Written Answers Nos. 538-553
538. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rate of severe material deprivation for lone parents here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31140/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe latest Eurostat European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data show that the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households was 23.2% in Ireland in 2016. The Irish rate compares to the EU average of 15.7% in 2016 (see Table 1).
The full impact of the recovery is not reflected in these figures, which relate to 2016. Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth since then. Unemployment has fallen from 6.8% in mid-2017 to 5.1% now. The number of people in receipt of working-age income and employment supports has also continued to fall. Perhaps most importantly in the current context, the proportion of lone parents who are working rose from 45.4% in 2015 to 51.6% in 2017, and appears to be still rising with the continuing improvement in the labour market.
With the improvement in the fiscal situation, the Government was in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases from 2016 onwards. This includes a package of measures to support lone parents, encouraging them into the workplace and into education and helping to reduce their childcare costs. In Budget 2018 all lone parents on the one-parent family payment, the jobseeker’s transitional payment and jobseeker’s allowance benefitted from the €5 increase in the weekly rates of payment which were introduced in March. In addition, the income disregards for the one-parent family payment and the jobseeker’s transitional payment increased by €20 from March, from €110 to €130 per week, reversing in part previous reductions, to encourage one parent families to stay in, and return to, work. The Department of Social Protection’s social impact assessment of Budget 2018 showed that average household incomes increased by 1.1%. Non-earning lone parents benefitted with gains of 2.5%. Working lone parents also experienced above average gains at almost 1.4%.
The improvement in the economy, together with the welfare measures referred to, are likely to have supported a further reduction in severe material deprivation in the period since 2016. This improvement is expected to continue with further rises in incomes and living standards.
|
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
|
Ireland |
27.40% |
32.30% |
25.10% |
22.60% |
23.20% |
|
EU-28 |
21.60% |
20.70% |
19.20% |
17.10% |
15.70% |
539. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of external consultant reports commissioned by her Department since the Executive came to office; the cost of each in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31141/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
External Consultancy Report |
Amount spent (€) |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund as at 31st December 2015 |
€281,670 |
|
Assessment of Indoor Air Quality - Longford Headquarters |
€1,913 |
|
Back to Education Allowance Qualitative Study |
€50,670 |
|
Consultancy on Procurement Contract |
€4,244 |
|
Compliance of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 |
€301,350 |
|
Data Protection – General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) Scoping |
€3,444 |
|
Development of NFQ Programme for training in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection |
€29,900 |
|
External review of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s website |
€59,100 |
|
Fire Safety Audit on Con Colbert House |
€1,500 |
|
Health & Safety Risk Audit - Longford Headquarters and Intreo Office |
€1,224 |
|
Indecon independent review of the amendments to the One-Parent Family payment since January 2012 |
€104,944 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016 |
€124,550 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017 |
€117,372 |
|
Joint Research Programme on Retirement |
€29,500 |
|
Measurement and Analysis of Household Income & Living Conditions 2017 Programme: 1. Technical paper: examine the feasibility of conducting dynamic analysis to explore poverty and deprivation transitions over time and between different social risk groups 2. Research report: examine the poverty and deprivation experience of the different risk groups, both dynamically and across a set of selected EU-countries |
€94,070 |
|
Provision of Security Partner Services |
€14,673 |
|
Research into Development of Pensions, Longer Working Hours and Retirement Policy |
€32,000 |
|
Review of the Local Employment Services and Job Club services |
€87,232 |
|
Review of the Predictive Analytic Modelling Solutions. |
€9,471 |
|
SAFE – Expert Advice |
€61,194 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2016 – Conference Report |
€1,650 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2017 – Conference Report |
€1,750 |
|
Social Protection Research Innovation Awards |
€10,558 |
|
Study to explore the drivers of negative employment outcomes of participants on the Back to Education Scheme |
€41,228 |
|
Survey of Employers (including JobsPlus employers) |
€ 30,750 |
|
Treatment Benefit Privacy Impact Assessment |
€ 7,749 |
540. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals lodged in each of the years from 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; the percentage of appeals which were successful; the average waiting time in these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31142/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe tables below provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy for the years 2012 to 2017 and to the end of June 2018.
The figures provided in the tables for appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant relate to appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer, or which were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer / Designated Person.
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.
There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the case in 37.1% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2016, 37.6% of such outcomes in 2017 and 33.5% of such outcomes to date in 2018.
Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.
All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded and just 1% are appealed. Nevertheless, the Department is concerned that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Accordingly, significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times in respect of all schemes improved between 2011 and 2017 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 26.4 weeks in 2017 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 19.8 weeks in 2017.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with appeals officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. In addition, appeals decisions are themselves subject to review by the higher courts and decisions have to be formally written up to quasi-judicial standards.
Other factors that influence appeals processing times include the quality of the initial decision – in this respect the Department has changed the decisions process in respect of medical schemes, in order to provide more information to the claimant. I expect that this will help to reduce the number of appeals over time.
In addition, a number of new Appeals Officers have joined the Appeals Office over the past year, to replace staff leaving on retirement. Given the complexity of the appeals process it takes some time for new staff to be trained up and develop expertise and this has led to somewhat longer processing times during this period. The Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that appeal processing times will continue to be a priority for her office.
Finally, it should be noted that an appellant can claim supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of their appeal and that any favourable decisions are backdated to the original date of the claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal Receipts and Percentage of Favourable Decisions of Appeals Finalised 2012 – 2018
|
Appeal Receipts |
Appeals Finalised |
Favourable Decisions |
Appeals Disallowed |
Withdrawn |
|
|
2012 |
35,484 |
32,558 |
50.4% |
42.6% |
7.0% |
|
2013 |
32,777 |
38,421 |
55.0% |
39.0% |
6.0% |
|
2014 |
26,069 |
31,211 |
56.5% |
37.7% |
5.8% |
|
2015 |
24,475 |
25,406 |
58.8% |
36.1% |
5.1% |
|
2016 |
22,461 |
23,220 |
59.2% |
35.9% |
4.9% |
|
2017 |
19,658 |
18,980 |
60.1% |
33.9% |
6.0% |
|
2018 (to 30/6/2018) |
9,262 |
8,865 |
57.1% |
37.1% |
5.7% |
Appeal Processing Times 2012– 2018
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
2012 |
27.8 |
39.5 |
|
2013 |
25.8 |
33.9 |
|
2014 |
21.1 |
28.6 |
|
2015 |
18.1 |
25.5 |
|
2016 |
17.6 |
24.1 |
|
2017 |
19.8 |
26.4 |
|
2018 (to 30/6/2018) |
24.9 |
29.9 |
541. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the targets for child poverty; the dates by which these targets are to be achieved; if it is possible for these targets to be met in the target timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31143/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures), published by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in 2014, includes a target to reduce by two-thirds the number of children in consistent poverty in 2011 by 2020. Meeting this target means lifting almost 95,000 children out of poverty by that date.
Under the BOBF Framework, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, in collaboration with my Department and other relevant Departments, is taking a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty, building on the lifecycle approach in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion) and informed by the European Commission Recommendation on ‘Investing in children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage’.
2015 saw the first reduction in the number of children in consistent poverty since 2008. There was a 13,000, or approximately 9 per cent, decrease in the number of children in consistent poverty between 2014 and 2015. This downward trend continued in 2016, with a consistent poverty rate of 11.1 per cent for children. The full impact of the economic recovery is not yet reflected in these figures. The monthly unemployment rate in June 2018 announced by the CSO was 5.1%, down from a peak of 15% in 2012. As unemployment is strongly linked to poverty, we can expect further decreases in poverty as the figures for 2017 and 2018 become available. The Government continues to focus on activation, to help people back into the workforce.
To give some perspective and a sense of the size of the challenge Ireland faces in trying to achieve the child poverty target: at the height of the economic boom in 2008, when the consistent poverty rate for children was its lowest, there were 68,000 children in consistent poverty. So, in order to meet the target, Ireland will have to be more than twice as effective as our best ever performance to date. It is clear that the target to reduce child poverty by more than 95,000 children, or two thirds of the 2011 rate, is ambitious.
Social transfers play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and inequality and Ireland is among the best performing EU States for reducing poverty through social transfers. In 2016 social transfers more than halved the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children, from 40.3 per cent to 19.3 per cent.
However, reducing child poverty is not just about income supports and welfare. Rather it is also about supporting parents to make the transition into employment and assisting families through the provision of quality affordable services in areas such as education, health, housing and childcare.
542. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average waiting time for a decision on appeals for social protection payments paid on a weekly basis, in cases in which there is no oral hearing and in cases in which there is an oral hearing, respectively, in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31144/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table provides the details which have been requested by the Deputy to the end of June 2018. It only includes the appeal processing times for schemes paid on a weekly basis.
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.
All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded and just 1% are appealed. Nevertheless, the Department is concerned that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Accordingly, significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times in respect of all schemes improved between 2011 and 2017 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 26.4 weeks in 2017 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 19.8 weeks in 2017.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with appeals officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. In addition, appeals decisions are themselves subject to review by the higher courts and decisions have to be formally written up to quasi-judicial standards.
Other factors that influence appeals processing times include the quality of the initial decision – in this respect the Department has changed the decisions process in respect of medical schemes, in order to provide more information to the claimant. I expect that this will help to reduce the number of appeals over time.
In addition, a number of new Appeals Officers have joined the Appeals Office over the past year, to replace staff leaving on retirement. Given the complexity of the appeals process it takes some time for new staff to be trained up and develop expertise and this has led to somewhat longer processing times during this period. The Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that appeal processing times will continue to be a priority for her office.
Finally, it should be noted that an appellant can claim supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of their appeal and that any favourable decisions are backdated to the original date of the claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal Processing Times by Weekly Paid Schemes 01 January 2018 – 30 June 2018
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Blind Pension |
27.4 |
- |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
24.2 |
28.1 |
|
Carer’s Benefit |
21.7 |
26.2 |
|
Disability Allowance |
18.0 |
25.5 |
|
Illness Benefit |
33.4 |
37.6 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
29.2 |
20.3 |
|
Deserted Wife’s Benefit |
- |
30.5 |
|
Farm Assist |
42.0 |
42.6 |
|
Working Family Payment * |
28.4 |
33.5 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
23.2 |
24.1 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
26.1 |
38.8 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
27.7 |
20.6 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
26.1 |
37.5 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
39.8 |
46.2 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
31.3 |
42.2 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
36.4 |
60.8 |
|
Disablement Pension |
34.7 |
29.4 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
- |
29.0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
30.5 |
32.4 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
10.4 |
37.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
31.9 |
34.8 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Payments) |
24.9 |
30.6 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
33.8 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
38.8 |
30.5 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
64.0 |
29.9 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
25.5 |
26.9 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
22.8 |
28.2 |
|
Widow/Widower’s Pension (Con) |
37.9 |
22.4 |
|
Widow/Widower’s Pension (Non-Con) |
34.6 |
19.9 |
* Previously called Family Income Supplement
543. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is expected to conclude its investigation into the public services card; if all activity on the roll-out of this card has been suspended until the investigation has concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31145/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) formally advised my Department, on 21st February 2018, that their first preliminary report on the PSC would be sent the Department in mid-March for comment. No further communication has been received from the ODPC since this notification was received.
The Department’s schemes and services are subject to investigation or audit by a number of regulatory bodies or agencies at various times. It is standard practice that normal business is continued while these audits or investigations are carried out or completed.
The Public Service Card is the physical token used by customers of the Department to cash their benefit, assistance or Pension payments which are made through the Post Office network. In addition, it is also used as a Free Travel pass for Carers, People with disabilities and Pensioners. Any suspension of the PSC rollout programme would result in excessive service disruption for a variety of existing and new customers of the Department as well as travel service providers.
I hope that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
544. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the campaigns being run by her Department, such as the self-employed benefits awareness campaign; the cost of each campaign, including media and advertising, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31146/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State, with each week almost 1.6m people receive a social welfare payment. The Department is fully committed to ensuring that members of the general public are fully aware of the many and varied welfare supports and services available to them, as well as to ensuring key changes are communicated to them. Public information campaigns are therefore an important part of the Department’s work.
Details of the costs of all advertising campaigns, including any associated design costs for public information campaigns undertaken by my Department from January 2018 to date, are provided in the table:
|
Campaign |
Month |
Total Costs Inc VAT |
|
Low Pay Commission National Consultation |
Jan-18 |
€32,205 |
|
Gender Recognition Act National Consultation |
Jan-18 |
€14,839 |
|
“Make Work Pay” National Consultation |
Feb-18 |
€19,126 |
|
Intreo Jobs Week 2018 |
Mar-18 |
€26,517 |
|
Dundalk Jobs Fair |
May-18 |
€7,016 |
|
False Self Employment |
May-18 |
€162,484 |
|
Farm Assist |
May-18 |
€27,833 |
545. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rate of severe material deprivation here; the way in which this compares to the EU average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31148/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe most recent Eurostat data shows that some 6.5% of the population in Ireland were severely materially deprived in 2016, as compared to the EU28 average rate of 7.5% (see Table 1). This is an improvement on 2015 where the rates were 7.5% and 8.1% respectively.
The continuing improvement in the economy, together with welfare measures introduced in Budgets 2017 and 2018, are likely to have supported a further reduction in severe material deprivation in the period since 2016 (the period for which the most recent data is available). This improvement is expected to continue with further rises in incomes and living standards and I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to ensure that the economic recovery is experienced in all regions and by all families, households and individuals.
As part of this work, my Department is currently developing a new four-year plan to tackle poverty and social inclusion, including the reduction of material deprivation, for the period from 2018 to 2021. Like its predecessor, the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 and its 2015 to 2017 update, which concluded last year, the plan will have a whole-of-Government approach that aims to improve outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised people while recognising a shared responsibility across Government to implement actions to achieve the overall objectives. The plan will be published in the Autumn.
Table 1: Severe Material Deprivation Rate 2010 to 2016
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
|
Ireland |
5.7% |
7.8% |
9.8% |
9.9% |
8.4% |
7.5% |
6.5% |
|
EU-28 |
8.4% |
8.8% |
9.9% |
9.6% |
8.9% |
8.1% |
7.5% |
Source: Eurostat EU-SILC, various years. Extracted 09/07/2018
546. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to reports of an agreement between the Ministers for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in respect of the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall; if she will intervene to ensure the portion of the existing television licence fees paid by her Department towards the support of the National Symphony Orchestra continues to support the orchestra, in view of the fact that many attendees at the orchestra are retired and older persons; the funds her Department provide to RTÉ in respect of supporting the orchestra; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31221/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. There are currently 437,769 customers in receipt of the free television licence as part of the household benefits package. Total expenditure on the TV licence element of the HHB package in 2017 was €53,184,556.
Payment for the TV licence element of the HHB package by My Department is by way of fixed monthly payments to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, (DCCAE). It is then a matter for the DCCAE to decide how revenue generated by the TV licence is allocated.
My Department does not provide any direct funding to RTÉ in respect of supporting the National Symphony Orchestra.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
547. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of part-time and full-time media advisers employed in her Department; the Civil Service grade of each media adviser; and the cost over a full year of employing all such advisers. [31246/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is one full-time Special Adviser responsible for media employed in my Department. The position is paid at the Principal Officer (Standard) scale. The full year cost of employing the adviser is €84,973.
548. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the specific projects which will receive the €4 million in extra capital expenditure in 2019 as outlined in Annex 1 of the National Development Plan 2018-2027; the amount of this €4 million that each project will receive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31274/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra549. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the specific projects that will receive the €14 million in capital funding allocated in 2019; the amount of the €14 million that each project will receive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31289/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 549 together.
My Department’s capital allocation is split across three subheads i.e. A.2.v Office Equipment and External IT Services, A.2.vi Office Premises Expenses and A.2.ix eGovernment Related Projects.
In relation to 2019 it is intended that the allocation will primarily assist the Department in delivering additional IT modernisation (e.g. on implementing online services and changes to pension schemes consequent to the implementation of the TCA approach) and allow for the refurbishment of the Department’s buildings. The capital projects are agreed with the Office of Public Works (OPW) annually on the basis of the Departments requirements and the OPW available capacity and resources.
My Department’s specific 2019 capital projects have not been finalised.
550. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the specific reason for the underspend in gross voted expenditure of €2 million as outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 Fiscal Monitor; the specific projects that have an underspend; the value of the underspend on each project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31306/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has a capital budget of €11m in 2018 (including €1m carryover from 2017).
The projected capital underspend outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 Fiscal Monitor relates to the A.2.(v) Office Equipment and External IT Services and A.2.(vi) Office Premises Expenses Subheads. However, the actual capital underspend at end June was €2.29m (excluding capital carry over).
Table 1 provides details of the current underspend.
Table 1
|
Project |
End June Underspend |
Reason for Underspend |
|
A.2.v Office Equipment and External IT Services: |
||
|
Ongoing purchase of computer hardware, photocopiers, other non-IT office machinery, software licenses including storage technology, investment in server infrastructure and in virtualisation technology etc. |
€0.83m |
The timing of this expenditure can be difficult to profile on a monthly basis. It is anticipated that these monies will be expended over the course of the year. |
|
Intreo Centre Online Self Service |
€0.2m |
Project underway but expenditure will be not be incurred until Q3 and Q4. |
|
A.2.v Office Premises Expenses |
||
|
Tuam |
€0.8m |
The reasons relate primarily to delays in the planning and contracting process. |
|
Longford |
€0.1m |
The reasons relate primarily to delays in the planning and contracting process. |
|
Dungarvan |
€0.14m |
The reasons relate primarily to delays in the planning and contracting process. |
|
Nenagh |
€0.22m |
The reasons relate primarily to delays in the planning and contracting process. |
551. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31331/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to the answer given to this question yesterday, Tuesday 10 July.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
552. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason there is no contractual undertaker in counties Sligo or Leitrim to help persons who are experiencing financial hardship with burial costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31345/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra553. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to bring some consistency to the payments that are available for persons under a financial burden due to a bereavement, namely the exceptional needs payment and supplementary welfare assistance towards funeral expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31346/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 552 and 553 together.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided over €36 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2018.
An ENP is a means tested payment payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship. In 2017 almost 2,800 ENPs were paid at a cost of €5.1 million towards funeral and burial expenses, of which 63 were paid to persons in Counties Leitrim and Sligo, at a cost of some €102,000. The figures up to the end of June 2018 are 1,500 payments nationally at a cost of €2.9 million, with 24 of those being paid in Counties Leitrim and Sligo at a cost of almost €42,000.
The Department does not procure goods or services under the ENP scheme. Payment of an ENP is made to the customer to meet a particular need but can be nominated to the supplier of goods or services with the permission of the customer. The contractual relationship is, however, between the customer and the supplier, and not the Department.
ENP guidelines issued to staff in 2012 and 2013 have contributed to more streamlined and consistent approaches being taken to applications across the country. These guidelines assist Departmental staff administering the scheme and do not affect the discretion available to officers in issuing an ENP to assist an individual or household in any particular hardship situation which may arise.
In May 2018 my Department issued updated guidance for staff specifically in relation to assistance with funeral and burial expenses, as well as a new application form which is available on www.welfare.ie.
I am satisfied that the current ENP scheme is an adequate response to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to assistance with funeral expenses under the ENP scheme should contact my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
