Written Answers Nos. 458-474
458. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to reassess the means test for social protection payments with a view to increasing the disregard for both individuals and for joint applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29092/24]
View answerMeans test rules in my Department are kept under regular review and I have introduced a number of significant changes in recent years including:
• Providing for higher income disregards. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, their income from work to the level of the income disregard, is not assessed in the means test.
• Expanding the list of agri-environmental schemes that qualify for a disregard, and as part of Budget 2023 I increased this disregard.
• Introduced a Rent a Room disregard, for all Social Protection schemes, to enable recipients to support those arriving from Ukraine, and others, in a tight housing market. Earlier this year, I extended that provision for a further two years.
• From January 2023, I introduced significant changes to eligibility rules for Fuel Allowance, including a new means threshold for people aged 70 years and over - €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. These changes resulted in an additional 35,000 households joining the scheme so far.
• I also significantly increased the income and capital disregards for Carer's Allowance. This enables more carers with modest incomes to become eligible for the scheme and allows carers and their families to earn more from employment while retaining their carer’s payment.
As part of Budget 2024, I further increased the Carer's Allowance disregard to €450 for a single person, and €900 for carers with a spouse/partner from June.
I have committed to a carrying out a broad review of means testing.
This review is ongoing and the outcome of the review will be used to inform decisions regarding any further changes to means testing, including in the run up to Budget 2025, although all prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.
459. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person will hear the outcome of an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29127/24]
View answerThe 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 received in that office on 27 March 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.
460. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the full social welfare entitlement due to a person (details supplied) will be paid immediately; the reason for the break in their payment; if arrears are due; and if she will expedite the case. [29131/24]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) 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 Residency conditions.
I can confirm that the person concerned is currently in receipt of Disability Allowance effective at the maximum weekly rate of €232.00 and in receipt of the Living Alone weekly allowance of €22.00.
Following a notification received that the person concerned had been incarcerated, his DA was stopped with effect from 13 February 2024 .
Following confirmation that the person concerned was released from prison, his full DA was reinstated with effect from 27 March 2024. The first of his reinstated payments issued to his nominated post office on 30 April 2024. A letter notifying the person concerned of this decision issued on 26 April 2024.
An overpayment has been raised for the period 31 January 2024 to 13 February 2024, as during this period it was deemed there was no entitlement to DA. The person concerned was notified of the decision and advised of their entitlement to request a review and/or to appeal the decision on 26 April 2024.
I can confirm that a request for an appeal has been sent to the Appeals Office. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome of the appeal by the Appeals Office in due course.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
461. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection to respond to a pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29174/24]
View answerThe key role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide income supports where there is an income need. 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. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion.
I am familiar with the pre-budget submission from the organisation the Deputy refers to. My department hosted the Annual Carers’ Forum on 22 May, which I attended and I heard first hand the issues raised by the carers organisations and importantly family carers themselves. In addition, my department will host the Pre-Budget Forum on 11 July. This event will be a further opportunity for me to hear the views of various stakeholders.
These type of engagements have resulted in numerous improvements to the carers payments in my time as Minister for Social Protection.
• In 2021, I increased the annual Carer’s Support Grant to €1,850, the highest rate since its introduction. The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care allowance. Other carers not in receipt of a carer’s payment may also be eligible for the Grant. On Thursday 6 June some 132,523 carers received the grant in respect of 149,361 care recipients, at an estimated cost of €275 million.
• One of the key pension reform measures introduced from January this year is to enhance State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.
• Weekly carer's payments have increased by €29 over the last three Budgets.
• The monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment has increase by €30.50 to its current rate of €340 per month since January 2023. Further changes to the payment include:-
• As part of Budget 2022, the period during which Domiciliary Care Allowance can be paid for children in hospital was extended from 3 months to 6 months.
• As part of Budget 2023, Domiciliary Care Allowance became available for babies who remained in an acute hospital after birth for a period of 6 months.
• As of May 2024, the Minister for Social Protection has extended the period from 6 months to 18 months for babies who remain in an acute hospital after birth.
• The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 97,127 people receiving this payment.
• 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.
• More recently in June this year the weekly income disregard was further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since 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 disregards in the Social Welfare system.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time.
In acknowledgement of the particular challenges faced in light of the current cost of living crisis, significant Cost-of-Living lump sum payments have been provided for carers including:
• €400 for people receiving Carer’s Support Grant paid in November 2023 supporting 120,000 family carers;
• A cost-of-living double payment in December and a further double payment at the end of January 2024.
I can assure the Deputy that my commitment in relation to improving the various income supports to family carers and the people they care for has not been found wanting. However, the Deputy will understand that any commitments regarding the allocation of public expenditure are subject to the overall budgetary context and will be considered in that context over the coming weeks.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
462. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the weekly carer’s allowance income disregard to €1,250 (couples) and €625 (single carers) in Budget 2025, with a similar increase in Budget 2026 with the full abolition of the means test and the introduction of a family carer payment by 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29191/24]
View answer463. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to establish a family carer payment implementation group to oversee the development of the new payment; if she will accept that this should begin in 2024 and ensure that all practical issues regarding the implementation of the new payment for carers are addressed, including the transfer of secondary benefits (for example, carer’s GP card, carer's support grant, free travel), the full family carer payment awarded to those on half-rate carer’s allowance and legislation to protect the payment from exportability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29192/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.
The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department are 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 scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 97,127 people receiving this payment. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied.
It is important to note that Carer’s Allowance is a financial support to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, due to their caring responsibilities and who have no other means or resources to rely upon. Removing the means test for Carer’s Allowance in its entirety would create a new universal social protection scheme for those meeting the scheme’s basic caring condition. Carer's Allowance does not purport to be a payment for care and I do not intend to deviate from the underpinning principle of Carer’s Allowance being an income support payment. As I have stated previously the provision of a payment for care is beyond the scope of my department.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of significant 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.
• Last month, the weekly income disregards were increased further, from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since 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 disregards in the Social Welfare system.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carer's Allowance system for the first time.
The current means test disregards for Carer's Allowance are the highest in the Social Welfare system.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I established 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 carer's payments. This work is ongoing, and I have asked the Group to report to me on the matter in Quarter 3 of this year.
It is also important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by my department which are not based on a means assessment.
• The Carer’s Support Grant can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant to €1,850, its highest ever rate.
• Carer's Benefit is a weekly payment based on social insurance contributions rather than a means test and is payable for a period of up to 2 years.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of Budget 2024 we have increased the payment by another €10 bringing it to €340 per month.
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 as part of the annual budgetary process.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
464. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she agrees that the rate of carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit should be increased to €325 in recognition of the significant and unavoidable costs of care faced by caring families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29193/24]
View answer468. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will support the request of an organisation (details supplied) to increase the carer's allowance to €325; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29206/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 468 together.
The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Spending on these payments in 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion.
Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit are financial supports to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, due to their caring responsibilities. They are not payments for caring.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the payments for carers.
• In 2021, I increased the annual Carer’s Support Grant to €1,850, the highest rate since its introduction. The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care allowance. Other carers not in receipt of a carer’s payment may also be eligible for the Grant. On Thursday 6 June some 132,523 carers received the grant in respect of 149,361 care recipients, at an estimated cost of €275 million.
• Weekly carer's payments have increased by €29 over the last three Budgets.
• The monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment has increased by €30.50 to its current rate of €340 per month since January 2023.
The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 97,127 people receiving this payment.
• 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.
• In June the weekly income disregard was further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since 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 disregards in the Social Welfare system.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time.
In acknowledgement of the particular challenges faced in light of the current cost of living crisis, significant Cost-of-Living lump sum payments have been provided for carers including:
• €400 for people receiving Carer’s Support Grant paid in November 2023 supporting 120,000 family carers;
• A cost-of-living double payment in December and a further double payment at the end of January.
The current rate for Carer’s Allowance is one of the higher rates within the social welfare system. Where a carer is under 66, the maximum weekly rate is €248; where a carer is 66 or over, the maximum weekly rate is €286. For Carer’s Benefit, the maximum weekly rate is currently €249, or at €373.50 where more than 1 person is being cared for.
By way of comparison, for Jobseeker’s Allowance, the maximum weekly rates range from €141.70 to €232, depending on the age of the recipient. The Disability Allowance maximum weekly rate is €232.
To raise the rates to €325, as the Deputy suggests, would be a 31 percent increase. This would have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how rates of payment are applied across other social protection schemes. It would also diminish the level of supports available to other areas given that the availability of resources is finite.
I am committed to supporting our family carers and I will continue to keep the range of supports provided by my department under review. However, any changes, such as further increases to the rates, would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
465. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will support the proposal that the carer’s allowance means test should be based on net, not gross, income, in line with the assessment of earnings under carer’s benefit which is based on earnings less income tax, USC, PRSI, superannuation (pension payments), pension levy, union dues, subscriptions to friendly societies and health insurance premiums; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29194/24]
View answerThe main income supports to carers provided by my department are 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 scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 97,127 people receiving this payment.
Carer's Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. It is not means tested. A person can earn €450 or less a week after taxes. The Carer’s Benefit income limit increased by €100, from €350 to €450 per week from June. It is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. Where care is provided beyond this period, the means tested Carer’s Allowance is available for those who are in need of income support.
It is important to note that Carer’s Allowance is a financial support to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, due to their caring responsibilities and who have no other means or resources to rely upon.
The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied. The use of means tests in the social welfare system is a method of targeting scarce resources to those that have most need.
Means assessments take both income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) into consideration. For social assistance schemes, income and capital belonging to the claimant and his or her partner, where applicable, is generally assessable for means assessment purposes. In line with most social assistance payments, deductions are made for Carer's Allowance such as Employees PRSI, union dues, superannuation (pension contributions) and a travel allowance if not being paid a travel allowance by the employer.
If net rather than gross income was assessed for Carer's Allowance, it would mean that changes in tax rates or tax reliefs could change the claimant’s rate of Carer’s Allowance. In addition, to deduct other outgoings as suggested, such as subscriptions to friendly societies and health insurance premiums, would significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment.
Such a change would also have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes.
It is worth noting that since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of significant 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.
• Last month, the weekly income disregards were increased further, from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carer's Allowance system for the first time.
The means test disregards for Carer's Allowance are the highest in the Social Welfare system.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I established 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 carer's payments. This work is ongoing, and I have asked the Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.
It is also important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by my department which are not based on a means assessment.
• The Carer’s Support Grant can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant to €1,850, its highest ever rate.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of Budget 2024 we have increased the payment by another €10 bringing it to €340 per month.
I am committed to supporting our family carers and I will continue to keep the range of supports provided by my department under review. However, any changes, such as further improvements to the means test for Carer’s Allowance, would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
466. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the weekly travel allowance allowed in the carer’s allowance means test from €15 to €50 to reflect the rate of fuel inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29195/24]
View answerCarer'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.
A travel expenses disregard is included in the CA means test on an administrative basis at a rate of €15.00. However, where a carer submits evidence of increased travel expenses, an increase in the deduction is allowable. No travel disregard is applied if a cycle to work scheme is in payment or travel expenses are listed on a payslip.
The Government acted quickly and decisively to introduce measures aimed at offsetting the increased cost of living for social welfare recipients.
As part of the Budget 2024 package, there were significant improvements to the means test for CA in recognition of the vital role that carers play in society. In June 2024, the weekly income disregard increased to €450 for a single person, and to €900 for couples. In 2022, the capital disregard also increased from €20,000 to €50,000 for CA.
In Budget 2024, I also announced several other beneficial measures for carers as follows:
• €400 cost of living lump sum payment which was paid in November 2023.
• An increase of €12 in the maximum rate of the Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit.
• An increase of €10 to the Domiciliary Care Allowance payment.
• €100 cost of living lump sum for people getting an Increase for a Qualified Child.
• Christmas Bonus double payment paid in December.
• January cost of living bonus for people getting a weekly social welfare payment.
• Weekly rates of qualified child payments also increased by €4 in January 2024 bringing them to €54 for those aged 12 and over, and €46 for under 12s.
These measures are a continuation of the Government’s policy of targeted social welfare increases that are aimed at protecting the most vulnerable recipients. Research has shown that this approach has been effective and Ireland’s system continues to be one of the most effective at tackling poverty across the EU.
Any further changes to the means test for CA would need to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
467. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the 18.5-hour ceiling for people in receipt of carer’s allowance who want to undertake training or education, while providing full-time care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29196/24]
View answerMy 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. At end of June, there were 97,127 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion.
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. The means test is used to target the support to those most in need.
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 income supports provided, 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. The time spent providing care must not be less than 35 hours per week.
While the family carer support payments provided are premised on the provision of full-time care and attention by the carer, they do provide flexibility in terms of allowing carers to engage in training, education or work up to 18.5 hours per week. This was increased from 15 hours as part of Budget 2020 in response to requests from carer's organisations and carers themselves who found the 15 hours too restrictive. In effect, a Carer can engage in these activities for half of a full-time working week. During this time, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person.
Both the full-time care and attention requirement and the 18.5-hour limitation are contained in the respective legislative provisions of the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Support Grant schemes.
In setting the relevant hours limitation threshold, it is essential to balance the needs of the carer and the needs of person to whom care is being provided.
The 18.5-hour limitation represents a reasonable balance between meeting the requirement for providing full-time care for the care recipient and the needs of the carer to engage in education, training or employment, thereby supporting a carer’s continued attachment to the workforce and broader social inclusion.
Any changes to the eligibility conditions for any of the carer related statutory schemes operated by my department would need to be addressed in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
469. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will support the request of an organisation (details supplied) to make the carer's allowance a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29207/24]
View answerThe 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.
While Carer's Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, a person in receipt of Carer's Allowance may avail of the Fuel Allowance payment in certain circumstances. Fuel Allowance is a household-based payment, and a carer will very often live with and care for a person in receipt of a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. Income from Carer's Allowance is disregarded from the fuel means test if the carer is providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant, his/her qualified spouse/civil partner or cohabitant or qualified child(ren).
If a person is getting certain qualifying social welfare payments and also providing full time care and attention to another person, they can keep their main social protection payment in addition to receiving the half-rate Carer's Allowance. They can also receive an extra half-rate Carer’s Allowance if they care for more than one person. Since January 2023, the amount of half-rate Carer’s Allowance received is now disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
Any further widening of the qualifying criteria 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.
470. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in the appeal against the refusal of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29239/24]
View answerThe 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 26 February 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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 4 July 2024.
The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 4 July 2024 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.
471. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the working family payment for a person (details supplied) and when will a decision be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29270/24]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, 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 1 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 30th May 2024.
Arrears due to the person concerned from 30th May 2024 have issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
472. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has ever used artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, in drafting Dáil speeches or responses to Parliamentary Questions. [29286/24]
View answerMy Department does not permit the use of ChatGPT on the Department’s network.
The Department does not use A.I. to assist in drafting Dáil speeches or responses to Parliamentary Questions.
473. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of laptops or mobile phones owned by her Department that have been lost or stolen in each of the past ten years. [29304/24]
View answerMy department holds records of lost and stolen mobile phones for the requested period and laptops from 2020.
Mobile phones lost or stolen for the requested period are listed in tabular form below.
|
Year |
Lost |
Stolen |
|
2014 |
18 |
0 |
|
2015 |
7 |
2 |
|
2016 |
3 |
1 |
|
2017 |
6 |
0 |
|
2018 |
9 |
5 |
|
2019 |
8 |
4 |
|
2020 |
6 |
1 |
|
2021 |
9 |
2 |
|
2022 |
5 |
1 |
|
2023 |
7 |
1 |
|
2024 |
3 |
0 |
Numbers of laptops lost or stolen since 2020 in tabular form.
|
Year |
Lost |
Stolen |
|
2020 |
0 |
2 |
|
2021 |
0 |
0 |
|
2022 |
0 |
1 |
|
2023 |
0 |
1 |
|
2024 |
0 |
2 |
474. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will explain the process by which individuals on illness benefit can transition to invalidity payment; and if measures are in place to streamline this process for those dealing with serious illnesses, such as cancer. [29322/24]
View answerIllness Benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance contribution conditions. Illness Benefit is classified as a short term scheme, and is paid for a maximum of one year if a person has between 104 and 260 total PRSI contributions paid since entering insurable employment, and a maximum of two years provided a person has least 260 total PRSI contributions paid.
Invalidity pension is a long term scheme for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions. Invalidity Pension has different medical and PRSI contribution conditions necessary to qualify for this scheme and, as such, a person cannot be moved from Illness Benefit to Invalidity Pension without making an application and this being assessed by a Deciding Officer.
When a person has been in receipt of Illness Benefit for 468 payable days, they are medically assessed to review their continued entitlement to Illness Benefit and also to see if they may meet the medical criteria for Invalidity Pension. Following this assessment, they may be provided with an Invalidity Pension application form (INV 2).
However, it is open for a person on Illness Benefit to apply for Invalidity Pension at any time by submitting an application form (INV 1), which is available online or from a local Intreo office. A Deciding Officer will decide if they meet both the medical and PRSI conditions to receive Invalidity Pension.
If the Deputy wishes to provide the details of an individual case, I will ask my officials to examine the specific payment entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
