Danny Healy-Rae
Ceist:198. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a matter regarding child benefit payments (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45657/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial Welfare Benefits
Ceisteanna (198)
Freagraí scríofa
The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024.
This is a significant change to the Child Benefit payment which will require technical and operational changes to the social welfare system before implementation. For this reason, the change will take effect from September 2024. Where a child in full time education turns 18 in the meantime they will be covered by the extension from September 2024 until they turn 19.
With many children now starting primary school at age 5 together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18 year olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18 Years Olds in Full-Time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.
Departmental Legal Cases
Ceisteanna (199)
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:199. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of legal cases taken against her Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and the costs associated with same in each of those years. [45404/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The table below sets out the available information regarding the number of litigation cases where the Department of Social Protection is the respondent.
The Chief State Solicitor's Office, as Government solicitor, absorbs the costs of representing the Department.
|
Year |
Number of cases |
|
2023 (so far) |
59 |
|
2022 |
54 |
|
2021 |
21 |
|
2020 |
31 |
|
2019 |
15 |
|
2018 |
45 |
|
2017 |
32 |
Accurate figures for the years prior to 2017 are not readily available.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Ceisteanna (200)
Michael Creed
Ceist:200. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the situation regarding eligibility for children's allowance for children in full-time secondary education who turn eighteen before the end of the current academic year; and if she will clarify the situation regarding budget proposals in this regard which come into effect in September 2024. [45408/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024.
This is a significant change to the Child Benefit payment which will require technical and operational changes to the social welfare system before implementation. For this reason, the change will take effect from September 2024. Where a child in full time education turns 18 in the meantime they will be covered by the extension from September 2024 until they turn 19.
With many children now starting primary school at age 5 together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18 year olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18 Years Olds in Full-Time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.
Departmental Staff
Ceisteanna (201)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:201. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE medical assessors working in her Department in 2022 and to-date in 2023, in tabular form; and if there are plans to increase this number. [45427/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Current staffing levels of medical assessors in the medical review and assessment section of my department is provided in table below,
|
Numbers |
Sep-2022 |
Sep-2023 |
|
Total MA |
33 |
34 |
|
WTE |
31.3 |
32.3 |
To meet the service needs, the medical assessor staffing levels are continually kept under review.
Budget 2024
Ceisteanna (202)
Martin Browne
Ceist:202. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for excluding invalidity benefit from the bonus announced in Budget 2024; and her views on whether this is justified, given the rising cost of living. [45433/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I have secured a package of €2.3 billion for Social Protection measures as part of Budget 2024. This represents the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and will help to support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families during this difficult period.
As part of this package, a wide range of lump-sum payments will be paid in the coming months. In the second half of November the following lump-sums will be paid:
• €400 to Working Family Payment recipients
• €400 to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension
• €400 to recipients of the Carer’s Support Grant
• €200 to recipients of the Living Alone Allowance
• €300 to all Fuel Allowance recipients in 2023
• €100 for each child in respect of whom an Increase for a Qualified Child is in payment
In December there will be a double payment of Child Benefit and a 100% Christmas Bonus. At the end of January 2024 there will be another 100% double payment similar to the Christmas Bonus.
People in receipt of Invalidity Pension will be eligible for the €400 lump-sum in November and the two double payment weeks in December and January.
Traditionally, Illness Benefit was not a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus as it is a short-term scheme with a high degree of churn. However, last year I asked my officials to examine this issue in respect of people who are in receipt of Illness Benefit for longer periods of time. This resulted in people who have been on Illness Benefit for 12 months or longer qualifying for the Christmas Bonus last year for the first time.
I am pleased to confirm that those long-term Illness Benefit recipients will again qualify for this year's Christmas Bonus, as well as the double payment in January.
Social Welfare Payments
Ceisteanna (203)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:203. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available to a person (details supplied) in a situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45497/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Recovery of Benefits and Assistance (RBA) Scheme recovers the value of certain illness-related social welfare payments from compensation awards made to a person as a consequence of personal injuries claims. The benefits are recovered from the compensator, not from the injured person. A customer’s Illness Benefit claim is unaffected by the payment of recoverable benefits. An Illness Benefit payment is taxable.
If the Deputy wishes to provide details of the person concerned, my Department would be happy to answer any specific queries they have. Alternatively if the person themselves wishes to discuss their specific claim they can contact the Department at either of the addresses below:
Illness Benefit
Department of Social Protection
P.O. Box 1650
Dublin 1Ireland
Tel: (01) 704 3300 or 0818 928 400
Homepage: www.gov.ie/en/service/ddf6e3-illness-benefit/
Email: illnessbenefit@welfare.ie
Recovery of Benefits and Assistance Section
P.O. Box 12515 Dublin 1.
Phone number: 01 8172660
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Ceisteanna (204)
Carol Nolan
Ceist:204. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection when parents with children of 18 years and in full-time post primary education can expect to receive children's allowance payments; if such payments will be backdated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45505/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024.
This is a significant change to the Child Benefit payment which will require technical and operational changes to the social welfare system before implementation. For this reason, the change will take effect from September 2024. Where a child in full time education turns 18 in the meantime they will be covered by the extension from September 2024 until they turn 19.
With many children now starting primary school at age 5 together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18 year olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18 Years Olds in Full-Time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Ceisteanna (205)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:205. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45578/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 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 €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct limited resources in as targeted a manner as possible. 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.
A person participating on a Community Employment (CE) scheme can qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment in certain circumstances.
If a participant on a CE scheme was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can continue to receive the fuel allowance payment while participating on the scheme once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.
If the CE participant was not in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment prior to going on the CE scheme, they may still apply for and qualify for Fuel Allowance in the following circumstances:
• If the CE scheme participant was in receipt of a long-term qualifying payment prior to going on the CE scheme, this will allow them to satisfy the qualifying payment element; however, all other qualifying conditions of Fuel Allowance must also be satisfied.
• Where the CE scheme participant has an established underlying entitlement to Fuel Allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving the payment, it is open to the CE scheme participant to apply for Fuel Allowance if these circumstances change, e.g. where the Fuel Allowance recipient leaves the address.
A CE Scheme helps people to get back to work by offering part-time and temporary placements in jobs based within local communities. Participants can take up other part-time work during their CE placement. A participant's jobseekers payment ceases and payment is made by way of a wage. It is for this reason participants on a CE scheme cannot accrue entitlement to Fuel Allowance.
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance for other people participating on a CE scheme would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Parental Leave
Ceisteanna (206)
Emer Higgins
Ceist:206. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a definitive date by which a baby must be born in order for parents to avail of the additional two weeks of parental leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45655/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Currently, seven weeks Parent's Leave and Benefit is available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019. The leave and benefit must be availed of within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption.
In Budget 2024, the Government provided for the number of weeks of Parent's Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents to be increased from seven weeks to nine weeks from August 2024. The additional two weeks leave and benefit will apply to parents of children who are under age two in August 2024 or, in the case of adoption, where less than two years have passed since the child's placement.
My colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has policy and legal responsibility for Parent's Leave and his Department will lead on the extension of this leave. My Department is responsible for the associated changes to Parent's Benefit for the extended leave period.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Ceisteanna (207)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:207. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection what type of payment a person (details supplied) is receiving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45671/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education subject to meeting the qualifying conditions.
The person concerned was in receipt of CA from 28 January 2010.
The person concerned made an application to participate in the BTEA and was successful. They have been in receipt of BTEA since 2018, a scheme which is paid through CA.
Due to a clerical error, correspondence issued to the person concerned referring to CA and the Carer's Support Grant (CSG).
I can confirm that an amended letter issued to the person concerned referring to their BTEA payment.
The person concerned notified the Department they were taking up full-time employment and, as a result, their BTEA payment has now ceased.
The person concerned was notified on 16 October 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.
Social Welfare Payments
Ceisteanna (208)
Steven Matthews
Ceist:208. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection to reconsider the timeline for the expansion of the children's allowance to include 18-year-olds in full-time education; if the basis for decision to delay this change to September 2024 could be outlined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45761/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024.
This is a significant change to the Child Benefit payment which will require technical and operational changes to the social welfare system before implementation. For this reason, the change will take effect from September 2024. Where a child in full time education turns 18 in the meantime they will be covered by the extension from September 2024 until they turn 19.
With many children now starting primary school at age 5 together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18 year olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18 Years Olds in Full-Time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.
Budget 2024
Ceisteanna (209)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Ceist:209. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how the people of Clare will benefit from her Department’s allocations in Budget 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45781/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I have secured a package of €2.3 billion for Social Protection measures as part of Budget 2024. This represents the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and will help to support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families during this difficult period.
The Budget Package includes :
• Weekly Personal and Qualified Adult Rates increases by €12
• Increase for a Qualified Child increased by €4 per week
• Increase of the Working Family Payment income thresholds for all families by €54 per week
• Extension of Hot School Meals to non-DEIS primary Schools who applied under an Expression of Interest
• Extension of Parent's Benefit from 7 weeks to 9 weeks
• Extension of Child Benefit to 18 year olds in full time education
• Increased rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance by €10 to €340 per month
• A reduction to the minimum weekly hours threshold for employers to avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme from 21 to 15 hours
• An increase to the earnings disregard for Carer's Allowance to €450 for a single person and €900 for a couple
• Additional funds to include provision for Free Travel for people medically certified unfit to drive
As part of this package, a wide range of lump-sum payments will be paid between in the coming months. Including :
• €400 to Working Family Payment recipients
• €400 to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension
• €400 to recipients of the Carer’s Support Grant
• €200 to recipients of the Living Alone Allowance
• €300 to all Fuel Allowance recipients in 2023
• €100 for each child in respect of whom an Increase for a Qualified Child is in payment
• A double payment of Child Benefit
• A 100% Christmas Bonus
• January 100% double payment similar to the Christmas Bonus
Over 80,000 people living in Clare will benefit from the measures introduced in the Social Protection Budget 2024 package outlined above.
Departmental Legal Cases
Ceisteanna (210)
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:210. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of legal cases taken against her Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and the costs associated with same in each of those years. [45401/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (211)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:211. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the transport budget allocation to An Garda Síochána in 2022 and 2023; and the expected transport budget that is being provided to An Garda Síochána in 2024. [45419/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, funding for An Garda Síochána is provided through Vote 20, the Garda Vote and is not accounted under my Department's Vote. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) and is accountable for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its resources. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I can however assure the Deputy the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this Policy. This commitment is demonstrated by the unprecedented provision of €2.31 billion to the Garda Vote for 2024, up 23 per cent since 2020, which is allowing for sustained and ongoing recruitment and investment in new equipment and new vehicles.
The 2024 budget includes provision for:
• Recruitment of between 800 and 1,000 new Garda recruits and 250 additional Garda staff.
• 25% increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána – to €131m from €105m - for high visibility policing to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Supporting Garda recruitment with 66% increase in training allowance which rises to €305 per week.
• €6m provided for Garda well-being initiatives, additional medical costs and over 2,500 units of body armour.
The Deputy may also be aware that I allocated an additional €1.2 million to An Gardaí Síochána earlier this year for mobile safety camera deployments and monitoring hours for the duration of 2023. This additional funding will see GoSafe provide an extra 1,500 hours of monitoring every month until the end of the year, a 20% increase.
I can inform the Deputy that €31.278 million has been allocated against the Transport Subhead of the Garda Vote for 2024, up almost 10 per cent since 2020. This subhead includes funding for maintenance, running expenses and capital investment. I can also inform the Deputy that the allocation for 2023 was €30.554 million and €32.554 million in 2022.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (212)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:212. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the estimated full year cost in 2024 if 30 extra WTE digital forensic examiners engineering grade 3 were recruited to An Garda Síochána. [45421/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities – and strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of €2.31 billion in Budget 2024, up 23% since 2020, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the organisation has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work.
The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB) provides for top tier digital forensic services to support organisational investigations.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the estimated full year payroll cost of recruiting 30 WTE digital forensic examiners at engineering grade 3 level is approximately €1.2million (€40,000 per person).
The costing assumes that the staff are placed on the first point of the current engineer grade 3 pay scale. Employer’s PRSI is also included at a rate of 11.05%.