Written Answers Nos. 581-603
581. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline her views on each recommendation (details supplied) as contained in the National Competitiveness Council report, Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2017; her plans to implement the policy recommendations which she has statutory remit for; and the timeframe for implementation. [4055/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe goal of the Government’s Pathways to Work Strategy is to ensure that as many jobs as possible go to people on the Live Register and to other groups that tend to have limited access to the labour market. Ensuring that work always pays and preventing long-term dependency on welfare are also important aspects of this strategy. Under this policy, employment services and activation supports are heavily concentrated on the areas of highest unemployment.
A set of milestones and metrics have been developed as indicators of progress in addressing the challenges and delivering on Pathways to Work 2016-2010. Progress on milestones and metrics are published on the Department’s website (www.welfare.ie) and the metrics themselves are reviewed and updated on an annual basis to reflect the key challenges and issues being addressed under this strategy each year. Many of these will directly impact upon the reduction of long-term unemployment over the period of the strategy to 2020.
In May this year, I will be introducing a new work experience programme targeted specifically at young jobseekers who are long-term unemployed or who face significant barriers to gaining employment. The new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) will provide young jobseekers with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive environment while on a work placement. Host Organisations will be encouraged to hire participants who have performed well and will qualify for a financial subsidy under JobsPlus Youth. YESS will complement other initiatives such as the expanded range of Apprenticeships and Career Traineeships. The scheme will be publicly advertised with information leaflets made available for both jobseekers and host organisations.
My Department has also procured additional resources to provide a high quality case managed employment support service to people who are long term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. The JobPath service was designed to augment and complement the Department’s existing employment service capacity, including that provided by Local Employment Services (LES).
An in-depth evaluation of the JobPath strand of the Department’s activation service has commenced data gathering with completion of the evaluation provisionally scheduled for the end of Quarter 3,2018. Additionally, reports on the performance of the service are published on a quarterly basis and can be accessed on the Department’s website.
I am confident that the current and planned measures, together with the continuing strong performance of the economy, will support further reductions in long term unemployment and youth unemployment, and add to the substantial improvements that have already been seen over the last few years.
Question No. 582 withdrawn.
583. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the number of weeks persons are waiting for a decision to be made for carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4085/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Before a decision can be made on entitlement to carer’s allowance, evidence must be provided in respect of the care recipient’s care requirement, the level of care the carer provides and the carer’s means. In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions can take longer to process. This is compounded if the documentary evidence provided at initial application stage is incomplete or insufficient; this is often the case with carer’s allowance applications.
At the end of December 2017, the average waiting time for new carer's allowance (CA) applications was 17 weeks with 5,284 CA applications awaiting decision. The volume of CA applications on hands are also a consequence of a continued increased intake of claims with the number of applications for CA in 2017 26% higher than in 2015.
Staff have been re-assigned within the carer’s allowance area to work on claims processing and it is expected that this will improve the processing times for this scheme over the coming weeks.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
584. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the number of weeks persons are waiting for a decision to be made for disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4086/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current average processing time for disability allowance (DA) application is 12 weeks.
The processing time for individual DA 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.
585. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the number of weeks persons are currently waiting for a decision to be made for an appeal to social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4087/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2015 to 2017 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following tables.
Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times improved between 2011 and 2016 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 24.1 weeks in 2016 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 17.6 weeks in 2016.
I understand from the Chief Appeals Officer that there has been a slight increase in processing times in 2017 with oral hearings taking, on average, 26.4 weeks and summary decisions taking 19.8 weeks to finalise. A number of factors have contributed to the increase including the retirement of six experienced Appeals Officers during the first half of 2017. However, she is hopeful that processing times will improve as a number of newly appointed Officers gain experience in their roles.
Specific actions taken to reduce processing times include liaising with HR to ensure that vacancies are filled quickly, ensuring that training is given to new Appeals Officers as early as possible and working with the Department to reduce time in submitting appeal files.
It is open to an appellant to claim supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of their appeal if their means are insufficient to meet their needs.
The Chief Appeals Officer assures me that processing times are a priority. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and of high quality.
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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeals Processing Times by Scheme 01/01/2015 – 31/12/2015
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
21.1 |
30.7 |
|
Carers Allowance |
20.6 |
25.9 |
|
Carers Benefit |
19.7 |
21.8 |
|
Child Benefit |
24.8 |
34.7 |
|
Disability Allowance |
15.8 |
21.4 |
|
Illness Benefit |
26.3 |
33.1 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
25.7 |
43.4 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
21.7 |
28.7 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
19.7 |
26.2 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
- |
16.2 |
|
Farm Assist |
21.0 |
28.6 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
65.7 |
26.0 |
|
Death Benefit (Pension) |
- |
22.6 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
19.4 |
27.7 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
26.2 |
28.4 |
|
Liable Relatives |
22.8 |
31.2 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
22.6 |
17.5 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
22.9 |
33.9 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
26.0 |
46.0 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
20.4 |
30.8 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
80.1 |
53.4 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
20.3 |
35.0 |
|
Disablement Pension |
23.7 |
35.3 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
41.2 |
51.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
18.2 |
27.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
18.7 |
31.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
15.8 |
26.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
15.2 |
21.9 |
|
JA/JB Fraud Control |
- |
46.1 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
14.1 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
12.9 |
21.3 |
|
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance |
21.0 |
30.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
14.3 |
21.2 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
15.0 |
- |
|
Treatment Benefit |
17.9 |
- |
|
Carer’s Support Grant * |
21.2 |
23.6 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
47.6 |
69.4 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
13.1 |
23.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
24.1 |
46.6 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-con) |
23.7 |
38.3 |
|
Widows Parent Grant |
18.4 |
- |
|
All Appeals |
18.1 |
25.5 |
* Previously called Respite Care Grant
Appeal Processing Times by Scheme 01/01/2016 – 31/12/2016
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
18.2 |
33.8 |
|
Carers Allowance |
17.6 |
21.6 |
|
Carers Benefit |
20.7 |
22.4 |
|
Child Benefit |
22.1 |
38.2 |
|
Disability Allowance |
14.6 |
20.1 |
|
Illness Benefit |
27.2 |
34.3 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
27.3 |
33.6 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
24.3 |
30.6 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
13.0 |
32.8 |
|
Farm Assist |
21.9 |
26.0 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
23.1 |
- |
|
Death Benefit (Pension) |
19.7 |
- |
|
Liable Relatives |
14.0 |
16.9 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
20.4 |
25.5 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
21.3 |
28.2 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
18.9 |
21.7 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
21.7 |
31.9 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
25.6 |
45.9 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
22.7 |
32.9 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
67.7 |
61.3 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
25.0 |
31.9 |
|
Disablement Pension |
25.8 |
26.8 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
27.7 |
50.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
15.8 |
24.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
18.4 |
23.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
16.7 |
25.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
16.0 |
20.9 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
21.0 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
19.0 |
22.3 |
|
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance |
32.5 |
31.6 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
16.0 |
27.2 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
17.1 |
- |
|
Carer’s Support Grant * |
18.1 |
23.3 |
|
Insurability of Employment |
36.6 |
85.7 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
15.0 |
24.1 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
16.6 |
28.8 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-con) |
18.4 |
23.4 |
|
Widows Parent Grant |
23.5 |
63.8 |
|
All Appeals |
17.6 |
24.1 |
* Previously called Respite Care Grant
Appeal Processing Times by Scheme 01 January 2017- 31 December 2017
|
- |
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
13.4 |
- |
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
20.1 |
24.4 |
|
Carers Allowance |
21.7 |
24.0 |
|
Carers Benefit |
17.8 |
21.3 |
|
Child Benefit |
22.8 |
32.4 |
|
Disability Allowance |
17.3 |
24.1 |
|
Illness Benefit |
28.0 |
30.6 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
33.3 |
35.7 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
27.2 |
34.4 |
|
Deserted Wifes Benefit |
13.1 |
27.7 |
|
Farm Assist |
20.7 |
25.8 |
|
Bereavement Grant |
15.1 |
- |
|
Family Income Supplement |
22.9 |
34.6 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
16.9 |
23.7 |
|
Liable Relatives |
25.3 |
24.0 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
18.8 |
19.3 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
18.3 |
- |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
26.1 |
34.7 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
32.1 |
45.7 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
25.9 |
35.3 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
60.4 |
- |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
20.0 |
26.4 |
|
Disablement Pension |
25.0 |
28.3 |
|
OIB-Medical Care |
- |
27.3 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
47.8 |
37.2 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
23.7 |
27.0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
16.0 |
23.1 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
19.6 |
27.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
18.3 |
24.8 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
19.8 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
22.1 |
23.2 |
|
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance |
27.4 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
20.6 |
24.2 |
|
Carer’s Support Grant * |
18.5 |
25.6 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
14.0 |
- |
|
Insurability of Employment |
42.8 |
90.4 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
16.4 |
25.8 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Con) |
23.0 |
44.7 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-con) |
23.3 |
24.7 |
|
Widowed Parent Grant |
19.5 |
- |
|
All Appeals |
19.8 |
26.4 |
* Previously called Respite Care Grant
586. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the number of Tús supervisors being laid off; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4095/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra587. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if funding will be directed towards upskilling Tús supervisors; if such supervisors will be able to move to similar departments, such as LEADER or the county council; if such supervisors will be able to carry over their years of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4096/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 586 and 587 together.
As the Deputy is aware, Tús is a work placement scheme. It aims to provide short-term quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed while also assisting in providing certain services of benefit to communities. The scheme commenced operation in 2011 as a response to the high level of unemployment and the large numbers on the Live Register at that time.
There are 47 Local Development Companies (LDCs) as well as Údarás na Gaeltachta involved in the delivery of the Tús programme.
My Department is very conscious of the valuable contribution the Tús scheme is making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
The Deputy will appreciate that with the ongoing welcome reduction in the unemployment rate and the availability of job opportunities in the open labour market, in this context it is important to continually review schemes such as Tús.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
588. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the annual remuneration of the two JobPath providers (details supplied) to deliver the programme nationwide; and the number employed by both providers in their offices across the country. [4111/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra589. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is satisfied that the offices of the two JobPath providers are sufficiently equipped with basic information technology equipment such as computers and printers to carry out their functions. [4112/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 588 and 589 together.
JobPath is a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs are borne by the companies. The companies are paid on the basis of performance and with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment. The registration fee may be claimed once a jobseeker has developed a Personal Progression Plan (PPP). Job Sustainment Fees (JSF) are payable for each 13 week period of sustained employment, up to a maximum of 52 weeks (i.e. 4 payments).
The overall cost of JobPath will be determined by the number of people who participate in the programme and the number who get sustainable jobs.
It is not intended to publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive and to do so would place the State at a disadvantage both in terms of the contracts currently in place and in any future procurement that may be undertaken.
The total amount claimed in fees by the two companies in 2015 was €1.2m, in 2016 was €28.6m and in 2017 was €58.5m.
Seetec directly employ 242 FTEs (full time equivalents), and a further 97 through their subcontractors. Turas Nua directly employs 329 FTEs.
Access to IT facilities is essential for clients referred to JobPath and the contractors are required to equip their offices accordingly. Regular inspections are carried out by my Department to ensure the service is delivered as per the contract and they cover issues such as service delivery, suitability and standard of accommodation and staffing. No issues with IT facilities provided in offices have been identified. If the Deputy has a particular issue he feels should be further investigated, he should provide the information and the matter will be explored.
To date 51 on-site inspections have been carried out at locations around the country and these will continue for the duration of the JobPath contract. Inspections may be notified or un-notified and may be general or can focus on specific matters of interest as required.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
591. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the restructuring of MABS; the rationale for this restructuring; the number of redundancies that will arise from this restructuring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4144/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra592. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the way in which money advice and budgeting information will be provided locally around the country with localised MABS services; the measures she is introducing to ensure there is a continuity of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4145/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra593. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the remit of the Citizens Information Board has been changed to include the management of eight regional MABS companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4146/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 591 to 593, inclusive, together.
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) has statutory responsibility for the Citizens Information Services (CIS) and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) national networks. In November 2014 the Board of the Citizens Information Board decided to restructure the governance arrangements of local CIS and MABS services. In October 2016, the Board decided that the new structure should be regionally based and in February 2017 the Board of CIB adopted a recommendation that the current structure of ninety three individual local companies would be replaced by sixteen new regional companies, comprising eight CIS and eight MABS boards.
The changes are being made at local company board level only. The new regional companies are being set up as voluntary bodies, with their own governing Boards of Directors, in line with best governance practice. CIB under its existing remit is empowered to provide funding to the new regional companies.
The valuable work carried out by those employed by CIS and MABS services and those who volunteer in CIS cervices countrywide will continue as heretofore. The staff and boards of individual local CIS and MABS companies have been assured by CIB that there will be no change to the terms and conditions of staff, no job losses for those working in the services, no diminution of existing services, no closures of service delivery points and, crucially, no disruption to services for those who use them.
CIB has taken this operational decision following years of analysis of options and a detailed consultation period with all stakeholders on the need for a more streamlined governance model. The aim of the change is to improve the effectiveness of the control environment, financial management and governance of the CIS and MABS networks, which are 100% State-funded. The change is also about consolidating managerial and administrative efforts, focussing on front line service delivery to citizens, improving the consistency and quality of service delivery and, where possible, extending services for those who rely on them.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
594. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the number of persons in receipt of rent supplement that transferred to HAP per annum in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4163/18]
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.
The Deputy will be aware that the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support with the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme on a statutory phased basis from September 2014.
The HAP scheme is available nationwide from 1 March 2017, and there are currently some 32,000 active HAP tenancy arrangements of which almost 9,000 are direct transfers from rent supplement. Analysis of recipient numbers transferring to HAP as of December 2014 to January 2018 is provided in the following 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.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Rent Supplement: Rent Supplement tenancies transferred to HAP Source: Dept. of Housing, Planning and Local Government
|
Year |
Additional HAP Households supported at end of year |
Number of Rent Supplement Transfers to HAP |
|
2014 |
485 |
n/a |
|
2015 |
5,680 |
2,100 |
|
2016 |
12,075 |
3,568 |
|
2017 |
17,916 |
3,185 |
|
January 22nd 2018 |
1,043 |
124 |
595. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the status of a domiciliary care allowance appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4169/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9th November 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.
596. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline her policy with regard to her Department's employees who are approaching their 65th birthday and seek to extend their working life within her Department; the length of time they may extend their working lives with her Department; the criteria for such an application to be successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4192/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, as an employer of civil servants, has been directed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to make arrangements set out in Circular 21/2017 A Temporary Circular to allow for certain Civil Servants to be retained beyond their Compulsory Retirement Age of 65 years until they reach the age of eligibility for the Contributory State Pension. This Circular was deemed effective from the 5th December 2017.
The Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 provides that Civil Servants appointed on or before 1 April 2004, shall retire upon reaching the retiring age of 65. The Government recently agreed to increase the compulsory retirement age to age 70 for public service employees recruited before 1 April 2004, other than the uniformed pension fast accrual group (Gardaí, Prison Officers, Firefighters, Permanent Defence Force) and to the drafting of legislation to give effect to that decision. The Government also agreed that, in advance of the legislation coming into effect, interim arrangements could be introduced for serving public servants affected by that decision who reach the age of 65 between the date of the Government Decision and the coming into effect of the necessary legislation, to enable them to remain in place until they reach the age of eligibility for the CSP (age 66 at present, rising to age 67 on 1 January 2021 and to age 68 on 1 January 2028). The purpose of Circular 21/2017 is to detail the nature of those interim arrangements.
Under the terms of circular 21/2017, Before a retention is approved, the Government Department or Office should be satisfied that the officer’s health, conduct and performance is satisfactory and that a business need exists to warrant the retention, i.e. that a continuing role is available for the applicant for the duration of the period up to the age of eligibility for the CSP. Any civil servant who wishes to apply for retention under the terms of this Circular should apply to the appropriate person at least 8 weeks before reaching the age of 65. Any civil servant whose retention is approved under this Circular must sign an undertaking indicating that he/she accepts the terms and conditions of retention as set out in the Circular before the retention is commenced, and in particular their understanding that retention under the Circular does not confer any rights on the individual civil servant to any new arrangement that may be provided for in future legislation in relation to compulsory retirement age, whether or not the officer is still retained under the terms of this Circular on the date of commencement of that legislation.
When a civil servant has been accepted for retention under the terms of circular 21/2017, the following arrangements apply: civil servant retires at 65 years of age; the officer’s lump sum is paid; pension abatement rules will apply; civil servant is retained in an unestablished capacity; civil servant is retained on a work pattern with the same or fewer hours, subject to any reduction in hours being consistent with the business needs of the organisation; no pension contribution is payable and no public service pension benefits are accrued during the period of retention; if the salary of the individual civil servant is based on the PPC scale prior to retirement, following retention they will be placed on the non-PPC scale (to take account of the fact that no pension contribution is payable); PRD (pension related deduction) will still be payable; salary for all civil servants retained under this Circular to be paid at the minimum point of the non-PPC pay scale, adjusted for work pattern as required; class A PRSI will apply; and no applications for retention beyond the age of eligibility for the Contributory State Pension will be entertained.
597. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline her plans to make the back to school clothing and footwear allowance available to families of children that qualify for ECCE (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4202/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €49.5 million for this scheme in 2018.
In general, the allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid, where the assessable income for the household is within prescribed limits.
The focus of the scheme is to support costs that arise in relation to uniforms and footwear when children return to school and it is not proposed to extend the scheme to children attending pre-school settings. Any changes to reduce the age of eligibility for the BSCFA would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
598. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the estimated number of persons due to retire in coming years that will be in receipt of a reduced contributory pension as a result of the new calculation method announced on 23 January 2018; and the estimated amount of the reduction in pension for those persons. [4212/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 23rd January, the Government agreed to a proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated by a new “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA) which will include up to 20 years of a new HomeCaring credit. This approach is expected to significantly benefit many people, particularly women, whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, while raising families or in a caring role. It will make it easier for pensioners assessed under the yearly average model, to qualify for a higher rate of the State Pension (contributory). The TCA will ensure that the totality of a person’s social insurance contributions - as opposed to the timing of them - determines a final pension outcome.
The new TCA with substantial HomeCaring credits will be available to all people who reached pension age after 1st September 2012, when the revised rate bands took effect.
Under the new arrangements a person who has a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a maximum of 20 years of the new HomeCaring credits, will qualify for a maximum contributory pension where they satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the scheme.
The new TCA for pensioners assessed under the 2012 rate band changes, comes into effect from the 30th March 2018. The Department will invite over 40,000 pensioners, currently assessed under the 2012 rate band changes, to have their pensions recalculated under TCA to determine if they qualify for a higher rate of entitlement. It is expected that approx. two thirds of these will have their payments increased.
It should be understood that no-one will have a reduced rate of payment as a result of this announcement. Anyone who is not better off as a result of this proposal will remain on their existing rate of payment.
The number of State pension recipients is increasing year on year. This has significant implications for the future costs of State pension provision, and demographic change alone is expected to increase spending on pensions by over €220 million this year, not including the impact of rate increases. In 2017 the total number of people with a State Pension Contributory in payment increased by 17,317, an increase of 4.6% over 2016. There were 36,690 new claims for State Pension Contributory in 2017, an increase of 4.5% on 2016.
The number of persons due to retire in coming years that will be in receipt of a reduced contributory pension as a result of the new calculation method announced on 23 January 2018 and the estimated amount of the reduction in pension for those persons cannot be estimated.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
599. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline her plans to recognise the plight of persons that were paying a public service stamp for a significant part of their career and not allowed to pay a class A stamp and therefore end up with no State pension (contributory) or a modest pro rata mixed insurance pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4223/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraEmployees and their employers, are liable to pay PRSI based on employee earnings. Private sector employees and public sector employees who commenced employment on or after 6 April 1995, are liable to pay Class A PRSI contributions. Class A employees pay PRSI at the rate of 4% and have access to the full range of benefits including State pension (contributory). Their employer is liable to pay 8.6% or 10.85%, depending on the level of weekly earnings.
Public sector employees recruited prior to 6 April 1995 are insurable at PRSI classes B, C, or D and are liable to a reduced or modified rate of PRSI contribution. These employees pay a lower employee PRSI contribution rate of 0.9%. Their employer also pays a lower employer contribution of 2.01%, 1.85% and 2.35% for classes B, C and D respectively. Based on their significantly lower contribution rates, these modified rate contributors can access a more limited range of entitlements, such as widow’s/er’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension. While these modified rate of contributors do not qualify for the State pension (contributory), they are entitled to receive an occupational pension from their employer, which is funded by the State.
Individuals with both modified rate contributions and full class A contributions may qualify for a mixed insurance pro-rata State pension (contributory). If the level of their occupational pension is such that they have insufficient means, they may apply for the means-tested State pension (non-contributory).
I trust this clarifies the matter.
600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the establishment of a new Scottish commission on social security that will scrutinise proposed changes to the Scottish social welfare system and give its view of their compliance with human rights protocols before they are voted on in parliament; her plans to adopt a similar model to poverty proof social welfare changes here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4262/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that the Scottish Parliament recently announced that it would be establishing a Commission on Social Security to independently scrutinise the new social security system that is being introduced. My understanding is that this is part of the devolution process whereby Scotland is assuming responsibility for the provision of 11 social security benefits.
The current system in Ireland already provides for poverty proofing. Poverty impact assessment (PIA) is a requirement under the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016, the Revised Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) Guidelines 2009, and Section 3.4 of the Cabinet Handbook for preparing Memos for Government. My Department provides guidelines and support to other Government Departments regarding the PIA process. In addition, each year proposed Budget changes to social welfare payments are subject to social impact assessment. This is an evidence-based methodology which estimates the likely effects of policies on household incomes, families, poverty and access to employment. It is based on the tax/welfare micro simulation model SWITCH, which was developed by the Economic and Social Research Institute.
Finally the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to ensure that institutional arrangements are in place to support equality and gender proofing in the independent fiscal and budget office and within key government departments and to draw on the expertise of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) to support the proofing process. My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is currently progressing work in this area through the programme of equality budgeting that is being piloted for the 2018 budgetary cycle across a number of diverse policy areas.
601. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the changes planned in respect to the amalgamation of community welfare services in the Dunboyne and Maynooth areas; if changes are proposed, the details of same; the capacity considerations that have occurred in the context of resourcing such changes; the consideration being given to access by way of public transport; if such changes are planned, the origin of the initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4294/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department continually keeps all of its services under review to ensure that they are delivered to the customer in the most effective and efficient manner. There is no plan to make changes to the delivery of services in Dunboyne or Maynooth at this time.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 602 withdrawn.
603. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the way in which a person is dealt with by her Department in circumstances in which a service user engaged in a JobBridge scheme leaves the scheme early due to non-compliance with employment law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4352/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra607. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person selected for a JobBridge scheme has the same rights under employment law as other employees; if that person is entitled to a P45 if their employment is not continued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4381/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra608. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a company engaged in employing a person through the JobBridge scheme is vetted to ensure it complies with employment law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4382/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 603, 607 and 608 together.
JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was closed to new applications on Friday 21 October 2016 and the last participant finished on Friday 18 August 2017.
