Written Answers Nos. 569-590
569. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider an increase to the telephone support allowance to ensure those who are eligible for the allowance can afford a landline service, which is necessary for home security or medical emergency alerting systems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9733/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe telephone support allowance (TSA) is an allowance of €2.50 which is paid to more than 135,000 customers weekly. The estimated full year cost of the scheme in 2021 is over €18 million. To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and also in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance. The scheme supports recipients by assisting with the cost of communications and/or home security solutions.
In Budget 2021, the Government decided to allocate one third of additional carbon tax revenues to boosting the incomes of the poorest in our society. The Government commissioned ESRI research which identified three key payments by the Department of Social Protection to channel carbon tax revenues towards this cohort. These were the Qualified Child Allowance, the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance.
Therefore, effective from January 2021, the weekly Fuel Allowance payment has been increased by €3.50 per week to €28 for a period of 28 weeks. Also from January 2021, Qualified Child payments have been increased by €2 per week, from €36 to €38 per week, for children under 12 years of age and by €5 per week, from €40 to €45 per week, for children aged 12 and over. It is estimated that this will benefit 419,000 children who are most in need. The Living Alone Allowance was also increased in Budget 2021 by €5 from €14 to €19 at an overall cost in 2021 of €57.5 million.
Therefore, all TSA recipients have benefitted from an increase in payments totalling €8.50 weekly during Fuel Season and €5 outside Fuel Season, as a result of Budget 2021 changes.
Furthermore, my Department operates both Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
All proposals, including any proposals to increase the Telephone Support Allowance for people to help them to afford a landline service necessary for home security or medical emergency alerting systems, could only be considered while taking account of overall Government policy and in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
570. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of on-site inspections by social welfare inspectors at construction sites in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the information sought during such inspections; if compliance with sectoral employment orders is checked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9742/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of on-site inspections by Social Welfare Inspectors is not retained specifically in relation to the construction sector. However I am happy to supply the Deputy with a summary of all employer investigations completed for the years in question.
Employer investigations carried out by all Social Welfare Inspectors
|
Year |
Number of investigations |
Savings to the Dept |
|
2018 |
2,055 |
€4.742m |
|
2019 |
3,568 |
€5.340m |
|
2020 |
3,316 |
€1.745m |
|
2021 to end Jan |
100 |
€0.184m |
Social Welfare inspectors, in particular those in the Special Investigation Unit including those assigned to the Joint Investigation Unit, carry out investigations in the construction and other sectors as part of on-going compliance operations. These investigations can include site visits or visits to offices or tax agents representing employers where inspections involving an examination of PRSI records in relation to multiple employees may be undertaken, and enquiries/visits where an individual employee’s record may be checked. An inspector may also seek to establish that the necessary employment records are being kept or if Social Welfare scheme payments are being appropriately made.
In some instances, investigations are undertaken jointly with other State agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners and the Workplace Relations Commission. This activity facilitates an approach whereby compliance issues across agencies can be looked at and ensures that appropriate sharing of information takes place. The works involves the examination of contractors and employees engaged on sites and premises where employment is taking place.
In conducting employer inspections, the role of the Social Welfare inspector is primarily in relation to an employer’s compliance under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act i.e. that the correct PPSN of employees, the correct employer number, the correct number of weeks worked, the correct PRSI class and the correct earnings are recorded. As such, an inspector can seek any information required in order to determine such compliance.
The inspector may also make enquiries with regard to payments made under Social Welfare schemes such as ensuring that employees are not concurrently working and claiming.
It is not the role of my Department to check for compliance with Sectoral Employment Orders. This falls to the Workplace Relations Commission. However, some employer inspections carried out by my inspectors are joint agency inspections and may involve inspectors from the Workplace Relations Commission.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
571. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if an extension is taking place for community employment schemes as outlined on 28 January 2021 in Dáil Éireann. [9806/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
As the Deputy is aware, my Department has continued to provide funding and support for CE schemes since the onset of the Covid-19 emergency in March, 2020. CE participants, whose contracts were due to end during periods of Level 5 restrictions have had their contracts extended for the duration of these restrictions on a number of occasions. This provided certainty for CE participants and assured continuity of essential community services provided by CE schemes throughout the country.
The Deputy will recall that when the latest Level 5 restrictions were introduced, it was agreed at that time to extend the CE contracts concerned to the 26th March, 2021 with the relevant participants exiting CE on a phased and planned basis after that date. In light of the announcement yesterday regarding the extension of the Level 5 restrictions to early April and the associated decisions by Government to extend supports to individuals and businesses impacted by the pandemic until the end of June, my colleague, Minister Humphreys, and I are currently reviewing this date to ensure that CE participants and schemes will not be left behind in this regard.
I am fully committed to the future of this programme and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.
572. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection when the contract for Turas Nua is to be reviewed; her plans for the future of the JobPath programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9840/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuras Nua is one of two companies under the JobPath contract to provide, as part of the State's Public Employment Service, employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed in order to assist them secure full-time paid employment.
On 22 October 2020, I announced the extension of referrals to the JobPath service for a further twelve months until the end of 2021. At that time I also announced similar commitments to the Local Employment Services, Job Clubs and EmployAbility to ensure their services extended into 2021.
These measures were taken in order to expand the capacity of my Department's Public Employment Service to ensure that we are in a position to support all those who have lost their employment arising from the economic impacts of Covid-19. In light of these circumstances, it was deemed prudent to not only retain, but to expand, the existing capacity of our public employment services.
Following a review of the public employment services by external consultants on behalf of my Department, new models of employment services are currently under development. These new models will incorporate the learnings from the analysis of existing services as well as best international practice.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
573. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will establish a free travel pass for those with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy that can prevent these persons from driving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9985/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra582. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend entitlement to the free travel pass to persons with epilepsy and who do not hold a driver licence as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10274/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 582 together.
The 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. 990,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2021 is €95 million.
In general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit.
Any possible extension to the eligibility criteria for free travel to include those with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy, who are not allowed to drive due to their diagnosis, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, would have significant implications for the free travel scheme. It would be expected that any such decision would immediately lead to calls for all people who had a disability and/or significant health issues to be eligible for a free travel pass.
If the Free Travel scheme were to be extended to all people who had a disability and/or significant health issues, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, a medical assessment process would be required for all such applications, significantly changing the nature of the scheme and requiring additional administrative processes to be put in place in order to adjudicate eligibility. Significant extra funding would also be required and accordingly, it could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual 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.
574. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of licensed contractors that did not qualify for the enterprise support grant by county. [9995/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business. A once-off grant of up to €1,000, to assist with the costs associated with reopening, is available under this measure.
The grant, of up to €1,000, is payable to self-employed individuals who employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from similar business reopening grants from other Departments.
Almost 8,800 applications have been approved since the introduction of this grant, with funding of in excess of €8m paid to small businesses. In the same period, there have been approximately 650 applicants for the grant rejected. The vast majority of these applications were rejected as the self-employed individual was not closing a PUP claim. A self-employed individual will not be refused the grant on the basis of their business sector. Statistics are not available of those who are licensed contractors.
A provision of €12m is available for this support in 2021. The extension of this grant into 2021 ensures supports remain available to qualified self-employed individuals who close their PUP as restrictions are eased. Detailed information about this grant and other supports for self-employed individuals is available at www.gov.ie/dsp.
If there is a particular grant application that the Deputy has a concern about, my officials would be happy to examine it.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
575. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man who self-identifies as a woman is entitled to access any and all female-only spaces and services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10015/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra576. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man is entitled to have their transgender belief that they identify as a woman outweigh the right of a woman or girl to object to their presence in a female only space; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10016/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra577. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man who self-identifies as a woman is perceived by this legislation to be safe to access female only spaces irrespective of the physiological differences between male and female bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10017/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 575 to 577, inclusive, together.
These questions seek an interpretation of the law. The Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister, I am not in a position to offer any such interpretation, as such matters are reserved for the courts.
578. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to requesting the assistance of local employment service personnel in processing and progressing those on jobseeker’s payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10023/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the processing of jobseeker claims is currently in line with my Department’s service delivery targets, the requirement to secure the assistance of third parties in the processing of such claims does not arise at this time. As the Deputy will be aware, individuals can apply for a jobseeker's claim online through my Department's online portal www.MyWelfare.ie.
The pandemic and its impact on the economy has increased demand on many of my Department's services, most notably income supports and customer information services. Due to the reintroduction of Level 5 restrictions, all referrals to employment services, including those to the Local Employment Service were temporarily suspended and all service providers currently continue to work remotely with their existing clients.
I trust that this information is of assistance to the Deputy.
579. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date regarding a request from a person (details supplied); and the policies in place within the administration of the welfare system to notice and correct situations in which a partner may be withholding payments following the breakdown of a relationship or in which there is evidence or suspicion of domestic abuse. [10160/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent Supplement is a means-tested payment for certain people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources.
Rent Supplement is generally paid to the person who has made the application. If there is evidence that payments are being withheld following the breakdown of a relationship, it is standard practice that the claim is reviewed.
According to my officials, the person concerned contacted my Department on 16/07/2020 and advised that there was a breakdown in the relationship with her partner. As the Rent Supplement payment was being paid to her former partner at this time, a SWA 22A form was sent to the person concerned to facilitate payment of the Rent Supplement to the bank account of the person concerned. The form was not returned to my Department so no further action could be taken.
On 23/12/20 the person concerned contacted my officials and advised that her former partner had moved from their home address 5 weeks previously. The Rent Supplement claim in her former partner’s name was closed and the person concerned was advised to complete a SWA RS1 form so that the claim could be reassessed based on a change in the family composition. On submission of a fully completed SWA RS1 form the claim will be assessed and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
580. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of grades within her Department from service officers up to and including secretary general by age range and gender. [10235/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table beneath provides a breakdown of the permanent staff employed in my Department by gender, age range and by grade. These figures are as at the end of January 2021 and are full-time equivalents (FTE). The figure for full time equivalents takes account of staff that avail of work-share options.
581. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of investigations into employment status and false employment carried out by social welfare inspectors in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the sectors concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10261/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Social Welfare Inspectors, including members of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and the Employment Status Investigation Unit (ESIU), carry out employer investigations as part of their duties to ensure compliance with PRSI regulations.
The ESIU is a team established in mid-2019. In contrast to other inspectors who check for and pursue compliance across social welfare schemes and regulations, this team is specifically dedicated to the question of 'employment status' and the detection and investigation of 'false self-employment'.
Now numbering five inspectors, the ESIU proactively targets employers and sectors for the purpose of inspection and compliance, and also responds to individual requests for investigations from a range of customers, including workers, employers, other areas of the Department and the Revenue Commissioners.
Since it began its operations in Q4 2019, the ESIU has carried out employment status investigations in a wide range of sectors, including the construction, meat processing, retail, fitness and language training sectors. To date, 421 companies have been examined, leading to 205 full employment status investigations. A sectoral breakdown is provided in Table 2 below.
Although interrupted by Covid, investigations completed by the ESIU to date have resulted in PRSI savings of approximately €279,300.
Table 1 below shows the number of employer investigations carried out by departmental inspectors for the years in question. Employer investigations concern PRSI compliance generally and are not directly focused on the very specific question of 'employment status'. Table 2, therefore, deals specifically with the work of ESIU, which focuses on that issue. In this the 2021 figures are carry-overs from investigations commenced in 2020 which is why there are no new company figures to date.
Table 1 Employer investigations carried out by all Social Welfare Inspectors/SIU
|
Year |
Number of investigations |
Savings to the Dept |
|
2018 |
2055 |
€4.742m |
|
2019 |
3568 |
€5.340m |
|
2020 |
3316 |
€1.745m |
|
2021 to end Jan |
100 |
€0.184m |
Table 2 Employment status investigations carried out by the Employment Status Investigation Unit
|
Year |
Sector |
No. of Companies |
No. of workers investigated |
|
2019 |
Health/Wellness |
3 |
7 |
|
Construction |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Language Schools |
18 |
0 |
|
|
Misc |
5 |
8 |
|
|
Total |
28 |
16 |
|
Year |
Sector |
No. of Companies |
No. of workers investigated |
|
2020 |
Health/Wellness |
3 |
1 |
|
Construction |
25 |
59 |
|
|
Meat Industry |
317 |
28 |
|
|
Media/Journalism |
10 |
36 |
|
|
Manufacturing |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Forestry/Agriculture |
5 |
5 |
|
|
Misc services |
31 |
48 |
|
|
Total |
393 |
179 |
|
Year |
Sector |
No. of Companies |
No. of workers investigated |
|
2021 |
Meat Industry |
0 |
5 |
|
Media |
0 |
5 |
|
|
Total |
0 |
10 |
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
583. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the means test threshold for entitlement to carer's allowance in €50 intervals up to €950 per week; and the estimated number of additional recipients in tabular form. [10350/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2021 is expected to exceed €1.4 billion.
At the end of December 2020, there were 88,906 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. The estimated expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2021 is approximately €953 million.
Carer's Allowance is a means tested payment made to people whose income falls below certain limits, and who are looking after certain people in need of full-time care and attention. The means test for Carer’s Allowance is one of the most generous in the social protection system. Currently €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.
An estimate of the full-year cost of increasing the means test threshold for entitlement to carer's allowance in €50 intervals up to €950 per week is not available in the timeframe within which the response to the Deputy's question must be provided. Carer's Allowance has recently been included in the updated ESRI SWITCH microsimulation model which is used for estimates such as the one requested. When the estimates are available from my Department, I will revert to the Deputy directly with the costings.
Carers who would benefit from an increased disregard would be in higher income households. 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.
Changes to schemes may only be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context and from an evidence-based perspective.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
584. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a grant for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10356/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWidowed Parent Grant is a once off payment designed to assist with the income support needs of a widow(er) with at least one qualified child, immediately following the death of a spouse.
A child aged between 18 and 22 continues to be a qualified child if they are in full time education by day at a recognised school or college. The course the child of the person concerned attends does not satisfy this criteria.
The person concerned was notified of the decision by letter on 4th February 2021. It is open to the person concerned to appeal the decision to the Independent Chief Appeals Officer, if they are not satisfied with the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
585. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the length of time the fuel allowance will continue in 2021. [10409/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
In Budget 2021, the Government targeted one third of carbon tax revenues to go towards boosting the incomes of the poorest in our society. Based on ESRI research, three key DSP payments were targeted for increases in the budget as a result - the Fuel Allowance, the Qualified Child Allowance and the Living Alone Allowance.
From January 2021, the Fuel Allowance was increased by €3.50 per week to €28 for a period of 28 weeks, while the increase in carbon tax on solid fuels will not take effect until May 2021. This will ensure that recipients will benefit from the increased payment over this winter period.
The Government will, as it does every year, consider if the 2020/2021 fuel allowance season should be extended beyond 9 April (the end date for the current fuel season) depending on the economic circumstances and prevailing weather conditions.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
586. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when those awaiting pandemic unemployment payment arrears as a result of a recent information technology issue can expect to receive their payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10432/21]
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.
A significant number of those who benefitted from the extended reference period are 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 months of November and December, 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. My Department has also been focused on responding to the increased numbers of people applying for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, with an increase of over 200,000 claims in payment since the start of this year. Against that background, and in order to ensure continuity of service delivery, it was not possible to introduce the necessary IT changes to allow for processing of any re-rate arrears which may have arisen.
The necessary IT development work to ensure processing of any of these arrears has now been completed. 38,618 individuals whose claims are currently in payment received arrears totalling €12.6 million on 23 February, with the vast majority of these cases relating to the period from 2 October to 5 November 2020. Any arrears due in respect of claims which are currently closed will be processed shortly.
I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
587. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a weekly payment or supplementary welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); if a weekly payment can be maintained given that they have no other source of income and have dependent children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10455/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs previously outlined in Dáil Question No. 519, payment of a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) in the case of the person concerned ceased on 23/12/2020 and is currently suspended pending the provision of a current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) formerly known as a GNIB card. This permit is required to verify continued entitlement to JA.
The person concerned applied for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment on 13/01/2021 and this claim is also pending the provision of a current IRP.
Whilst receipt of this documentation is pending, the person concerned has been receiving weekly Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) with effect from 08/01/2021.
On 01/02/2021 the person concerned submitted to my Department written confirmation from the Immigration Office that she does not currently have permission to reside in the State and that she was required to obtain a passport in order to renew her IRP. On the same date, my officials requested written confirmation from the person concerned that she has applied for a new passport through the relevant embassy together with 3 months up-to-date bank statements for all financial accounts held by her. To date this documentation has not been provided.
As the person concerned does not currently have permission to reside in the State and in the absence of any written confirmation of efforts to obtain a passport, the designated officer issued a letter of disallowance on 15/02/2021 advising that her payment will be withdrawn in 21 days if written proof of her efforts to obtain a passport are not provided.
To ensure that further ENPs can continue to issue, it will be necessary for the person concerned to contact the South African Embassy as a matter of urgency for the purposes of requesting a passport and to submit written confirmation of this to my officials in the Community Welfare Service.
For the convenience of the person concerned, contact details for the Embassy are as follows:
South African Embassy
Alexandra House
Earlsfort Centre
Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2
Tel No: 01 6615553
Email: Dublin.dha@dirco.gov.za
I trust this clarifies the matter.
588. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of childcare workers in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment on a weekly basis from 21 December 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10458/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below, and includes those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment for the weeks specified who were working in either pre-primary education or in child day-care activities. This breakdown is based on the sector of the last known employer.
|
Week Commencing |
Total |
|
21 December 2020 |
1,992 |
|
28 December 2020 |
2,031 |
|
04 January 2021 |
2,163 |
|
11 January 2021 |
3,212 |
|
18 January 2021 |
4,009 |
|
25 January 2021 |
4,136 |
|
01 February 2021 |
4,175 |
|
08 February 2021 |
4,189 |
|
15 February 2021 |
4,037 |
|
22 February 2021 |
3,943 |
589. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to review the means limits for the carer’s allowance which have been in place for many years given that an hourly rate for 18.5 hours is well below the average industrial wage. [10462/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main income supports for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2021 is expected to exceed €1.4 billion.
At the end of December 2020, there were 88,906 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. The estimated expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2021 is approximately €953 million.
Carer's Allowance acts as an income support for those who cannot earn adequate income in the open labour market due to their caring responsibilities. This allowance is part of the system of social assistance supports that provide payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.
In order to support a carer’s continued attachment to the workforce and broader social inclusion, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training, of up to 18.5 hours per week while still being regarded as being in a position to provide full-time care. Just as in the case of other income support payments carer's allowance is not intended to be a compensatory payment for the full value of earnings foregone nor is it a payment by the State in recognition of caring services rendered.
My Department carried out a comprehensive Policy Review of Carer’s Allowance in 2019 including an examination of the means test.
The means test for Carer's Allowance is one of the most generous in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse’s earnings. The amount of weekly earnings disregarded is €332.50 per week for a single person and €665 per week for a couple. By comparison, the income disregard applied to Disability Allowance is €120 per week (as per Budget 2021 this will increase to €140 per week from June 2021). For Jobseeker's Allowance, it is €20 per day up to a maximum of €60, and the balance is assessed at 60%. For Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, the weekly income disregard is €165 with 50% of the balance assessed as means.
Changes to schemes are considered in an overall expenditure and policy context and from an evidence-based perspective. It should be noted that some 92% 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.
I can assure the Deputy that I am very much aware of the key role that family carers play in our society and I will continue to keep the range of supports available to carers under review. However, any improvements or additions to these supports can only be considered in an overall budgetary context and in the light of available financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
590. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [10464/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 09 October 2020. It has been decided that the person satisfies the medical criteria for IP. To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution years before the relevant date of their claim. It was decided the relevant date of the claim in question is 2020 and he does not have the required 48 paid or credited contributions in the last or second last year before the relevant date of his claim. The claim was refused under the governing legislation on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. As he last worked in Spain, a request was sent to the Spanish Authorities on 10 February 2021 for his Spanish insurance record.
Unfortunately, claims processed under Bilateral/EU Regulations are more complex and can take longer to finalise as the Department is highly dependent on receiving necessary information from other States. The Department will continue to endeavour to establish the entitlement of the person in question and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
