Written Answers Nos. 904-920
905. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend child benefit to over-18s who are still in full-time secondary education; the reason for not doing so; and the estimated cost of such a measure in a full year. [63604/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 625,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2022.
Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
As part of Budget 2022, I increased the rates for a qualified child aged under 12 by €2 to €40 per week, and for a qualified child aged 12 or older by €3 to €48 per week. These increases came into effect this month.
Extending Child Benefit in respect of full time students in second level education who are over 18 years of age would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context. The information required to accurately estimate the cost such of an extension is not available. However, each additional 1,000 single child benefit claims would cost approximately €1.68 million per year.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
906. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address matters raised in correspondence in relation to a person (details supplied); the options that may be available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63625/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraState Pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, who have a right of residence and habitually reside in the State and who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or only qualify for a reduced-rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
An application for state pension (non-contributory) was received from the person concerned on 27 September 2021. Additional information in relation to the circumstances of the person’s residency was requested by the Deciding Officer. The pension application was disallowed as, although it is accepted that the person concerned is legally entitled to reside in the State, their residency permit is conditional on their having sufficient personal resources to support themselves.
The person concerned was notified of this decision on 4 December 2021, and of their right, if dissatisfied with the decision, to request a review or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
The Deputy's representations have been taken as a request for a review of this decision. A Deciding Officer has considered the facts of the case and the information provided by the Deputy.
The Deciding Officer has determined that the person concerned continues to be ineligible for state pension (non-contributory). The person concerned was notified of this decision on 10 January 2022 and informed of their right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
If the person concerned is suffering from financial hardship, they are advised to contact their local Community Welfare Service, as they may be entitled to financial assistance. Applications are considered on a case by case basis.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
907. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will immediately remove the means testing on the humanitarian assistance towards flood damage scheme for families affected by Christmas Day flooding in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1045/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, my Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events, such as flooding, under the humanitarian assistance scheme.
The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to provide income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair. Assistance is not available under the scheme for losses which are covered by insurance or for commercial and business losses.
Emergency income support payments to cover essential items such as food, clothing and personal items are issued quickly in the immediate aftermath of the weather event. Supports towards the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items may take longer as it is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes becomes known. The longer term supports can cover remedial works such as plastering, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting and it can take several months before this stage of the response is completed.
The income test for humanitarian assistance is significantly more generous than that which applies in the case of means-tested social welfare schemes generally. The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance.
For example, a family consisting of a couple and two children with a gross household income of €70,000 or less will receive 100% of the amount allowable in respect of their application. A reduced or tapered level of support can be provided in cases where such families have income more than €70,000. The income test determines the household’s ability to meet the costs of restoring its home to a habitable condition.
The scheme is available to provide support to householders following the recent flooding event in Co. Wexford. The Community Welfare Service has been engaging with 56 households of which 38 have made application for assistance. Latest figures show that over €71,000 has been paid to 27 households with the remaining applications under consideration.
If any homeowner affected by the recent flooding in Co. Wexford needs to access these supports, they should make contact with their local Community Welfare Service at DSP, Portsmouth House Shannon Quay Enniscorthy Co Wexford, the contact details are 087 6181268 or kay.scanlan@welfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
908. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the back to education allowance is not payable to those completing a masters degree, masters in education with the exception of a professional masters in education in primary education given the current pressures for teachers; if this will be reconsidered and the current position of same. [1061/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) provides individuals with a second chance education that will improve their prospects of securing employment. The Scheme is not intended to provide the basis for extended participation in education and for this reason the circumstances in which BTEA can be approved for postgraduate studies are limited.
Post-graduate courses that lead to a higher diploma in any discipline are eligible for support under the BTEA.
Also, certain post-graduate courses that lead to a Master's level qualification are eligible for support. These are:
- Professional Masters in Education (PME - Level 9). The PME is a two-year, full-time programme for graduates for the purposes of registration as a primary or post-primary teacher.
- Masters degree (Level 9) based solely on life experience where the customer holds no other third level qualification.
These are the only circumstances in which the BTEA can be approved for a Master's level qualification.
The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science represents the primary support for people pursuing third level education.
If the Deputy has a query in respect of an individual case, they should provide the details and I would be happy to examine it.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
909. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if the income from a person (details supplied) can be disregarded when reviewing the non-contributory pension award; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1074/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. For the purposes of the means-test, from application stage through the lifetime of a claim, an applicant must provide full and up to date details of any income(s), asset(s), savings and investment(s) held, including any changes that occur.
The person concerned is in receipt of state pension non-contributory since 29 August 2003. A means-review questionnaire was issued to the person on 1 July 2021, to determine if they were receiving their correct weekly pension entitlement. Following an assessment of the means of the person, which took into account their weekly income and that of their spouse, the Deciding Officer revised their rate of entitlemen with effect from 12 November 2021, as their means had increased. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 18 October 2021, together with the reason for the decision and their right, if dissatisfied with the decision, to request a review or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. There is no provision in social welfare legislation to disregard income which forms part of the state pension (non-contributory) means test.
Based on the current financial circumstances of the couple, it may be more financially beneficial for the spouse of the person concerned (currently in receipt of a state pension (contributory)) to claim state pension (non-contributory) in their own right, at this time as they may be entitlled to a non-contributory pension at a higher rate than thier contributory pension. To this end, on 13 January 2022, the Department has written to the spouse of the person concerned, enclosing an application for state pension (non-contributory) for completion and return if they wish to have their entitlement examined.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
910. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons referred to Turas Nua in each county in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1107/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuras Nua is one of two companies contracted to deliver the JobPath employment advisory and assistance service, as part of the State's Public Employment Service.
JobPath provides employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed to assist them secure full-time paid employment. JobPath is a payments by results model with payments consisting of an initial registration fee and four job sustainment fees at 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks if the customer gains and sustains employment for those durations. Consequently, there can be a significant time period between the initial referral and the full potential cost of each job sustainment being realised. For those referred in 2021 for a 52 week engagement the full costs may not be incurred until end 2023 or longer if the person avails of a 6 month pause in their engagement for training and education purposes.
The Information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
Turas Nua , Client Engagements by County 2021( March* - End November )
|
County** |
Engaged Clients (PPP agreed) |
|
Carlow |
749 |
|
Clare |
956 |
|
Cork |
2708 |
|
Galway |
166 |
|
Kerry |
1132 |
|
Kildare |
1003 |
|
Kilkenny |
495 |
|
Laois |
839 |
|
Leitrim |
141 |
|
Limerick |
1342 |
|
Offaly |
248 |
|
Tipperary |
1380 |
|
Waterford |
1403 |
|
Wexford |
1297 |
|
Wicklow |
974 |
|
Total |
14833 |
*Due to public health restrictions , referrals to JobPath were suspended for the first two months of 2021.
**'County' refers to the location of DSP office , not client home address.
911. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of the JobPath service to the State in 2021. [1108/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobPath is an employment advisory and assistance service that is a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs are borne by the companies. The companies are paid on the basis of performance and with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment. The overall cost of JobPath will be determined by the number of people who participate in the programme and the number who get sustainable jobs.
The gross total expenditure on JobPath in 2021 was €34m.
Please note this is gross expenditure and does not take into account the savings made in welfare payments for those who secured sustained employment.
912. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has carried out a review of the JobPath service based on participants' experiences in order to ascertain if the programme helped them in finding employment. [1109/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobPath was contracted to provide employment assistance and advice to jobseekers. Performance is recorded through the outcomes of those who participated in the services and other than a small initial registration fee, the contractors receive payments on the basis of persons gaining and sustaining employment. While it is not a job placement service it has a proven track record of providing sustained employment. Up to the end of November 2021, over 324,000 Jobseekers had commenced their engagement with JobPath. To date over 75,000 jobseekers have commenced employment during their engagement period with JobPath. Over 25,000 of these were still employed after 12 months. These figures do not take account that many participants are still with the service and will get a job in the months ahead.
To ensure that services are being delivered satisfactorily from the customers perspective, my Department has commissioned regular Customer Satisfaction Surveys, the latest of which was completed at the end of 2020. Since the surveys began in 2016, over 10,000 customers have responded to the surveys, which are conducted over the phone. The results have been overwhelmingly positive with overall satisfaction at 74% in the most recent survey. The evidence available to my Department indicates that the experience of customers who have engaged with the JobPath service to date has been positive. The results of the Customer Satisfaction Surveys are published on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/publication/96cc45-surveys-2015/#2020
In addition, the 2019 OECD econometric evaluation of JobPath published by the Department demonstrated that the outcomes for participating jobseekers, both in terms of employment and earnings, are better than those of non-participants. Weekly earnings of people who secured employment after JobPath engagement are 17% higher than the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment without the support of JobPath in 2018.
Taken with the 26% improvement in employment outcomes in the same period, it means the overall positive employment/earnings impact is 37% in 2018 for those who are supported by the JobPath service. These findings demonstrate that jobseekers who engage with JobPath are significantly more likely to get a positive employment outcome than those not supported by the service.
Finally, the JobPath contract has a built-in ‘Service Guarantee’ meaning each jobseeker is guaranteed a baseline level of service including frequency of meetings with case officers and a transparent complaints process.
913. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown by county for supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2021; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reasons given for the payments by county. [1122/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs).
The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.
Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
Under the SWA scheme, a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. In addition, officers can make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Decisions on ENPs and SWA supplements are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
Statistics are maintained on the number of applications awarded under the SWA scheme. They are not maintained on the number of applications refused.
Table 1 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2021.
Table 2 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2021.
Table 3 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category for 2021.
Table 4 shows the provisional expenditure by SWA scheme for 2021. A breakdown by county in not available.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Table 1 - Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county at year end 2021
|
County |
Basic SWA |
Rent Supplement |
Other Supplements |
|
CARLOW |
214 |
149 |
45 |
|
CAVAN |
93 |
149 |
25 |
|
CLARE |
115 |
61 |
48 |
|
CORK |
974 |
1,858 |
337 |
|
DONEGAL |
249 |
71 |
83 |
|
DUBLIN |
4,120 |
6,973 |
1,315 |
|
GALWAY |
242 |
537 |
90 |
|
KERRY |
270 |
442 |
54 |
|
KILDARE |
354 |
630 |
113 |
|
KILKENNY |
280 |
66 |
67 |
|
LAOIS |
101 |
53 |
92 |
|
LEITRIM |
51 |
36 |
11 |
|
LIMERICK |
369 |
283 |
480 |
|
LONGFORD |
101 |
44 |
49 |
|
LOUTH |
415 |
108 |
34 |
|
MAYO |
145 |
180 |
51 |
|
MEATH |
455 |
172 |
72 |
|
MONAGHAN |
117 |
106 |
47 |
|
OFFALY |
205 |
61 |
145 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
170 |
86 |
33 |
|
SLIGO |
160 |
88 |
7 |
|
TIPPERARY |
451 |
122 |
215 |
|
WATERFORD |
277 |
60 |
28 |
|
WESTMEATH |
181 |
274 |
109 |
|
WEXFORD |
303 |
280 |
58 |
|
WICKLOW |
412 |
512 |
90 |
|
Total |
10,824 |
13,401 |
3,698 |
Table 2 - Number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2021
|
County |
Number of Payments |
|
CARLOW |
682 |
|
CAVAN |
565 |
|
CLARE |
1,271 |
|
CORK |
4,164 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,397 |
|
DUBLIN |
19,058 |
|
GALWAY |
1,477 |
|
KERRY |
1,497 |
|
KILDARE |
2,365 |
|
KILKENNY |
952 |
|
LAOIS |
1,585 |
|
LEITRIM |
710 |
|
LIMERICK |
2,197 |
|
LONGFORD |
1080 |
|
LOUTH |
1,454 |
|
MAYO |
1044 |
|
MEATH |
2,327 |
|
MONAGHAN |
558 |
|
OFFALY |
852 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
837 |
|
SLIGO |
1083 |
|
TIPPERARY |
2,465 |
|
WATERFORD |
1,337 |
|
WESTMEATH |
1,701 |
|
WEXFORD |
761 |
|
WICKLOW |
2,133 |
|
Total |
55,552 |
Table 3 - Number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category for 2021
|
Category |
Number of Payments |
|
Bills |
1,640 |
|
Child Related |
2,055 |
|
Clothing |
8,738 |
|
Funeral |
2,445 |
|
General |
13,728 |
|
Housing |
25,335 |
|
Illness |
1,278 |
|
Urgent Needs Payment |
333 |
|
Total |
55,552 |
Table 4 - Provisional Expenditure by SWA Scheme 2021
|
Scheme |
Provisional Expenditure |
|
Basic SWA |
€ 94,867,000 |
|
Rent Supplement |
€122,957,000 |
|
Other Supplements |
€4,066,000 |
|
Exceptional Needs Payments/Urgent Needs Payments |
€42,727,000 |
914. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of primary school students in receipt of the hot meals programme in Cork city and county and nationally, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1158/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra915. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of secondary school students in receipt of the hot meals programme in Cork city and county and nationally, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1159/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 914 and 915 together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €65.1 million was provided for the scheme in 2021.
As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed primarily at schools with no onsite cooking facilities.
Budget 2021 provided an additional €5.5m to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option. Invitations for expressions of interest were issued to 705 primary schools (612 DEIS and 93 non-DEIS) in November 2020. A total of 281 (256 DEIS and 25 non-DEIS) expressions of interest were received in respect of 52,148 children.
The 35,000 places were allocated to each local authority area based on the number of children applied by local authority as a percentage of the total number. A minimum of one school for each Local Authority area was selected. Thereafter, a process of random selection was used for each area.
Budget 2022 is providing for the hot school meals to be extended from January 2022 to the 81 DEIS schools that submitted an expression of interest but were not selected in the extension to 35,000 children referred to earlier.
The number of primary school students in receipt of hot school meals in Cork City, Cork County and nationally respectively is:
- Cork City - 2,559,
- Cork County -257, and chool meals prior to the end of the 2020/2021 academic year).
There are no secondary school students in re
- Nationally - 38,007 (This includes children from the additional 35,000 announced in Budget 2021, where the school was in a position to commence the provision of hot sceipt of the hot school meals option as it is aimed at primary schools with no onsite cooking facilities.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
916. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 409 of 30 November 20221, if a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied) which is under appeal will be expedited and approved. [1173/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 3 December 2021. Under social welfare legislation the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts.
I am advised that the person concerned has submitted additional evidence and that the Department was requested to return the file to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. This file was received and forwarded to the Appeals Officer on 21 December 2021 and the decision is currently being reviewed. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of her appeal has been finalised.
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.
917. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on an issue (details supplied); if she has plans to address the issue of a system of pension entitlements for persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1218/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, most of whom - particularly the carers of incapacitated children – are women. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role.
Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) being satisfied, the State pension system currently gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role, through the award of credits and/or the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the Interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA)). Details of these are –
Credits – PRSI Credits are awarded to recipients of Carer’s Allowance (and Carer’s Benefit) where they have an underlying entitlement to credits and to workers who take unpaid Carer’s Leave from work.
Homemaker’s Scheme - The scheme is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for State Pension (Contributory). It allows periods caring for children or people with a caring need to be disregarded (from 1994) and can have the effect of increasing the Yearly Average.
HomeCaring Periods – This Scheme makes it easier for a home carer to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory). HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution.
Foster parents are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker's Scheme or HomeCaring Periods, on the same basis as other homemakers, and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for either scheme if the caring periods are confirmed by TUSLA (where caring is for a short period of time).
Since April 2019 all new State (Contributory) Pension applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the Interim TCA, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.
If a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner with significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. It was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. The Commission’s Report has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed, and has set out a wide range of recommendations in this regard - including the full transition to a TCA model, phasing out of the Yearly Average approach and measures to enhance pension provision for long-term carers (over 20 years).
In the interests both of older people and of future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive, far reaching recommendations in the Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. In this regard I intend to bring a recommended response and implementation plan to Government for its consideration by the end of March 2022.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
918. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a disability allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1285/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12 November 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 9 December 2021 and the case is being referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing. Oral hearings are currently being held online or by telephone.
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.
919. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer’s allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1286/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10 November 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. Those papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 18 November 2021 and the case was referred on 29 November 2021 to an Appeals Officer.
The Appeals Officer will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
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.
920. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a half-rate carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1287/22]
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 25 August 2021.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care is being provided for the care recipient in their absence.
Additional information was requested on 17 September 2021 by a deciding officer regarding her rate of pay and hours of employment, with a reminder letter issuing on 11 October 2021.
Upon receipt of the requested information, the application for CA was disallowed on the grounds that person concerned was working for more than 18.5 hour per week.
The person concerned was notified on 19 October 2021 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
