Written Answers Nos. 506-525
506. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if an email address can be used to create a mygovid account if it was previously used on a different account that has since been deleted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51355/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that after a MyGovID account has been deleted, the email that was associated with the deleted account can then be used to create a new account.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
507. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the situation facing old age pensioners who have lost their entitlement to fuel allowance, due to the fact that their adult children who are not in receipt of an qualifying payment have had to move back in with them due to the housing shortage; the steps that she intends to take to address the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51390/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. 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. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
An adult child of a householder moving back into the family home may result in a reduction of additional allowances such as the Fuel Allowance payment previously held by the householder. However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a contribution towards household costs by the person moving in would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as that proposed by the Deputy, disregarding the income of the returning family member, would change the targeted nature of the scheme and would likely result in payments being directed to households with significant income.
Therefore, my Department is not considering any proposals to amend the Fuel Allowance qualifying criteria to allow for the continued payment of Fuel Allowance in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy.
There will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme was introduced. In the event that the return of a family member into the household results in a reduction in Fuel Allowance payment, with no compensating contribution by the family member, then a payment may be made in the form of a heating supplement under this scheme.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
508. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that refurbishment works at the INTREO centre, Navan Road, Dublin 7 have commenced; if so, when the works are due to be completed; the schedule of works; and the expected date on which the service will be reopened to the general public. [51394/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra531. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has entered into an agreement regarding the lease or rental of the Intreo office, Navan Road, Dublin 1 to An Garda Síochána. [51878/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 508 and 531 together.
Significant maintenance and upgrade work to the Intreo Centre on the Navan Road in Cabra, Dublin 7, had been scheduled for 2022. Staff were transferred to other Intreo Centres for the duration of the work, with arrangements made for customers to be served in the nearby Parnell Street Intreo Centre.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), which owns the building, has now advised that an urgent situation has arisen where there is a requirement to source emergency accommodation for critical units of An Garda Síochána (AGS) in North Dublin at short notice. This requirement necessitates the sourcing of a building that is immediately available and can meet the operational requirements of AGS.
Given the urgency of the situation, the property on the Navan Road has been identified by OPW as the only one that would meet the State’s urgent requirement in the short/medium term and would represent optimum use of the property. My Department has not entered into an agreement with AGS regarding the lease or rental of the building, as the building is owned by the OPW.
This will not represent any deterioration in customer service. Since temporary closure in April 2022, people living in the Dublin 7 area who need to attend an Intreo Centre have been visiting the Parnell Street Intreo Centre. There is also a freephone telephone number and the dedicated email addresses for Navan Road services relating to jobseeker’s payments, one-parent family payments, Public Services Cards, community welfare services and activation remain active.
The quickest and easiest way for a person to apply for income supports is online at www.mywelfare.ie.
509. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff working in the INTREO centre, Parnell Street, Dublin 1 in October 2021, and currently, in tabular form. [51397/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra510. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the catchment area of the INTREO Centre, Parnell Street, Dublin 1, including the number of people that it includes, as well as the geographical area. [51398/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 509 and 510 together.
The following schedule shows the number of staff assigned to the Parnell Street Intreo Centre in October 2021 and October 2022.
|
Month/Year |
Parnell Street Intreo Centre |
|
October 2021 |
75.25 |
|
October 2022 |
72.25 with 3 vacancies |
These numbers represent staff working in Schemes Payments, Public Services Card/Personal Public Service Number Centre, Community Welfare Service, Activation and Community Employment Programmes. In addition, there are 26.13 staff working in Parnell Street Intreo Centre who relocated from the Navan Road Intreo Centre.
The Parnell Street Intreo Centre has a current customer claimload of 4,337 and covers the catchment areas of Dublin 1 and 3.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
511. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a copy of the comprehensive review undertaken in 2021 of all services and activities delivered by her Department’s network of local offices. [51401/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra512. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide all recommendations relating to the Intreo service from the comprehensive review undertaken in 2021 of all services and activities delivered by her Department’s network of local offices. [51402/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.
As is the case with any large customer service organisation my Department is constantly reviewing and refining its operational procedures and management structures. As part of this ongoing process in 2021 my Department made some changes to management reporting lines as well as how it organised the processing of Intreo centre claims so as to take account of remote working/blended working developments and to ensure that staff workloads could be balanced.
The review did not involve any changes to Intreo centre locations or services available to the public at Intreo centres. As is normal practice these changes were discussed with staff unions and have been in place since January 2022.
These changes also reflect and facilitate the changed working environment post Covid-19 – in particular the move to remote/blended working.
Ongoing regular reviews of internal structure and processes are normal in any operational environment. These routine operational reviews do not involve any change to customer benefits or entitlement but represent normal business process change and refinement. Therefore it is not the practice to publish, nor is it intended to publish, any report on the changes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
513. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date in the determination of an application for the Working Family Payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51429/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking Family Payment (WFP) is an income-tested weekly payment which provides additional financial support to employees on low earnings with children. WFP provides financial support for employees who have low earnings/income relative to their family size. The WFP rate payable is 60% of the difference between the average weekly family income and the relevant prescribed income limit.
In order to qualify for WFP, a family's income must be below a prescribed limit which varies in accordance with the number of qualified children. All family and household income is assessable for WFP and includes an applicant's and their spouse/partner's average net weekly assessable earnings from employment plus any other income such as other social welfare payments, income from self-employment, etc.
An application for WFP renewal was received from the person concerned on 27 September 2022. This application was disallowed as their weekly family income was not less than the prescribed income level for their family size (1 qualified child). The person concerned was notified of this decision, and their right of review and appeal on 11 October 2022.
If the person concerned has a change in their financial circumstances or they satisfy the conditions for WFP at a later stage they may reapply for WFP.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
514. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a State pension (non-contributory) will be paid to a person in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51434/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of state pension (non-contributory) since 7 May 1999 and until midyear 2022 collected their payment at their nominated Post Office.
On 19 July 2022, a request was received from the person concerned that their payment be paid into their bank account, details of which were supplied. The person stated at that time that they had pension payments due to them which they had not collected at the Post Office.
On 22 July 2022, a letter was issued to the person concerned confirming that their pension payment method had been changed, as requested, to payment by electronic fund transfer to their bank account. This change took effect from 29 July 2022.
The officer dealing with the changeover checked with An Post and confirmed that there were no pension payments awaiting collection by the person concerned. An Post provided the officer with copies of the payment receipts for the period in question, showing the dates of encashment under the signature of the person concerned. Copies of these payment slips have been provided to the person concerned under covering letter on 12 October 2022.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
515. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51463/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person’s application for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number has been processed. Confirmation of the PPS Number issued to the person by post on 13/10/2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
516. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the working family payment claim of a person (details supplied). [51467/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work weekly payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children.
An application for WFP renewal was received from the person concerned. Further information was requested in relation to the application by the Department. Once this information was received a Deciding Officer reviewed the application, and WFP was awarded on 12/10/2022, with effect from 22/09/2022 (renewal date). The first weekly payment and all arrears owing have issued to their selected financial account on 12/10/2022.
The person concerned was notified on 12/10/2022 of this decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
517. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a pension appeal of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51488/22]
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.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 26 July 2022 and the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal were sought.
Following a review by the Deciding Officer of all medical evidence now to hand, the person referred to has been awarded Invalidity Pension with effect from 14 April 2022. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 27 October 2022. Any arrears due from 14 April 2022 to 26 October 2022 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 14 October 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
518. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide greater clarity in writing for the reason for refusing an application by a person (details supplied) for an invalidity pension; if the person’s application was made inside the required one year since becoming continuously incapable of work; if she will provide a list of the qualifying contributions paid by the applicant since 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51489/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
My department received an application for IP from the person concerned on 28 June 2022. Based on the information supplied, it was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. Notification of the decision issued to the person concerned on 28 September 2022 along with the reasons why the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. This letter also advised of their right to seek a review of this decision or to appeal this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. To date no such request has been received. This has been reissued to the person concerned on 13 October 2022.
The social insurance contributions paid by the person referred to from 2018 are as follows:
|
2018 |
41 Class A |
|
09 GB (Credits) |
|
2019 |
50 Class A |
|
03 GB (Credits) |
|
2020 |
32 Class A |
04 Class J |
29 GB (Credits) |
|
2021 |
42 Class A |
04 Class J |
20 GB (Credits) |
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
519. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on assessing a person’s eligibility for certain payments, including the State pension non-contributory and disability allowance, entirely on their spouse’s income in cases where the person has no income or assets outside of their marriage; if her Department is considering altering or amending this policy particularly in view of the impact this can have on those in abusive relationships; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51494/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme. The means assessment includes income from sources such as employment, self-employment, occupational pensions and maintenance payments. It also includes property owned other than the family home and capital such as savings, shares, and other investments.
State 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.
In the means assessment for a personal rate state pension non-contributory entitlement, the first €20,000 of capital an applicant holds 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.
For Disability Allowance, a claimant can work and earn up to €140 a week without their Disability Allowance payment being affected. If a claimant earns more than €140 a week, 50% of their earnings between €140 and €375 will not be taken into account in the Disability Allowance means test.
For disability allowance, an applicant can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment; 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.
Introducing changes to the means test for Pension (Non- Contributory) or Disability Allowance would have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes. As the means tests for social assistance payments are based on the income and assets of the household, it would significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment to assign individual incomes or assets to only one individual in that household. It may also lead to inconsistency and unfairness as to how means are assessed across households in general.
Any changes in this regard would have to be considered in the overall policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
520. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the pay of community employment supervisors in view of the fact the sector has not had an uplift in pay since 2008 [51498/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe are all very conscious of the important role that Community Employment (CE) and other programmes play in our communities. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities.
The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring authorities who are the legal employers of CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. CE sponsoring authorities receive state funding to cover the cost of remuneration, training and material costs from the department. Therefore any pay increases could increase the cost to the state of running CE schemes.
The Department of Social Protection, as the funder of CE schemes, has received correspondence from Fórsa and SIPTU seeking a pay increase for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. However, any increase in pay rates that would potentially increase the overall cost to the state of funding schemes, or state funded activities in the wider community and voluntary sector, must take into consideration the potential cost to the exchequer. Given these budgetary implications, this correspondence has been forwarded to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for their consideration.
Departmental officials met with union representatives in September, where issues relating to the working conditions of CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors were discussed. A further meeting has been scheduled and the Department will continue to liaise with union representatives on these matters. The Department will also continue to follow-up on this issue with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
521. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if the €500 lump sum payment for those in receipt of disability allowance includes disabled persons who have been transferred from disability allowance to a pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51523/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of Budget 2023, the Social Protection budget has been designed to assist people with cost of living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the fuel allowance scheme.
The measures introduced include the provision of a one-off €500 Cost-of-Living lump sum, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant. Recipients who are in receipt of one (or more) of these payments will qualify for the €500 payment.
Persons in receipt of a State Pension are not eligible for this lump sum. They will however receive a double payment of their pension on 21st October 2022 under the Autumn Cost-of-Living Support measure which I also announced in the recent Budget and will receive a Christmas Bonus double payment on 9th December 2022.
Persons in receipt of Fuel Allowance will receive a €400 Lump Sum Fuel Allowance payment. Persons who are in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance will receive a €200 Living Alone Lump Sum payment. Both of these payments will be paid in the week commencing 14th November 2022.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
522. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if a family carer caring for more than one person is entitled to a family carers’ €500 lump sum payment for each person who they are caring for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51524/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe €500 Cost of Living payment referred to by the Deputy is a lump sum payment to those carers who are eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant. Unlike the annual Carer’s Support Grant, which is paid in respect of each person being cared for, this is a single lump sum paid to the carer, irrespective of the number of persons being cared for. This payment will be made in the week commencing 21 November.
It is worth noting that in circumstances where the care recipient is in receipt of a long-term disability payment of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or Invalidity Pension in their own right, they too will receive the €500 Cost of Living lump-sum payment in the week commencing 14 November.
The €500 Cost of Living payment is part of a range of measures put in place for carers as part of Budget 2023. Other measures announced include:
- Cost of Living Double Payment to Carers in week commencing 17 October
- Carers will also receive the Christmas Bonus Double Payment in week commencing 5 December
- €12 increase in the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit with effect from January 2023 with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate
- €2 increase for each Qualified Child, bringing rates to €50 for Over 12s and €42 for Under 12s from January 2023
- Half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance with effect from January 2023
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
523. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise on a review of services provided by INTREO and Social Welfare Offices in 2021; if this review is publicly available and where it can be assessed; if it is not publicly available, when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51540/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra524. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise on a review of services provided by INTREO and Social Welfare Offices in 2021; if she will provide an overview of the review recommendations; if she will outline the measures which have been put in place to date regarding changes to services provided by INTREO and social welfare offices and related processes; if she will outline those measures which are intended to be implemented moving froward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51541/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 524 together.
As is the case with any large customer service organisation my Department is constantly reviewing and refining its operational procedures and management structures. As part of this ongoing process in 2021 my Department made some changes to management reporting lines as well as how it organised the processing of Intreo centre claims so as to take account of remote working/blended working developments and to ensure that staff workloads could be balanced.
The review did not involve any changes to Intreo centre locations or services available to the public at Intreo centres. As is normal practice these changes were discussed with staff unions and have been in place since January 2022.
These changes also reflect and facilitate the changed working environment post Covid-19 – in particular the move to remote/blended working.
Ongoing regular reviews of internal structure and processes are normal in any operational environment. These routine operational reviews do not involve any change to customer benefits or entitlement but represent normal business process change and refinement. Therefore it is not the practice to publish, nor is it intended to publish, any report on the changes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
525. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a vacant commercial property over ten years old that is in need of extensive refurbishment in order to be of any commercial use, still needs to be assessed as part of one’s capital in a means assessment as per her Department’s means assessment operational guidelines: a second property must be capable of being sold, let or put to profitable use before a capital value assessment is applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51566/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Property covered by the capital assessment rules includes second houses and/or any other buildings or land owned but not personally used or enjoyed as the principal residence or farming business.
The house in which a person resides – their principal residence or home - together with furniture and personal effects, is not assessed.
Property must be capable of being sold, let or put to profitable use before a capital value assessment is applied.
Occasionally, there may be legal or other reasons why a property may not be capable of being sold, let or put to profitable use. In such instances, Deciding Officers from my Department will review any reasonable evidence from the customer to verify this. If this evidence is not supplied, or is insufficient, then the property is treated as being capable of being sold, let, or put to profitable use, and a capital value assessment is applied.
The current market value (CMV) of a property is what is assessed as the means. The CMV is considered to be what the market will bear, not what the customer is willing to sell the property for. The CMV will reflect the condition of the property which will be taken into account when the means assessment is taking place.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
