722/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on the 1 September 2017. Carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
502. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a carer's allowance application by person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52742/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my Department received a carer’s allowance (CA) application on the 23 August 2017 from the person concerned in respect of two care recipients. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the level of care and attention being provided by the carer must be full-time.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence indicated that this condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 7 December 2017 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
503. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a carer's benefit for a person (details supplied) may be applied for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52752/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe spouse of the person for whom details have been supplied has been in receipt of carer's benefit since July 2016. On the basis of current legislative provisions that provide for a maximum payment period of 104 weeks, the payment is due to end in July 2018. Carer’s benefit is an income support payment for people who have made social insurance contributions and who have recently left the workforce, or have reduced their hours of work to 15 hours per week or less, and are looking after somebody in need of full-time care and attention. A person applying for carer's benefit must meet the conditions for receipt of the payment. Only one carer’s benefit payment is paid in respect of an individual recipient of care. The suggestion that “entitlement” may be transferred between persons for the purposes of qualifying for carer's benefit is contrary to the general principle of the social insurance system where entitlement to a payment is generally linked with a person’s own social insurance contributions and whether they themselves meet the conditions for the payment. The issue of joint assessment is a matter for the tax code and is not relevant to the question of entitlement for social insurance payments.
The Department does provide support to carers through a number of other payments. Carer's Allowance is a means-tested payment for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention on a full time basis. The Carer's Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by the Department. Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for a severely disabled child who is under age 16 and needs full-time care and attention far beyond what is normally required by a child of the same age.
Further details of these payments and the qualifying conditions are available from the Department.
504. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the payments that are excluded from benefitting from the Christmas bonus; the way in which her Department advises persons that may expect the payment but are not due to receive it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52754/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was pleased to announce on Budget Day that an 85% Christmas bonus would be paid this year to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and long-term jobseekers at a cost of €219 million. All recipients of the following schemes were eligible to receive the Bonus, which was paid as an 85% increase to the relevant weekly payment.
Social Assistance Schemes
- State Pension Non-Contributory
- One Parent Family Payment
- Widow(er)'s and Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Deserted Wife's Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Pre-Retirement Allowance
- Community Employment
- Rural Social Scheme
- Tús
- Job Initiative
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Gateway
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Disability Allowance
- Blind Pension
- Carer's Allowance
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Guardian's Payment (non-con)
- Magdalen Commission Scheme
Social Insurance schemes
- State Pension (Contributory)
- Widow(er)'s and Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory)
- Occupational Injuries Death Benefit Pension
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Invalidity Pension
- Disablement Benefit
- Carer's Benefit
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
In the case of recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Direct Provision Allowance and jobseekers on the Back to Education Allowance scheme, the person must have been in receipt of an eligible payment for a minimum of 15 months in order to qualify for the Bonus.
There were no changes this year to the eligibility criteria for the Bonus. In line with previous years, social welfare schemes not listed above were not eligible payments for the Bonus this year.
The Department’s network of Intreo and branch offices and the Citizens Information Centres are available to respond to any queries by persons who may be unsure as to whether they qualified for a Bonus payment. Information on the schemes eligible for the Bonus is listed on the Department’s website and also on the Citizens Information website.
505. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52789/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19 October 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing. 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.
506. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52790/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 29 September 2017. Carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.
The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
507. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the criteria of the yearly bonus payment for those on a long term payment is classed at 15 months or 455 days as opposed to 12 months; the date on which it changed; the rationale for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52807/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra508. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason persons that only became unemployed within the past 15 months are not eligible for the Christmas bonus whereas persons that are unemployed for more than 15 months are eligible for it; her views on whether this is unfair on persons that have been successful in their efforts to secure employment during or prior to this 15 months time frame but that become redundant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52820/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 507 and 508 together.
I was pleased to announce on Budget Day that an 85% Christmas bonus was to be paid this year to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and long-term jobseekers at a cost of €219 million.
The Christmas bonus was introduced in 1980 for certain social welfare schemes and was extended to long-term jobseekers in 1985. The duration requirement of 15 months (or 390 days for jobseeker’s allowance, as the cumulative total of days is based on a six day week) has been in place since then. There has been no change to the duration criteria.
The bonus is paid to long-term recipients of jobseeker’s allowance in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on the social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
It should be noted that time spent on jobseeker’s benefit prior to receipt of jobseeker’s allowance is taken into account in calculating the duration of unemployment. In addition, in cases where a person ceases their jobseeker’s payment to take up work but the work ends and the person signs on to a jobseeker’s payment again within one year, there is no break in the cumulative total days of unemployment. In this regard, taking up temporary employment does not have a negative impact on the person’s eligibility for the Bonus.
509. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the case of an overpayment to a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52833/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity Pension (IP) was awarded to the person in question with effect from 28 May 2015. Her IP was stopped with effect from 28 September 2017 on the grounds that she had commenced employment in February 2016 without prior permission from the Department. Your representation has been treated as a review request from the lady in question.
Following a review of all the information available, the Deciding Officer in this case has decided that the person in question was genuinely not aware of the requirement to disclose to the Department the fact that she was working for three hours a week. It has been therefore decided that an overpayment will not be assessed against the lady in question for the period she was employed from 11 February 2016 to 27 September 2017.
Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment (if they have reduced capacity to work) and continue to receive a payment from the Department. Participation on the PCB scheme is voluntary and a person may return to Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension if, for example, their employment ceases or if they find they cannot continue to work.
Notification of the revised decision and an application for PCB issued to the lady in question on 08 December 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
