Written Answers Nos. 343-367
343. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 851 of 15 June 2021, the location of the monthly child benefit payments to the approximately 4,000 recipients who do not reside in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35990/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below outlines the country of residence of Child Benefit claimants where that address is outside the state. The table was extracted on 02 July 2021 and represents the number of families in payment on that date.
Child Benefit is Family Benefit under EU regulations and The Convention on Social Security agreed between Ireland and the UK. Under these agreements Ireland is competent to pay Family Benefits where one or more parents are working in Ireland.
Social Welfare legislation also allows for the payment of Child Benefit to employees posted abroad for work purposes who continue to be employed and paying PRSI contributions in Ireland.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
Countries |
Numbers |
|
Australia |
1 |
|
Austria |
1 |
|
Belgium |
36 |
|
Brazil |
1 |
|
Bulgaria |
10 |
|
Canada |
1 |
|
Croatia |
36 |
|
Cyprus |
1 |
|
Czech Republic |
24 |
|
Denmark |
1 |
|
Estonia |
10 |
|
Finland |
3 |
|
France |
26 |
|
Germany |
10 |
|
Ghana |
1 |
|
Great Britain |
112 |
|
Greece |
3 |
|
Hungary |
19 |
|
Italy |
16 |
|
Japan |
2 |
|
Latvia |
72 |
|
Lithuania |
156 |
|
Malta |
1 |
|
Netherlands |
11 |
|
New Zealand |
1 |
|
Northern Ireland |
2,251 |
|
Philippines |
1 |
|
Poland |
1,254 |
|
Portugal |
31 |
|
Romania |
114 |
|
Slovakia |
110 |
|
South Africa |
1 |
|
Spain |
65 |
|
Sweden |
2 |
|
Switzerland |
7 |
|
UAE |
2 |
|
USA |
31 |
|
Total |
4,424 |
344. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a birth certificate application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36008/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE is responsible for registering births and issuing certificates once registration has been completed. The recent cyberattack on HSE computer systems had a significant impact on the delivery of civil registration services with registration of births suspended for 4 weeks. The cyberattack also resulted in the suspension of the delivery of electronic birth notifications from maternity hospitals in Dublin to the Civil Registration Service. Birth registrations have resumed and the HSE is currently working to address any backlogs that have resulted from the suspension of its services.
With regard to the birth registration in question, I have been advised by the Registrar General that the birth has not been registered as no birth notification has been received from the maternity hospital. The Registrar General has raised the matter with the superintendent registrar of the Eastern Registration area. The superintendent registrar has advised that once the birth has been registered the parents will be contacted with a view to issuing a birth certificate.
345. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families and children who received the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2020. [36013/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
143,324 families received the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2020, in respect of 264,453 children.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
346. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for the back to education allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36020/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIf a person is unemployed, parenting alone or has a disability and is in receipt of certain payments from my department, they can take part in a second-or third-level education course and receive a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). If attending a second-level course, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment for 3 months or more and if attending a third-level course, 9 months or more. As the person concerned is not currently in receipt of a qualifying payment, he is not eligible to apply for BTEA.
The person concerned submitted an online application for a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment with effect from 17/12/2020. On 21/12/2020 he was requested to provide further information in order to progress his application. The information requested included completing parts of the online application regarding parental income, a letter from the ETB confirming the end date of a course, a letter from Maynooth University confirming course name, start date, duration, part or full time and expected end date and completion and uploading of a form UP1F regarding details of self-employment.
My officials have advised that the requested information remained outstanding and as the application could not be progressed, the claim was closed on 18/02/2021.
There is no record of further correspondence or a recent application for the person concerned with my department. It is open to the person concerned to submit a new application at mywelfare.ie and include all relevant documentation in support of his application.
If the person concerned is experiencing financial difficulties, he can contact his local Community Welfare Service in Maynooth where his circumstances will be assessed. The Community Welfare Service can be contacted by email at kildarecws@welfare.ie. Further information and an application form for an Exceptional Needs Payment can be found at www.gov.ie/dsp.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
347. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the enterprise support grant for businesses impacted by Covid-19 is not available for those who closed their Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment on or after 1 May 2021 given many businesses reopened in May and are excluded from the scheme due to the 1 June 2021 date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36026/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed individuals, including sole traders, who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business. The closure of PUP is a precondition of the grant and provides a financial support towards the re-opening of a business.
I have recently extended the grant to make it available to those who claimed the grant in 2020 but who found themselves back on the PUP in 2021. The opportunity of a second grant, worth up to €1,000, applies to all eligible self-employed recipients who close their PUP on or after 1 June 2021, in line with the announcement of the measure. The grant remains available to all first time eligible self-employed individuals upon the closure of their PUP claim at any time.
Almost 9,300 ESG applications have been approved since the introduction of this grant with approximately €8.6m paid to small businesses.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
348. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to introduce new work placement experience programmes for the unemployed (details supplied); if so, when it will be launched; the outlines of the schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36028/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe July Jobs Stimulus set out the Government investment plan of €200m investment towards training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and job search and assistance measures; these measures aim to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors.
Building on the July Jobs Stimulus, the Economic Recovery Plan provides for a funded work placement scheme to provide work experience for 10,000 jobseekers for six months, for jobseekers unemployed for more than six months. Time spent on the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) will contribute towards eligibility. This work experience programme will provide valuable work and development opportunities to persons whose employment has been adversely affected by COVID and to those who were unemployed prior to the pandemic. In addition to work experience, this programme will provide innovative learning and development opportunities for participants.
I will be bringing details of the new work placement experience programme, including the levels of payment to participants, to Government shortly for consideration and approval with a view to launching the programme shortly thereafter.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
349. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of occasions her Department has refused to process a request under freedom of information using section 15(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and the number of persons that have applied since January 2014. [36033/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of Freedom of Information requests received by my Department since January 2014 is set out in the table below:
|
Year |
No of FOI Requests |
|
2014 |
2,193 |
|
2015 |
2,156 |
|
2016 |
2,089 |
|
2017 |
2,443 |
|
2018 |
2,510 |
|
2019 |
2,614 |
|
2020 |
1,706 |
|
TOTAL |
15,744 |
Decisions made in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 have been reviewed and it has been established that 11 FOI requests were refused under Section 15(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 as frivolous or vexatious. The figures from 2014 to 2018 are not readily available.
350. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if the travel pass scheme can be extended to persons (details supplied) who have epilepsy and may not be able to drive due to the condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36041/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 999,000 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.
While I am aware of the campaign by Epilepsy Ireland, extending the free travel scheme to people with epilepsy during the period in which they are disallowed from driving cannot be considered in isolation. There are a range of disabilities and medical conditions that can prevent a person from holding a driving licence and to award a free travel pass to any one of these conditions in isolation would immediately result in calls for all people who are not allowed to hold a driving licence because of their medical condition to receive the free travel pass and could result in challenges under the Equal Status Act.
If the Free Travel scheme were to be extended to all people who are not allowed to drive due to their disability, 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.
351. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine a situation in relation to difficulties with the pension of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36042/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraA recipient of a State pension (contributory) pension can claim an increase in their pension in respect of a qualified adult. A qualified adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the pensioner who is being wholly or mainly maintained by that pensioner.
An increase is payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the spouse or partner are not more than €100 per week. Reduced rates are payable where the means are over €100 and not more than €310 per week. No increase is payable where the means of the spouse/partner are in excess of €310 per week.The means assessed are those of the spouse or partner only, and include income from employment, self-employment, non-social welfare pensions and the capital value of property other than the family home, as well as savings. Where property or assets are held jointly, the spouse or partner's means is taken to be half of the total amount.When calculating the weekly means, the assessment formula used for capital is: the first €20,000 of capital is fully disregarded; the next €10,000 is assessed at €1 per thousand; the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per thousand; with the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand. Where there are no other means, a spouse or partner can have capital of up to €57,999.99 without affecting entitlement to an increase for a qualified adult, payable at the maximum weekly rate. Tapered reduced rates of a qualified adult increase can be payable where the spouse or partner has capital of up to €110,999.99. It should be noted that the value of the family home, regardless of who is the legal owner, is never taken into account in this assessment.
Accordingly, the assessment of means has been based on occupational pensions and capital. This resulted in a means assessment of €438.76 per week in 2019, the most recent assessment, exceeding the weekly means limit of €310.
If their circumstances change, the SPC recipient in this case can reapply for an increase for their spouse.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
352. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is planned to look for tenders for a national employment service; the remit this service will have; the body providing the services at present that will be provided by the successful tenderer; if this tender will provide totally new services not being provided at present by the State, directly or indirectly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36048/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently in the process of procuring employment services for seven counties in the Midlands and North-West with no existing local employment service. This expansion of employment services is the first phase of ensuring State-wide coverage by January 2022.
Parallel to this process is the expiration of the JobPath contracts. Referrals to JobPath service providers will cease at the end of 2021, though some clients will continue to complete their JobPath engagement into 2022 and 2023.
My Department is currently examining options for the replacement of the JobPath service but, as of yet, no final decisions have been taken. However, my position continues to be that this review of employment services will lead to an overall increase in services State-wide and an enhancement of services to be provided to the long-term unemployed and other cohorts.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
353. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of individual cases heard by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in the context of scope section appeals on an annual basis over the past ten years given that the Chief Appeals Officer has stated in the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands the appeals are heard with a number of cases attached to each one. [36092/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 and insurability of employment.
The information required by the Deputy in relation to insurability appeal cases decided by Appeals Officers over the past ten years is set out in the table below. The category of insurability includes cases where Scope Section has made decisions on the appropriate class of PRSI, as well as other matters determined by Deciding Officers, including voluntary contributions and the correct contribution records of individuals.
In relation to the Deputy's reference to appeals being heard "with a number of cases attached to each one" the Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that the discussion in relation to the use of ‘test cases’ before the Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection on 5th December 2019 specifically related to a number of cases considered in the 1990s. These cases, involving workers in a particular sector, were selected as so called 'test cases' not to determine the employment status of all workers in that sector but rather to identify criteria that could be used by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers for the purpose of assessing each case on an individual basis and to improve the quality and consistency of decision making in relation to the determination of whether an individual was employed or self-employed. The Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that the test cases were not used to determine a particular outcome on a 'group basis' that would be applied to all cases from that employment sector, as seems to have been inferred by some observers, but instead that the cases informed the identification of criteria that could be applied to each individual case in that sector. Decision makers (both Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers) would then apply these criteria to all cases that came before them and depending on the circumstances of each case, as assessed by reference to these criteria, an individual decision would be made in each case. This approach was a precursor to the subsequent development on a tripartite basis of the Code of Practice for Determining Employment or Self-Employment Status of Individuals under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, a code which was subsequently updated in 2007 under the Towards 2016 Social Partnership Agreement.
The Chief Appeals Officer has also advised me that every individual making an appeal to her office always has the opportunity of having any evidence in their own case presented to and considered by an Appeals Officer. On rare occasions, usually where a number of workers engaged by the same employer are concerned, she may be asked either by the workers or the employer to make decisions on a ‘sample’ number of cases. The Chief Appeals Officer has agreed to this approach in very limited circumstances and only with the agreement of both the employer and the workers concerned. This approach has not been adopted during the period of her tenure in any case of an appeal where the classification of a worker as an employee or self-employed is the issue under appeal.
This approach can be an efficient way of dealing with issues that are common in appeal cases and where there are a number of workers attached to an appeal. However, the approach cannot compromise the integrity of the appeal process or deny any individual interested party due process. Each individual always has the opportunity of having any evidence in their own case presented to and considered by an Appeals Officer. Importantly, an individual decision issues in each case, and can be individually submitted for review to the Chief Appeals Officer or indeed, appealed to the Courts.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Insurability appeals decided by Appeals Officers 2011 to 2021
|
Year |
Decided |
|
|
2011 |
54 |
|
|
2012 |
96 |
|
|
2013 |
57 |
|
|
2014 |
79 |
|
|
2015 |
91 |
|
|
2016 |
106 |
|
|
2017 |
75 |
|
|
2018 |
79 |
|
|
2019 |
72 |
|
|
2020 |
75 |
|
|
2021 (to end of June) |
31 |
354. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied in the context of the freedom of information publication scheme that all logs are published and up to date in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2014; if not, the reason they are not published; and if she will update them as a matter of priority. [36131/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department processes a large number of Freedom of Information requests annually, with 2,614 and 1,706 requests received in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
The Department is in compliance with the FOI Code of Practice which states that disclosure logs in relation to non-personal requests should be published on a regular basis.
The FOI disclosure log on behalf of the Department up to end of 2020 is published on www.gov.ie/en/collection/004d91-foi-disclosure-log/
I am advised that the Department has completed the Q1 2021 disclosure log and it will be published on gov.ie shortly.
355. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount collected on an annual basis since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 commenced in respect of fees attached to freedom of information requests submitted to her Department. [36149/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below outlines the amount collected on an annual basis since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 was enacted in October of that year in respect of fees attached to Freedom of Information requests submitted to my Department.
|
Year |
Search Retrieval and Copying fees € |
Internal Review Fees (Non-Personal requests) € |
|
2014 |
0 |
195 |
|
2015 |
0 |
230 |
|
2016 |
280 |
120 |
|
2017 |
500 |
390 |
|
2018 |
512 |
330 |
|
2019 |
0 |
180 |
|
2020 |
200 |
60 |
356. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of freedom of information requests refused by her Department since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 commenced for the reason that search and copy costs would exceed the maximum threshold; the number of requests that were subsequently granted following engagement with the requester to narrow the scope of the request; and the costs associated with same. [36167/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total number of requests under the Freedom of Information Acts received in the period from October 2014 (when the 2014 Act commenced) to 2020 is 15,744. Of those, 1,168 were refused under the Acts.
The number of Freedom of Information requests refused by my Department for the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 have been reviewed. This review shows that four requests have been refused for the search, retrieval and copying costs exceeding the maximum ceiling under the Acts during this period.
The number of Freedom of Information requests from October 2014 to the end of 2018 which were refused for the same reason is not readily available. However, given that only four were refused for this reason in a 2.5 year period, it is highly likely that this figure would also be low for the previous four year period.
Officials in the Department operate in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Acts. Officials occasionally contact requesters if the FOI request is vague. Requesters welcome this engagement as often the record they are seeking would not be retrieved by the original request. This dialogue between requesters and decision-makers under the FOI Acts is an iterative process and not captured in the statistical data kept by the Department.
357. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will facilitate employees of an airline (details supplied) to continue to receive jobseeker’s benefit when eligibility for this payment has been exhausted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36177/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe two main statutory income support payments (apart from the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment) for people who have lost work and are unable to find full time employment are jobseeker's benefit, which is based on a person’s social insurance contributions paid from employment, and means tested Jobseeker's Allowance. Both of these schemes allow individuals to work up to 3 days a week and retain access to a reduced jobseekers payment.
Jobseeker's Benefit is paid for up to 9 months (or 234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid. It is paid for up to 6 months (or 156 days) for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid.
It is a fundamental feature of a range of the Department's benefit payments, including Jobseeker's Benefit, that the payment is time-limited. Time limits apply across a range of PRSI related schemes, such as maternity benefit and illness benefit.
Where a person exhausts their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit, they may be eligible for support under the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. The Department contacts the Jobseeker's Benefit recipient in advance of the expiry date of their claim to advise them that their entitlement is due to expire and that they can make an application for Jobseeker's Allowance, which is also included in the correspondence.
Entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance ensures that those most financially disadvantaged will continue to receive income support. The maximum weekly personal rate of Jobseeker's Allowance and Benefit schemes are aligned at €203. Jobseeker's Allowance has no duration limit as long as a person meets the qualifying scheme conditions including the means test.
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme provided by the Community Welfare Service is also available to any person who is in need of financial assistance. There are several payments within the scheme, including basic weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance, supplements, Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payments.
The wide ranging nature of the assistance available to those impacted by Covid-19, including the Employment Wage Subsidy scheme for employers, constitutes a comprehensive suite of supports and there are no plans to extend the duration of Jobseeker's Benefit at this time.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
358. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if provisions were made to accommodate distance learning throughout the pandemic for those in receipt of social welfare payments; and if so, the number of courses available and or number of persons who registered and availed of these courses by county in tabular form. [36242/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department's Back to Education Allowance provides income support for people who wish to pursue full time second or third level courses. There were approximately 6,400 students supported through the BTEA for the 2020/2021 academic year. Entitlement to BTEA was not impacted on the basis that the approved course may have been provided through blended or distance learning throughout the pandemic.
Details of the number of persons registered or courses available to accommodate distance learning is not a matter for my Department. This should be addressed to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
I trust this clarifies the matter for you.
359. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person who has worked all their adult life can be denied their old age pension with notification that arrears will not apply in their case due to a debt to the Revenue Commissioners of under €1,700 on which a repayment arrangement has been agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36322/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy should note that matters related to the collection of taxes are outside the responsibility of my Department and should instead be pursued with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners as it is the primary collection agent for income tax and PRSI payments. Income tax and social insurance payable by a self-employed contributor are treated as one aggregate sum. For this reason, it is not possible to separate a person’s payments to Revenue between their tax and social insurance liabilities, or to front-load the discharge of the self-employment contributions element of their overall tax liability.
To qualify for a State Pension (Contributory), a person must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions including commencing insurable employment before the age of 56 years and having a minimum of 520 qualifying PRSI contributions. A person approaching their 66th birthday may submit an application for State Pension (Contributory) but will not qualify for a pension unless and until he or she fully satisfies all of the eligibility conditions. Where contributions are paid subsequent to a claimant’s 66th birthday, State Pension (Contributory) can only be awarded from the date on which the self-employment liability has been fully discharged.
A person approaching his/her 66th birthday may submit an application for State Pension (Contributory), but it is not possible to award the pension until such time as the eligibility conditions have been fully satisfied by the claimant.
With respect to self-employed people, social insurance contributions (Class S PRSI) were introduced on 6th April 1988. Self-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year are liable to pay social insurance contributions at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. Such contributors are currently covered for a wide range of social insurance benefits including State Pension (Contributory).
The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, stipulates that a self-employed contributor shall not be regarded as satisfying the qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory), unless the person has paid self-employment contributions in respect of at least one year prior to reaching age 66 and all outstanding self-employment contributions have been paid by him/her in full.
Where contributions are paid subsequent to a claimant’s 66th birthday, State Pension (Contributory) can only be awarded from the date on which the self-employment liability has been fully discharged. These provisions are consistent with the contributory and solidarity principles underpinning the social insurance system.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
360. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social protection payments that have been denied due to debts to the Revenue Commissioners both with repayment arrangements and without arrangements in each of the past five years and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36323/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder social welfare legislation, a self-employed contributor is regarded as satisfying the contribution conditions for State pension (contributory) where the person has paid self-employment contributions in respect of at least one contribution year prior to reaching pension age (currently 66 years), and all self-employment contributions payable are considered to have been paid.
Where outstanding self-employment contributions are paid subsequent to an applicant’s reaching pension age, State pension (contributory) will be awarded from the date on which self-employment liability is deemed as discharged. The Department doesn't collect data on payment arrangements with the Revenue Commissioners. I can however provide information on those who were self employed and refused SPC due to an outstanding liability. I will arrange for this information to be provided to the Deputy as soon as it is collated.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy
361. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that an application for carer’s allowance was submitted to her Department in respect of a person (details supplied); and when a decision will be made on the application. [36349/21]
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.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 3 June 2021.
It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must be so incapacitated that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of the application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 2 July 2021 of this decision, the reason for it and of the right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
362. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of which a review was requested on foot of updated documentation from their general practitioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36378/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the decision to refuse invalidity pension to the person concerned was carried out by the Chief Appeals Officer of the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) who decided that the original Appeals Officer's decision was upheld. Correspondence in relation to this decision issued to the person concerned from the SWAO on 10 May 2021.
A further review request with new documentation was received on 19/05/2021 in the SWAO on behalf of the person concerned and the file is being returned to the SWAO for review. The SWAO will be in touch with the person concerned directly regarding this review.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
363. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is considering additional measures or initiatives to help address the extremely high rate of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36293/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe experience of past recessions indicates that youth employment tends to be significantly impacted by any labour market shock. This is because many employers operate a "last in-first out" approach when reducing their labour force. Moreover, in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on our youth is driven by the tendency for many younger people to work in some of the sectors most severely impacted by the pandemic: namely, the hospitality (accommodation & food) and retail sectors.
Prior to the pandemic, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate (15-24 year olds) stood at just under 12% in December 2019. Latest estimates from the CSO, however, indicate that the traditional unemployment rate for young persons stood at 19.9 percent for young people in June. This estimate excludes those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). When all those in receipt of the PUP are included, this gives a COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate estimate of 44.2 percent for young people at the end of June.
A significant number of PUP recipients are students. As of this week (July 6th 2021), it is estimated that approximately 22,000 PUP recipients are students, with the vast majority under the age of 25. Using international measures of unemployment, set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), students are generally not counted as unemployed, as they are not considered part of the labour force. Therefore, the inclusion of PUP recipients, including students, in the COVID-19 adjusted measure of youth unemployment serves to inflate this measure.
For these reasons, it is at present not possible to say what the precise level of youth unemployment is.
While the employment of young people has been significantly affected by the pandemic, we also know from past recessions that they are also the most resilient, with youth unemployment levels typically falling quite quickly once economic activity resumes. Many have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. This is reflected in the significant decline in the number of people in receipt of the PUP, including among young persons.
I expect to see continued returns to work, including among young persons, as our economy and society continues to reopen. However, we must also be aware that some jobs will be permanently lost as a result of the pandemic.
Therefore, Government is supporting a range of initiatives to assist people back to work; as outlined under the Economic Recovery Plan launched on June 1st. The key delivery mechanism to the Plan’s second pillar on ‘Helping People Back into Work’ will be my Department’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’.
This strategy, which will be launched later this month, will seek to support people back into employment and will include a range of measures targeted at young persons; including an expanded JobsPlus recruitment subsidy scheme, an additional 50,000 education and training places, a new Government Youth Employment Charter and a new work placement scheme open to all regardless of age.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
364. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible to receive the pandemic unemployment payment retrospectively in cases in which a person did not claim the payment at the time despite being entitled to it; if so, the process for making a claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36402/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn common with all other social welfare schemes, claims for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment should be made in a timely manner. The quickest and easiest way to apply for the payment is online at www.MyWelfare.ie. The prescribed time for making a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is in line with the provisions applying to Jobseeker's Benefit and Allowance, and claims should be made on the first day that a person is unemployed. If a person makes a late application they may lose out on payment. Social welfare legislation also provides that where a claimant proves to the satisfaction of a deciding officer or an appeals officer that there was good cause for the delay in making a claim, then the claim may be backdated. However, payment cannot be made for any period exceeding 6 months before the date on which the claim was made.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment will close to new applications from 8 July 2021. A person who wishes to make a retrospective application for periods prior to that date should do so in writing by contacting my Department. As part of that process, the individual will need to outline the reasons for the delay in their application. Their application will then be considered by a deciding officer.
I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
365. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the job activation measures being considered by her Department in order to facilitate persons going back to work; the work she is focussing on to optimise the opportunity to transition persons from a position of unemployment over to the highly successful biopharma, medtech, information and communications technology and foodtech sectors in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36425/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraBoth domestically and internationally, there is a significant body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the positive role labour activation measures can play in stimulating economic recovery and in increasing the employment prospects of participants.
While many have been displaced from their employment by the pandemic, a significant share of these people have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. This week there are 221,000 in receipt of the PUP, representing a reduction of approximately 55% from the most recent peak seen in February, when public health restrictions were at their highest level this year. However, it is inevitable that some jobs will be permanently lost, and additional numbers of persons will require State support to find new jobs and in transitioning back to work.
A central focus of Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, is on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment supports, additional training, reskilling and work placement opportunities.
Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which will be launched later this month. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment supports, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.
Pathways to Work, and the response across the Public Employment Service and Further Education and Training Sector, will focus on supporting people to prepare for and gain employment, including in providing upskilling and reskilling opportunities to facilitate people to transition into quality sustainable jobs in high-performing growth sectors (including sectors such as biopharma, MedTech, information and communications technology and FoodTech).
My Department works closely with the Further Education and Training sector to provide access to training, upskilling and reskilling opportunities for those made unemployed, many of which are linked to growth sectors. Among these opportunities are those offered by Skillnet Ireland as well as the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme (AIS) which my colleague, Minister Harris, announced last week would be extended until the end of December 2021. The AIS scheme provides financial supports for employers who register apprentices to a national apprenticeship. In addition, the new Action Plan for Apprenticeship will continue the progress of developing and promoting apprenticeship provision, including in new and emerging sectors, over the next five years.
Finally, it is also worth noting the ongoing work and engagement between my Department and the agencies of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, such as Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Local Enterprise Offices at a regional level. In particular, this is done through the nine Regional Skills Fora, each of which has its own sectoral composition and specific skill requirements. This engagement allows both my Department, and the Further and Higher Education sector, to tailor its response to meet the needs of regional enterprises, many of which are in the specialised high-performing sectors referenced by the Deputy. In this way, my Department supports transitions into sustainable employment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
366. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has had their pandemic unemployment payment withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36434/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned made an application for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 18/06/2021. This claim was subsequently disallowed on 30/06/2021 on the grounds that the person concerned did not lose their employment as a direct consequence of Covid 19. A disallowance letter issued advising the person concerned of this decision and further advised of the right to appeal in writing. The application has since been reviewed by the Deciding Officer as a result of this representation and the employers letter attached. Following the review the decision still stands and the person concerned has been advised accordingly. It remains open to the person concerned to submit an appeal in writing to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within twenty one days.
The person concerned may have an entitlement to another Jobseekers payment, similar to any other Education Sector Worker, once they satisfy all the relevant conditions. They may contact their local Intreo Centre or make an application at www.welfare.ie. If they are in need of urgent financial assistance they may contact their local Community Welfare Officer.
367. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress of the Pathways to Work strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36436/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out under the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, a central focus of the recovery process will be on supporting people back into employment, with an overall ambition of exceeding pre-crisis employment levels by reaching 2.5 million people in work by the end of 2024.
Central to achieving this ambition will be the forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment support, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.I plan to launch the new Pathways to Work strategy later this month, following approval from Government.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
