Written Answers Nos. 611-631
611. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the specific targets and supporting actions of the new national anti-poverty strategy to reduce poverty rates in one parent households; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3276/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling poverty remains a fundamental aspiration of Irish society and the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a firm commitment to develop a new Integrated Framework for Social Inclusion, to tackle inequality and poverty. This will be a successor to the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAP inclusion) and its 2015-2017 update which concluded last year.
My Department has started preparations for the new four year plan for the period 2018-202, with the public consultation process due to take place in the coming weeks. Like its predecessor, the plan will have a ‘whole of Government’ approach that aims to improve outcomes for the vulnerable and marginalised in our society, while recognising a shared responsibility across Government to implement actions to achieve the overall objectives. The theme of the new plan is one of active inclusion, which will enable every citizen, notably the most disadvantaged, to fully participate in society, including having a job.
The primary focus will be the reduction of consistent poverty through a three pronged approach: supporting incomes through as high as possible a level of employment, and encouraging and assisting people to enter the workforce; setting targets for the level of relevant welfare payments (as in the original NAP inclusion) designed to reduce relative poverty among those who cannot (or cannot find) work; and finally improving access to quality services such as health, education, childcare, training, housing, community supports in order to minimise deprivation for all groups and, in particular those who are on relatively low incomes such as one parent families.
A key element of NAP inclusion is the national social target for poverty reduction (NSTPR), which sets out the Government’s ambition for reducing and ultimately eliminating poverty. The headline target is to reduce consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less by 2020 (with an interim target of 4 per cent by 2016), from the 2010 baseline rate of 6.3 per cent. In addition, there are sub-targets in relation to children and for Ireland’s contribution to the Europe 2020 poverty target. Meeting these targets – or indeed making significant progress towards them – by the 2020 deadline will be a challenge and one that will require the combined efforts of all Government Departments, boosted by the resources and commitment of civil society. However it will remain a key element of the new plan.
612. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of rent supplement recipients, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3338/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 34,400 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018. A county breakdown of rent supplement recipients is provided in the attached tabular statement.
My Department continues to support the transfer of long term rent supplement tenancies to HAP with the strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose; a short-term income support for those who are temporarily unemployed. There are currently over 32,000 tenants in receipt of HAP support.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement: Rent Supplement recipients by County at end of December, 2017
|
County |
Recipients |
|
CARLOW |
398 |
|
CAVAN |
297 |
|
CLARE |
177 |
|
CORK |
3,578 |
|
DONEGAL |
146 |
|
DUBLIN |
16,309 |
|
GALWAY |
1,724 |
|
KERRY |
1,141 |
|
KILDARE |
1,874 |
|
KILKENNY |
181 |
|
LAOIS |
552 |
|
LEITRIM |
180 |
|
LIMERICK |
739 |
|
LONGFORD |
252 |
|
LOUTH |
456 |
|
MAYO |
623 |
|
MEATH |
546 |
|
MONAGHAN |
141 |
|
OFFALY |
233 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
378 |
|
SLIGO |
131 |
|
TIPPERARY |
434 |
|
WATERFORD |
188 |
|
WESTMEATH |
840 |
|
WEXFORD |
1,326 |
|
WICKLOW |
1,534 |
|
Total |
34, 378 |
613. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason credits earned after 65 years of age in the case in which a person is signing on could not be counted towards the pension at 66 years of age. [3373/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraState pension (contributory) entitlement is calculated by the ‘yearly average’ system, where the total number of contributions paid or credited is divided by the number of years of the person’s insurance record. The maximum rate of pension is payable where a person has a yearly average of at least 48, and there are banded entitlements below that.
In calculating the yearly average, the number of full-rate contributions paid and/or credited is counted up to the end of the last full tax/contribution year before reaching pension age (66), and this total is divided by the number of tax/contribution years in their record up to that point. For example, if someone’s record was from 1972, and they turned 66 on 1 July 2016, it would be the contributions they paid or were credited in the period to 31 December 2015, divided by 44 years (i.e. every year from 1972 to 2015). Taking the subsequent period into account to calculate the yearly average could only increase their contributions by a maximum of 26 contributions, and if their yearly average was already higher than that, this would have the effect of reducing their yearly average, rather than increasing it, as the amended total would be divided by 45. Given the fact that in most cases, this would result in a lower rather than a higher yearly average, it is to most people’s advantage that the rule should apply as it does now.
However, the Deputy should note that contributions can still be used to satisfy other pension conditions (notably the requirement to have a minimum of 520 contributions paid to qualify for State pension contributory).
It should also be remembered that PRSI does not just fund the State pension contributory and enable people to qualify for that payment, but also working age benefits before they retire.
I do hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
614. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1,660 of 16 January 2018, her plans to amend the law to exempt Approved Retirement Fund income from PRSI similar to the way in which annuity income is exempt in view of the fact that in the current low interest rate environment many persons retiring early from a defined contribution scheme are investing in an Approved Retirement Fund and that the vast majority of private sector pension schemes are now defined contribution schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3385/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
615. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of agencies, boards or other bodies under the aegis of her Department that have been disbanded or amalgamated or whose functions were subsumed back into her Department since 2011; the number of such bodies set up by her Department since that date; the names of the bodies in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3403/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Low Pay Commission, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
Two statutory bodies have been established by my Department since 2011, namely;
- The Pensions Authority, formerly the Pensions Board, which was established on 7 March 2014, and
- The Pensions Council, which was established on 3 February 2015.
Under the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman was dissolved and re-established under the Office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman with effect from 1 January 2018. That Office is under the aegis of the Department of Finance.
With effect from 2 September 2017, the Low Pay Commission came under the aegis of my Department under the terms of the Labour Affairs and Labour Law (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017.
616. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount paid out and the number of claims the payouts related to by each agency under the aegis of her Department in respect of personal injury claims in each of the years 2010 to 2017; the number of claims that were settled outside of court in each of these years; the number of payments that were as a result of a court judgement in each of these years; the nature of the claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3420/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe two agencies under the aegis of my Department, the Pensions Authority and the Citizens Information Board have not made any pay-outs for personal injury claims during the timeframe in question.
617. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the representative body for supporting Citizens Information Services namely National Association of Citizens Information Services, will continue to be funded by Citizens Information Services going forward; if the national executive committee which represents Money Advice and Budgeting Service staff is being retained under the current restructuring proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3487/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Association of Citizens Information Services (NACIS) represents the boards, staff and volunteers of the 42 Citizens Information Services. The Citizens Information Board has allocated €55,000 to NACIS to fund its activities for 2018.
NACIS has commissioned a review to help inform its future role, following the restructuring of governance arrangements which is underway across the Citizens Information Services and will result in a reduction of the number of CIS boards from 42 to 8 regional boards.
Following that review, CIB will engage with NACIS in regard to its future arrangements.
The MABS National Executive Committee (NEC), is the staff representative body of Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) local companies and is not funded by the Citizens Information Board.
Any decision on its retention is a matter for the staff of the local MABS companies.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
619. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the stage of the process of departmental intervention with a family identified as having no permanent address that the family will be offered the support of a project worker; the services this project worker will be able to support the family with; the way in which these services are described, provisioned and allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2811/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department has no function in relation to operational issues, such as the provision of project workers, which are a matter for the relevant housing authorities.
620. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps of the process that govern a family's route to and from homelessness nationally, by county; the number of interventions by category (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2812/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department has no function in relation to operational issues, such as assessment of family for homeless assistance or placement into emergency accommodation, which are a matter for the relevant housing authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988, it is a matter for the housing authority concerned to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless. Any person regarded as homeless by a housing authority may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation, which the housing authority may arrange itself or which may be operated by a State-funded service provider.
621. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the Environmental Protection Agency examined HTC carbonisation plants in view of a report (details supplied) recommending alternative processes to cater for sludge treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2882/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra622. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the policies in place to encourage mobile dewatering which a report (details supplied) recommended as an effective and efficient means to empty septic tanks and sewage treatment plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2883/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 621 and 622 together.
A report entitled "Management Options for the Collection, Treatment and Disposal of Sludge Derived from Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems" was published by the EPA in 2014 under its STRIVE research programme.
This report evaluated the legislation relating to Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWWTS) and evaluated best practice regarding the collection, transport, treatment and re-use/disposal of DWWTS sludges. Mobile dewatering was considered and recommended as a method for managing DWWTS sludge treatment and disposal. The use of HTC Carbonisation (Hydrothermal Carbonisation) was not evaluated in the report.
While at this juncture, there is no specific national policy to encourage the use of mobile dewatering, it may be considered as part of an overall future strategy to manage the disposal of sludge derived from domestic wastewater treatment systems.
623. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will report on the establishment of a referendum commission for a referendum on the eighth amendment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2922/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 2 of the Referendum Act 1998 provides for the establishment of a Referendum Commission. It provides that the Minister may establish a commission, in the case of a constitutional referendum, not earlier than the date on which the relevant Constitutional Amendment Bill is initiated in the Dáil.
I intend to establish a Referendum Commission, in accordance with section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998, in respect of a proposed referendum on the Eighth Amendment once the relevant Constitution Amendment Bill has been initiated in the Dáil.
624. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of undeveloped land owned by each local authority; the amount of land that is zoned residential in each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2924/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra641. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the hectarage of land owned by local authorities and zoned for residential development; and the number of hectares by local authority. [3048/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 624 and 641 together.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 1839 of 16 January 2018 which sets out the position in relation to this matter.
625. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of additional emergency accommodation beds made available in the emergency accommodation system in Dublin city and county between November and December 2017; and if these beds will remain in the system after the cold winter initiative ends. [2937/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities and accordingly my Department has no function in relation to operational issues, which are a matter for the relevant housing authorities.
At the Housing Summit in September 2017, a commitment was made to introduce 200 new permanent emergency beds across a number of facilities. These beds are entirely separate to the additional capacity that has been created for the winter period and will be in place on a permanent basis.
626. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of affordable and social houses provided in the Cork city and county area; the number on the waiting list for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2961/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the Deputy is seeking information covering the period 2011 to 2017.
A broad range of statistics on Local Authority Housing Schemes are published on my Department's website at the link below.
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Detail is provided on delivery of social housing supports under a number of programmes, including building and acquisition, housing provided by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), accommodation provided using the private rented sector e.g. under the Housing Assistance Payment, Rental Accommodation Scheme and Social Housing Leasing Expenditure Programme, and other schemes which expand or improve current living conditions. These statistics are broken down by year and area.
The indicative social housing output for 2017 is not currently finalised on a Local Authority basis. A breakdown of the numbers across all LA areas for 2017 will be published on my Department's website, following completion of the necessary validation process.
A composite overview of 2015 and 2016 can be found at the following link :
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/attachments/1a2-sh-2015-todate-brkdn-final_2017_v2.xlsx.
The total number of affordable housing units acquired, by local authority, under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and those delivered under the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme, based on returns made by local authorities, are available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/affordable-housing/affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics .
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent SSHA, carried out in 2017, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 28 June 2017.
The results were published on 21 January 2018 and the full report is available on my Department’s website at the link below. The report includes a breakdown by each local authority across a range of categories. The 2017 report also includes the results of the 2016 summary for comparative purposes.
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2017.pdf.
627. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of families being accommodated in hotels in the Cork city and county area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2962/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS) was implemented nationally in 2014, as a national information and management system for homeless services that are overseen by housing authorities. My Department collates PASS data from lead housing authorities on a monthly basis and these monthly homeless reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These monthly reports include a breakdown based on accommodation type. Commercial hotels and B&Bs are included within the private emergency accommodation category. I understand from Cork City Council as lead authority for the South West Homeless Region that 57 families accessed hotel and B&B state funded emergency accommodation in the South West Region during the week of 25th - 31st December, 2017. This is the latest data available in my Department.
628. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of the 2,245 social houses built in 2017 that were delivered by local authorities, approved housing bodies, rapid build by regeneration and via Part V respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2964/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra629. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of Part V homes delivered in 2017 bought by councils and approved housing bodies respectively; the number leased by councils and approved housing bodies respectively; the average cost per unit of these units that were leased by local authority; the length of the leases of those bought; the average monthly rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2965/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra630. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the cost and size of the 2,266 acquisitions for social housing in 2017, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2966/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra631. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the length of time of the leases for the 798 houses leased for social housing in 2017; the unit cost of these leases per month, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2967/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 628 to 631, inclusive, together.
My Department provides funding to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects, the acquisition and leasing of new and previously owned houses/apartments and through working with Approved Housing Bodies, utilising a range of delivery options.
Provisional outputs for social housing for 2017 were published last week on my Department’s website and are available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/social-housing-delivery-2017-ministers-statement.
The final social housing output data for 2017, including a breakdown of the social housing homes delivered in each local authority area, will be published on my Department's website in due course, following completion of the necessary validation process.
In the meantime, details in respect of delivery up to the end of quarter 3 of 2017 are currently published and available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
In addition to this, I have published details on the progress of delivery to date against the overall targets under Rebuilding Ireland which can be accessed at the following link :
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/attachments/rebuilding_irelad_progress_against_targets_14.01.2018_0.xlsx.
I also publish details on the outputs achieved under Part V arrangements and these are also available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/affordable-housing/affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics.
