Written Answers Nos. 773-792
773. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to continue increasing the weekly income threshold for the over 70s when accessing the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12959/24]
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 €382 million in 2024. 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 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 a means test and the household composition criteria. The means test ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.
In January 2023 a new means threshold was introduced for people aged 70 years and over. The new means threshold was €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. This was a very significant increase in the means threshold and allowed many more households to qualify for the fuel allowance payment.
In addition, for people aged 70 or over, the amount of capital that is disregarded was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only.
In January 2024, the allowable means for those aged over 70 was increased to €512 for a single person and €1,024 for a couple. This was to ensure that no one lost their entitlement to the Fuel Allowance payment due to the increase in weekly rates of Social Welfare payments.
Any further widening of the weekly income threshold for accessing the fuel allowance scheme can only be considered while taking account of the overall policy and budgetary situation.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
774. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12960/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the level of care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. This level of care and attention must be required to allow the child deal with the activities of daily living, in areas such as mobility, personal care, feeding/diet, communication, speech/language, sleeping, behaviour, safety, sensory issues, including any other additional needs.
Eligibility for DCA is not based entirely on the child's disability/diagnosis, but primarily on the impact of the disability, in terms of the associated level of care and attention required by the relevant child compared to a child of the same age who does not have such a disability/diagnosis.
All applications for DCA are referred for the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor (MA).
An application for DCA in respect of their child was received from the person concerned on 26 July 2023. As per decision dated 12 September 2023, a deciding officer decided to disallow this application. Based on the information and supporting documents provided by the person, the child was not considered to satisfy the criteria for DCA. In making that decision, the deciding officer had regard to the professional opinion of a departmental MA and a copy of that MA opinion was issued to the applicant for information, along with the decision notification of 12 September 2023.
The person concerned appealed the above decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). As part of the appeals process, a deciding officer reviewed their application including all information / evidence available at the time of the above decision and the further additional new evidence provided by the applicant in support of their appeal and decided not to revise the decision of 12 September 2023.
The SWAO will notify the person concerned directly of the appeal outcome in due course.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
775. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a schedule of social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities engaged by her Department in 2023 and to-date in 2024; and if she will include the fees expanded, by the name of personality and the name of the campaign they were engaged on, in tabular form. [12979/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor the purposes of this response, we have interpreted social media influencers as individuals who advertise, endorse or review goods or services on social media, in return for payment or other consideration.
I can confirm that my Department has not engaged with any social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities as part of our campaigns.
My Department has however engaged with a journalist and broadcaster as part of our stakeholder engagement at the Department’s annual Pre-Budget Forum event and a policy symposium on Northern Ireland for DSP staff, details of which are included in the following table, along with the fees expended:
|
Name |
Engagement |
Fees Paid |
Key performance indicator |
|
Tommie Gorman(Journalist and Broadcaster) |
A speaker at a policy symposium on Northern Ireland for DSP staff. The event was held in Monaghan on 23 October 2023. |
€1,200 |
Participants have the opportunity to provide feedback on the speakers and the content of their presentations. |
|
Tommie Gorman(Journalist and Broadcaster) |
Moderator for Pre-Budget Forum held on 19 July 2023. This was an all-day event which allowed stakeholders to feed into the budgetary process. |
€1,200 |
A feedback survey is conducted every year with pre-budget forum participants on what went well and what can be improved on. |
Our HR Wellbeing unit engage subject matter experts to support initiatives that are part of the department's Wellbeing programme. These individuals are chosen based on their professional expertise and some of those engaged with for this purpose may have appeared on television and/or radio in that capacity. All events are run along Civil Service Wellbeing and World Health Organisation frameworks and support the Governments national healthy Ireland plan.
776. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure disability access is installed at the Intreo office, Athlone. [13006/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to working to ensure that services and information can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, ability or disability.
The Intreo Office on Grace Park Road in Athlone has automatic doors, and an elevator for customers to access services on different floors. The entrance is at the same level as the footpath, and the public office also has low counters so that wheelchair users can access services.
Maintaining accessible services is an ongoing process and as part of this process my Department continues to investigate any barriers to accessing its information and services.
In accordance with Section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005, my department has appointed Access Officers who are responsible for providing or arranging for, and coordinating assistance and guidance, to persons with disabilities accessing services provided by its offices and generally to act as a point of contact for people with disabilities wishing to access such services. Contact details for the department’s Access Officers are available on www.mygov.ie/dsp,
777. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the current situation regarding an invalidity pension payment to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [13009/24]
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. The person concerned is in receipt of Invalidity Pension since 13 October 2016. My department carries out periodic reviews to ensure continuing eligibility for the payment, to confirm that the qualifying conditions continue to be fulfilled and that no disqualifications from receiving IP apply.
A medical review of the person was initiated on 1 March 2024 with the issuing of a medical self-diagnostic report (form MR99). Once this form is completed and returned< it will be assessed by a department Medical Assessor and the person will be informed, in writing, of the outcome, in due course.
It is important to note that this individual's IP claim remains in payment and this will not be impacted while the review is ongoing.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
779. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for the State pension (non-contributory) in the case of a person (detail supplied) has been refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13039/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. For the purposes of the means test, cash income, including income from employment, foreign pensions, the value of any property (excluding a person’s own home), and the value of any savings and investments which a person or their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant holds, are assessable.
An application for state pension (non-contributory) was received from the person concerned on 29 February 2024. Following an assessment of the income and assets of the person concerned, including income from their spouse’s employment, the Deciding Officer determined that the weekly means of the person concerned exceeded the permissible statutory limit of €292.50 for state pension non-contributory eligibility, and their application was disallowed.
The person concerned was notified of this decision on 24 February 2024, together with the reasons for the decision and their right, if dissatisfied with the decision, to request a review of the decision, or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
780. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a pay claim for citizens information staff was received by her Department from the Citizens Information Board in its budget proposals for 2024; if she will support the pay claim for current staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13066/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs you will be aware, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department which funds and supports the eight regional companies of the Citizens Information Service (CIS).
I absolutely recognise and value the essential work carried out by staff of the CIS and their dedication to their role in ensuring that people have access to quality and independent information, advice and advocacy services across the country.My Department allocates annual Exchequer funding to CIB to deliver its services and the services of its Service Delivery Companies, including the CIS companies. However, staff of the CIS are not employees of my Department nor are they public servants. They are employees of independent companies that provide important services to CIB, which are delivered under a Service Level Agreement between each company and CIB.In July 2023, as part of the Estimates process, a funding request for 2024 was submitted to my Department, which included additional funding for an 11% pay increase for employees of the CIS. My Department understands that this followed a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process that directly involved both SIPTU and the CIS Employers Group. There was no involvement of CIB in the WRC process. Neither was my Department aware of this pay request in advance.
It is important that any pay request, which impacts important services, are carefully considered well in advance and have the involvement of relevant stakeholders from early in the process.
My Department has relayed this to CIB and encouraged further engagement on this issue by CIB, the CIS Employers Group and CIS staff representatives.
781. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if changes are going to be made to jobseekers allowance and X and O system to allow people working as care assistants/home help assistants to claim assistance (details supplied). [13081/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is conscious of the recruitment and retention challenges in the home and community care sector and is supportive of properly informed measures to increase capacity in the sector. Towards this end it established a Strategic Workforce Advisory Group in 2022 specifically to look at the labour force challenges facing providers of home-care services.
Following a consultation process, this Group classified, and priority-ranked the challenges faced in the sector and brought forward a number of recommendations for reform. Although the issue of social welfare thresholds was raised, it was ranked behind issues related to other factors, including for example, the rate of payment paid to care workers, unpredictable working hours and the use of temporary contracts within the sector.
The Department supports part-time working through a number of schemes including casual and part-time work arrangements for people on jobseeker payments. In addition, the working family payment supports families on low incomes and there are tapered income disregards across a number of schemes to support the take up of employment including the one-parent family scheme and the disability allowance scheme, neither of which are hours constrained.
The current legislative and operational framework for jobseekers is based on a days worked rather than an hours worked threshold. Under the current system a person can work three days and receive a partial jobseeker payment. It is not possible, under the current system, to apply preferential rules to workers based on their occupation or sector of employment.
In line with the commitment in Pathways to Work, the national employment strategy, work is continuing in relation to the development of the possible features of a Working Age Payment, which will include examining the structure of the existing Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. A Working Age Payment would utilise Revenue Commissioner real time earnings data to adjust payment levels in line with a person’s weekly earnings. In this way it would guarantee a basic income floor and ensure that in all cases a person’s income increases when they work. This would represent a significant change to Jobseeker's Allowance and would address issues relating to the use of days or hours worked.
I trust that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
784. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) whose sole means is their State pension (contributory) is entitled to an increase in same due to the reduced level of payment. [13104/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned reached pension age on 3 October 2013.Her State Pension (Contributory) is awarded at the reduced weekly rate of €236.10. This is based on a total of 719 reckonable paid and credited contributions from 1978 to 2013 giving a yearly average of 21. I have introduced a number of reforms to the State Pension including a provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years (1040 weeks). If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years, she can apply for Long-Term Carers Contributions (LTCC). If the criteria are met, the equivalent of paid contributions may be attributed to cover gaps in her contribution record. The periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive.
The quickest way to apply for LTCCs is online at MyWelfare.ie if the person has a verified MyGovID account. Further information is available on the Government website at gov.ie/pensions.
I have arranged for a copy of her insurance record to issue to the person concerned. If she considers that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to her to forward documentary evidence to Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384, and her pension entitlement can be reviewed.
Where a person aged 66 or over does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a State pension (contributory) or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, it is open to them to apply for the State Pension (non-contributory) which is a means-tested payment with a maximum payment of €266.00 per week, which is over 95% of the maximum State pension (contributory).
Depending on their circumstances, the person concerned may be entitled to a living alone increase, the household benefits package (free television license and electricity or gas allowance) and the fuel allowance. I have arranged for application forms to issue. On receipt of the completed application forms, entitlement will be examined.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
785. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress of the review for domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13109/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. This level of care and attention must be required to allow the child deal with the activities of daily living in areas such as mobility, personal care, feeding / diet, communication, speech / language, sleeping, behaviour, safety, sensory issues, and any other additional needs.
Eligibility for DCA is not based entirely on the child's disability / diagnosis but primarily on the impact of the disability in terms of the associated level of care and attention required by the child compared to a child of the same age who does not have such a disability / diagnosis.
An application for DCA in respect of their child was received by my Department from the person concerned on 25 January 2024. A Deciding Officer disallowed their application as per decision dated 23 February 2024. Based on the information and supporting medical evidence that was provided by the person concerned in their application, the child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA. The Deciding Officer had regard to the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor in the decision process.
I confirm that a request for a review of the Deciding Officer's decision, including further additional information for consideration, was received on behalf of the applicant.
Following a review of their application in respect of the child concerned, including all information and documentary evidence available at the time of the original decision and the further additional information provided in support of their review request, a Deciding Officer decided not to revise the original decision, as per review decision dated 7 March 2024.
The person concerned was notified of the above review decision in writing on 7 March 2024.
As advised in the decision notification of 7 March 2024, it is open to the person concerned to request a further review(s) of the Deciding Officer's decision and / or appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
787. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a working family payment will issue/be reinstated to a person (details supplied), with particular reference to their special family requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13150/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them and be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment.
A review of WFP for the person concerned has been completed and the claim has been awarded from 18th January 2024.
Arrears due to the person concerned from the date of the WFP claim have been issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
788. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the length of time it is taking her Department to process and complete applications for each payment (details supplied), in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13160/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdditional Needs Payments (ANP) are paid to people who have essential and exceptional needs that they cannot meet out of their weekly income. ANP is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements. Complete applications are mostly finalised within 10 days and where it is clear that a person has an immediate need, every effort is made to ensure they receive a payment on the same day.
The data requested by the Deputy concerning the average processing times for Working Family Payment, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance is shown in the attached tabular statement.
|
Scheme |
Average weeks to award end January 2024 |
|
Working Family Payment |
9 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
6 |
|
Disability Allowance |
12 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
1 |
789. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection where the payment of a qualified adult allowance is under review, if half of the savings of a couple are automatically attributed to the qualified adult, regardless of whose name is on the bank account; and whether in the same way if the savings are in an account in the name of the qualified adult, that person will still only be assessed with half of the savings. [13176/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIf a person applies for a social assistance payment and they are married, in a civil partnership or cohabitating, the means of their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant are also taken into account in the means test.
Entitlement to a social insurance payment is based on a person's social insurance record and the personal rate of payment is not subject to a means test. However, if they wish to apply for an increase in their payment for a qualified adult, their spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's means will be assessed.
A qualified adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the recipient of the payment who is being wholly or mainly maintained by that person. Claimants with a qualified adult partner are recognised within the social welfare system as having additional needs because their spouse/partner is financially dependent on them. The payment of an Increase for a Qualified Adult, in addition to the personal rate of payment, reflects these additional household needs.
The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves, so that social welfare expenditure can be directed towards those who need it most.
When calculating the weekly means from savings or other capital, the first €20,000 of capital is fully disregarded; the next €10,000 assessed at €1 per thousand, the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per thousand, with the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand.
The means test is based on the means held solely or jointly by the qualified adult. Where savings, property or other assets are held jointly, the spouse or partner's means is taken to be half of the total amount. It should be noted that the value of the family home, regardless of who is the legal owner, is never taken into account in this assessment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
790. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details on all planned PPP projects and ongoing PPP contracts; the status of each project; the anticipated or known capital cost; the anticipated or known cost to the Exchequer over the lifetime of the contracts; the annual total payment of PPP unitary charges and the percentage share of the total capital budget for her Department and all public bodies under the aegis of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13203/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no planned Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects or any ongoing PPP contracts in the Department or the bodies under the aegis of the Department.
791. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the circumstances under which a pension payment may continue posthumously to next of kin; the family members entitled to such continued payments and the duration of these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13222/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department recognises the need for a transition period during which people can grieve and plan for a life following the death of a family member. Within the social welfare system, there are a number of supports for those in receipt of a pension who suffer a bereavement. In particular, there is an arrangement known as the six-weeks payment after death which allows for certain payments to continue to be made after a person dies.
The provisions for a continued payment after death, for customers with a spouse/civil partner/co-habitant, are set out in Section 248(2)(a) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005. With regard to pensions, to qualify for the six-weeks payment after death, the spouse/partner must be either be a qualified adult on the deceased person’s pension payment or a customer in receipt of a payment in his/her own right.
If the person was in receipt of an additional allowance for a qualified child, and that child dies, the Increase for a Qualified Child payment will continue for six weeks. The provisions for a continued payment after death, for customers with a qualified child are set out in Section 248(2)(b) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
792. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if an invalidity pension award in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be backdated to the date they were found medically suitable for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13237/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to was originally awarded invalidity Pension (IP) with effect from 25 January 2024. Payment, including all arrears due from 25 January 2025, issued to her nominated bank account on 14 March 2024.
Following a review of this application, my Department is satisfied to treat the application for Disability Allowance received on 4 August 2023 from the person concerned as equivalent to a claim for IP having been made at that time.
Consequently, her IP claim has been backdated and awarded from 10 August 2023, which is from the first Thursday following receipt of the original DA application. Any arrears due for the period from 10 August 2023 to 24 January 2024 will issue to the person concerned shortly. She was notified of this decision on 14 March 2024.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
