Written Answers Nos. 771-798
775. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will implement the recommendations of the Duffy Cahill report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20981/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Duffy Cahill report, which was commissioned by the Government in the aftermath of the Clerys closure, highlighted how the issues raised by the event and the subsequent legal cases are highly complex.
The Duffy-Cahill Report was sent to the Company Law Review Group (CLRG) in 2016 for its consideration as part of the work of that group in advising the Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation on any changes that it considered necessary with respect to the protection of employees and unsecured creditors. (The CLRG is a statutory body comprising members drawn from regulatory, legal, business and employee interests).
The CLRG, as part of its deliberations, also considered related amendments proposed by Deputy Nash (then Senator Nash) to the Companies (Accounting) Bill in April/May 2017.
The CLRG's ‘Report on the Protection of Employees and Unsecured Creditors’ was presented to the Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation in June 2017 and published on the website of the CLRG. It did not include the implementation of the Duffy-Cahill Report or the Senator Nash proposals in its recommendations.
It is clear that the implementation of the recommendations in the Duffy-Cahill Report give rise to a host of complex issues and that any proposal to progress them would require further careful consideration involving consultation with many stakeholders.
A commitment has been made in the Programme for Government to review the Companies Acts with a view to addressing the practice of trading entities splitting their operations between trading and property, with the result that the trading business goes into insolvency and the assets are taken out of the original business. This will be progressed by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
778. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number or estimated number of workers affected by the policy which states that employed and self-employed incomes cannot be combined in the same year for purposes of assessment for the pandemic unemployment payment resulting in them receiving the lower rather than the higher payment amount; and her views on this policy. [19566/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a person must have been in employment immediately prior to the 13th March and lost their income from employment due to the onset of the pandemic. Self- employed people must have suffered a collapse in their trading income to the extent that they are available to take up other full-time work.
Changes were announced to the structure of the pandemic unemployment payment which means that it continues to be a strong support but is also fair and targeted. Payment is now linked to prior earnings, using their most recent earnings, where possible, as the basis for any revision. Where an employee's gross weekly earnings were €200 or higher there is no change to their rate of payment. If their gross weekly earnings were under €200 the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment was adjusted to €203.
Where a person is self-employed their gross average weekly income for 2018 is used to calculate the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment, the last tax year for which complete verifiable data on self-employed income is available.
Where a person is an employee their gross average weekly income for either 2019 or the months of January and February 2020 was used, whichever was the more favourable. Information in respect of both these periods is readily available from the Revenue Commissioners.
Combining employee and self-employed income could potentially reduce average weekly earnings in the case of employee earnings, particularly where an employee has relatively small amounts of self-employment income, as the respective earnings would then be assessed over a full year. The nature of self-employment is such that it is not possible, for Revenue and PRSI purposes, to attribute self-employment income to any particular week, and earnings are assessed on a full-year basis.
The figures requested by the Deputy are not readily available at this time as it would involve extensive data matching across multiple IT systems.
I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
779. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for a disability allowance has been received from a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19620/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from this lady on 23 July 2020.
On 28 July 2020 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made on her DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
780. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the delay in assessing applications for carer’s allowance; the result of the appeal of a person (details supplied) that has been without income for over 33 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19623/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that for 2020 to the end of June the average processing time for carer’s allowance appeals dealt with by way of summary decision was 13.1 weeks and it was 21.7 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. This is an improvement on the position for 2019 when carer's allowance appeals dealt with by way of summary decision had an average processing time of 23.2 weeks and it was 27.3 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. Further improvements in appeals processing times is a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
781. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a period of time on carer's benefit can be used as a qualifying period of time for the back to education allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19624/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue education and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study. The weekly rate of BTEA payment is linked to the persons' underlying qualifying payment.
Carers allowance is a qualifying payment for someone considering applying for BTEA. A person in receipt of a carers allowance payment wishing to be considered for the BTEA should send their application to Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Carer's Allowance Section, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Co. Longford.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
782. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she, her Ministers of State or advisers have ever used private email for any form of official Government use since the formation of the Government; and if so, if she will publish all such emails and corresponding documents immediately. [19636/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that neither I nor my advisers have ever used private email for any form of official Government use since the formation of the Government.
783. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the meetings she and her Ministers of State have had since the formation of the Government by date in tabular form (details supplied). [19653/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOther than internal meetings, I have attended the meetings listed below in my role as Minister for Social Protection.
|
Date |
|
|
7th July 2020 |
Video link- OECD Ministerial Roundtable on Inclusion |
|
30th July 2020 |
Pre-Budget 2021 Forum. |
The pre-Budget Forum was attended by representatives of Active Retirement Ireland, Age Action Ireland, Age and Opportunity, Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, ALONE, American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, ATD Fourth World Ireland, Barnardos, Care Alliance Ireland, Chambers Ireland, Children's Rights Alliance, Comhairle na nÓg, Congress Centres Network, Crosscare, Disability federation of Ireland, European Anti-Poverty Network, Family Carers Ireland, Focus Ireland, Home and Community care Ireland, IBEC, Inclusion Ireland , Independent Living Movement Ireland, Irish cattle and sheep Farmer's Association, ICTU, Irish Council for Social Housing, Irish Countrywomen's Association, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, Irish Refugee Council, Irish Rural Link, Irish Senior Citizens' Parliament, ISME, Mental Health Reform, National Association of Widows in Ireland, National Council for the Blind in Ireland, National federation of Pensioners' Associations, National Women's Council of Ireland, National Youth Council of Ireland, One Family, Pavee Point, Protestant Aid, Retired Workers Committee, Simon Community, Social Justice Ireland, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SPARK, The Wheel, Threshold, TREOIR, Trustus We Care, Union of Students in Ireland, Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, amongst others.
784. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide details of her advisers and those of the Ministers of State; the remuneration packages of same; and the date of commencement in their role. [19670/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval.
It should be noted that the appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government. However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned two Special Advisers to work with me, a Special Adviser on policy and a Press Adviser, and these persons will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved.
785. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average processing time for a carer's allowance as of 17 July 2020. [19683/20]
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 child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed as quickly as possible. To qualify for CA, the carer must show that they are habitually resident in the State, that they are providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires this level of care and that their means are less than the statutory limit.
In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions can take longer to process. In some cases the documentary evidence provided at initial application stage is incomplete or insufficient and this can lead to delays in processing.
Claim processing is kept under active review. The target for the CA scheme is to process 70% of claims in 12 weeks. The average processing time for CA at the end of June was 5 weeks and 91% of claims were processed within 12 weeks.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
786. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the names and salaries of her special advisers; the salaries paid to each Minister and Minister of State in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19720/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval.
It should be noted that the appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government. However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned two Special Advisers to work with me, a Special Adviser on policy and a Press Adviser, and these persons will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved.
787. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in April, May, June and July 2020, by Dáil constituency if possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19737/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that my Department's data cannot be broken down by constituency. Breakdowns are provided by county for the last payment date in each of the requested months in the table below.
|
|
28 April |
26 May |
30 June |
28 July |
|
Carlow |
7,752 |
7,349 |
5,252 |
3,367 |
|
Cavan |
9,650 |
9,213 |
6,431 |
4,006 |
|
Clare |
14,145 |
13,900 |
10,521 |
6,345 |
|
Cork |
61,404 |
60,068 |
44,070 |
27,840 |
|
Donegal |
22,533 |
21,912 |
15,860 |
8,989 |
|
Dublin |
170,697 |
169,287 |
137,791 |
97,838 |
|
Galway |
32,109 |
31,707 |
24,346 |
15,428 |
|
Kerry |
21,883 |
21,516 |
16,397 |
9,284 |
|
Kildare |
25,996 |
25,534 |
18,910 |
12,797 |
|
Kilkenny |
10,363 |
9,984 |
7,242 |
4,442 |
|
Laois |
8,633 |
8,312 |
6,028 |
3,885 |
|
Leitrim |
4,038 |
3,945 |
2,865 |
1,752 |
|
Limerick |
22,430 |
21,660 |
16,377 |
11,119 |
|
Longford |
4,419 |
4,401 |
3,159 |
2,062 |
|
Louth |
17,543 |
17,311 |
13,174 |
8,649 |
|
Mayo |
16,366 |
15,934 |
11,678 |
6,823 |
|
Meath |
24,784 |
24,210 |
17,464 |
11,486 |
|
Monaghan |
8,038 |
7,975 |
5,654 |
3,623 |
|
Offaly |
8,745 |
8,600 |
5,914 |
3,793 |
|
Roscommon |
7,044 |
6,882 |
4,879 |
3,046 |
|
Sligo |
7,582 |
7,344 |
5,640 |
3,361 |
|
Tipperary |
18,699 |
18,026 |
12,718 |
8,394 |
|
Waterford |
13,869 |
13,692 |
10,153 |
6,135 |
|
Westmeath |
11,771 |
11,258 |
8,047 |
5,225 |
|
Wexford |
20,339 |
19,679 |
13,706 |
7,891 |
|
Wicklow |
18,442 |
18,108 |
13,691 |
8,794 |
|
Unknown |
1,702 |
1,603 |
966 |
476 |
|
Total |
590,976 |
579,410 |
438,933 |
286,850 |
788. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of providing rent supplement to 7,100 extra applications received since March 2020; the average cost per claim for each month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19901/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra789. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she has taken to advise persons that are now eligible to apply for rent supplement such as website updates, newspaper advertisements, social media advertisements and so on, during the Covid-19 response. [19902/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra861. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications by county received for rent allowance support during the Covid-19 period; the number of applications granted and refused, respectively by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 788, 789 and 861 together.
Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 20,400 recipients as of 25th July 2020.
The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
As at 25th July, there are 6,315 rent supplement customers in payment awarded since the 13th March 2020 with an average tenancy cost for the scheme of €685 per month. There are 925 cases awaiting a payment decision or yet to supply all documentation needed to allow the officer dealing with the case to make a decision. The total associated costs for both cases awarded and pending is in the region of €59.5m, fully annualised. The attached tabular statements provide a rolling monthly average cost per claim for the periods requested; and a county analysis of rent supplement recipients awarded since 13th March 2020 and still in payment as at 25th July 2020. Statistics in relation to overall refusal rates for the scheme are not currently available, while approximately 1,000 cases, awarded since 13th March, no longer receive RS support as they have returned to work.
In the context of the Covid emergency, the position is that for persons to be eligible for Rent Supplement, once it has been confirmed that they are a bona fide tenant, the two standing qualification criteria apply:
The customer was in receipt of Rent Supplement in the last 12 months before the date of application; or,
The customer was living in private rented accommodation prior to the Covid emergency (at least 4 weeks), could afford their rent at the beginning of the tenancy and were now unable to continue to pay the rent because of a substantial change in their circumstances.
The principal underlying criteria for access to the Scheme have not changed: an applicant receiving a primary social welfare payment or reduced income with an identifiable rental commitment can apply. Rent supplement’s core customer message remains in line with previous policy, and is supported by the existing customer information available explaining the Scheme’s objectives and criteria. Where a tenant approaches the Department for support towards their rental commitments, the application will be considered by the officer dealing with their case.
The overarching Covid-19 response in the case of rent supplement is to provide a flexible case-by-case driven solution for customers, providing temporary income support during the emergency for their housing costs. The scheme has not fundamentally changed, and I am satisfied that the appropriate information is available to both officers and the general public with respect to the scheme.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.
Table 1 - Average Monthly Rent Supplement Payment - 13th March to 25th July 2020.
|
Month |
Recipient No's |
Monthly Average Rent Supplement Payment (€) |
|
March* |
368 |
646 |
|
April |
3,308 |
707 |
|
May |
1,534 |
678 |
|
June |
777 |
659 |
|
July* |
328 |
605 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
6,315 |
685 |
* full month not captured.
Table 2 - County Analysis of COVID-19 Related Rent Supplement Recipients - as at 25/07/2020.
|
County |
Number of Recipients |
|
CARLOW |
80 |
|
CAVAN |
92 |
|
CLARE |
79 |
|
CORK |
727 |
|
DONEGAL |
94 |
|
DUBLIN |
2,741 |
|
GALWAY |
347 |
|
KERRY |
276 |
|
KILDARE |
300 |
|
KILKENNY |
74 |
|
LAOIS |
74 |
|
LEITRIM |
33 |
|
LIMERICK |
241 |
|
LONGFORD |
33 |
|
LOUTH |
105 |
|
MAYO |
82 |
|
MEATH |
160 |
|
MONAGHAN |
43 |
|
OFFALY |
39 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
53 |
|
SLIGO |
76 |
|
TIPPERARY |
123 |
|
WATERFORD |
40 |
|
WESTMEATH |
86 |
|
WEXFORD |
88 |
|
WICKLOW |
229 |
|
Grand Total |
6,315 |
794. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider eligibility for those that took time off work to look after an elderly or incapacitated family members and that themselves now are ill but are not entitled to illness benefit in view of the fact they do not have the required qualifying criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19952/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria for eligibility for illness benefit are laid down in legislation. Illness Benefit may only be awarded to those who fulfil the contribution criteria. To qualify for illness benefit a customer must:
- Be unable to work due to illness
- Be under pensionable age (currently 66)
- Satisfy the contribution conditions
- At least 104 reckonable contributions
- 39 reckonable contributions in relevant tax year, 13 of which must be paid OR 26 in relevant tax year and 26 weeks PRSI paid in appropriate class in year before governing contribution year.
- Reckonable earnings above a certain amount in relevant tax year.
In 2019 206,026 claims were received and expenditure on illness benefit was in the region of €606 million.
For those who are unable to meet the criteria for Illness Benefit, the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. SWA provides immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other schemes.
People who take time off work to care for family members may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit.
Credited contributions, normally known as credits, are awarded to recipients of Carer’s Benefit and of Carer’s Allowance where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Recipients of these payments qualify for credits where they have at least one paid contribution in the previous two years or have had credited contributions in that period. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid Carer’s Leave from work.
Credits protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record, where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as during periods spent caring. In combination with paid PRSI contributions, credits assist employees in qualifying for short-term schemes and enhance the level of benefit for long-term schemes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
795. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of paying the pandemic unemployment payment at a rate of €250 for those that earned less than €200 pre-Covid-19. [19992/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra796. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of paying the pandemic unemployment payment at a rate of €350 for those that earned less than €300 pre-Covid-19. [19993/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra829. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2021 of maintaining the two rates of pandemic unemployment payment that is continuing the scheme as it is currently operating; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20031/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra830. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated savings in 2021 arising from the scheduled reduction of pandemic unemployment payment rates announced as part of the July stimulus. [20032/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra831. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of the pandemic unemployment payment in 2021; the assumptions underpinning this estimate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20033/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 795 and 796 and 829 to 831, inclusive, together.
As part of a suite of measures announced in the July Stimulus, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will now be extended to April 2021.
By week-ending Friday, 31st July 2020, the PUP scheme will have cost an estimated €3 billion. The estimated cost of PUP in July 2020 is approximately €420 million. By the week-ending Friday 14th August when the PUP was scheduled to have ceased, it is estimated that the scheme will have cost almost €3.2 billion.
These estimates are informed by the forecast for unemployment in the Stability Programme Update, published in April 2020. In that respect, they are subject to change as labour market and payment trends develop.
The performance of the labour market in the weeks and months ahead, including the capacity of employers to respond to the phased return to work following the Covid-19 lockdown, and the level of any resulting residual unemployment, remains uncertain.
The cost of PUP in the period between August and December 2020 will depend on the ongoing suppression of the Covid-19 virus and on progress in reopening the economy and society. Both of these factors will determine the extent of labour market recovery between now and the year-end and the approach that the Government will take with respect to what further changes, if any, may be made to the PUP. These are matters that will be considered during the coming weeks and the estimated cost of PUP to the year-end and the allocation for 2021 will be determined as part of that process.
797. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending maternity benefit by 12 weeks for mothers whose maternity leave ends between March and November 2020. [19994/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra798. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending maternity benefit by one week. [19995/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 797 and 798 together.
Maternity benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who are on maternity leave and who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has policy and legal responsibility for maternity leave.
In 2020 it is estimated that the Department will spend in excess of €270 million on maternity benefit in respect of an average of 21,000 recipients per week. Each additional week of maternity benefit for all women on maternity leave, based on current recipient levels, would cost €10.3m in a full year. Increasing the benefit by 12 weeks for periods of maternity leave ending from March to November 2020 would cost an estimated €93 million.
It should also be noted that there would be additional costs to employers, including 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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
