Written Answers Nos. 362-382
362. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to an extension of her current participation on a community employment scheme to bring her participation up to the maximum of three years. [43124/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Employment (CE) programme is a community centred labour market initiative established for the purposes of social inclusion and activation, to help long-term unemployed people and other vulnerable groups to enter the workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment. These positions are filled on a temporary, fixed term basis.
In general, CE placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years are for one year. CE participants who are working towards a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) major award can seek to extend their participation on CE by up to two years to enable them to reach the required standard of qualification. CE participants aged 55 years or older can remain on CE for three years and do not have to work towards a QQI major award.
The person concerned has completed a number of minor QQI awards and is due to undertake 2 further courses in early 2021. Funding for continued CE participation will be continued on that basis. She will have completed six years (which is the lifetime limit ) on CE on 1/10/21. This is inclusive of her current three year participation. Funding for this placement will therefore cease on 1/10/21.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
363. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43125/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in the State pension age next year will be deferred and it will remain at 66 years pending the report of the Commission on Pensions.
The Government confirmed as part of its Budget 2021 measures that the required amendment to primary legislation (the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005) will be brought before the Oireachtas as part of the Social Welfare Bill 2020 for enactment in advance of the 1st January 2021.
The Social Welfare Bill 2020 was published on 24th November 2020. It was debated and passed all stages in Dáil Éireann on 9th December 2020. It passed second stage in Seanad Éireann on 14th December 2020. It is scheduled for Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann on 15th December 2020.
The Government has set aside a provision of €221 million in 2021 to support this measure.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
364. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons waiting for an appointment after applying to be issued a PPS number. [43191/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's identity in a face-to-face interview, is the normal method of processing an application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number) and a Public Services Card (PSC).
At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process and the online appoint system used to manage those interviews.
This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and World Health Organisation guidelines in respect of social distancing thus ensuring a reduced footfall in our offices, to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff.
While SAFE registrations were resumed again in June when restrictions eased, the Department's capacity to accommodate SAFE registration interviews was lower than was the case pre-pandemic, due to the social distancing measures introduced to protect customers and staff.
In order to deal with these constraints and as an exceptional measure my Department did introduce an email and postal service through which PPS Number applications could be made. This means that PPS Number applicants do not, at present, need to attend an appointment to be issued a PPS Number
Through this service, my Department has allocated almost 39,000 PPS Numbers, and is currently examining another 18,000 applications, although many of these may be duplicate applications so it is not possible at this stage to state with certainty how many applications are currently awaiting a decision.
Almost 200 additional staff have been assigned to this work in recent weeks and I expect all applications will be processed over the coming weeks.
As Level 5 restrictions are lifted, my Department is now resuming SAFE registrations for PPS Number applicants and focusing on increasing the capacity in our offices in respect of such appointments, and I expect that capacity will be increased over Quarter 1 of 2021.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
365. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork has an entitlement to carer’s benefit. [43192/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's Benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to persons who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to provide full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. It is payable for a maximum of 104 weeks for each person being cared for.
I am advised by the Department that no application by the person concerned for CARB has been registered. If the person in question wishes to make an application, she should complete and return an application form (CARB1) to the Carers Benefit section in the Social Welfare Centralised Office, Longford, as soon as possible.
It is only upon receipt of the completed CARB1 application form that entitlement to CARB can be examined.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
366. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of expired public service free travel cards still in use as a result of Covid-19 restrictions on accessing the in-office services her Department provides; the timeline in respect of rectifying this issue; and if this issue has been notified to auditors at her Department. [43196/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra367. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will automatically extend the free travel passes expiring in 2020 and 2021 for a three-year period, given that no letters advising persons that their cards are due to expire are issuing to free travel pass holders and is causing them to be refused access to buses and trains in circumstances in which they no longer have an active card (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43208/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra368. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of free travel passes that expired in 2020; the number that were extended and reissued; the number due to expire in 2021 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43209/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 366 to 368, inclusive, together.
To date my Department has issued over 1.4 million free travel Public Services Cards (PSCs). These allow customers avail of free travel across public transport services.
Cards issued up to November 2018 expire after seven years. Cards issued since then are valid for ten years.
Approximately 68,000 free travel cards expired or are due to expire during 2020 while approximately 222,000 such cards are due to expire during 2021.
In March 2020, in order to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing, my Department temporarily postponed the issuing of letters inviting customers to attend an office of the Department to renew their public services card.
To ensure continuity of access to free travel for customers who could not renew their card, an arrangement was made by my Department with the National Transport Authority that all transport operators would allow customers with a free travel card to continue to avail of free travel even if the card had expired. As the arrangement incurs no additional costs, there is no requirement to appraise the Department's auditors.
This interim measure during the COVID-19 crisis was publicised on my Department’s page on gov.ie on 9 April 2020 and remains in place.
Implementation of the arrangement is a matter for the National Transport Authority. Reports of incidents, such as that provided by the Deputy, are referred to the National Transport Authority for direct follow up.
In June 2020, my Department introduced the facility to issue a new card, valid for a further three year period, to customers whose cards had expired. Customers can avail of this service by telephoning the free travel or PSC helpdesk areas of my Department where my staff will be happy to assist them.
My Department has no plans to automatically renew all expiring cards as to do so would run the risk of data breaches where, for example, customers have moved address since their last contact with my Department.
To date, some 4,800 free travel customers have had a new 3 year card issued and a further 14,800 have renewed their card for a further 10 years.
The COVID pandemic has affected the capacity of my Department to facilitate in-person PSC renewals. My Department is working on increasing the capacity in our offices in respect of such appointments, and I expect that capacity will be increased over Quarter 1 of 2021.
In addition, my Department is developing an online PSC renewal service. It is expected that this service will be available in April 2021.
The restrictions introduced in March this year and the measures taken since have all been implemented to ensure reduced footfall in our offices and to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
369. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise free travel pass users via social media or online advice platforms that they will not be receiving a notification letter three months prior to the expiration of their free travel pass as no online notification of this exists (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43210/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March 2020, in order to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing, my Department temporarily postponed the issuing of letters inviting customers to attend an office of the Department to renew their public services card.
To ensure continuity of access to free travel for customers who could not renew their card, an arrangement was made by my Department with the National Transport Authority whereby all transport operators would allow customers with a free travel card to continue to avail of free travel even if the card had expired.
This interim measure, for the period of the COVID-19 crisis, was publicised on my Department’s page on gov.ie on 9 April 2020 and remains in place. Arrangements have been made to re-publicise this message on gov.ie and to remind free travel customers planning to use Iarnród Éireann Intercity services from 18 December 2020 to 6th January 2021 of the need to pre-book their seats.
In June 2020, my Department introduced the facility to issue a new card, valid for a further three year period, to customers whose cards had expired. Customers can avail of this service by telephoning the free travel or PSC helpdesk areas of my Department where my staff will be happy to assist them.
The restrictions introduced in March this year and the measures taken since have all been implemented to ensure reduced footfall in our offices, to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
370. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases of carer’s allowance under review; the number of reviews commenced, per quarter, in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43237/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra372. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases of disability allowance under review; the number of reviews commenced, per quarter, in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43239/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra373. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases of invalidity pension under review; the number of reviews commenced, per quarter, in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43240/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 370, 372 and 373 together.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of Carer's Allowance, Disability Allowance and Invalidity Pension cases under review and the number of reviews commenced per quarter in 2020 is not available in my Department
Reviews of claims in my Department take place in a number of circumstances as follows:-
- If the decision on a new claim is negative, the customer has the option of a review.
- Once claims are in payment, my Department undertakes periodic control reviews to ensure that there is continued entitlement.
- A customer can at any stage request a review of their entitlement
As outlined above, a wide range of reviews are carried out arising from customer requests, together with reviews undertaken by the Department.
While information on the number of reviews currently underway or when the reviews commenced is not collated by the Department, I can advise the Deputy of the number of control reviews completed up to the end of November 2020:
- 3,809 for Carers Allowance
- 7,834 for Disability Allowance
- 1,349 for Invalidity Pension
I am also advised that while the Department records the number of control reviews undertaken and the saving achieved it does not keep a record of the number of customers who receive increases, decreases or whose rate of payment remains unchanged.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
371. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases of domiciliary care allowance under review; the number of reviews commenced, per quarter, in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43238/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) section in the Department has a dedicated review team who process reviews under a number of categories including:
- Reviews carried out on foot of customer requests following a negative decision.
- Reviews carried out as part of the appeal process
- Reviews as a result of referral by another area of the department.
- Scheduled medical reviews.
Statistics on reviews are not collated on a quarterly basis. To date in 2020, the DCA review team have been dealing with the following reviews initiated by the customer.
- 665 requests from customers to review their application following notification of disallowance.
- 1,433 cases where the customer has lodged an appeal with the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). All of these cases are reviewed by a deciding officer who will decide if the original decision should be revised or forwarded to the SWAO for their consideration.
- 280 customers who were awarded DCA contacted the section with backdating requests, requiring their original award date to be reviewed.
In mid 2019, the Department reintroduced a medical review process based on the recommended review date suggested by the Department’s medical assessors when the application was initially examined. The number of such reviews was set at 25 per week and this continued until the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic when such reviews were suspended due to the difficulties customers could have experienced in obtaining supporting documentation etc. Before the process was suspended in March 2020, 187 scheduled medical reviews had been initiated by DCA section.
The DCA section also initiated 460 control reviews, with the majority (372) stemming from automated referrals for review from other scheme areas in the Department where continued eligibility needed to be checked on foot of potential changes in circumstances of the customer or their dependents. 73 of these reviews yielded savings of over €100,000 for the Department. Because DCA is not means tested and is based primarily on care needs associated with children diagnosed with a severe/long term disability, relatively few cases are stopped on foot of reviews.
In total, 3,025 DCA reviews have been requested or initiated to date in 2020.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
374. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects re-rate arrears will be paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43241/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is linked to a person's previous average weekly earnings. Last November, I secured Government approval to extend the 2020 earnings reference period for employees to September 2020. This change, which is effective from 2 October, meant that people who only commenced employment after February 2020 but were laid-off in October due to increased restrictions can have their payment rate fixed by reference to their earnings in the period March to September 2020.
As a result of extending the reference period to the end of September 2020, some 37,430 receiving PUP on 17 November received an increase in their rate of payment.
It is expected that a significant number of those who benefitted from the extended reference period will be due arrears, either to the 2 October or the date of commencement of their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, whichever is the later.
During the month of November, a number of very significant IT changes were in progress in relation to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. These included the finalisation of the general arrears project involving 286,000 additional payments on 1 December, payment of the Christmas Bonus on 8 December to just over 283,000 recipients of the PUP, and advance payments over the Christmas period. Against that background, and in order to ensure continuity of service delivery, it was not possible to introduce further changes to allow for processing of any re-rate arrears which may have arisen.
Preparatory work is already under way to ensure payment of any of these arrears and it is expected that these will issue in early January.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
375. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection when the recommendation of the Labour Court on the community employment supervisors scheme will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43245/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset I wish to acknowledge the valuable service that CE supervisors provide in running CE schemes delivering local based community services while providing training and development opportunities to the long-term unemployed and to those often furthest removed from the labour market.
As the Deputy will be aware, although the State is not the employer in this instance, Community Employment (CE) supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to enable CE sponsors, who are their employers, contribute to the funding pension arrangements.
This issue was examined by a Community Sector High Level Forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. A number of Departments, including my own Department, were represented on this group, as were the unions and Pobal.
As part of this process a detailed scoping exercise was carried out on the potential costs of providing Exchequer support for the establishment of such a pension scheme for employees across the Community and Voluntary sector in Ireland. This exercise estimated a potential cost to the State of between €188 million and €347 million per annum depending on the numbers involved. This excluded any provision for an immediate ex-gratia lump sum payment of pension as sought by CE supervisors, which could entail a further Exchequer cost of up to €318 million.
Nevertheless I, and my colleague the Minster for Public Expenditure and Reform are keen to find an approach that will resolve this issue.
The current position is that officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the unions representing the CE Supervisors continue to engage in discussions and I am hopeful that, with goodwill and flexibility on all sides, a resolution can be found in the near future.
376. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to pay the annual Christmas bonus in 2020 to those in receipt of the family income support payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43252/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated cost of a Christmas Bonus in 2020 for Working Family Payment would be €6.75 million.
The Christmas Bonus is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
In recognition of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment levels and the sudden financial impact on individuals, the Bonus was paid this year, on an exceptional basis, to those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) for a period of four months or more and who were in payment on the date the Bonus is paid. It was also paid to people on jobseeker payments who have been in receipt of these payments for four months or more.
The Working Family Payment, formerly Family Income Support, is part of the Departments in-work support payments. The Working Family Payment can be paid concurrently with certain other social welfare payments (e.g. One-Parent Family Payment) which are paid a Christmas Bonus payment in their own right.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy
377. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to including recipients of the family income support payment in the bonus payment scheme for 2021 (details supplied). [43253/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Christmas Bonus is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
In recognition of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment levels and the sudden financial impact on individuals, the Bonus was paid this year, on an exceptional basis, to those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) for a period of four months or more and who were in payment on the date the Bonus is paid. It was also paid to people on jobseeker payments who have been in receipt of these payments for four months or more.
The Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. It is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. 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. The payment was previous called the Family Income Supplement.
As WFP is a supplementary payment rather than a main source of income, recipients are not eligible for the Christmas Bonus.
However, a person on another social welfare payment, while concurrently on WFP, will receive the Christmas Bonus on their social welfare payment if they satisfy the criteria for receipt of the Bonus on that scheme.
Any change to the current eligibility criteria for the Christmas Bonus payment would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
378. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) who had their fuel allowance disallowed on reaching 66 years of age will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43274/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs.
The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons. The fuel allowance means test is linked to the maximum rate of the State pension (contributory). The applicant can have a weekly household income of €100 above the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) and still be eligible for fuel allowance.
The person concerned applied for this allowance on 14 April 2020 with their State pension (contributory) application. The person concerned was notified in writing on 24 April 2020 that they did not satisfy the means test for the fuel allowance.
The person concerned reapplied for fuel allowance on 9 October 2020 stating he was employed on a part-time basis. According to the records of my Department, he continues to have earnings in excess of €100 per week which exceeds the means limit for this allowance. The application was disallowed and the person concerned was notified in writing on 21 October 2020.
If the person’s circumstances change, it is open to them to reapply for fuel allowance.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
379. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the guidelines and procedures in place to ensure applicants get a fair assessment of their applications; and if they have been followed in the case of a non-contributory pension application by a person (details supplied). [43351/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraDeciding Officers are appointed by the Minister under Section 299 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Section 300 of that Act allows a Deciding Officer to determine if a person qualifies for a social welfare scheme, and where the person qualifies, the weekly rate of entitlement to be awarded.
Deciding Officers apply fair and equitable assessment in all claims they process. They make their decisions in an unbiased manner based on the eligibility conditions of the scheme, relevant legislation, the facts available to them and in accordance with the principles of natural justice.
In the case of the state pension non-contributory claimant concerned, the key steps and standard procedures as set out in Decisions Advisory Office Guidelines have been followed by the Deciding Officer in their review of the person’s entitlement.
Some cases can be more complex and, as a result, take longer to complete. In the case of the person concerned, the Deciding Officer is undertaking a retrospective means review over a number of years. In such cases, additional documentary evidence may be sought, to ensure that the correct rate of payment is awarded throughout the period in question.
Where a claimant is dissatisfied with a decision, details of their right of appeal of the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, and how to do this, are set out in decision communications.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
380. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a request for further backdating a carer’s allowance award in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43385/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered on 19 October 2020. File papers were received from the Department on 9 November 2020. The appeal was subsequently referred on 23 November 2020 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented. A decision will issue to the person concerned in the coming weeks.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for 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.
381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the national social target for poverty reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43398/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra382. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of targets under the national social target for poverty reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43399/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together.
The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction remains the headline target in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, published in January 2020. The Target is to reduce the share of the population in consistent poverty to 2% or less by the end of 2025. The latest data available for this measure is from the 2019 CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), and shows the consistent poverty rate in Ireland was 5.5%. This continues the downward trend in consistent poverty seen in recent years and is a significant decrease from a peak of 9.0% in 2013.
The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction has two sub-targets. The first is the child poverty target to lift over 70,000 children (aged 0-17 years) out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two thirds on the 2011 level (107,000 children). This would result in some 37,000 children or less in consistent poverty by the end of 2020. The 2019 SILC data shows the consistent poverty rate for children was 8.1%, which equates to approximately 97,000 children (using CSO estimated 2019 child population figures). Based on the most recently available data, it is clear that the child poverty target is unlikely to be met. However the work to reduce the number of children in poverty continues. This is reflected in the targeted welfare measures included in Budget 2021 which saw increases in the weekly Qualified Child rates and the income thresholds for the Working Family Payment, along with increased investment in the Hot School Meals programme. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion includes a commitment to continue to monitor progress against the child poverty target and to set a new target to the end of 2025.
The second sub-target relates to the requirement, under the Europe 2020 strategy, for EU member states to set a national poverty target which will contribute to meeting the EU poverty target: to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty or exclusion by 2020 (using 2008 as baseline year). Ireland’s contribution to the EU target is to lift a minimum of 200,000 people out of 'combined poverty' between 2010 and 2020. Based on the 2019 SILC data, approximately 177,000 have been lifted out of combined poverty.
It should be noted for both the child poverty reduction target and Europe 2020 target, that the most recent data available is from 2019. Relevant 2020 data will not be available until late 2021, which will give a clearer final picture of progress towards both targets.
I thank the Deputy for her question and hope this clarifies the matter.
