Michael Healy-Rae
Question:306. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if an oral hearing will be facilitated for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23558/24]
View answerSocial Welfare Appeals
Questions (306)
Written answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22 January 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 20 March 2024.
The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 9 April 2024, who will in due course make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
The regulations governing appeals provide that it is a matter for the appeals officer to decide whether an oral hearing is required or whether an appeal can be decided by way of summary decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (307)
Bernard Durkan
Question:307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of the review for DCA in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23592/24]
View answerWritten answers
Domiciliary Care Allowance 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 where 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.
With reference to any specified disability/diagnosis, the impact of that diagnosis on the child's related overall care needs, compared to the age appropriate level, is the determining factor in the consideration of a child's eligibility for DCA.
I can confirm that 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 provided, including the supporting documentary evidence, their child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for DCA. The Deciding officer had regard to the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor (MA) in the decision process.
A request for a review of the decision was received on behalf of the applicant. Following a review of their application, including all information and evidence available at the time of the original decision and the further additional information provided in support of that review request, a Deciding Officer decided not to revise the original decision as per review decision dated 7 March 2024.
The person concerned subsequently provided further additional information, including documentary evidence for review. As part of that review process, the further new documentary (medical) evidence and information provided was referred for the further opinion of a departmental MA.
Following receipt of the MA opinion, a further review of their entitlement to DCA in respect of their child was undertaken by a deciding officer.
The person concerned was notified on 22 May 2024 that the Deciding Officer had decided not to revise the original decision dated 7 March 2024. The person concerned was informed of their right to have this decision reviewed again (where further medical evidence becomes available) and / or their right to appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (308)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:308. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23599/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 May 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Questions (309)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:309. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost to the Exchequer of increasing maternity benefit to cover the first 12 months of a child’s life; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23601/24]
View answerWritten answers
Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €274 per week. In 2024, it is estimated that my Department will spend approximately €280.7 million on Maternity Benefit.
The estimated annual cost of extending Maternity Benefit by an additional 26 weeks to bring the total number of weeks paid leave to 52 weeks is €289 million. This estimate is based on a full year and on the number of recipients in 2024. It is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients. In addition, this estimate does not reflect any additional costs which may be incurred by employers, including in the Public Sector, who provide substitution or salary top-ups.
Any decision to further extend the period of Maternity Leave for employees is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who has responsibility for the scheme. An extension of this leave would require careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders. Any further extension of Maternity Benefit would have cost implications and could only be considered in a Budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Legislative Process
Questions (310)
Pauline Tully
Question:310. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe within which the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, which was signed into law in March 2024, will be applied. [23603/24]
View answerWritten answers
Commencement of the provisions of the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 is set out as follows:
It is my intention that Part 2 of the Act will come into operation very shortly by way of a Commencement Order. I am also preparing Regulations that will give effect to certain provisions of Part 2 that will also come into operation at the same time. The purpose of Part 2 is to change the means tests for social welfare payments so that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means and to remove the liable relatives provisions from the social welfare code.
Chapter 1 of Part 4 came into operation on 12 March 2024 under the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (Chapter 1 of Part 4) (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 102 of 2024). The purpose of Chapter 1 of Part 4 is to remove entitlement to most social welfare payments for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who are provided with accommodation by the State in a designated accommodation centre under section 60(14A)(a) of the International Protection Act 2015.
Chapter 2 of Part 4 came into operation on 12 March 2024 under the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (Chapter 2 of Part 4) (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 95 of 2024). Chapter 2 of Part 4 amends section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015 to introduce a more time-limited 90 day accommodation offering for newly arriving Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, and to remove the current equivalence with Irish citizens in terms of accessing social welfare benefits, while still meeting the standard set out in Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001.
Other than mentioned above, the remainder of the Act came into operation upon enactment on 5 March 2024.
Departmental Policies
Questions (311)
Francis Noel Duffy
Question:311. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Social Protection the position on means testing home carers who may wish to return to work; if a scheme is being developed to ensure that such persons are not penalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23607/24]
View answerWritten answers
My department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.
The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer’s Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment awarded to those carers who are caring for certain people who require full-time care and attention. There are currently 96,670 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. Means tests are an essential component of our social welfare system and they help to direct scarce resources to where they are needed most.
The primary objective of the payment is to provide an income support to carers whose earning capacity is substantially reduced as a consequence of their caring responsibilities and in so doing to support the ongoing care of the person in respect of whom care is being provided.
A primary qualifying condition for the Carer’s Allowance payment is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and be likely to require this full-time care and attention for at least 12 months.
In order to support a carer’s continued attachment to the workforce and to support broader social inclusion, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training up to 18.5 hours per week while still being regarded as being in a position to provide full-time care and continue to receive their full payment. During this time of employment, education or training, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person.
The same means test criteria for Carer's Allowance applies to all carers including those cohorts of carers returning to work as well as those currently in the workplace.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance.
• In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
• As part of Budget 2024, the weekly income disregard will be further increased next week from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since June 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the income disregards of €117.50 for a single carer and €235.00 for a carer who is part of couple. These are the highest income disregards in the Social Welfare system.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I announced my intention to establish an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments.
I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.
I can assure the Deputy that I am keenly aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face, and I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by my department under review.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (312)
Ivana Bacik
Question:312. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason parents of twins and triplets only receive one entitlement to parent's benefit until the child attains the age of two, given that 130 days' parental leave is provided per child. [23639/24]
View answerWritten answers
While I have responsibility for Parent's Benefit which is associated with Parent's Leave, my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for both Parent's Leave and the separate Parental Leave scheme, which is unpaid.
Parent’s Benefit is a payment for employed people, who are on Parent’s Leave from work, and self-employed people who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. Currently, seven weeks Parent's Leave and Benefit is available to all eligible parents. The leave and benefit must be availed of within two years of the child's birth or adoption.
In line with the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, and as provided for in Budget 2024, Parent’s Leave and Benefit will be increased by two weeks to nine weeks per parent from August 2024. When the current durations of Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s Benefit are combined this adds to 42 weeks of paid leave for a two-parent family. This will increase to 46 weeks from August 2024.
In the case of multiple births, one period of Parent's Leave can be claimed by each eligible parent who may also be eligible for Parent's Benefit during that period. This is in line with Maternity and Paternity Leave and Benefit schemes.
Parents of twins or other multiple births receive additional support through the Child Benefit scheme. The standard rate of Child Benefit is €140 per month. Twins are paid at one and a half times (150%) the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double (200%) the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €280 per child. Estimated expenditure on Child Benefit in 2024 will be in excess of €2.1 billion.
Any decision to further extend the period of Parent’s Leave for employees is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and would require careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders. Any further extension of Parent's Benefit would have cost implications and could only be considered in a Budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (313)
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:313. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for legislation to be enacted on the Supreme Court’s judgement to the entitlement of a unmarried co-habitant to a widows, widowers or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23665/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership.
On Monday 22nd January, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension. The Supreme Court judgment overruled a previous High Court decision and found in favour of the claimant and his children.
In simple terms, the Court found that section 124 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is inconsistent with the Constitution insofar as it excluded the claimant from the category of persons entitled to benefit from it. The Court reached that conclusion on the basis of the equality guarantee contained in Article 40.1 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court judgment notes that in order to resolve the issue raised by the judgment, a legislative amendment is required.
My officials are considering the measures necessary to respond to the Supreme Court judgment, which raised a number of complex issues, and are developing the legislative changes that are required to implement the decision. This is being done in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. Once proposals have been finalised, these will be brought to Government for approval before the Summer recess.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (314)
Pauline Tully
Question:314. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if exemptions are in place for pensioners, disabled people or other groups in relation to the recently announced changes to the supports to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. [23674/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Government has recently implemented changes in terms of providing suitable but sustainable support to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). Following the introduction of new legislation in March, newly arrived BOTPs in designated accommodation receive €38.80 per week if they are over 18 years of age and €29.80 per week if they are under 18 years of age.
The Government has now decided to bring greater equity to the welfare supports being provided to BOTPs. It has been decided that BOTPs in state-provided fully serviced accommodation, designated by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, will receive the same level of payment regardless of when they arrived.
Officials from my Department and from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are working on the operational arrangements to give effect to this change, with an estimated 12 week lead-in time to allow details to be finalised and notice to be provided to the people affected.
This change will apply to BOTPs in designated fully serviced accommodation in receipt of any of the Department's social assistance schemes.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (315)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:315. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 701 of 2 February 2024, by what criteria schools that are expressing interest in the hot school meals programme are appraised in order to be granted provision of meals under the scheme; if she will provide the appropriate guidelines for schools expressing interest; when her Department projects achieving universal school cover by this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23675/24]
View answerWritten answers
The objective of the School Meals 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. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
The Hot School Meal option of the programme was introduced in 2019 and is currently solely available to primary schools. Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection, I have increased the number of schools with access to the Hot School Meal option and the programme has grown significantly in recent years with over 2,000 primary schools now eligible to receive a hot meal. This is a very positive outcome considering that the scheme involved just 30 schools at pilot stage when I started expanding it.
I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, I have rolled out hot school meals to all DEIS primary schools from September 2023.
As part of this significant expansion plan, all remaining non-DEIS primary schools were contacted last year and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals. Expressions of interests were received from over 900 primary schools in respect of 150,000 children who were then invited to participate in the programme from 8th April 2024 and all of the schools who submitted completed applications have been awarded funding.
My Department has now contacted the remaining primary schools who have not yet joined the Hot School Meals scheme asking them to submit expressions of interest to receive hot meals from September 2024.
My ambition is that every primary school child in the country will be receiving a hot meal in 2025. This is well ahead of our original target to make hot meals universal in primary schools by 2030.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (316)
Willie O'Dea
Question:316. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on the appeal of a person (details supplied) against the refusal of disability allowance; if an oral hearing will be granted in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23698/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been received by that office. I understand that the Department's disability allowance section recently carried out a review of this case which was subsequently disallowed on 9 May 2024. The person concerned has been notified of the outcome and it is open to him to submit an appeal in relation to the outcome of this review.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (317)
Willie O'Dea
Question:317. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on the appeal of a refusal of a disability allowance (details supplied); if an oral hearing will be granted in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23699/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 February 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 11 March 2024.
Under the governing legislation the decision on whether or not to hold an oral hearing is at the discretion of the Appeals Officer to whom an appeal has been assigned. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 19 March 2024, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing. The Appeals Officer has been contacted to expedite this case.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (318, 319)
Pauline Tully
Question:318. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports her Department has in place for people who are unable to work due to long-Covid. [23727/24]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:319. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if healthcare staff who are unable to work due to contracting long-Covid are eligible to the occupational injuries scheme; and if not, if she has plans to extend eligibility of the occupational injuries scheme to healthcare staff who have contracted long-Covid. [23729/24]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.
My Department provides a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness or disability, including COVID-19 and long COVID. Eligibility for these payments is generally not dependent on the type of illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Illness benefit is the primary income support provided by my Department to those who cannot work in the short term due to illness of any kind and is funded by the Social Insurance Fund through the payment of Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class and only contributions made under classes A, E, H or P count toward this payment. Illness benefit is payable for up to two years, dependent on satisfying the eligibility conditions. Additional payments may be made in respect of a qualified adult and qualifying children.
The two main long-term disability income support payments are invalidity pension and disability allowance.
Invalidity pension is a social insurance scheme paid from the Social Insurance Fund. Eligibility is based on PRSI contributions and medical condition. To qualify, the person must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; or must be permanently incapable of work.
Disability allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and habitual residence conditions.
People who are ill but do not qualify for other illness or disability schemes may apply for means tested supports through the additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment. The payment amount will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Payments are made at the discretion of the Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme, considering all the circumstances of the case.
The statutory criteria for occupational injuries benefit specify that the disease or injury was caused as a risk of the person’s occupation and?is not a risk outside of that profession.
In November 2023, I published and laid a report before the Oireachtas entitled "A Report on Measures to include Long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations." This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the criteria for recognition as an occupational illness under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Specifically, presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable on a general basis. Community transmission became dominant by the summer of 2020.? Therefore, it has not been possible since then to establish with confidence a general assumption that the disease has been contracted through their occupation?and not through community transmission.
Recognition of COVID-19 in Ireland as an occupational illness under the occupational injuries benefit scheme would only apply to new claims for new cases of COVID-19 – it would not benefit those who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.
The report found that the Temporary Scheme of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees was the appropriate channel through which a targeted sectoral support should be considered. This Temporary Scheme has been extended a number of times, most recently in April 2024 when the Minister for Health was granted a further final extension of 3 months beyond the 31 March end-date to facilitate conciliation. Employees impacted by the conclusion of the Scheme may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.
My Department will continue to keep its range of supports under review to ensure that they meet their overall objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 319 answered with Question No. 318.
State Pensions
Questions (320)
Brendan Griffin
Question:320. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review/appeal of a decision to apply a State pension (non-contributory) overpayment on the estate of a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23741/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been received by that office. I understand that the Department's State Pension section are currently carrying out a review of this case and as soon as this is completed the above named will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Questions (321)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:321. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide projections of social insurance fund receipts, expenditure and total cumulative reserve out to 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23818/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Minister for Social Protection is legally required to have an Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund undertaken at five yearly intervals.
The purpose of the review is to determine the extent to which the Fund may be expected, in the long term, to meet the demands in respect of payment of benefits and other payments. The review takes account of the adequacy or otherwise of contributions to support benefits and other payments as well as other matters relevant to the current and future financial condition of the Fund.
The most recent Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund was published in March 2023 and was in respect of the position at the end of 2020. One of the main findings of the Review was that the Social Insurance Fund would register annual surpluses up to the mid 2030s at which time it would return to an initial small deficit, increasing markedly thereafter.
The table below taken from the Actuarial Review sets out the projections of Social Insurance Fund receipts, expenditure and total cumulative reserve out to 2030.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
Year |
Receipts (in €Bn) |
Expenditure |
Surplus/(Shortfall) |
Projected Balance of Fund |
|
2020 |
10.6 |
14.1 |
-3.5 |
0.5 |
|
2021 |
11.8 |
14.9 |
-3.1 |
0 |
|
2022 |
14.2 |
11.5 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
|
2023 |
14.8 |
12.0 |
2.8 |
5.4 |
|
2024 |
15.4 |
12.7 |
2.7 |
8.1 |
|
2025 |
16.0 |
13.3 |
2.6 |
10.8 |
|
2026 |
16.4 |
13.9 |
2.4 |
13.2 |
|
2027 |
16.8 |
14.8 |
2.0 |
15.2 |
|
2028 |
17.1 |
15.2 |
1.9 |
17.1 |
|
2029 |
17.5 |
15.8 |
1.6 |
18.8 |
|
2030 |
17.8 |
16.5 |
1.3 |
20.1 |
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (322)
Claire Kerrane
Question:322. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the instructions that have been given to staff in Intreo offices regarding changes to the means testing of the one parent family payment; the process in place since 1 May 2024 for existing claimants to remove maintenance from their means test assessment; when this will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23819/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group was published in November 2022 and the Government accepted the Group's recommendations regarding the social welfare system.
These changes include decoupling child maintenance and social welfare and represent significant reforms, which will be of great benefit to lone parents. Amendments to both primary and secondary legislation as well as changes to some of the Department’s systems, application forms and processes are required.
The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (the “Act”), provides for changes to the social welfare means test such that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed, for any means tested payment once the relevant provisions are brought into force.
This Act also provides for the payment of Child Benefit in respect of children who are aged 18 and in full time education or who have a disability. That provision took effect from 1 May 2024. Some coverage has suggested that the changes to the means test also come into effect from that date but that is not the case.
However, work to implement the changes to the means test is at a very advanced stage and an implementation date is expected to be announced very shortly. An instruction will issue to all relevant staff with clear guidelines including in relation to the processes being put in place to remove child maintenance payments from the means assessments of current claimants.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Questions (323)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:323. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a list of all payments and schemes that are funded or part-funded by the Social Insurance Fund; to provide information on the percentage share of the cost paid from the Social Insurance Fund, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23820/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Insurance Fund (SIF) fully funds payments on a wide range of schemes relating to pensions, working age income supports, illness, disability and carers schemes, child related schemes and some supplementary payment schemes such as telephone support allowance.
A small number of schemes such as fuel allowance and household benefits are funded through both the SIF and Vote 37.
Funding for SIF schemes is primarily from contributions from employers, employees and self-employed persons.
Table 1 below sets out the list of schemes that are fully funded from the SIF.
A breakdown of schemes receiving funding from both the SIF and VOTE 37 are set out in table 2, based on the amounts of funding provided as part of the Revised Estimates Volume for 2024.
Table 1 - Schemes 100% funded by Social Insurance Fund - 2024 Revised Estimate Volume
|
2024 Social Insurance Fund Revised Estimate Volume |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCIAL INSURANCE FUND SCHEMES |
2024 Estimate |
% of funding provided by SIF |
|
|
€000 |
% |
|
PENSIONS |
|
|
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
7,533,635 |
100.00% |
|
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Contributory) |
1,870,800 |
100.00% |
|
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Death Benefit) |
10,769 |
100.00% |
|
TOTAL PENSIONS |
9,415,203 |
100.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
WORKING AGE INCOME SUPPORTS |
|
|
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
454,133 |
100.00% |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self Employed) |
10,356 |
100.00% |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
59,856 |
100.00% |
|
Maternity Benefit |
280,769 |
100.00% |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
166 |
100.00% |
|
Paternity Benefit |
14,644 |
100.00% |
|
Parent's Benefit |
98,719 |
100.00% |
|
Health and Safety Benefit |
406 |
100.00% |
|
Redundancy Payments |
18,500 |
100.00% |
|
Insolvency Payments |
4,450 |
100.00% |
|
Covid Related Layoff Payment |
1,000 |
100.00% |
|
Treatment Benefits |
|
|
|
Treatment Benefits - Dental |
76,490 |
100.00% |
|
Treatment Benefits - Optical Benefit |
55,139 |
100.00% |
|
Treatment Benefits - Medical & Surgical Devices |
28,809 |
100.00% |
|
Treatment Benefits - Wigs |
1,561 |
100.00% |
|
Total Treatment Benefits |
161,999 |
100.00% |
|
Pandemic Unemployment Payment |
100 |
100.00% |
|
Jobseekers Pay Related Benefit |
5,000 |
100.00% |
|
TOTAL WORKING AGE - INCOME SUPPORTS |
1,110,098 |
100.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
ILLNESS, DISABILITY AND CARERS |
|
|
|
Illness Benefit |
703,814 |
100.00% |
|
Injury Benefit |
9,789 |
100.00% |
|
Invalidity Pension |
775,958 |
100.00% |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
25,978 |
100.00% |
|
Disablement Benefit |
73,505 |
100.00% |
|
Medical Care |
160 |
100.00% |
|
Carer's Benefit |
57,983 |
100.00% |
|
COVID-19 Illness Benefit |
0 |
100.00% |
|
TOTAL - ILLNESS, DISABILITY AND CARERS |
1,647,187 |
100.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
CHILDREN |
|
|
|
SIF Funded Child Related Payments |
|
|
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
18,525 |
100.00% |
|
Widowed Parent / Surviving Civil Partner Grant (Contributory) |
8,640 |
100.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL - CHILDREN |
27,165 |
100.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
SUPPLEMENTARY PAYMENTS, AGENCIES AND MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES |
|
|
|
Telephone Support |
11,718 |
100.00% |
|
TOTAL - SUPPLEMENTARY PAYMENTS, AGENCIES AND MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES |
11,718 |
100.00% |
Table 2 - Schemes Funded from both Vote 37 and the Social Insurance Fund - 2024 Revised Estimates Volume
|
2024 Revised Estimates Volume - Total Expenditure on Household Benefits |
Vote 37 |
SIF |
Total |
% of total funded by Vote 37 |
% of total funded by SIF |
|
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
% |
% |
|
Electricity Allowance |
65,542 |
134,278 |
199,820 |
32.80% |
67.20% |
|
Gas Allowance |
6,374 |
17,656 |
24,030 |
26.53% |
73.47% |
|
Free Television License |
19,165 |
51,035 |
70,200 |
27.30% |
72.70% |
|
Total Expenditure on Household Benefits |
91,081 |
202,969 |
294,050 |
30.97% |
69.03% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2024 Revised Estimate Volume - Total Expenditure on Fuel allowance |
Vote 37 |
SIF |
Total |
% of total funded by Vote 37 |
% of total funded by SIF |
|
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
% |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fuel Allowance |
217,468 |
164,122 |
381,590 |
56.99% |
43.01% |
State Pensions
Questions (324)
Bernard Durkan
Question:324. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) a person (details supplied) qualifies for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23864/24]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned reached pension age on 30 March 2017.
According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 1,632 reckonable contributions from 1966 to 2017 giving a yearly average of 32. They were awarded a reduced rate state pension (contributory) which is currently payable at the weekly rate of €249.30.
Following the introduction of a new calculation method, the 'Total Contribution Approach' in 2019 the person’s claim was reviewed, however it was financially more beneficial for them to remain on the rate awarded using the 'yearly average' calculation.
I have arranged for a statement of the person’s social insurance record to issue to them. If they consider that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to Social Welfare Services office, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384 and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
My Department introduced a number of reforms to the state pension (contributory) 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, they 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 their contribution record. The periods of caregiving 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.
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the State Pension (non-contributory) which is a means-tested payment with a maximum payment of €266.00 per week.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (325)
Niamh Smyth
Question:325. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if a claim (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24008/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 27th May. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.