Written Answers Nos. 89-98
89. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who applied for the working family payment in August 2022 and has yet to receive any decision on their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55692/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work weekly payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children.
Unfortunately, the PPSN provided by the Deputy did not match the other details provided. The department attempted to contact the Deputy to clarify the position.
Based on the other information provided a claim has been identified.
An application for WFP was received from that individual on 5th September 2022. Further information was requested by the Department. On receipt of the information a Deciding Officer reviewed the application, and the WFP claim was awarded at a rate of €160.00 per week from 8th September 2022 to 6th September 2023. The person concerned has been advised of their award in writing and arrears have issued to their nominated bank account.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
90. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the concerns outlined in detail in relation to the pension entitlement of a person (details supplied); if she will have the decision to reduce the pension payment reviewed as a matter of urgency, taking into account all of the relevant data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55716/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of an Increase for Qualified Adult allowance (IQA) on their State Pension (contributory). An increase for qualified adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.
Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is payable. Where their weekly means are over €100 and not more than €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment. Where property or assets are held jointly, the qualified adult's means are assessed as half of the total amount. The family home is not included in the means assessment.
As part of my Department’s commitment to ensuring that claimants are receiving their full and correct entitlements, ongoing reviews of all means tested payments are carried out. In the case of an increase for qualified adult on SPC, the primary claimant is contacted by my Department to notify them that their continuing entitlement to the means tested IQA payment is being examined. A questionnaire is required to be completed to include details of the means of their qualified adult. In this case, the qualified adult of the person concerned was assessed with personal means of €246.00 per week. This gives an entitlement to a reduced weekly qualified adult payment of €86.00 from 08 September 2022. The decision issued on 15 August 2022, and included a breakdown of the means assessment, together with the right to seek a review of or appeal this decision. Following a review in September 2022, the decision of the 15 August 2022 still stands.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
91. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct level of fuel allowance payable in the case of persons (details supplied); if the full amount is being paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55734/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. One of the conditions for receipt of fuel allowance is that a person must satisfy a means test.
There is no record of a Fuel Allowance application for the persons concerned. I have arranged for an application to issue to them.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
92. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection the date for the publication of the Child Maintenance Review Group Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55754/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on:
(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department,
(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department, and
(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
As part of its work, the Group conducted a public consultation process. Submissions were received from members of the public, as well as Members of the Oireachtas, NGOs and Professional Bodies. The Group also examined the international position where there are a variety of different approaches taken to these matters.
The Group's report was submitted to me in April. I have given the report the careful consideration that such an important and complex issue deserves. Given that it relates to issues that are beyond the scope of the social welfare system, I am consulting with Government colleagues.
Once the report has been fully considered, my intention is to bring it to Government before the end of this year, at which time a decision regarding the publication date will be made.
As lone parents continue to be a group with a high risk of poverty, I was pleased to provide a number of measures in Budget 2023 which will be of benefit to them.
Recipients of One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment are amongst those who received a double weekly payment in October and who will receive a Christmas bonus double payment in December. Like all families with children, lone parents received a double payment of Child Benefit on 1 November. Lone parents in receipt of the Fuel Allowance will also receive a lumpsum payment of €400 this month.
Approximately half of the payments of the €500 cost of living lump sum payment which will be made to recipients of the Working Family Payment this month will be made lone parents.
I have also provided for a €40 increase in the weekly income thresholds for the Working Family Payment from January. The personal rate of working age payments such as One-Parent Family Payment will increase by €12, from €208 to €220 per week, also from January. In addition, the rate of Increase for a Qualified Child will increase by €2 to €42 per week in respect of a qualified child under age 12 and by €2 to €50 per week in respect of a qualified child aged 12 or over. As a result, these rates will have increased by €6 for under 12s and by €10 for over 12s over the last three Budgets.
I trust this clarifies the position.
93. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) did not receive any payments when caring for her elderly father before he passed away; the reason she has been declined carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55756/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, may I take this opportunity to extend my condolences to the person concerned and their family on their recent bereavement.
Carer'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 30 September 2022.
I can confirm CA was awarded to the person concerned on 4 November 2022 with effect from 18 August 2022 to 30 November 2022; this includes 12 weeks after death entitlement.
The first payment will issue to their nominated bank account on 10 November 2022.
Arrears of payment for the period 18 August 2022 to 9 November 2022 will issue on 10 November 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
94. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the extra assistance provided by her Department in budget 2023 in terms of double payments and so on to pensioners who are not entitled to the State pension (contributory) as they were public servants and paid a modified PRSI contribution and who are suffering like all pensioners form the effects of the increase in fuel prices and the cost-of-living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55810/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCivil and public sector employees, recruited prior to 6 April 1995, pay social insurance contributions at modified rates under classes B, C and D. Amongst the class B contributors are permanent and pensionable civil servants and Gardaí, the class C contributors are commissioned army officers and members of the army nursing service and the class D contributors include permanent and pensionable employees in the public service other than those insured at classes B and C. All civil and public servants recruited from 6 April 1995 pay social insurance at the standard class A rate.
Prior to 6 April 1995, civil and public servants did not have access to the full range of social insurance benefits as their terms of employment protected them against the main contingencies of illness and old age, and the risk of unemployment was not considered a factor due to the nature of their employment. Consequently, such contributors pay less in social insurance contributions in return for fewer social insurance benefits.
While the modified rates of social insurance under classes B, C and D do not give entitlement to the State Pension (Contributory), such contributors may, subject to a means test, qualify for the State Pension (Non-contributory). The maximum weekly rate of State Pension (Non-Contributory) was increased by €12 in Budget 2023, with effect from January 2023.
In addition to the €600 of Energy Credits which will benefit all households in the coming months, I announced an important measure to assist pensioners with energy costs as part of the Social Protection Budget Package - a new means test for Fuel Allowance for people aged over 70. This change will mean that a single person aged over 70 can have income of up to €500 per week and qualify for Fuel Allowance, while a couple can have income of up to €1,000 per week.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
95. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that persons who are in receipt of illness benefit for a period similar to the qualification period for qualifying for the double payment of welfare for recipients of supplementary allowance and jobseeker’s allowance benefit, were not entitled to the recently announced double payment of welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55819/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIllness Benefit is intended for people with short duration illnesses who will return to work relatively quickly. The average duration on the scheme is about 6 days. In many cases, the payment is made directly to the employer and the employer tops up the payment to ensure that the person receives the equivalent of their normal salary.
People with long duration illnesses are catered for under the Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension schemes. The double week payment was made to recipients on these schemes.
In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in social welfare measures during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period.
One of these measures is the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment which was paid to those schemes which are eligible to receive the Christmas Bonus, with one amendment - the removal of the 12-month duration requirement for certain schemes - allowing short-term jobseekers and Supplementary Welfare Allowance customers to qualify for the October support.
Illness Benefit is not, and has never been, a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus. It is a scheme which, by its nature, is a short-term social welfare scheme. It has a high degree of churn with people coming onto the scheme and moving off every week, often with very short duration claims.
For example, between July and September 2022, almost 115,000 Illness Benefit claims were awarded and, of these, only 21,000 remain in payment. This indicates a churn of 82% over just a three-month period. The average duration of a claim for Illness Benefit is only 6 days.
In addition, many Illness Benefit payments are paid directly to the employer with, in some case, the employer continuing to pay the normal salary to the person concerned.
Therefore, a double payment such as the cost of living support would, in many cases, be an employer subsidy as opposed to an additional support to the customer. This is not the intent behind the October cost of living support, and nor would it be a targeted use of resources.
Long term illness and disability schemes, such as Invalidity Pension and Disability Allowance qualify for both the Christmas Bonus and the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment.
If an individual or family are struggling with additional costs, Additional Needs Payments can provide help and support to people facing financial hardship. Under the scheme, the Department may make an Additional Needs Payment to people on a low income, whether they are working or receiving an income support, to meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
96. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the building block strand B funding for childcare providers application deadline given the difficulty in getting quotes from providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55665/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra€9m Capital Grant has been allocated by my Department to the Early Learning and Childcare sector. The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks capital programme for the sector under the National Development Plan. Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 under both Strands: Strand A (Green Energy) and Strand B (Retrofit). The application will open and close on the same date for both Strand A and Strand B.
The Building Blocks – Improvement Grant is a competitive application process and all applicants that meet the eligibility criteria and have submitted all the necessary documentation by the closing date published will be considered for funding.
The Building Blocks – Improvement Grant opened on Friday 28th October 2022. The closing date for this Grant is Friday 25th November 2022.
It is expected that Pobal, who are administering the scheme on my Department's behalf, will receive a high volume of applications under both strands. Officials in my Department are working closely with Pobal, to identify and resolve any issues being experienced by providers, including whether the closing date should be extended. Should there be a change to the closing date, service providers will be notified through the online portal, the Hive.
97. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a payment will issue to a commercial accommodation provider of Ukrainian refugees (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55733/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegarding the matter raised, I can advise the Deputy that I have assigned additional staffing resources to deal with the extraordinary volume of accommodation payments required to be processed in the context of the Ukraine crisis. The delay in this instance is deeply regretted. My officials have advised that this payment has been prioritised for issue.
98. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be extra compensation under the mother-and-baby homes to children of African descent who were born in covered institutions, given that they were often subject to differential treatment due to racial prejudice, thus affecting lifelong outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55897/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn establishing the independent statutory Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in February 2015, the then Government sought to ensure an independent and thorough investigation of what happened to vulnerable women and children in these institutions during the period 1922 to 1998. Notably, the Commission was specifically tasked with investigating concerns related to systematic discrimination within these institutions.
Following publication of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, An Taoiseach offered a formal apology on behalf of the Government, the State and its citizens to all those who spent time in these institutions. In this apology, An Taoiseach acknowledged the failings of the State, over many decades, to protect vulnerable citizens, and to uphold their fundamental rights. The State apology recognised the“additional impact which a lack of knowledge and understanding had on the treatment and outcomes of mothers and children with different racial and cultural heritage, those who faced mental health challenges, or those with physical and intellectual disabilities”.
It was further acknowledged that“such discriminatory attitudes exacerbated the shame and stigma felt by some of our most vulnerable citizens, especially where opportunities for non-institutional placement of children were restricted by an unjust belief that they were unsuitable for placement with families”.
This State apology marked a starting point for further measures designed to address the needs and concerns of survivors and their families.
I am acutely aware that there is no financial payment which could make up for the immense pain and suffering endured by so many of our citizens whose lives have been affected by these issues.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is just one aspect of the overall package of supports and measures set out in the Government’s Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Homes Institutions which seeks to provide an inclusive and enduring response to the priority needs of all survivors.
The proposed structure of the Scheme, with increasing financial payments depending on length of stay, recognises that higher payments should be made to those who were subjected to institutional conditions for a prolonged period.
This allows for a simple and non-adversarial application process, in which applicants will not have to prove abuse and the State can shoulder much of the administrative burden.
