Billy Kelleher
Ceist:588. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a full review will be carried out on the case of a person (details supplied). [13801/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance Applications
Ceisteanna (588)
Freagraí scríofa
A review has been carried out on this customer application for Disability Allowance (DA) and the increase for qualified adult has been awarded from the Wednesday after she returned. The weekly rate of payment is now €165.50. Arrears of allowance due issued on 23 March 2018.
In relation to the assessment of the property it has been reviewed and is still deemed as assessable at half the value. The property is not personally used or enjoyed by the customer and as such could be put to profitable use.
A letter regarding the revised decision has issued to the customer on the 23 March 2018. It is open to him to request a review or an appeal of this decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy
Pension Provisions
Ceisteanna (589)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:589. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 273 of 8 February 2018 and 539 of 20 February 2018, if provision is made in her Department's budget to meet the pension liability for persons entitled to claim a pension benefit as a result of Directive 2010/41/EU; if forecasting for payments of that aspect of pension payment has been undertaken; the amount paid to date as a result of the directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13802/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Self-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, including those brought into social insurance as a result of Directive 2010/14/EU, are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This provides them with access to the following benefits: State pension (contributory), widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory), guardian’s payment (contributory), maternity benefit, adoptive benefit, paternity benefit, treatment benefit (from March 2017). Entitlement to invalidity pension was extended to the self-employed from December 2017.
It is not possible to assess the specific cost of State pension (contributory) to those affected by the implementation of the provision as it is not possible to identify these “assisting relatives”. They make a normal Class S self-employed contribution and qualify for social welfare entitlements on that basis. However, at the time of the introduction of the provision, numbers affected were thought to be relatively small. Census 2011 data suggested that prior to the change, the exclusion from social insurance affected less than 6,000 assisting spouses/civil partners who assist in family businesses. The 2011 data indicated that there were 5,872 “assisting relatives” of which 3,315 were female and 2,557 were male. Some of these “assisting relatives” could have been family members other than spouses/civil partners.
In addition, many spouses/civil partners who were affected by the exclusion from social insurance and who gained access to State pension contributory in their own right, may already have been entitled to the means tested increase for a qualified adult. Therefore the incremental costs of entitlement to State pension contributory are unlikely to be significant.
Question No. 590 answered with Question No. 578.
Employment Support Services
Ceisteanna (591)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:591. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason persons in receipt of carer's allowance are not eligible for a grant (details supplied) in view of the fact they are able to work 15 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13883/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The purpose of the Technical Employment Support Grant (TESG) now known as the Training Support Grant (TSG) is designed to fund quick access to short term training or related interventions, obtain/renew certification/permits for individual jobseekers looking to exit the live register. The grant is awarded where Case Officers have identified an immediate skills gap that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other activation interventions.
The TSG scheme is not designed to substitute training and activation measures that are provided under other programmes and agencies (Solas/Education Training Boards) or actions that are funded as part of other programmes.
The objective of the TSG Scheme is to provide Case Officers with financial resources to respond to identified training needs of Jobseekers that are focused on obtaining work, in line with their agreed personal progression plan.
While the primary focus of the scheme is on jobseekers and on supporting the activation policy of the Department, TSG may be used to support a person in receipt of Carer’s Allowance to secure employment and to assist jobseekers exiting the Carer’s Allowance scheme.
Jobseeker's Allowance Applications
Ceisteanna (592)
James Lawless
Ceist:592. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application by a person (details supplied) for jobseeker's allowance will be re-examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13915/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The person concerned Jobseeker’s Allowance claim will be re-examined and in this regard the client has been requested to submit information in support of his claim.
The person concerned has also submitted a claim for Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA). However, the Designated Person who is dealing with the claim has made several attempts to contact the client with regard to his application but without success, but they will continue with efforts to progress the claim.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Applications
Ceisteanna (593)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:593. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a carer’s allowance review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13918/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested payment, made to a person providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people.
I confirm that my department received an application for CA from the person concerned on the 25 September 2017.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that although a certain level of care was being provided the level involved did not amount to full-time care.
The person concerned was notified on 25 January 2018 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
A review of this decision was sought on 23 February 2018. The outcome of the review is that the original decision remains unchanged.
The person concerned was notified on 7 March 2018 of the outcome and of her right of appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Fuel Allowance Payments
Ceisteanna (594)
Billy Kelleher
Ceist:594. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there will be an increase in the electricity allowance under the household benefits package to recognise the increase in energy prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13963/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The household benefits package comprises the electricity/gas allowance (€35 per month) and the free television licence scheme (€160 per annum). At present, it is paid to some 436,000 customers, with expenditure estimated at €237 million for 2018.
The package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefits package retain that entitlement.
My Department also pays fuel allowance scheme to over 365,000 customers at an estimate cost of €227 million in 2018.
On the occasion of the most recent budgets, the Government has chosen to concentrate resources on increasing the rate of the pension and other weekly payments. In Budget 2018 I increased the maximum rate of all weekly payments by €5. This is the third increase in the rate of state pensions in recent years and will increased the personal rate of the non-contributory pension to €232, and that of the contributory pension to €243.30. There was also a €2.50 increase in the rate of the Fuel Allowance in 2016 from €20 to €22.50 per week and in budget 2018 I increased the period fuel allowance is paid for to 27 weeks.
Taking this into consideration I have no plans to increase the electricity/gas allowance element of the household benefits package at this time. Any decision to increase the benefits under the household benefits package would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 595 withdrawn.
Public Services Card
Ceisteanna (596)
Mick Wallace
Ceist:596. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the exact date invitations to register for a public services card were first sent by her Department to persons who have been registered to SAFE 2 standard by the National Driver Licence Service; if the information used to identify persons who do not have a public services card but are SAFE authenticated and invite these persons to register for a card is obtained by her Department from the Road Safety Authority or the National Driver Licence Service; if a data sharing agreement exists between her Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Road Safety Authority or the National Driver Licence Service; and if so, the date of this agreement. [14003/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) does not register its customers to SAFE 2 standard. However, it does authenticate customer identities in a face-to-face engagement, including the capture of a photograph.
In August 2017, my Department commenced inviting NDLS customers to complete SAFE 2 registration by post. Invites were only issued to customers whose Public Services Identity data, supplied to the NDLS, matched the data held on the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s system and whose interaction with the NDLS had taken place since March 2014. This eliminated the need for the invitee to attend at an Intreo centre or a dedicated SAFE Registration centre specifically for the purpose of registering to SAFE 2.
If the customer chose to avail of this option, they were required to complete the form supplied with the invitation. If the customer chose not to complete the process, no further invite was issued.
As part of the process, the customer also had to consent to the Department using the photograph, already captured in a face-to-face interaction with the NDLS to complete the SAFE 2 process. Once the customer has completed the SAFE 2 registration process, a Public Services Card may issue.
The legal basis for sharing data is provided in the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended and is prescribed to certain specified bodies and only for the purposes of public service transactions. The list of specified bodies that may use PSI data under Sections 260-265 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is contained in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act and includes the Department of Transport and the Road Safety Authority.
As Data Controller, for the Public Services Identity, my Department is obligated to ensure, as far as is possible, that the data it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Legislation also provides that, where a specified body collects from a person any of his/her PSI data, that information shall also be collected for the purpose of maintaining the person’s public service identity.
A data sharing agreement is currently being formalised with the Department of Transport and the Road Safety Authority, in line with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Carer's Allowance Payments
Ceisteanna (597)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:597. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the correct level of carer's allowance payable in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14039/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Carer's allowance (CA) 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.
CA was awarded to the person concerned from 3 March 2016 in respect of her mother.
I can confirm that she is currently in receipt of the maximum weekly rate of €209.00.
From 29 March 2018 this rate is due to increase to €214.00 weekly when the 2018 budget increase takes effect.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Fuel Allowance Eligibility
Ceisteanna (598)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:598. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a fuel allowance is payable in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14045/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating a person’s home during the winter months. It is paid to people who are receiving certain qualifying social welfare payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Carer's allowance is not a qualifying payment.
If the person being cared for is in receipt of a long-term social welfare payment such as disability allowance, invalidity pension or a state pension, they may qualify for Fuel Allowance in their own right.
The cared-for person should apply to the office that administers their long-term social welfare payment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Rural Social Scheme Eligibility
Ceisteanna (599, 607)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:599. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the six year rule will be abolished for participants over the age of 55 years on the rural social scheme, RSS, and Tús; when there will be a revision of the RSS eligibility rules to allow extended members of farming families to participate on the scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14072/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Anne Rabbitte
Ceist:607. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rationale for limiting the time period that a person can spend on the rural social scheme to six years; her plans to abolish this rule particularly for those aged 55 and over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14164/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 607 together.
The rural social scheme (RSS) provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen/women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen and participants have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing this valuable work in their local communities
Since 1st February 2017, all participants commencing on the RSS have to be over 25 years of age and a 6 year overall participation limit on the work scheme also applies. This new measure ensures that places become available to provide opportunities for other farmers and fishermen to take part in the scheme. There are currently no plans to change the eligibility conditions for persons over 55 years of age. RSS participants who commenced on the scheme prior to 1st February 2017 will remain on the scheme, as long as they continue to remain eligible for the scheme. To be eligible to participate on the RSS, an individual must satisfy the qualifying criteria for the scheme. This includes having an entitlement to one of the qualifying social welfare payments and maintaining an underlying entitlement to Farm/Fish Assist.
Tús provides part-time temporary work in the communities, as a stepping stone back to employment for people on a long term jobseeker’s payment. However, Tús placements are not full-time sustainable jobs. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market. Tús participants work for an average of 19.5 hours a week and placements last for maximum of 12 months.
The twelve month duration of the Tús contract is set to reflect a number of inter-related elements. These include the need to ensure the benefit of participation on a work scheme is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. There are no plans to extend the scheme to longer than a 12 months duration or change the eligibility conditions for persons over 55 years of age. After three years, a person can become eligible for a further 12 month placement on Tús.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Rural Social Scheme
Ceisteanna (600)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:600. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address queries (details supplied) regarding the RSS and Tús; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14073/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Tús is one of a range of supports provided by my Department to cater for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. It provides part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping-stone back to employment. However, it is important to note that these placements are not full-time sustainable jobs and are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market or getting a job for the first time. 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 - known as Implementing bodies (IBs).
The Deputy will appreciate that the reduction in the unemployment rate is a factor in recruitment to all programmes. Long-term unemployment is expected to fall further this year in line with the continuing forecasted fall in overall unemployment.
The Deputy will appreciate that given the welcome improvements in the labour market in recent years with reducing numbers of long-term unemployed on the Live Register, which is the target cohort for Tús, it is proving difficult to fill the number of places available nationwide. However, changes were introduced recently to the selection criteria for Tús which should broaden the availability of Tús to a greater number of people on the live register. This includes an increase in the percentage of assisted referrals from 20% to 30%, as well as permitting someone who has had a break of up to 30 days on the Live Register in the past 12 months to be considered eligible for Tús selection.
In the five years since the end of December 2012, there has been a 48% fall in the numbers on the Live Register who are more than 1 year unemployed. In this context the Department is currently engaging with the Irish Local Development Network – the representative body for the IBs.
The Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants and communities.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
JobPath Programme
Ceisteanna (601)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:601. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address queries (details supplied) with regard to JobPath issues and Tús; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14074/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is a service that supports people who are long-term unemployed to obtain and sustain paid employment. The service was launched in 2015 on a ‘rolling basis’ with referral numbers gradually increasing over time. The aim of the service is to assist persons who are long term unemployed to find and sustain full-time paid employment in the open labour market. The service assists long-term unemployed people through the provision of career advice, CV preparation support, interview skills training, job search supports and by working closely with employers to source vacancies that can be offered to jobseekers.
The service is distinct from the CE and TÚS schemes which provide part- time work experience and training opportunities as stepping stones back to employment for people on a range of Social Welfare payments. These schemes do not provide full-time sustainable employment in the open labour market.
It is important to note that there are two phases to the JobPath service. During the first phase, of 12 months duration, a personal advisor (PA) provides practical assistance in searching, preparing for, securing and sustaining employment. The second phase starts if the jobseeker is successful in finding work. During this phase the PA continues to work with the jobseeker for a further period of at least three months, and up to 12 months. In addition to the two phases jobseekers may also undertake training while with the service and this may extend the period the jobseeker is supported through the service for up to a further 6 months. The duration of the client journey therefore necessitates the requirement of a cohort based approach to reporting and the updating of individual cohort outcome data over time, as amd when more jobseekers complete their engagement period with the service.
My Department has published initial cohort based reports on the performance of the service, with the latest being published on welfare.ie in January 2018. This report detailed employment outcomes for customer cohorts referred in Quarter 3 and 4 in 2015 and those referred in Quarter 1 and 2 in 2016.
Of the 39,603 jobseekers referred to the service during this period, 58% were over three years unemployed and a further 17% were over two years unemployed. These groups face significant barriers when seeking to enter or return to employment in the open labour market.
The total employment outcome across all four cohorts at the time of publishing was 25%: 18% of Jobseekers who engaged with the service during this period obtained full-time employment, in addition a further 4% of clients entered part-time employment and a further 3% became self-employed. It is important to note, that the latter two cohorts (Q1 and Q2 2016), represent 80% of the 39,603 jobseekers referred between July 2015 and June 2016, and the employment outcomes are expected to improve over time as more jobseekers from these cohorts complete their full engagement period with the service.
The figures presented for JobPath provided by the Deputy are misconceived as they do not correctly relate to the service and as they seek to compare the service and the participation costs for other schemes, this is to misunderstand the service. However taking the deputies approach, the cost per jobseeker supported by the service in the period between July 2015 and June 2016, can be estimated by taking the numbers who participated during the period (circa 39,600 jobseekers) and the payments from the Department during the same period (which amounted to approximately €11.6m) giving a cost per participant of approximately €300.
The actual cost of the service, over the term of the contract, will be determined by a combination of factors such as, the profile of jobseekers on the live register, the number of people who are referred to the service by the Department and critically, the number of Jobseekers who are successfully placed into sustainable full time paid employment.
It should also be noted that the quoted amounts paid in fees to JobPath providers to date are gross figures i.e. the associated savings in social welfare payments have not been deducted. This is a key feature of a payment by results model of contracting which has been undertaken with regards to JobPath: i.e. job sustainment fee payments are only made were a jobseeker has obtained and sustained paid employment of 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks duration were the former jobseeker was not entitled to a jobseekers related payment during that period.
Given the extended time a Jobseeker may engage with the service and the increase in referral numbers over the reported timeframe the results are positive. These initial cohort reports are however subject to review and are based on a relatively small sample size. With this in mind, the department is undertaking an econometric review of this strand of its activation services. Completion of the review is provisionally scheduled for the end of Q3 2018, following which more detailed and robust statistics will be available.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Tús Programme
Ceisteanna (602, 611)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:602. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address queries (details supplied) with regard to extending Tús participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14075/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAnne Rabbitte
Ceist:611. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rationale for the one year limit a person can spend on Tús; her plans to extend this to two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14168/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 611 together.
Tús is one of a range of supports provided by my Department to cater for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. It provides part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping-stone back to employment. However, it is important to note that these placements are not full-time sustainable jobs and are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market or getting a job for the first time. The Deputies will appreciate that the welcome reduction in the unemployment rate is a factor in recruitment to all programmes. Long-term unemployment is expected to fall further this year in line with the continuing forecasted fall in overall unemployment.
Currently, participants can remain on Tús for one year and I have no plans to change this. However, changes were introduced recently to the selection criteria for Tús which should broaden the availability of Tús to a greater number of people on the live register. This includes an increase in the percentage of assisted referrals from 20% to 30%, as well as permitting someone who has had a break of up to 30 days on the Live Register in the past 12 months to be considered eligible for Tús selection.
The Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants and communities. The Government is very mindful of the large number of work programme places involved in service delivery and other valuable services around the country.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
Free Travel Scheme Eligibility
Ceisteanna (603)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:603. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to award free travel passes to persons with epilepsy and their travel companions in view of the fact that many are banned from driving and are advised by doctors not to cycle and not to use public transport unaccompanied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14102/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by almost 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 904,000 customers in receipt of free travel.
Persons resident in Ireland who are over 66 and persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments are eligible for the scheme. The social welfare payments that allow persons aged under 66 to a free travel pass include disability allowance, invalidity pension, carer’s allowance and partial capacity benefit. Disability allowance and invalidity pension are both long term illness payments, and so people in receipt of those payments will already have eligibility.
For a customer to receive a companion pass they would have to be assessed as medically unfit to travel alone.
There are currently no plans to change the eligibility criteria of the free travel scheme to include persons who are not paid a benefit by my Department.
If the free travel scheme was to be extended to people who are not eligible for a qualifying payment, an assessment process would be required for all such applications, changing the nature of the scheme. Successive Governments have instead used existing underlying entitlements to confer eligibility for this scheme.
In addition, any decision to extend the free travel scheme to persons who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Social Protection may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Pension Provisions
Ceisteanna (604)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:604. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the recent decisions to allow homemakers pre-1994 to discount those years from pension calculations will be enacted; when women will benefit from same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14109/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. The Government has confirmed its intention to proceed with that policy in its recently published Roadmap for Pensions Reform. To that end, and to inform the final design of the system, a public consultation will be conducted later this year, and the necessary legislative, technical and administrative arrangements will be determined and developed thereafter.
The Government also announced in January that those affected by the 2012 rateband changes will have the option of availing of a TCA-based pension, if it is to their advantage. The TCA model being made available to them will award a maximum rate pension for those with 40 years contributions (including up to 20 years HomeCaring credits), and pro-rata payments for those with fewer contributions. Up to 10 years ordinary credits (e.g. for Jobseekers or Illness Benefit) may also be used, subject to the total number of HomeCaring and ordinary credits not exceeding 20 years. 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.
The new TCA for pensioners assessed under the 2012 rate band changes, comes into effect from the 30th March 2018. Pensioners do not need to contact the Department at this juncture. Instead, the Department will invite pensioners, who were assessed under the current rate bands in place since 2012, to have their pensions recalculated under TCA to determine if they qualify for a higher rate of entitlement. However legislation has to be drafted and enacted to enable implementation of these arrangements and IT solutions in line with this legislation must be developed. Accordingly, it is planned that the reviews will commence in the 4th quarter of this year, with the first payments being made in the 1st quarter of 2019.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Community Employment Schemes Data
Ceisteanna (605)
John Brady
Ceist:605. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of community employment schemes currently in place; the detail of the schemes being run; the location of each; the number of persons on each scheme; the number of vacant places on each scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14142/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The following tables give the breakdown of Community Employment (CE) projects as requested by the Deputy.
Table 1: The number of community employment projects, the detail of the project type being run and the number of persons on each project.
Table 2: Number of community employment projects and Participants/Supervisors/Assistant Supervisors by county.
Table 1: Breakdown of CE Projects by Type as at the end January 2018
|
Project Type |
No. of Projects |
Participants |
Supervisors |
Assistant Supervisors |
Total |
|
Dedicated Childcare |
5 |
132 |
8 |
4 |
144 |
|
Dedicated Health and Social care |
2 |
50 |
2 |
1 |
53 |
|
Drug Rehabilitation |
46 |
1,056 |
98 |
37 |
1,191 |
|
Innovatory |
1 |
13 |
1 |
14 |
|
|
Mainstream CE |
886 |
20,494 |
1,001 |
207 |
21,702 |
|
Grand Total |
940 |
21,745 |
1,110 |
249 |
23,104 |
Table 2: Number of CE Projects and Participants/Supervisors/Assistant Supervisors by county as at the end January 2018
|
County |
Projects |
Participants |
Supervisors |
Assistant Supervisors |
Total |
|
CARLOW |
26 |
571 |
33 |
5 |
609 |
|
CAVAN |
13 |
333 |
14 |
5 |
352 |
|
CLARE |
25 |
480 |
26 |
5 |
511 |
|
CORK |
69 |
1,526 |
73 |
6 |
1,605 |
|
DONEGAL |
50 |
1,119 |
55 |
4 |
1,178 |
|
DUBLIN |
168 |
4,108 |
236 |
75 |
4,419 |
|
GALWAY |
63 |
1,324 |
66 |
16 |
1,406 |
|
KERRY |
46 |
1,020 |
47 |
5 |
1,072 |
|
KILDARE |
47 |
1,086 |
57 |
15 |
1,158 |
|
KILKENNY |
21 |
517 |
23 |
7 |
547 |
|
LAOIS |
15 |
312 |
16 |
328 |
|
|
LEITRIM |
8 |
191 |
9 |
1 |
201 |
|
LIMERICK |
52 |
1,289 |
63 |
13 |
1,365 |
|
LONGFORD |
14 |
315 |
17 |
2 |
334 |
|
LOUTH |
27 |
781 |
30 |
13 |
824 |
|
MAYO |
33 |
745 |
36 |
11 |
792 |
|
MEATH |
17 |
483 |
20 |
9 |
512 |
|
MONAGHAN |
11 |
410 |
14 |
4 |
428 |
|
OFFALY |
20 |
443 |
21 |
6 |
470 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
16 |
285 |
19 |
304 |
|
|
SLIGO |
19 |
461 |
27 |
2 |
490 |
|
TIPPERARY |
45 |
858 |
49 |
6 |
913 |
|
WATERFORD |
35 |
758 |
37 |
8 |
803 |
|
WESTMEATH |
21 |
598 |
26 |
9 |
633 |
|
WEXFORD |
45 |
978 |
55 |
10 |
1,043 |
|
WICKLOW |
34 |
754 |
41 |
12 |
807 |
|
Grand Total |
940 |
21,745 |
1,110 |
249 |
23,104 |
According to the JobsIreland website (where all Community Employment (CE) vacancies are advertised), there are approximately 1,500 CE posts vacant on Monday, 26 March 2018. This number is a snapshot in time and will change from day-to-day as places are filled and new vacancies arise as participants exit the programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Rural Social Scheme
Ceisteanna (606)
Anne Rabbitte
Ceist:606. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost saving to her Department as a result of the revised model of funding agreed for the rural social scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14163/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Deputies on all sides of the House are fully aware of the positive benefits derived from work schemes like the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). In recognition of the crucial work undertaken in rural communities under the scheme, and as part of the social welfare budget package for 2018, I announced an additional 250 places to be rolled out this year together with an increase in the weekly rate of payment for participants from this week beginning 26 March 2018. Taking into account the 500 additional places already allocated as part of the social welfare budget 2017, this brings the total number of RSS places to 3,350, nearly 30% of an increase in the last two years.
In the context of savings to the Department as a result of the revised model of funding, it should be noted that all Implementing Bodies (IBs) will receive increased funding in 2018, compared to 2017, due to the provision of increased RSS places. A budget of €51.04m is provided for the RSS in 2018. The provisional outturn in 2017 on RSS was €44.4m.
I would like to reiterate that the Government strongly supports the work being done through the RSS and the vital role such schemes are playing in local communities, including supporting social services, across the entire country.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 607 answered with Question No. 599.