Written Answers Nos. 383-402
383. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and details of compensation or redress schemes put in place by her Department since 1998, in tabular form; the number of claims made; the total cost of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6469/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection is a payment provider for two redress schemes. The Department provides payments, on an agency basis, for The Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme. This scheme is administered by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Department of Social Protection is only the payment provider for the scheme and does not make determinations on entitlement. Details on the number of claims and cost of the scheme have been provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth at gov.ie - The Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme
In addition, the Department of Social Protection provides payments, on an agency basis, on behalf of the Department of Finance for the purpose of the discharge of the approved liabilities of the Waterford Crystal pensioners’ lump sum payments and Waterford Crystal ongoing pension payments. The details of this scheme, as requested by the Deputy, are set out in tabular format below:
|
Details of compensation or redress schemes put in place by the Department of Social Protection since 1988 |
Number of Claims |
Total Cost |
|
Waterford Crystal Pensioners’ lump sum payments and Waterford Crystal ongoing pension payments, under section 48B of the Pensions Act 1990 as inserted by section 4 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No.2) Act 2014. |
The settlement is confined to approximately 1,700 scheme members with preserved pension entitlements on the date of wind-up of the schemes in 2009. |
Lump sum payments totalling just under €44 million were issued under the settlement terms, with the bulk of these payments in 2015. Currently, there are 675 individuals in receipt of additional pension payments at an annual cost of approximately €7 million. |
384. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange to issue a decision on an application by a person (details supplied) for the State pension (non-contributory). [6506/23]
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 contributory state pension, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
The Department has no record of a state pension non-contributory application having been received from the person concerned. Following contact with the Deputy's office, the person's eligibility for state pension non-contributory will be examined on receipt of their completed application form (together with any necessary supporting documentation) and the person concerned will be notified in writing of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
385. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been deemed not entitled to the maximum old age pension (contributory) given they have been making full-time social welfare contributions since inheriting the family farm in the late 1980’s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6507/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned will reach pension age on 13 March 2023.
Calculation of entitlement to State pension (contributory) is based on their social insurance record from their date of entry into insurable employment until pension age.
PRSI for self-employed was introduced from 6 April 1988. Under social welfare legislation, if an applicant became a self-employed contributor on 6 April 1988, and at any time prior to that date was an employed contributor, the date on which the applicant first entered into insurance or the 6 April 1988, whichever is the more favourable to them, shall be regarded as the date of entry into insurance. In this case, the person concerned became a self-employed contributor in 1989, therefore the date of entry is taken as the first date they entered insurable employment, 1980.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 1830 qualifying paid and credited social insurance contributions for the period from their date of entry into insurable employment, 1980 to 2023 which equates to a yearly average of 43 contributions. A yearly average of 48 contributions is required to receive the maximum rate State Pension (contributory).
The person concerned has been awarded the State Pension (contributory) from 13 March 2023 at the current weekly rate of €260.10. This is commensurate with the social insurance record held by my Department.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
386. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline in detail the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been deemed ineligible for fuel allowance. [6508/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 13 July 2016. Based on the information provided to the department, the person concerned was assessed as having means of €312.20 per week. They were awarded from 13 July 2016, an increase for a qualified adult allowance (IQA) of €2.80 and free fuel allowance (FF) of €22.50.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 13 October 2016.
Fuel allowance (FF) is a means tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people. It is a household payment and as such the entire household must satisfy the criteria.
Based on the information provided to the Department, the person concerned no longer qualifies for FF from 23 February 2021, as their household now includes people who are not in a qualifying category. A letter notifying the person concerned on this decision issued to him on 15 February 2021.
I can confirm that to date, the person concerned has not submitted a new application for FF or requested a review of the decision 15 February 2021.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
387. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of DEIS schools in County Tipperary that participate in the school meals programme in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6525/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2022 provided €68.1 million for the programme with an additional €9m provided to allow access to all new DEIS schools from September 2022. Additional funding for the programme has been provided for 2023 bringing the total to €94.4m. This represents a 53% funding increase in the period since 2020.
Entry to the School Meals Scheme has been confined to DEIS schools in addition to schools identified by the Department of Education as having levels of concentrated disadvantage meaning that their students would benefit from access to the School Meals Programme. Participation in the scheme is entirely voluntary and schools must reapply for funding in advance of each school year.
A list of DEIS schools in County Tipperary that participate in the School Meals Programme is provided in the attached tabular statement.
I am committed to continuing to expand the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme in recent years. In this regard, I commissioned the evaluation of the school meals programme to review all elements of the programme. The final report was recently received which I am currently reviewing. This report will help to inform future decisions around this important programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Tabular Statement:
388. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for the disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6532/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 28 April 2022. The person concerned submitted a completed DA application form and a completed medical report by their doctor on 28 April 2022. In addition, he submitted a copy of his contract from the Auctioneers for the purchase of his house.
The person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation on the 18 May 2022 and 06 July 2022 required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on his eligibility. The requested information was received by the department on the 10 June 2022 and 26 July 2022.
His application was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 11 August 2022 for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. The SWI requested information from the person concerned on the 09 September 2022, which was only partially supplied.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, his application for DA was disallowed on failing to supply sufficient information to determine means.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 13 October 2022, and they were given the right to a review or an appeal.
To date no request for a review or an appeal has been received.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
389. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for the State pension (contributory) in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6542/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned will reach pension age on 28 March 2023. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 13 January 2023.
The person concerned has been awarded State Pension (contributory) from 28 March 2023 at the current maximum weekly rate of €265.30. They have been notified of this decision in writing on 09 February 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
390. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which social welfare in-person appeals are available since their suspension during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6566/23]
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.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that due to the public health restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person hearings were suspended from March 2020, were carried out from August to September 2020, and recommenced in February 2022.
Oral hearings have been successfully conducted online or by telephone since October 2020 and these types of hearings will continue. This remote hearing approach has proven to be an effective way of facilitating oral hearings which were previously achieved through an in-person engagement.
Since 2020 Appeals Officers have made greater use of telephone contact and correspondence to gather additional information or seek clarification which might otherwise have been ascertained in the course of an oral hearing. This has reduced the need to conduct oral hearings.
I am satisfied that the use of online and telephone based oral hearings and the use of a greater level of contact by phone or written correspondence was beneficial in enabling appeals to proceed during a period of significant public health restrictions.
The present position in relation to in-person oral hearings is that, subject to prevailing public health advice, an in-person oral hearing may be convened where the Chief Appeals Officer is of the view that such a hearing is essential in any particular case.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
391. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if people in receipt of carer's benefit are informed in adequate time before the payment ceases to enable them to submit an application form for carer's allowance to avoid a period of no payment. [6601/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention.
To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention.
When a Carer’s Benefit claim is awarded, the award letter states the dates that the claim has been awarded to and from. This letter serves as the notification of the dates that the claim payment starts and ends, and no further notification is issued.
Carer’s Benefit is a short-term scheme payable for up to 104 weeks to a carer, in respect of a care recipient. The Award letter states what is required to extend the claim payment if the claim is awarded for less than the full 104 weeks Carer’s Benefit entitlement in respect of this care recipient.
If the claim is awarded for the full 104 weeks, claimants are advised in the award letter that at the end of this period, their maximum entitlement of 104 weeks for the named career will have been exhausted. It advises that if there is still a requirement for full time care, it is open to the carer to apply for Carer’s Allowance and that Carer’s Allowance claims should be made 3 months prior to Carer’s Benefit expiring. At all stages, the claimant is informed of the right to Review or Appeal the decision.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
392. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision on a fuel allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be re-examined; if a full breakdown of the assessment will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6620/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments and persons aged over 70 towards the cost of their winter heating needs. From January 2023, for applicants aged 70 and over, there is a new means test limit of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple; the capital disregard threshold has been increased from €20,000 to €50,000; and those over age 70 no longer need to be in receipt of a qualifying payment to apply for Fuel Allowance. Existing household composition rules continue to apply.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed to direct the limited resources available to my Department in a targeted manner. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at 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. Fuel Allowance can only be awarded where all the qualifying conditions are met and cannot be awarded on a discretionary basis to those who are marginally above the applicable means limit.
The person concerned has income from private pensions which puts his weekly income above the €500.00 per week means threshold and, accordingly, he does not qualify for Fuel Allowance. The person was notified in writing that he does not satisfy the means assessment and a full breakdown of the means assessment has issued to the person concerned.
My Department provides Additional Needs Payments, as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, for people who have essential expenses which they cannot pay from their weekly income. Applications and enquiries in relation to these payments can be made by contacting a Community Welfare Officer based in the local Intreo Centre.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
393. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a State pension qualified adult payment application will be reviewed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6649/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to State pension (contributory) claimants 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.
The Increase for Qualified Adult Allowance was awarded to the person concerned from 01 August 2021 at the current weekly rate of €149.70. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 10 February 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
394. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown in tabular form of additional needs payments made in County Kerry for the years 2018 to 2022. [6696/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make additional needs payments to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
The schemes are demand led and payments 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 in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
The reporting of the schemes was revised in 2022 to extract more complete information. Statistics are available on the number of Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments made in 2018-2021, but not on the number of supplements awarded.
Table 1 shows the number of Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments made in 2018-2021 and the number of Additional Needs Payments made in 2022, by category in Co Kerry.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a national community welfare contact centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1 - The number of Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments made in 2018-2021 and the number of Additional Needs Payments made in 2022 by category in Co Kerry.
|
Category |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Bills |
53 |
50 |
52 |
47 |
68 |
|
Child Related |
61 |
42 |
34 |
37 |
38 |
|
Clothing |
447 |
343 |
289 |
171 |
3,435 |
|
Funeral |
59 |
69 |
60 |
42 |
50 |
|
General |
1,973 |
2,011 |
968 |
700 |
1,029 |
|
Housing |
474 |
431 |
531 |
478 |
555 |
|
Illness |
8 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
11 |
|
Urgent Needs Payment |
131 |
91 |
30 |
14 |
25 |
|
Other (Supplement) |
8 |
||||
|
Total |
3,206 |
3,040 |
1,970 |
1,497 |
5,219 |
395. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the budget allocation for the Citizens Information Board in 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6703/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, with responsibility for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services.
CIB provides some services directly to the public and directly funds and supports a number of companies to provide other services, including the Citizens Information Services (CIS), the Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS), the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) and the Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS).
My Department allocates an annual budget to CIB to deliver its services. This funding is reviewed annually by my Department, as part of the Government's Estimates process, to ensure that it is sufficient to meet the Existing Level of Service of CIB and its funded companies and to ensure that it is based on projected expenditure and service needs in the year ahead.
The budget allocation from my Department to CIB in 2021, 2022, and 2023 is outlined below.
|
Year |
Allocation |
|
2021 |
€62,222,000 |
|
2022 |
€60,258,000 |
|
2023 |
€60,858,000 |
I trust this answers your query.
396. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the voucher scheme under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017, particularly section 9, for users of Irish sign language to access free ISL and English interpreting for social, educational and cultural events and services, including medical and other activities, will be permanently established. [6711/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) is supported and funded through the Citizens Information Board (CIB), the statutory body under the aegis of my Department.
Section 9 of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 sets out support for access to events, services and activities for users of Irish Sign Language. SLIS, with the support of CIB, have been progressing the implementation of this provision, and in 2021, a pilot scheme was launched for a four-month period, providing users of Irish Sign Language with access to free interpretation for eligible activities.
An evaluation of the pilot was completed in July 2022, the recommendations of which will form part of any future scheme, to ensure it meets the needs of the Deaf community in Ireland and meets the obligations under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017. CIB is currently exploring with SLIS the options as to how such a scheme can be implemented, based on the findings of the evaluation report.
397. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the social insurance date of entry and State pension (contributory) of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6714/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned reached pension age on 14 October 2018.
Calculation of entitlement to State pension (contributory) is based on their social insurance record from their date of entry into insurable employment until pension age.
PRSI for self-employed was introduced from 6 April 1988. Under social welfare legislation, if an applicant became a self-employed contributor on 6 April 1988, and at any time prior to that date was an employed contributor, the date on which the applicant first entered into insurance or the 6 April 1988, whichever is the more favourable to them, shall be regarded as the date of entry into insurance.
According to the records of my Department the person concerned commenced paying class A contributions in 1972 and self-employment (class S) contributions in 1988. As there are gaps in the person's social insurance record from 1972 to 1988, it is financially more beneficial to regard the date of entry as 6 April 1988 when they began paying class S social insurance.
The person concerned was awarded State Pension (contributory) from 14 October 2018 at the current weekly rate of €225.90. This equates to 85% of the current maximum rate of pension. This is the correct rate of pension commensurate with the social insurance record held by my Department. This decision was based on their self-employment contributions and credits from 6th April1988 to their 66th birthday.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
398. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of urgent needs payment applications, by category, in Cork, and the number refused, in each of the years 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [6731/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make additional needs payments to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.The schemes are demand led and payments 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 in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
The reporting of the schemes was revised in 2022 to extract more complete information. Statistics are not available on applications received or disallowed for 2021.
Table 1 shows the number of Additional Needs Payments registered and disallowed by category in Co Cork in 2022.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a national community welfare contact centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1 - The number of Additional Needs Payments registered and disallowed by category in Co Cork in 2022.
|
Category |
Registered |
Disallowed |
|
Bills |
461 |
129 |
|
Child Related |
170 |
24 |
|
Clothing |
4,696 |
671 |
|
Funeral |
387 |
60 |
|
General |
3,191 |
735 |
|
Housing |
2,659 |
391 |
|
Illness |
32 |
7 |
|
Urgent Needs Payment |
35 |
11 |
|
Other (Supplement) |
102 |
12 |
|
Total |
11,733 |
2,040 |
399. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision will be made on an application by a person (details supplied) for a domiciliary care allowance. [6753/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly allowance payable in respect of a child aged under 16, who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention in the home, substantially over and above the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the child must be likely to require this level of care for at least 12 months.
An application in respect of their child was initially received from the person concerned on 08 April 2022. Their application was disallowed as per decision dated 30 May 2022, as their child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA.
A new application in respect of the child concerned, including new additional information and updated documentary evidence, was received on 26 October 2022.
A decision has now been made on this application and the person concerned was notified in writing of the deciding officer's decision on 08 February 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
400. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) cannot get carer's allowance for their mother-in-law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6786/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra401. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that a person (details supplied) had their fuel allowance payment stopped, without prior notification, once their dependent student turned 22 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6808/23]
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 to assist households with their energy costs.
Under the current qualifying conditions for fuel allowance a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition criteria. Fuel allowance is not payable if an applicant lives with any person, including a family member that is not covered by the household composition criteria outlined below.
- a qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren); (if the qualified spouse is in receipt of half rate carers, in addition to the IQA payment, they may qualify for fuel allowance, subject to a means test) or
- a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the allowance in their own right or
- a person who is in receipt of carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit in respect of providing full-time care and attention to the fuel allowance applicant or their qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren) or
- a person receiving short-term jobseeker's allowance (JA) or basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) - i.e., less than 391 days for JA and less than 15 months/456 days for SWA).
The person concerned currently qualifies for a Jobseeker’s Transitional (JST) payment which is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme that aims to support lone parents into the workforce while they have young children.
This payment is available to people who are not cohabiting and whose youngest child is aged between 7 and 13 years inclusive.
The customer's fuel allowance payment was stopped in error when her oldest child turned 22 as it was not understood that her child was continuing in full-time education. This error is regretted and the customer's fuel allowance has been re-instated and will be in her bank account this week.
I trust the above clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
402. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the anomaly that exists whereby a person aged 22 years and over can be deemed a dependent for SUSI grant purposes, but is no longer a qualified child dependent for social welfare purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6809/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Increase for a Qualified Child is a child-related supplement to most weekly social welfare payments in recognition of the need for greater incomes among benefit-dependent households with dependent children. The payment is generally made until the child reaches age 18 but where the child continues in full-time education, the payment can continue up to age 22 or up to the end of the academic year in which the child turns 22.
In Budget 2023, I provided for the weekly rates of the Increase for a Qualified Child to increase to €42 per week in the case of children under age 12 and to €50 per week in the case of children aged 12 or over. These increases took effect last month at an estimated cost of €30.4 million in 2023.
As a result, these rates will have increased by €6 for under 12s and by €10 for over 12s over the last three Budgets.
There are no plans to increase the age in respect of which an Increase for a Qualified Child is payable.
The Student Grant Scheme is the main financial support scheme for students studying in Ireland and abroad. Rules relating to the operation of this scheme are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
