Written Answers Nos. 413-427
413. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of registrations for SAFE level 2 that have taken place since SAFE registration began in 2011; the number and-or estimate of possible further persons who will require SAFE registration; the number of new SAFE level 2 registrations that are forecast per annum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18575/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are 2.72 million adults registered to SAFE Level 2 (“SAFE2”), which is the minimum standard of identity authentication for issue of a Public Services Card.
SAFE registrations to date in 2018 are averaging 10,000 people a week, the vast majority of whom complete registration to SAFE2 at the first appointment, or on a return appointment. On completion of the registration process, they are issued a Public Services Card as a physical token of authenticated identity.
SAFE2 identity verification is currently required for:
- Access to social welfare services - including Child Benefit and Treatment Benefits;
- First time adult passport applicants in the State;
- Replacement of lost, stolen or damaged passports issued prior to January 2005, where the person is resident in the State;
- Citizenship applications;
- Driver Theory Test Applicants; and
- Access to high value or personal online public services via MyGovId, the identity authentication mechanism for accessing public services online.
The number of further persons for whom completion of SAFE2 registration will be required, is dependent on the extent of public service bodies or their agents (i.e. organisations working on their behalf or performing one of their public functions under contract), which are specified in Section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended), that adopt the SAFE registration standard in the future. Additionally, there will also be the need to replace existing cards as and when they expire.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform recently published the eGovernment Strategy 2017-2020 which lists a number of public services for which SAFE2 registration will be required. The SAFE2 transition plans for each service, including communications, are being developed by the Departments/agencies concerned, working with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
415. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the appropriate rent supplement to which a person (details supplied) otherwise would be entitled will be refunded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18577/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs detailed to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 16716-18 of 17/4/18, the person concerned has not, to date, submitted to the Department documentation requested on 6/9/17 in order for their rent supplement claim to be reviewed.
Should the person concerned submit the required documentation, their continued entitlement to rent supplement, to include any arrears due, can be assessed accordingly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
417. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when her Department's report into barriers facing seasonal workers accessing social welfare payments in County Donegal will be published and made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18714/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s main social welfare schemes for people who are unemployed are the jobseeker's allowance and the jobseeker's benefit schemes. Both schemes provide significant support to individuals so that they can work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced jobseeker's payment. The 2018 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker's schemes of €2.17 billion.
An Taoiseach, in his previous role as Minister for Social Protection, gave a commitment at Dáil report stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2016 that he would ask officials to examine the issue of jobseeker's benefit and the treatment of part-time and seasonal workers, including those categorised as having a subsidiary employment. My Department has completed a report on jobseeker's benefit and the treatment of seasonal and part time workers which I am examining.
On 7th December 2017, I published the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 The Bill delivers on the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to tackle the problems caused by the increased casualisation of work and strengthen the regulation of precarious work. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Dáil on 15th February 2018 and Committee Stage is scheduled for 17th May next.
This very important piece of legislation will improve the security and predictability of working hours for employees on insecure contracts and those working variable hours in all sectors of employment.
My Department is currently collating data on jobseeker's benefit recipients in subsidiary employment. We will have 12 months of data gathered by May 2018 at which point I will be in a better position to make an informed decision on this issue.
I intend to submit the report on jobseeker's benefit and the treatment of seasonal and part time workers to the Joint Oireachtas Committee. The report will be published subsequently and will be made available to all members.
418. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 939 of 20 March 2018, the purpose of the latest tender by her Department for facial recognition software; and her plans to expand the use of public services cards beyond SAFE level 2. [18719/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe use of facial matching technology has been employed by the Department for a number of years. What is proposed, in the context of this competitive tender process, is a continuation and upgrade of this existing technology. This technology helps prevent and detect cases of suspected social welfare and identity fraud.
The Department uses facial image matching software to strengthen the SAFE registration process. The normal digital photograph in JPEG format is captured during the SAFE registration process. It is inputted into and stored in this facial image matching software and is then modelled and searched against the Department’s photo database to ensure that the person in the photograph has not already been registered using a different Personal Public Service Number or a different identity dataset. The software compares photographs by converting the image into an arithmetic template based on the individual’s facial characteristics and checking it against the other image templates already held in that software’s database from other SAFE registrations. It is a similar approach to that taken by the Passport Office in its systems when processing passport applications/renewals.
The Public Services Card does not store biometrics. Nor is the biometric or arithmetic template of the photo stored in the PSI dataset or shared with other public bodies.
The current matching system is over 5 years old and upgrading the system will result in achieving significantly improved matching accuracy which, in turn, will lead to increased efficiencies and effectiveness for my Department. The process will involve the application of the upgraded algorithm to all of the facial templates currently on the facial matching server in order to improve matching accuracy.
In conclusion, my Department currently has no plans to extend SAFE registration beyond that of SAFE level 2.
I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
419. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18739/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis lady submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 21 February 2018. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that this lady was substantially restricted in taking up employment.
She was notified in writing of this decision on 26 April 2018 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
420. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 588 of 27 March 2018, if her response will be reviewed in view of the fact that the house co-owned by a person (details supplied) is occupied by members of their extended family so they cannot divest their interest in it or profit from the rental income. [18741/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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 or his spouse, and as such could be put to profitable use.
A letter regarding the revised decision 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.
421. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue on a disability allowance claim by a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18805/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis gentleman’s Disability Allowance (DA) was stopped on 31 January 2016 as he commenced on Back to Work Allowance (BTWA).
The person concerned informed us that his BTWA was ceasing on 28 March 2018 and he wished to have his DA re-instated. The file was sent to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances as he is now Self Employed.
On 23 April 2018 the person concerned was asked to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on his eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made and he will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
422. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance; and when a decision will be made on his or her case. [18870/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my Department received an application for disability allowance from this gentleman on 11 December 2017. 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 provided in support of the claim.
On 9 March, 28 March, 13 April and 25 April 2018, they were asked to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on eligibility.
On receipt of this information and completion of the necessary investigations into all aspects of the claim, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
423. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures available from her Department to assist a person (details supplied) in order to extricate themselves from homelessness; her plans to address this anomaly for persons under 25 years of age in similar situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18920/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned has been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance since 30th December 2013 and had availed of the Back to Education programme which afforded him the higher weekly rate of payment for Jobseeker's Allowance.
In March of this year the person concerned withdrew from the Back to Education programme, he was then referred to the Homeless Persons Unit, North Cumberland Street where he met a Community Welfare Officer who provided an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) and attempted to engage with the him regarding his circumstances and how the Department might best be able to assist him at the time.
Unfortunately, the person concerned has disengaged from our services. A Community Welfare Officer in the Homeless Persons Unit is attempting to contact the person to determine if we can be of any assistance to him. The person concerned may also present to the Homeless Persons Unit if they wish to progress the matter.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
424. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason persons are being recruited to her Department while at the same time employees in the carer's allowance section are being let go; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18936/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, like all Departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff.
The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new increasing demands in a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.
Permanent staff are recruited for a number of reasons: to provide additional resources to priority work areas; to replace staff who have been promoted or transferred elsewhere; and to replace staff who have resigned or retired from the Department. From January 2017 to January 2018, 12 permanent staff were recruited to the Carer's Allowance section.
Temporary clerical staff are recruited to cover absences of permanent staff on maternity leave, long term sick leave, other statutory leave and also to provide cover for some staff availing of the shorter working year scheme. They are also recruited to alleviate work pressure in certain areas, and to assist in the roll-out of the Public Services Card project.
Temporary contracts are offered for a fixed term or a fixed purpose. In the case of a fixed purpose contract the term can vary according to the purpose of the contract. All temporary contracts are kept under review and are terminated when the purpose for the contract has ceased.
425. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the employment contract of a person (details supplied) will be extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18937/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTemporary clerical staff are recruited to provide cover for permanent staff who are absent on maternity leave, long term sick leave, shorter working year scheme and other statutory leave. They are also recruited to clear backlogs and to assist in the roll-out of the Public Services Card project.
Temporary staff are appointed on a fixed-term or fixed purpose contract basis. Once the purpose for which the person is recruited no longer exists the contract is terminated.
The person referred to was recruited from the Public Appointments Service temporary clerical officer panel in July 2014. The purpose for his fixed purpose contract was specifically to deal with the backlog of claims in Longford while awaiting the assignment of permanent staff.
Following the recent assignment of permanent staff to the location, the requirement for the temporary clerical support has now ceased and there are no plans to extend the relevant contracts beyond the given notice date.
426. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an appeal to a decision on a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19001/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 5th April 2018, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral 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.
427. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19008/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer'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 on 26 April 2018 and the first payment will issue to his nominated bank account on 3 May 2018.
Arrears of allowance due from 25 January 2018 to 2 May 2018 will also issue. The person concerned was notified of these details on 26 April 2018.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
