Written Answers Nos. 147-157
147. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will prioritise and grant an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; the reason for the unacceptable delay; if the recently requested further information is in the original application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16391/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was in receipt of carer's benefit for 104 weeks up to 9 March 2016.
I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 7 April 2016. Some additional information in relation to the person’s employment outside the home was required and was requested on 7 June 2016 by the deciding officer. Once the information, completed by her employer, is received the application will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
148. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16397/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing review of all the evidence, the application for carer’s allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 14 June 2016 and the first payment is due to issue to the person’s nominated bank account on 23 June 2016.
Arrears of allowance due from 21 January 2016 have issued by cheque. The person concerned was notified of these details on 14 June 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
149. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears will issue from the period January to November 2009 to a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16416/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question is in receipt of disability allowance (DA) since February 2015.
The person concerned submitted a previous application for DA on 14 July 2009.
The application was disallowed as the deciding officer was satisfied that he had failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. The person in question had failed to supply certain required information when requested by the department. He was notified on this decision on 14 January 2010 and of his right of appeal. No appeal was received.
Therefore, no arrears of DA are due to the person in question for 2009.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will continue to issue payments to a person (details supplied) under the rent support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16425/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rent Supplement payments for the client concerned will continue to issue in conjunction with their Jobseekers Allowance payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will restore payment to a person (details supplied) under the child benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16462/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild benefit customers are obliged to notify the Department in writing of any change in their circumstances. A continuing eligibility certificate issued to the person concerned for this purpose on 13 October 2013. A reminder issued on 13 November 2013 as no reply was received to the original correspondence. Child benefit payment was suspended when the person concerned again failed to return the certificate. The claim was subsequently stopped on 28 February 2014. The person concerned has not made contact with the Department since the payment of child benefit stopped.
In order to have her entitlement to child benefit considered, the person concerned will need to submit a new application form and one has been posted to her today following your representations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
153. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if third level students who are seeking employment during summer 2016 but who have not been successful can claim while they are not attending college under the jobseeker's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16465/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe jobseeker’s allowance scheme provides income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s allowance scheme of €2.45 billion.
Social welfare legislation states that a person is not entitled to jobseeker’s allowance while attending a course of study. This disqualification also extends to the holiday periods, including the summer holidays. It also provides that a person shall be regarded as attending a course of study:
- for 3 months immediately following the completion or the leaving by that person of second level education or the completion by him or her of the leaving certificate examination of the Department of Education and Skills, whichever is the later;
- for the duration of an academic year; or
- for the period immediately following the completion of one academic year, other than the final academic year of a course of study, up to the beginning of the following year.
The disqualification for receipt of jobseeker’s benefit or allowance does not apply in the case of mature students during the period between two academic years. During this period a mature student can apply for jobseeker’s benefit or allowance, subject to satisfying the standard qualifying conditions, including that of being available for full-time work.
There are no plans to amend jobseeker’s allowance legislation in relation to this issue. Any changes to the JA scheme would be a matter for Government to consider in a budgetary context.
154. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the domiciliary care allowance scheme, including when he will issue a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16478/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 12th April 2016. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. Applications are processed in date of receipt order. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
155. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the cost of providing a 50%, 75% and 100% Christmas bonus in 2016; if he has provided for a Christmas bonus in his Revised Estimates; how European Union and national fiscal rules impact on the ability to pay a Christmas bonus in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16496/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Christmas Bonus was abolished in 2009. The Bonus was partially reintroduced in 2014 with the payment of a 25% Bonus. A 75% Bonus was paid last December to some 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and the long-term unemployed, in recognition of their financial dependence on their social welfare payments.
The costs of 50%, 75% and 100% Bonuses we estimated to be approximately €133 million, €200 million and €267 million respectively. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for December 2016.
There is no provision in 2016 Revised Estimates for the payment of a Christmas Bonus. I will be seeking approval from my Government colleagues in the coming months for the payment of a Christmas Bonus this year.
Any decision taken regarding the payment of a Bonus will have to be consistent with the legal requirements set out in the Fiscal Responsibility Acts 2012 and 2013, and within the context of achieving the targets set for Ireland by the EU rules.
156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of child care places provided and how this has varied in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, under community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16498/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection introduced a new community employment (CE) childcare strand at the beginning of 2013 under which there is a dedicated educational programme at Level 5 for CE participants who work directly with children. The Major 5 Award is the entry level requirement to work as a practitioner in childcare. This programme will improve the career path for participants who wish to pursue a career in childcare and also provides valuable support to the provision of community childcare.
From the 25 February 2016 the entry age for CE participants working directly with service users in the childcare sector has been reduced to 21 years. This is designed to meet the needs of a broader range of CE applicants, including lone parents and those on transition payments.
The take-up of childcare places on community employment programmes in the period 2011 to 2016 is detailed in the following table:
Take up of childcare places on community employment
|
Year |
Take-up of places |
|
December 2011 |
754 |
|
December 2012 |
1,696 |
|
December 2013 |
1,911 |
|
December 2014 |
2,004 |
|
December 2015 |
2,003 |
|
May 2016 |
1,973 |
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
157. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reinstate a family income supplement for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16519/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for Family Income Supplement (FIS) on the 9 June 2015 and was awarded €200.00 per week from the 11 June 2015 to 8 June 2016.
A renewal form was submitted in May 2016, but the claim was disallowed as the evidence supplied in support of the claim indicated that the person concerned was not working the required number of hours to qualify for FIS. The person concerned was informed of this decision on 31 May 2016.
The claimant’s employer contacted the department on the 9 June 2016, confirming that the person concerned was working the required hours and provided acceptable confirmation of this in writing to the department.
A revised decision was completed and the person concerned has been awarded FIS from 9 June 2016 to 7 June 2017 at a rate of €200.00 per week.
