Written Answers Nos. 391-410
391. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of restoring funding for the family resource centres to peak funding levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14869/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Family Resource Centre Programme is administered by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy's query with regard to the issue of funding.
392. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated full year cost of matching the contribution to the community services programme to the national minimum wage rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14725/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Services Programme (CSP) supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Around 425 organisations are supported under the CSP, with funding provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions.
The CSP contribution is based on a 39-hour working week. It is not aligned to the national minimum wage, rather it is a fixed annual contribution that is required to be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.
The allocation for the CSP in 2018 is €46.2m. It would cost an additional €3m annually to match the increase in the national minimum wage in 2018. There are no plans to seek an increase in programme funding for this purpose.
My Department plans to commence a review of the CSP later this year.
393. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount that his Department has spent on social media training and consultancy in each year since 2016. [14574/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra394. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if training has been delivered in his Department on the use of social media (details supplied); the frequency and cost of this training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14590/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 394 together.
My Department has not received any training in social media or used the services of any social media consultants since the date the Department was established on 19 July 2017.
395. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the value of contracts for services awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department since 2010, in tabular form; and the type of work undertaken by the company. [14635/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not used the services of the company in question since the date the Department was established, on 19 July 2017.
396. 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, the way in which persons who were or are engaged in a partnership agreement who are entitled to a pension payment as a result of Directive 2010/41/EU are notified of their right to claim a payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14506/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra397. 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, the sectors and the nature of work, or both, in which persons who were or are engaged in a partnership agreement are in receipt of a pension as a result of Directive 2010/41/EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14507/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra398. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the social protection benefits and payments that are applicable under Directive 2010/41/EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14508/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra399. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 273 of 8 February 2018 and 539 of 20 February 2018, if the pension entitlement of those in partnership agreements has been adopted on a mandatory or voluntary basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14509/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 396 to 399, inclusive, together.
Entitlement to state pension (contributory) is assessed on the basis of an applicant’s completed social insurance record and the eligibility conditions applicable on the date they reach pension age. It is not possible to determine a person’s pension entitlement until a pension application is received in the Department from the individual, and their social insurance record is examined by a Deciding Officer.
My Department identifies customers who appear to have an entitlement to state pension (contributory), in advance of reaching pension age (currently 66 years of age), to invite them to make a timely application for pension. This customer service initiative is aimed at helping approx. 14,000 applicants annually to receive their pension entitlement by the due date (currently their 66th birthday) and minimise late applications for pension.
Applicants, who according to the social insurance records held by the Department appear to satisfy the minimum eligibility conditions for state pension (contributory), are invited to apply. Determining details include the applicant’s name and address, (verified) dates of birth/death, date of entry into insurance and evidence of recent interaction with the Department. If the commercial partnership has been decided upon in advance of the customer’s 66th birthday, they may be included in this invitation process. Social Welfare legislation stipulates that the onus is still on the customer to apply. On receipt of a completed application, the person’s entitlement to state pension (contributory) is examined by a Deciding Officer and the person is notified of the outcome.
The aim of Directive 2010/41/EU is to lay down a framework for Member States to put into effect the principle of equal treatment between men and women who are engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity or who are contributing to the pursuit of such an activity.
The provisions of the Directive relevant to Social Welfare (Articles 7 and 8) require the provision of social protection benefits including maternity benefit, to spouses/civil partners who are not employees or business partners but who participate in the activities of their self-employed spouse/civil partner performing the same tasks or ancillary tasks.
The requirements of this Directive, other than articles 7 and 8, have been catered for in existing national legislation, e.g. the Employment Equality Act 2000, Equal Status Act 2000, Maternity Protection Act 1994 (as amended). No specific amendments were required to the existing provisions of these Acts in order to comply with the requirements of the Directive in these areas.
Under the current eligibility criteria, a person must have started paying social insurance before their 56th birthday and must have paid 10 years (520 paid contributions) in order to qualify for a contributory State pension. If Class S contributions only commenced on foot of this Directive a person will not qualify for a State pension until 2024 at the earliest. The Department only has information on whether a Class S contribution was paid on an earned or unearned basis and cannot analyse contributions by sector or nature of work.
The extension of social insurance to these spouses/civil partners means that they will be liable to pay PRSI contributions on their annual self-employed income provided it exceeds an annual insurability threshold of €5,000. The payment of these contributions will entitle these spouses/civil partners to access social insurance benefits currently available to other self-employed workers. The principal social insurance benefits to which self-employed workers can establish entitlement are widows, widowers or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, State pension contributory, maternity benefit, invalidity pension and treatment benefit which are required under the Directive.
The current system of social insurance operates on a mandatory basis only and does not provide for voluntary participation on the part of the contributors. Self-employed persons who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum payment of €500. The extension of social insurance to assisting spouses/civil partners can therefore only be on a mandatory basis.
Allowing participation on a voluntary basis could lead to the selection of bad risks and would undermine the social solidarity and contributory principles that underline the social insurance system.
The Deputy may wish to note that these provisions apply to spouse/civil partners who had previously been excluded from social insurance and apply regardless of the sector in which they operate. It therefore applies to all sectors of the economy, based on the circumstances of each individual “partnership” agreement.
400. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount that her Department has spent on social media training and consultancy in each year since 2016. [14567/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of social media training commissioned by the Department in each year since 2016 are set out in the following table. There has been no social media consultancy during this period.
Social Media Training & Consultancy 2016
|
Date |
Training Spend |
Consultancy Spend |
Total |
|
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Social Media Training & Consultancy 2017
|
Date |
Training Spend |
Consultancy Spend |
Total |
|
08/02/2017 |
€750.30 |
Nil |
€750.30 |
|
19/05/2017 |
€553.50 |
Nil |
€553.50 |
|
12/11/2017 |
€553.50 |
Nil |
€553.50 |
|
Total |
€1,857.30 |
Social Media Training & Consultancy 2018
|
Date |
Training Spend |
Consultancy Spend |
Total |
|
N/A |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
401. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if training has been delivered in her Department on the use of social media (details supplied); the frequency and cost of this training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14583/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of social media training commissioned by the Department is set out in the following table.
In summary, social media training has been delivered to staff in the Department on three occasions during 2017. There has been no social media training so far in 2018.
Social Media Training
|
Date |
Training Spend |
Total |
|
08/02/2017 |
€750.30 |
€750.30 |
|
19/05/2017 |
€553.50 |
€553.50 |
|
12/11/2017 |
€553.50 |
€553.50 |
|
€1,857.30 |
402. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14593/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision
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.
403. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the value of contracts for services awarded to a company (details supplied) by her Department since 2010, in tabular form; and the type of work undertaken by the company. [14628/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur records indicate that no contracts have been awarded to this company by this Department.
404. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the need for community employment scheme supervisors to be provided with a pension scheme; the steps she has taken in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14685/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector. The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for such employees even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. It is open to individuals to make provision for a pension by way of PRSA which all employers are obliged to facilitate.
However, it should be noted that the issue of CE supervisors’ pension provision is currently being examined by a Community Sector High Level Forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department is represented on this group, as are the unions, Pobal and other relevant Government Departments.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 28 February 2018, the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 has had deductions applied to their social welfare payment; the reason a deduction was applied to the claimant’s payment in view of the fact that an appeal was pending; if the deduction to the payment will be refunded in view of the appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14687/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned had deductions applied to a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment on foot on an overpayment of €8,303.30. The overpayment arose to means not having been fully disclosed. Deductions were in place from 13/6/2017 to 8/8/2017. The client then found work, leaving a balance of €8063.85 outstanding.
There was an additional overpayment of €128 arising from concurrent working and claiming on 29/6/2017 to 30/6/2017 with a current balance of €99.05.
Separate appeals against these overpayments were submitted in August and October 2017.
Although the client made a new claim for Jobseeker Allowance on 24/10/2017, arrangements were made that no further deductions would be made towards either overpayment pending the outcome of the client’s appeals.
However, a deduction was taken towards one of the overpayments in January 2018 in error.
No further repayments will be deducted pending a decision of an Appeals Officer who will consider the client’s appeal against the two overpayments. If the client is successful in either or both of her appeals, the relevant overpayments will be refunded and the overpayment will be removed from the client’s record.
406. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing all social insurance payments factoring into account increases announced in budget 2018 by €5, €10, €15, €20 and €25, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14726/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra407. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing all social assistance payments factoring into account increases announced in budget 2018 by €5, €10, €15, €20 and €25, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14727/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra408. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €2 to €10, inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14728/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra410. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the fuel allowance by one to six weeks, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14730/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra414. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the income thresholds for the working family payment by €5, €10, €15, €20 and €25; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14734/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra416. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €50, €100, €150, €200 and €250; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14736/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra419. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the full year cost of the household benefits package; the estimated full year cost of increasing the monthly electricity allowance and the natural gas allowance by €5, €10 and €15, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14739/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra420. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing child benefit by €5, €10, €15, €20 and €25, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14740/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra423. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of extending the Christmas bonus to those in receipt of the invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14743/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra428. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the disability allowance, carer's allowance, blind pension and invalidity pension by €5, €10, €15 and €20; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14748/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 406 to 408, inclusive, 410, 414, 416, 419, 420, 423 and 428 together.
The costings sought by Deputy O’Dea are detailed in the following series of tables.
Table 1: Full year cost of varying increases in all weekly social insurance payments
|
- |
€5 increase |
€10 increase |
€15 increase |
€20 increase |
€25 increase |
|
Schemes |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
Social Insurance Schemes |
181.26 |
362.52 |
543.78 |
725.04 |
906.3 |
Table 2: Full year cost of varying increases in all weekly social assistance payments
|
- |
€5 increase |
€10 increase |
€15 increase |
€20 increase |
€25 increase |
|
Schemes |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
Social Assistance Schemes |
159.1 |
318.2 |
477.3 |
636.4 |
795.5 |
Table 3: Full year cost of increasing the Living Alone Allowance by varying amounts
|
Weekly Increase |
Cost €m |
|
€2.00 |
20.87 |
|
€3.00 |
31.31 |
|
€4.00 |
41.74 |
|
€5.00 |
52.18 |
|
€6.00 |
62.61 |
|
€7.00 |
73.05 |
|
€8.00 |
83.48 |
|
€9.00 |
93.92 |
|
€10.00 |
104.35 |
Table 4: Full year cost of increasing the duration of the Fuel Allowance by varying numbers of weeks
|
Number of weeks |
Cost in 2019 €m |
|
1 week |
8.58 |
|
2 weeks |
17.16 |
|
3 weeks |
25.74 |
|
4 weeks |
34.32 |
|
5 weeks |
42.90 |
|
6 weeks |
51.47 |
Table 5: Full year cost of increasing all of the weekly income thresholds for Working Family Payment by varying amounts
|
- |
€5 increase |
€10 increase |
€15 increase |
€20 increase |
€25 increase |
|
Scheme |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
Working Family Payment |
11.7 |
21.9 |
31.5 |
43.2 |
53.6 |
Table 6: Full year cost of increasing the Carer’s Support Grant by varying amounts
|
Annual Increase |
Cost in 2019 €m |
|
€50.00 |
5.63 |
|
€100.00 |
11.26 |
|
€150.00 |
16.89 |
|
€200.00 |
22.53 |
|
€250.00 |
28.16 |
Table 7: Full year cost of increasing the monthly electricity allowance and the natural gas allowance by varying amounts
|
- |
Monthly Electricity Allowance |
Monthly Natural Gas Allowance |
|
|
Monthly Increase |
Cost €m |
Monthly Increase |
Cost €m |
|
€5.00 |
23.30 |
€5.00 |
2.84 |
|
€10.00 |
46.61 |
€10.00 |
5.68 |
|
€15.00 |
69.91 |
€15.00 |
8.52 |
The 2018 Revised Estimates for Public Services provides €246.8 million in 2018 for the household benefits package.
Table 8: Full year cost of increasing the monthly Child Benefit rate by varying amounts
|
- |
€5 increase |
€10 increase |
€15 increase |
€20 increase |
€25 increase |
|
Scheme |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
Child Benefit |
71.8 |
143.7 |
215.6 |
287.5 |
359.4 |
Table 9: Full year cost of increasing Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension by varying amounts
|
Scheme |
€5 increase €m |
€10 increase €m |
€15 increase €m |
€20 increase €m |
|
Disability Allowance |
37.5 |
75.1 |
112.6 |
150.2 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
10.9 |
21.8 |
32.6 |
43.5 |
|
Blind Pension |
0.3 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
17.2 |
34.3 |
51.5 |
68.6 |
An 85% Christmas Bonus was paid in December 2017 to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, including all recipients of invalidity pension. The cost of the Christmas Bonus paid to invalidity pension recipients is estimated at €11.1 million.
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2018. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2019. It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.
409. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of operating the weekly telephone support allowance; the estimated cost of increasing this allowance by €1, €1.50, €2 and €2.50; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14729/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new weekly Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) of €2.50 will be paid from June 2018. People in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and also Fuel Allowance will automatically qualify for the TSA. It is expected that approximately 124,176 customers will qualify for the scheme and the estimated full year cost is €16.14 million.
The estimated additional cost of increasing the TSA by €1.00, €1.50, €2.00 and €2.50 are set out in the following table. This estimate is based on 124,176 customers receiving the TSA.
|
Increase |
Weekly TSA Rate Including Increase |
Estimated Additional Cost of Yearly Increase |
|
€1.00 |
€3.50 |
€6.458m |
|
€1.50 |
€4.00 |
€9.688m |
|
€2.00 |
€4.50 |
€12.912m |
|
€2.50 |
€5.00 |
€16.14m |
The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people access to personal alarms or phones for security. The allowance will also encourage social contact and assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.
The criteria for the TSA are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment ensuring that the TSA payment goes only to people on low income who live alone.
Any decision to increase the rate of TSA would considerably increase the overall cost of the scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
