Written Answers Nos. 320-344
320. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by €10, €15, €20, €25 and €30, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44082/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year cost of increasing child benefit by €10, €15, €20, €25 and €30 per month is as follows:
|
Monthly Increase |
Cost of Increase |
|
€10 |
€147.6m |
|
€15 |
€221.4m |
|
€20 |
€295.1m |
|
€25 |
€368.9m |
|
€30 |
€442.7m |
It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of beneficiaries for 2020.
321. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing maternity benefit from 26 weeks to 30 and 34 weeks, respectively, for those who have had multiple births; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44083/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for maternity leave which is provided for in the 1994 and 2004 Maternity Acts. Any decision to extend the duration of maternity leave, including that for families with multiple births, would be the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department has responsibility for the payment of maternity benefit which is provided for in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended).
Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €245 per week. There is a provision of €256m for maternity benefit for 2019. CSO data from 2016 indicates that there were 1,215 instances of multiple births in Ireland, representing 1.9% of all births. Based on an apportionment of 1.9% of maternity benefit recipients, the table below estimates the additional cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit by 4 weeks to 30 weeks, and by 8 weeks to 34 weeks where there are multiple births.
Estimated annual cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit in respect of multiple births
|
No. of weeks |
Estimated additional full year cost |
|
30 (additional 4 weeks) |
€724,000 |
|
34 (additional 8 weeks) |
€1,447,000 |
It should also be noted that there would be additional costs to the Exchequer as these estimates do not include the costs for substitution or salary top-ups which would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context and the impact it would have on employers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
322. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of paying a double child benefit payment to parents on the birth of a child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44084/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year cost of issuing a double child benefit payment to parents on the birth of a child is €8.7 million in 2020.
This cost assumes the payment of €140, representing an additional months payment in respect of these children. 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 beneficiaries for 2020.
323. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of equalising jobseeker payments for those under 25 years of age to the standard rate in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44085/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn Budget Day I announced targeted measures to support young jobseekers including the abolition of the age-related rates of payment for 25 year olds from January 2020. I also announced that that the full rate of payment would be available to jobseekers aged 18 to 24 who are living independently and in receipt of State housing supports including rent supplement and the Housing Assistance Payment.
From next January, a young jobseeker aged 25 years will receive a weekly increase of €45.20 from €157.80 up to €203 and a younger jobseeker will benefit by up to €90.30 per week. These are significant weekly increases that will benefit almost 2,100 young people at a cost of €5.2 million. Once these measures are introduced, there will be approximately 14,000 young jobseekers in receipt of age related rates of payment. The cost of increasing the rate of payment to the full rate for this group would be approximately €66 million in a full year.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
324. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of advocates in the National Advocacy Services for People with Disabilities; the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of advocates by five, seven, nine and ten staff, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44086/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides an independent, confidential and free, issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service and adheres to the highest professional standards. NAS has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences, are inappropriately accommodated, live in residential services, attend day services or have limited informal or natural supports.
The number of advocates in NAS is 39 (8 senior advocates and 31 advocates).
NAS is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has a mandate under the Citizens Information Act 2007 to provide advocacy for people with disabilities. The NAS operational grant from the Citizens Information Board for 2019 amounts to € 3,250,952.
Based on 2019 costs, the following table shows the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of advocates by 5, 7, 9 and 10.
|
Number of additional advocates |
Minimum Salary (Gross salary, PRSI and Pension) |
Estimated provision for overheads including office space, training, insurance, travel and subsistence |
Total |
|
5 |
€251,576 |
€75,000 |
€326,576 |
|
7 |
€352,206 |
€105,000 |
€457,206 |
|
9 |
€452,836 |
€135,000 |
€587,836 |
|
10 |
€503,151 |
€150,000 |
€653,151 |
The figures do not include provision for any additional administrative or managerial costs that may arise from a possible increase in advocate posts as estimated.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
325. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of introducing two weeks paid bereavement leave at a rate of €203 per week per parent who has been bereaved of a child under 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44087/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe death of a child is a tragic event for any parent.
According to the CSO data for deaths of those aged less than 19 years in 2016, there were 354 deaths in the year. The statistics also indicate that the majority of these child deaths, 194, occurred during the first year. My Department pays Maternity Benefit for stillborn babies born after 24 weeks of pregnancy or on the death of an infant during the period of maternity, which is 26 weeks.
Under existing social welfare schemes, there are provisions in place for continued payment of welfare schemes or allowances for up to 6 weeks following the death of a child. Similarly, Domiciliary Care Allowance will continue to be paid for 3 months in cases where the child being cared for has died.
Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the 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 from their weekly income. An application can be made 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 2018 some 2,900 ENPs were paid at a cost of €5.5 million following a bereavement.
In terms of providing a specific benefit for two weeks bereavement leave for both parents in respect of a deceased child at the rate of €203 per week could cost would be in the region of €300,000.
Any changes would have to be considered in a budgetary context and alongside existing policies in this area.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
326. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of reducing the hours required to qualify for the working family payment from 19 to 15 hours for lone parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44088/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. Expenditure on WFP in 2018 was approximately €430 million and it is currently paid to almost 53,000 families in respect of some 119,000 children.
To qualify for WFP, a person must be engaged in full-time insurable employment which is expected to last for at least 3 months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is supported by them. Furthermore, the average family income must be below a specified amount which varies according to the number of qualified children in the family.
For low income workers who work fewer than 19 hours per week and work on a casual basis (that is, up to and including 3 days per week) the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) scheme provides in-work income support through daily disregards and tapered withdrawal of payments.
Apart from the Jobseeker schemes if a person cannot meet the 19 hours WFP threshold or if their hours vary significantly from week to week, the Department offers a number of other schemes which can provide income support that can be combined with earnings from employment, subject to each individual’s circumstances. These include One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST), and the Part-Time Job Incentive (PTJI) scheme. It is possible to be in receipt of OFP and WFP at the same time.
I believe that the current range of supports available to families, including WFP, works very well for the vast majority of families and facilitates an element of choice which allows them to select the option which best suits their needs.
I am advised that the number of families working between 15-18 hours and are earning below the relevant WFP thresholds is not currently captured in existing data sources which means it is not possible to estimate a full year cost of reducing the hours.
327. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of allowing lone parents in employment whose children are aged between seven and 14 years of age to receive both jobseeker's transition payment and the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44089/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a number of options for income support to lone parents once their entitlement to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) ceases. These include the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) payment where the youngest child is aged 7-13 years (inclusive), and the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment which may be paid to lone parents where the youngest child is aged 14 or over. The Working Family Payment (WFP), is also available to lone parents who are working 19 or more hours per week. Lone parents who move to Working Family Payment may also apply for the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD).
The concurrent payment of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment and Working Family Payment may contradict the policy goal of the changes to the One-Parent Family Payment scheme introduced since 2015, which were to tackle long-term social welfare dependency - and its associated poverty risks - through a tapering of income supports and a more active engagement process offering enhanced educational, training and employment supports. Concurrent payment of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment and Working Family Payment would also introduce a steep financial "cliff" for lone parents when their youngest child reaches 14 years of age and they potentially move to Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Lone parents currently on Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment who increase their working hours to 19 or more per week can transfer from Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment to Working Family Payment.
I am advised that it is difficult to estimate the cost of paying Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment and Working Family Payment concurrently to lone parents with children aged between 7 and 13 with any accuracy as the potential inflows where lone parents would be incentivised to increase their hours to 19 in order to qualify for both payments would have to be considered and this is not possible to quantify.
328. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2020 of extending the jobseeker's transitional payment for lone parents until their youngest child reaches 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44090/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a number of options for income support to lone parents once their entitlement to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) ceases. These include the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) payment where the youngest child is aged 7-13 years (inclusive) and the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment which may be paid to lone parents where the youngest child is aged 14 or over. The Working Family Payment (WFP), is also available to lone parents who are working 19 or more hours per week. Lone parents who move to WFP may also apply for the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD).
I am advised that the cost of increasing the age limit for a qualified child for the jobseeker's transitional payment (JST) until the youngest child reaches 18 is not easily estimated as there are significant barriers to undertaking such an exercise. For example, customers may no longer be within the welfare system, while others could seek to move from alternative payments such as Jobseekers Allowance (JA), the Working Family Payment (WFP) and the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) back to JST. It would be difficult for my Department to estimate the magnitude of this flow into and between schemes with any degree of accuracy.
Likewise, I am advised that the number of young people who are 18 years of age and over who are still in secondary education, and the proportion of those who are the children of lone parents in receipt of benefits, is not readily available or easily estimated. As these unknown factors are critical to providing a reliable estimate the Department is not in a position to provide an full-year cost as requested by the Deputy.
329. 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 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the percentage of appeals which were successful; the average waiting time in each year in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44091/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
Appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant consist of 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.
In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and just 1% are appealed. Nevertheless, the Appeals Office continues to work to ensure that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.
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 37.6% of such successful outcomes in 2017, 31.5% of such outcomes in 2018 and 37.6 % of such outcomes to the end of September 2019.
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.
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 2012 and 2017 from 39.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2012 to 26.4 weeks in 2017, and from 27.8 weeks for a summary decision in 2012 to 19.8 weeks in 2017. The corresponding processing times for the year 2018 were 30 weeks for an oral hearing and 24.8 weeks for a summary decision. There has been some further improvement in 2019; at the end of September, an oral hearing decision took 27.9 weeks and a summary decision took 23.1 weeks.
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 High Court 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. It is expected that this will help to reduce the number of appeals over time.
In addition, a considerable number of new Appeals Officers have joined the Appeals Office over the past 12-18 months 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 that appeal processing times continue to be a priority for her Office.
Finally, where a claimant has been refused a social welfare payment, regardless of the scheme involved, and is appealing that decision, if their means are insufficient to meet their needs it is open to them to apply for supplementary welfare allowance in the interim. If their application for supplementary welfare allowance is refused, they can also appeal that decision.
The statistics required by the Deputy are set out in the tables.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal Receipts and Percentage of Favourable Decisions of Appeals Finalised 2012 – 2019
|
|
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 |
18,854 |
18,507 |
58.8% |
36.1% |
5.1% |
|
2019 (to 30/9/2019) |
17,195 |
16,516 |
56.8% |
36.8% |
6.4% |
Appeal Processing Times 2012 – 2019
|
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 |
24.8 |
30.0 |
|
2019 (to 30/9/2019) |
23.1 |
27.9 |
330. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on external consultancy reports between May 2016 to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44092/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide expert analysis over a wide range of areas, which includes the delivery of reports that contribute to decision-making or policy-making. I am advised by my Department that the amount spent on external consultancy reports between May 2016 and to date in 2019 was €1,834,681 for 35 reports. Details of these reports is set out in tabular format.
Amount spent on external consultancy reports by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection between May 2016 to date in 2019
|
External Consultancy Report |
Name of Consultant |
Amount Spent |
|
Back to Education Allowance Qualitative Study |
BMG Research |
€50,670 |
|
Data Protection – General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) Scoping exercise |
Grant Thornton |
€3,444 |
|
Development of National Frameworks Qualifications (NFQ) Programme for training in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection |
National College of Ireland |
€29,900 |
|
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 |
ESRI |
€94,070 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016 |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd. |
€124,550 |
|
Joint Research Programme on Retirement |
ESRI |
€29,500 |
|
Research into development of pensions, longer working lives and retirement policy |
ESRI |
€32,000 |
|
Provision of IT Security Partner Services |
Grant Thornton |
€14,673 |
|
Review of the Local Employment Services and Job Club Services |
Indecon |
€87,232 |
|
Review of the Predictive Analytic Modelling Solution |
The Analytics Store Ltd. |
€9,471 |
|
Standard Authentication Framework Environment (SAFE) – Expert Advice |
Consult Hyperion |
€61,194 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2016 – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
€1,650 |
|
Social Protection Research Innovation Rewards |
Irish Research Council |
€10,558 |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund as at 31st December 2015 |
KPMG |
€281,670 |
|
Assessment of Indoor Air Quality - Longford Headquarters |
Shorcontrol Ltd. |
€1,913 |
|
Assistance with compliance by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 |
Mazars |
€301,350 |
|
Consultancy on Procurement Contract (OGP Framework tenders) |
Empirica Consultants |
€4,244 |
|
External review of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s website |
Clickworks and iReach |
€59,100 |
|
Health and Safety Risk Audit – Longford Headquarters and Intreo Office |
Healthy Build Environment |
€1,244 |
|
Independent Review of the Amendments to the One-Parent Family payment since January 2012 |
Indecon |
€104,944 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017 |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd |
€167,674 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2017 – Conference Report |
Lisa Costello |
€1,750 |
|
Study to Explore the drivers of negative employment outcomes on participants of the Back to Education Scheme |
BMG Research |
€41,228 |
|
Survey of Employers (including JobsPlus employers) |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd |
€30,750 |
|
Treatment Benefit Privacy Impact Assessment |
Grant Thornton |
€7,749 |
|
Economic Analysis of Auto-Enrolment Options |
ESRI |
€25,000 |
|
Fire Safety Audit on Con Colbert House |
LNB Fire Risk Management Ltd. |
€1,500 |
|
Joint Research Programme on Gender and Pensions |
ESRI |
€80,000 |
|
Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey 2018 |
W5 Marketing Intelligence Ltd. |
€121,228 |
|
Pension Accounting Advice on Post-Employment Benefits |
Mazars |
€4,428 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2018 – Conference Report |
Peigín Doyle |
€1,443 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum 2019 - Conference Report |
Elizabeth Costello |
€2,600 |
|
Review of National Action Plan for Social Inclusion |
Indecon |
€30,275 |
|
Access to Childcare and Home Care Services across Europe |
ESRI |
€15,679 |
|
Overall Total |
|
€1,834,681 |
331. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the free travel scheme to children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44094/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 953,000 customers with direct eligibility. In Budget 2019 the funding for the free travel scheme was increased by €5 million to a total of €95 million.
Providing an accurate projection of the cost of extending the free travel scheme to all children in receipt of domiciliary care allowance, taking into account increases announced in Budget 2019 is very difficult as the cost is determined by the usage of the extra passes provided and not by the number of newly qualified people. The fact that many operators have reduced fares for children and that in some cases children under five years of age can travel for free would also have to be taken into account. Taking all of this into consideration I am advised that the yearly cost of the measure suggested by the Deputy could be as high as €5.25 million.
Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to all children that are in receipt of a domiciliary care allowance would require additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Domiciliary care allowance is a monthly payment of €309.50 to the carer of a child with a disability. The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child and this may include additional transport costs.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) the Department of Employment Affairs and 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 person'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.
332. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €100, €200 and €300, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44095/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €100, €200 and €300 is as follows:
|
Annual Increase |
Cost of Increase |
|
€100.00 |
€13.3m |
|
€200.00 |
€26.7m |
|
€300.00 |
€39.9m |
It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of beneficiaries for 2020.
333. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the income disregard for carer's allowance from €332.50 single and €665 for a couple to €450 and €900, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44096/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Budget 2020, I announced that recipients of Carer’s Allowance (CA) would be allowed to increase the number of hours they can work, study or attend a training course, outside the home, from 15 to 18.5 hours per week. Over 1,200 additional family carers are expected to qualify for payment as a result of this change at an estimated cost of €11.6 million. Also, any carer currently working less than 18.5 hours per week can avail of the additional hours.
The means test for Carer's Allowance is the most generous within the social welfare system in that €332.50 of gross weekly income is disregarded in the calculation of means for a single person; the equivalent for someone who is married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting is €665 of combined gross weekly income. A married couple with 2 children could have weekly earnings of €734 net of PRSI, superannuation and union subscription costs and still qualify for the full rate of Carer's Allowance. This is equivalent to over €38,000 per annum.
At the end of December 2018, there were 79,914 people in receipt of CA. The projected expenditure on CA in 2019 is almost €840 million.
The cost to increase the disregard for CA from €332.50 single and €655 for a couple to €450 and €900 respectively using the ESRI SWITCH model. Allowing for income tax and Working Family Payment offsets, net expenditure is estimated to be around €55 million per year.
Changes to schemes are considered in an overall budgetary and policy context and from an evidence based perspective. Some 86% of the current recipients of Carer’s Allowance have no means or means of less than €7.60 per week and would not benefit by an increase in the disregard.
Carers who would benefit from an increased disregard would be in higher income households. Given the need to target available resources fairly and equitably to those in most need, allowing an increase in the number of hours was the best use of the limited resources available. In this context I have no plans to change the means conditions for Carer's Allowance at this juncture.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
334. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €10, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40, €45 and €50, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44097/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The Government has provided €56.3m for the scheme in 2019 which operates from June to September.
The Scheme opened on 1 June and closed on 30 September 2019.
The rate of payment for the 2019 scheme was increased by €25 to €150 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and to €275 for children aged 12 years and over in second level education.
Based on the total number of children (263,000) covered by the scheme in 2019, the estimated full year cost to increase the BSCFA rates by €10, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40 and €50 is set out in the Tabular Statement.
Any increases to the rates of payment for the BSCFA scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
Amount of increase (per child) |
Estimated Full Year Cost |
|
€10.00 |
€58.9 million |
|
€20.00 |
€61.6 million |
|
€25.00 |
€62.9 million |
|
€30.00 |
€64.2 million |
|
€35.00 |
€65.5 million |
|
€40.00 |
€66.8 million |
|
€50.00 |
€69.5 million |
338. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the wage subsidy scheme to those in receipt of partial capacity benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44101/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) and the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) schemes seek to improve employment outcomes for persons with disabilities. However, they operate in different ways and with different qualifying conditions. In particular, the WSS is a support to employers while the PCB is a support provided to individuals.
The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme is designed for people who are on Illness Benefit, for at least six months, or on Invalidity Pension and who have retained some capacity for work and wish to work. If awarded, PCB will allow them to continue to receive, in addition to their earnings from employment, a percentage of their Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment while working. The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction, regarding their capacity for work, whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension and their current rate of payment. After the medical assessment, if a person's disability is rated as moderate, severe or profound their previous payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent, respectively.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 hours per week under a minimum 6 month contract of employment.
WSS and PCB are not currently payable in respect of the same employment.
The estimated full-year cost of extending WSS to those in receipt of PCB is estimated to cost approximately €30 million in a full year. There are currently 2,820 recipients of PCB. The basic rate of WSS subsidy to an employer is €5.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy available of €10,748 per annum based on a 39 hour week.
The above does not take account of any additional spend that might arise under Strand 2 and Strand 3 of WSS as a result of the additional employments.
My Department continually reviews its supports and schemes however it is not intended to change the criteria for the above supports.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
339. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2020 of the new jobseeker's benefit payment for the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44102/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is my intention that the new scheme of job-seeker's benefit for the self-employed, which I announced as part of the Budget 2019, will be introduced from November this year. This scheme will provide a social insurance contribution-based benefit to the self-employed who lose their self-employment and consequently are not engaged in self-employment.
As with any new demand led scheme it is difficult to forecast the numbers that will apply and qualify for this benefit. Labour market conditions and the prevailing economic conditions will affect the take up of this scheme and as a consequence the costs. My Department has provided €0.7 million for 2019 in the estimates and €13.7m for 2020 which will be the first full year of the scheme.
This measure is part of the Government's stated aim of creating a supportive environment for entrepreneurship, including providing an income safety net to both employees and self-employed people. The addition of this new scheme builds on other significant improvements for self-employed people in recent years such as access to invalidity pension and treatment benefits in 2017. All these improvements to entitlements are a real advance in the level of cover available to the self-employed.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
340. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if staff in Intreo offices have received disability awareness training; if not, the estimated full-year cost of training all staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44103/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection fully recognises the need to support staff and promote disability awareness and has been very proactive in the provision of training and support in this area in recent years, with a very proactive response from staff.
The Department supports its staff by offering a suite of disability awareness training, including Mental Health and Deaf Awareness, Dealing with Blind Customers as well as general Disability Awareness. The Department also offers courses to staff in Suicide Awareness via Safe Talk, Suicide Prevention via ASIST along with courses in Personal Resilience. These courses are available to all staff in the Department, including staff in Intreo Centres. Since 2013, over 4,000 staff have attended training courses in these areas.
In addition, e-learning courses developed for front line public servants by the National Disability Authority (NDA) and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) are freely available to all staff via the Department’s Staff Development Unit’s intranet site. Bespoke, ad hoc training is also be procured where required.
In conjunction with the Mental Health Ireland (MHI), the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) and the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service (CSEAS), Mental Health Awareness Workshops have been held in a variety of locations. These workshops provide tools and strategies to enhance mental health and well-being, increase awareness and understanding and promote the range of formal and informal supports and resources available.
My Department has a dedicated Disability Liaison Officer to support staff with disabilities together with their managers. The Officer offers support and promotes awareness of disability issues and services amongst staff while also facilitating the Department’s active participation in the Irish Association for Supported Employment’s Job Shadow Initiative and AHEAD’s Willing Able Mentoring Programme. The Department also provides translation, interpretive and Irish Sign Language services as required and is committed to the provision of information in alternative formats where feasible, as outlined in the Department’s Customer Charter.
Induction and Orientation training for newly appointed staff outlines the range of Departmental supports and grant-aid available to both staff and clients with disabilities. These include employment supports for jobseekers with disabilities such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme, EmployAbility Services and the Reasonable Accommodation Fund, in addition to the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service.
Ongoing liaison with the National Disability Authority and the Disability Federation of Ireland ensures that information on relevant events and seminars is communicated to Departmental staff.
The Department continues with its extensive training, development and awareness in this area. It is estimated that the annual cost of providing disability awareness training to all staff in Intreo Centres is approximately €90,000.
341. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department provides funding or financial aid towards purchasing assistive technologies for persons with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44104/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn addition to providing income supports, the Department has a wide range of schemes in place which have been designed to assist people with disabilities to enter, re-enter or sustain employment. One of these supports is the Reasonable Accommodation Fund (RAF). This fund is comprised of four elements namely:
1. Employee Retention Grant: The purpose of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme is to assist employers to retain employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their ability to carry out their job.
2. Personal Reader Grant: If a person is blind or visually impaired and needs assistance with job-related reading, a grant can be made available to allow him/her to have access to a Personal Reader.
3. Job Interview Interpreter Grant: A jobseeker who is deaf, or has a hearing loss or speech impairment and who is attending job interviews, may apply for funding to have a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend the interview with him/her. Funding can also be provided to cover the costs of an interpreter during an induction period when starting work.
4. Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant: Where a person with a disability has been offered employment or is in employment, and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, funding/a grant can be provided by the Department.
The Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant seeks to increase job opportunities for people with a disability by supporting additional costs, related to the disability, incurred by private sector employers employing or retaining an employee with a disability. For example a person with a disability may avail of the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant if they are about to take up employment with a private sector employer, change job as a result of re-deployment or promotion, or become self-employed, and require assistive technology (or an adaptation to the workplace) in order to undertake the duties of the role.
Subject to some conditionality, funding of up to €6,350 is available under the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant. Applications in excess of this sum may be considered on an individual basis, up to a maximum of €9,523, if specialist training for the assistive technology is required.
By way of additional information, the Department of Education and Skills provides an ‘Assistive Technology Grant’. Full details in relation to this scheme are available on the DES website at: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/Grants-and-Additional-Support/Assistive-Technology-Grant/
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
342. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the expenditure on the exceptional needs payments in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the percentage of persons refused an exceptional needs payment to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44105/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the 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. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time.
In total €38.8 million has been provided for ENPs and UNPs in 2019. The tabular statement shows the expenditure on ENPs and UNPs each year since 2012.
Statistics are maintained relating to payments made under the ENP and UNP schemes, however I am advised that they are not maintained on the number of applications or the outcomes of those applications.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement: Expenditure on ENPs and UNPs, 2012-2019
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2012 |
€52.7m |
|
2013 |
€35.7m |
|
2014 |
€30.1m |
|
2015 |
€31.0m |
|
2016 |
€32.2m |
|
2017 |
€38.1m |
|
2018 |
€42.3m |
|
2019 (End of September) |
€31.6m |
343. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an emergency or exceptional needs payment and a rent support payment will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied); if the matter could be dealt with by a different deciding officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44116/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) dealing with this case issued an application form for an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to the person concerned on 16/4/19 which was returned to the Department on 20/5/19.
I understand that the CWO telephoned the person concerned on 20/5/19 to clarify the outstanding documentation necessary to progress her ENP application. A letter subsequently issued to the person concerned on 23/5/19 advising her that the household means were in excess of the supplementary welfare allowance rate appropriate to the family size due to spousal employment.
As the person concerned did not meet the qualifying criteria for receipt of an ENP, the application was disallowed and details of the Review Officer were provided to the person concerned in the event that she wished to seek a review of the decision on her application.
The relevant CWO advises that no further application for an exceptional needs payment has been received from the person concerned since May 2019. An application form has been issued again to the person concerned on 22/10/19. The CWO has also advised the person concerned of the housing assistance payment (HAP) administered by the local County Council.
On receipt of the completed application from the person concerned, with details of any change in circumstances since May 2019, the application for an ENP will be assessed in line with current legislation and rules governing social assistance entitlements and a decision will issue accordingly. It remains open to the person concerned to request a review of her case by the SWA Review Officer if she is not happy with a decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
344. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will desist from persons on jobseeker's allowance for various courses as in the case of a person (details supplied); if other requirements might be deferred until they can achieve housing accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44117/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that this customer’s Jobseeker’s Allowance claim was closed on 28th September 2019 when, with her agreement, she commenced on the TÚS Programme on 30th September 2019 for 19.5 hours per week. She subsequently requested, and was granted, permission to commence a part time course. As the customer’s chosen course is for 4 hours per week, this will not impact her placement on the TÚS Programme and her employment can be arranged to accommodate the requirements of the course.
It is the policy of the Department that customers experiencing homelessness can be excused from activation for at least 3 months, unless they choose to take part. The requirement for activation can be reviewed after 3 months on a case by case basis.
If the customer’s circumstances have changed she should discuss same with her TÚS supervisor.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
