Written Answers Nos. 524-539
524. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost of extending eligibility for the fuel allowance to those in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43066/24]
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.
Based on 40,354 additional recipients of the working family payment qualifying for the fuel allowance, the estimate cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to all those in receipt of Working Family Payment is as follows:
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
40,354 |
€37.3m |
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.
525. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €2, €3, €4, €6, €8 and €10; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43067/24]
View answerThe estimated full year of cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €2, €3, €4,€6, €8 and €10 is outlined in table below.
|
Increase |
Cost €m |
|
€2 |
€26.04 |
|
€3 |
€39.06 |
|
€4 |
€52.08 |
|
€6 |
€78.12 |
|
€8 |
€104.16 |
|
€10 |
€130.20 |
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2025.
526. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to list the main recommendation of the review of the rural social scheme published in July 2024; the plans to implement any of the recommendations, including the full-year cost of extending the scheme to couples engaged in farming/fishing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43068/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the review of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was published and officially launched on the 24th July 2024, which coincided with a visit to the South West Mayo Partnership Company, to view first hand some of the work that is undertaken on the scheme.
The report includes 19 recommendations (see list of recommendations in Appendix 1) to address the sustainability of the RSS to continue to provide income support, social inclusion, and service delivery in rural communities. As you will appreciate, it will take time to explore the feasibility of all 19 recommendations, so the Department has concentrated initially on the implementation of the following six recommendations and is working proactively to progress these.
• to undertake a pilot scheme targeted at customers who are 50 years of age or over and on a qualifying social welfare payment and living in a rural area. This Rural Dweller pilot will see 250 places ring-fenced from within the existing number of places on RSS;
• to consider allowing a couple engaged in Farming/Fishing to both access RSS;
• to offer 3-year contracts to participants;
• to adjust the renewal process to be undertaken in 3 yearly intervals;
• to allow those who are over 60 years of age to remain on RSS until they reach 66 and finally
• to undertake promotional activity to highlight the important work on the scheme.
Based on information currently available, it is not possible to estimate the cost of extending RSS participation to both spouses in a couple.
The Department will continue to explore the remaining recommendations with a view to considering the feasibility of implementation in 2025. I am very conscious of the important role this scheme plays and I also wish to pledge my ongoing support for the scheme in general.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Appendix 1
1.1 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Eligibility
(a) Consider undertaking a pilot scheme of 250 places available to ‘Rural Dwellers’ 50 years of age and over on a social welfare payment.
(b) Extend the scheme to people engaged in farming or fishing who are not the holder of the herd number or fishing licence but who have a ‘defined’ connection to the farming/fishing enterprise.
(c) Allow CE participants who have completed their 6 years on that scheme, are over 50 years of age and who have not progressed to employment to opt for the RSS on certain conditions including the participants’ capacity to secure employment.
(d) Consider the feasibility of allowing a couple engaged in farming /fishing to both access the RSS.
1.2 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Awareness and Promotion of RSS
(a) that some promotional activity is undertaken annually to highlight the work undertaken and to promote the scheme.
1.3 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Payment
The steering group while accepting that rates of payment are a budgetary matter, made the following recommendations.
(a) That means reviews are undertaken at 3 yearly intervals, instead of the current annual review.
(b) That participants on reaching 60 would be allowed remain on the scheme without any further review of means or circumstances until they reach 66.
1.4 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Participant supports
(a) that participants are given three-year contracts.
(b) that funding be made available to IBs towards participant training.
(c) that Implementing Bodies should explore options with people who are exiting the RSS to encourage them to participate as a volunteer within the company, in particular those who have reached 66 years.
1.5 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Supervisor Supports
that funding be made available to IBs towards supervisor training and upskilling.
1.6 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Extend to Green Initiatives
(a) Consider the feasibility of establishing a grant ‘fund’ which would be available for work on climate/green initiatives. Biodiversity, etc.
(b) Consider the feasibility of establishing a capital grant fund for projects meeting specific conditionality.
(c) Recommends that the Department of Social Protection should engage with other Government Departments to establish the feasibility of progressing these two recommendations.
1.7 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Linkage to other Department and Agencies
(a) DSP, Department of Rural and Community Development, Department of Agriculture & Marine and Local Authorities should strengthen the current linkages on role of RSS in community services.
(b) DSP should have regular meetings with Reps of Farming & Rural Organisations.
1.8 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Governance
(a) Community and Voluntary Groups who are RSS scheme project sponsors/sponsors should continue to adhere to principles of good governance and a code of practice developed by the sector.
(b) That further consideration be given to where overall operational responsibility for the RSS is best placed to ensure better alignment with overall Government policy and the desirability of the RSS being linked to other ‘activation’ type work programmes.
1.9 Rural Social Scheme (RSS) - Future Review
The RSS should be reviewed every 5 years to ensure that its core objectives remain relevant having regard to the rural economy and labour market and implement changes to the scheme as required.
527. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the qualifying conditions for the newborn baby grant announced in budget 2025; if children born in November 2024 qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43088/24]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16,17 and 18 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
Child Benefit becomes payable in respect of newborn babies in the month after their birth. Parents of children born in November of this year will therefore become eligible for Child Benefit from December onwards.
I was delighted, as part of Budget 2025, to have introduced a new baby grant of €280. This will be paid to families of babies born on or after 1 December 2024 in addition to their regular first month’s Child Benefit payment of €140. As a result, those families will receive a payment of €420 in respect of the first month after their child’s birth.
In order to issue this new payment some changes to my Department’s systems are required. As a result, the first new baby payment will issue in the new year in respect of those babies born in December.
This new payment will assist parents with the costs associated with new babies. It will provide additional financial support to a family to ensure adequate resources and that the material needs of a newborn are met. It is estimated that in 2025, the grant will be paid in respect of some 54,000 children, at a cost of approximately €15 million.
In Budget 2025, I also provided for two Child Benefit double payments to be paid before the end of this year. As a result, a double Child Benefit payment will issue to families on November 5th and December 3rd 2024. As stated, parents of those babies born at any time in November will be eligible for Child Benefit from December and therefore, eligible for the double Child Benefit payable in December. Each of these double payments will be paid to approximately 678,000 recipients in respect of approximately 1,227,000 children, at an estimated cost of €371.4 million.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
528. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the qualifying conditions for the double child benefit payment announced in budget 2025 and expected to be paid in November; if children born in November 2024 qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43089/24]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16,17 and 18 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
In Budget 2025, I provided for two Child Benefit double payments to be paid before the end of this year. As a result, a double Child Benefit payment will issue to families on November 5th and December 3rd 2024.
Child Benefit becomes payable in respect of newborn babies in the month after their birth. Parents of children born in November of this year will therefore become eligible for Child Benefit from December onwards, and qualify for the December double payment.
Each of these double payments will be paid to approximately 678,000 recipients in respect of approximately 1,227,000 children, at an estimated cost of €371.4 million.
In addition to these double payments, I was delighted to introduce a new baby grant of €280 as part of Budget 2025. This will be paid to families of babies born on or after 1 December 2024 in addition to their regular first month’s Child Benefit payment of €140. As a result, those families will receive a payment of €420 in respect of the first month after their child’s birth.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
529. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of an application for working family payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43091/24]
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.
An application for Working Family Payment was received on 10 September 2024 for the person concerned. This application has been assigned to a Deciding Officer, and a request for further information has been sent to the person concerned. Once this information is returned to the Deciding Officer, the application can continue to be progressed.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
530. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a decision on a disability allowance appeal has taken so long (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43096/24]
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 referred to an Appeals Officer on 18th October 2024, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
The desire to process appeals quickly has to be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and of high quality and made in accordance with the legislative provisions and the general principles of fair procedures and natural justice.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
531. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of reviews of disability allowance carried out in 2023 and 2024 to date; the number of people who had their payment removed in each year due to exceeding the income disregard; the number of additional disability allowance recipients who qualified in each year; the total spent on disability allowance in 2023 and 2024 to date; the projected out-turn for 2024 and proposed budget for 2025; the number of recipients projected for next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43100/24]
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.
The total number of reviews of DA carried out in 2023 was 10,399 and 8,608 have been carried out to date in 2024.
There were 208 DA payments stopped in 2023 due to means exceeding the statutory limit and 378 to date in 2024.
In 2023, there were 12,884 claims awarded for Disability Allowance and 12,474 awarded to the end of August 2024.
The total expenditure on DA in 2023 was €2.17 billion and to date in 2024 is €1.7 billion.
The projected outturn for 2024 is €2.4 billion and proposed budget for 2025 is also €2.4 billion
In 2025, the projected number of DA recipients is 166,550.
I hope this information is useful for the Deputy.
532. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of reviews of carer’s allowance carried out in 2023 and 2024 to date; the number of people who had their payment removed in each year due to exceeding the income disregard; the number of additional carer’s allowance recipients who qualified in each year; the total spent on the allowance in 2023 and 2024 to date; the projected out-turn for 2024 and proposed budget for 2025; the number of recipients projected for next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43101/24]
View answerCarer's Allowance 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.
The total number of reviews of Carer’s Allowance carried out in 2023 was 12,616 and 12,393 have been carried out to date in 2024.
There were 102 Carer's Allowance claims stopped in 2023 due to means exceeding the statutory limit and 97 to date in 2024.
In 2023, there were 17,333 claims awarded for Carer's Allowance and 11,047 awarded to the end of August 2024.
The total expenditure on Carer's Allowance in 2023 was €1.1 billion and to date in 2024 is €865.6 million.
The projected outturn for 2024 is €1.21 billion and proposed budget for 2025 is €1.24 billion.
In 2025, the projected number of Carer's Allowance recipients is 99,883.
I hope this information is useful for the Deputy.
533. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if urgent consideration will be given to extending illness benefit to self-employed people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43103/24]
View answerIllness benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance.
Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at Class S which does not provide entitlement to illness benefit.
Self-employed people pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund at a lower rate of 4.1%. This is 11.15 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.25% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors including;
• Adoptive Benefit;
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory);
• Invalidity Pension;
• Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed);
• Maternity Benefit;
• Parent's Benefit;
• Partial Capacity Benefit (where in receipt of Invalidity Pension);
• Paternity Benefit;
• State Pension (Contributory);
• Treatment Benefit; and
• Widows, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension.
In addition, I was pleased to announce in the Budget that entitlement to carer's benefit will be extended to Class S contributors from the beginning of 2025.
As a result, the only benefits that class S PRSI will not provide access to are health and safety benefit, illness benefit and occupational injuries benefits.
In circumstances where people are ill but do not qualify for illness benefit or invalidity pension, my Department provides means tested supports under the disability allowance scheme and the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. An additional needs payment may also be available to people who have expenses that they cannot pay from their weekly income.
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, and in the context of social insurance contribution rates for self-employed contributors.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
534. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of vacant properties owned by her Department; and the number of which are houses or residential properties. [43151/24]
View answerMy Department does not own any vacant properties.
With the exception of the Department headquarters in Dublin, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, which is held by the Minister on behalf of the Social Insurance Fund, all buildings and property occupied by the Department of Social Protection, are owned or leased by the Office of Public Works.
535. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a carer’s allowance application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43167/24]
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 Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the disability allowance appeal of the person concerned on 18th October 2024.
Please note that, under law (Section 320 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005), an Appeals Officer’s decision is generally final and conclusive and can only be revised in certain limited circumstances:
(i) by an Appeals Officer under Section 317 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 where new facts or evidence have been provided which were not before the Appeals Officer when they made their decision which, had they been before them, would have rendered the decision erroneous;
(ii) by the Chief Appeals Officer under Section 318 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 where it has been established that in making the decision the Appeals Officer has made a mistake in relation to the law or the facts; or
(iii) by an appeal to the High Court on any question of law in accordance with Section 327 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005.
If the appellant wishes to request a review of the Appeals Officer’s decision under (i) above they need to specify and provide new facts or evidence which were not before the Appeals Officer when they made their decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
536. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Cork (details supplied) is entitled to the fuel allowance. [43190/24]
View answerFuel Allowance is payable to people who satisfy the conditions of the scheme and who either live alone or only with certain qualified people.
The person concerned must complete a Fuel Allowance application form and submit it to the Department in order to have their eligibility assessed and a formal decision made.
To date, no application for fuel allowance has been received from the person concerned. An application form for fuel allowance issued to the person on 17 October 2024. Alternatively, they can apply online through their MyGovID account. A deciding officer will then review their entitlement to the allowance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
537. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Cork (details supplied) can lodge an application for illness benefit while waiting on a decision on their disability allowance appeal. [43199/24]
View answerA person should always apply for Illness Benefit if they are medically certified as unfit for work.
Eligibility for Illness Benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in Class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at Class S which does not count towards eligibility for Illness Benefit.
If the person does not qualify for Illness Benefit and is encountering difficulties in meeting their basic financial commitments, it is open to them to contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre to see if they might qualify for assistance under the terms of the means-tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
538. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether persons ineligible for the auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme due to be introduced in 2025 because they already pay into a company pension plan will miss out on company and Government contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43231/24]
View answerThe introduction of an automatic enrolment (AE) retirement savings system is a Programme for Government commitment and a key priority for me as the Minister for Social Protection.
Implementation of the AE system is now well underway, with the enactment of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Act 2024 and the signing of a contract with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to administer the AE system on behalf of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA). In addition, I recently signed a Commencement Order to put into effect the provisions of the AE Act. This provides for the establishment of NAERSA on 31st March 2025 and the commencement of enrolments and contribution collection on the 30th September 2025.
The AE system is designed to complement rather than replace existing retirement savings provision. Employees who are already enrolled in a qualifying occupational scheme, PRSA, trust RAC or a PEPP will be exempt from AE.
In respect of occupational or company pension schemes, Section 772(2)(d) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA) provides that one of the conditions for approval of such a pension scheme is that the employer must contribute to it. In addition, the AE Act provides for the introduction of exemption standards to be developed in consultation with the Pensions Authority within the first six years of the introduction of AE. These standards will, in time, ensure that the employee's pension will be at least on a par with, or will exceed, what is provided for through AE in order to continue to be exempt.
AE will provide a direct State top-up contribution of €1 for every €3 the employee contributes, which is the equivalent of 25% tax relief. Individuals who currently contribute to an alternative pension scheme through payroll, and who will therefore be exempt from AE, already receive support from the State through the provision of tax relief of up to 40% on their contributions, depending on their income tax rate.
I hope that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
539. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a working family payment application by a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43243/24]
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.
The WFP renewal claim for the person concerned was due from 26th September 2024. The renewal claim was submitted online on the 8th of October 2024. A request for further information issued to the person concerned the following day the 9th of October 2024. When the requested information is received, a deciding officer will review the claim and the person concerned will be advised in writing of the claim decision and, if awarded, any payments owed will be issued as arrears to their nominated bank account.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
