Written Answers Nos. 1-31
3. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection whether there is any potential for her Department to coordinate with other agencies to inquire as to the welfare of a person after lengthy non-collection of payments. [37676/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides two main payment options for its customers, payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer accounts by electronic fund transfer. Last year, approximately 70% of all Social Welfare payments were made by electronic fund transfer and 29.5% were by cash collection at post offices. A relatively small number of payments were also made by cheque.Where possible, customers are offered a choice of payment method and their wishes are facilitated, whether they choose to collect their social welfare payment in cash at a post office or receive the payment directly into their account in a bank, a credit union or in An Post.For those who collect their payment in cash at a post office, the payment continues to be available for collection at their nominated post office for a prescribed period. The length of the period varies on a scheme by scheme basis. Where a payment is not collected within the prescribed period and has been returned to my Department, the payment is suspended and a letter issues to the customer asking him or her to explain the reasons for non-collection of payment. Where a person fails to reply to the letter, and depending upon the circumstances of the case, a Social Welfare Inspector may be asked to establish the circumstances for non-collection of the payment.In January 2020, my Department established a dedicated Safeguarding Unit. While the Safeguarding Unit primarily acts on reports of alleged financial abuse of vulnerable social welfare recipients, where necessary, officials assigned to the Unit liaise as appropriate with relevant agencies such as the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána or advocacy groups in relation to concerns for a person’s welfare brought to their attention. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
5. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is the position of the Department that the non-application of means tests regarding supports for persons seeking international protection was in contravention of European Union regulations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37646/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers the Daily Expenses Allowance on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The allowance is paid to International Protection applicants who live in or are on a waiting list to move into accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services.The weekly rate is €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child. This is the equivalent of €5.54 per day for an Adult and €4.25 per day for a Child.This is a small allowance designed to help people with their living expenses.The Daily Expenses Allowance was introduced in 2018, as a replacement for the Direct Provision Allowance, and there has been no increase to the payment rate since 2019.Ireland opted into the EU Reception Conditions Directive which lays down standards for the reception of applicants for International Protection. Ireland transposed this Directive by means of the European Communities Reception Conditions Regulations 2018.The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth subsequently developed and published the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision which committed to ending the existing system of direct provision and to the introduction of a new payment system, including a means-tested International Protection Payment. This payment was to apply for four months after a person had made their application for protection.At the same time, the Minister for Justice announced changes which allowed International Protection applicants the right to work after six months.The combined effect of these two measures would have meant that the period during which a person could receive a payment would not coincide with the period during which they could work meaning the question of income testing would not arise.As such, while it is acknowledged that the income testing required under the Regulation was not immediately in place, the proposed Government approach at the time was consistent with the regulations' requirements.However, policy must be developed in real time and in the real world. There have been unprecedented global challenges since the introduction of the 2018 regulations - including the Covid-19 Pandemic and the war in Ukraine and as such the White Paper proposals have not proceeded as originally envisaged.In May 2024, Government announced a review of entitlements of International Protection applicants. As part of this review, my Department commenced income testing for International Protection applicants receiving the Daily Expenses Allowance. Almost 6,050 people have had their payments stopped to date as a result of this change.
6. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection whether there are plans to enhance long-term social welfare support for one-parent families in the upcoming Budget 2025. [37654/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are two primary social welfare supports available from my Department which are specifically for one parent families. These are the One Parent Family Payment and the Jobseeker's Transitional Payment. Lone parents may be eligible for other payments such as the Working Family Payment Back to Work Family Dividend and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear scheme. The Budget 2024 included a social welfare package of almost €2.3 billion, the highest in the history of the State for the second year in a row. Those Budget measures are progressive and proportionately benefit those in lower income quintiles most.Budget 2024 built on other recent Budgets where the Government has provided an extensive package of cost-of-living payments along with targeted measures to assist low-income families, including one parent families. Over the past three Budgets, these measures have included:
• A €29 weekly rate increase in primary payments, including for the One Parent Family Payment and the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment, bringing the maximum personal rate to €232 per week.
• A €104 weekly increase to the income thresholds for those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. Over half of recipients of this payment are single adult households.
• Increases to the level of Increases for Qualified Children, bringing the weekly rate to €54 for each child aged 12 or over and to €46 for each child aged under 12. This represents increases of €9 and €8 respectively since 2022.
In Budget 2024, lone parents also benefitted from measures such as the €100 payment for those in receipt of Qualified Child increases, the double week Christmas bonus and double payment of Child Benefit both paid in December, as well as the double week payment in January. Lone parents with older children also benefitted from the extension of Child Benefit until the child's nineteenth birthday which commenced in May of this year.In addition to these Budget measures, in June 2024 I commenced legislation that provided for changes to the social welfare means tests. This resulted in, for the first time, the removal of child maintenance payments from assessment in the means tests for all schemes including the One Parent Family Payment and the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. This change means that some lone parents on a reduced rates of payment will have seen their payments increase and more lone parents will qualify for payments in the future.I remain committed to supporting these families, while any further changes to supports for one parent families will be considered as part of the overall budget process.
9. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the implementation of the Programme for Government commitments under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37655/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has 35 individual Programme for Government commitments and I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made on their implementation. The following is a summary of progress on the key commitments:
The last two successive social welfare Budget packages have been the largest in the history of the State with €2.2 and €2.3 billion invested in protecting the most vulnerable; Budget 2024 made a lone parent with two young children, €2,448 better off. A pensioner couple have seen their income increase by more than €2,514. A person with a disability living alone is €2,020 better off after Budget 2024, while the Child Benefit measure for 18 year olds in full time education was brought forward to May 2024;
Significant pensions reforms have been delivered including the establishment of a Commission on Pensions;
The introduction of a payment for people who retire at 65;
The Government has maintained the State Pension Age at 66;
The introduction of a Total Contributions approach for the State Pension Contributory scheme;
The introduction of a system of voluntary deferral of the State Pension up to the age of 70, which allows people to receive a higher rate of payment for each year they defer;
Long-term carers can now be awarded PRSI contributions for periods of care, so they can attain a State pension in their own right;
Auto-enrolment legislation was enacted in July;
Child maintenance payments have been removed from the means test for social assistance welfare payments;
We have tackled food poverty through the significant expansion of the School meals scheme and the establishment of the working group on food poverty;
We have extended funding for the Abhaile scheme until at least the end of 2027;
We have expanded the availability of activation schemes including those delivered by Intreo Partners the local employment area services and employability which are available nationwide;
We have maintained and enhanced access to the Free Travel Scheme;
Introduced measures to help the long term sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund; and
Legislation has been enacted to introduce Pay Related Jobseeker's Benefit.
I am delighted to say that significant progress has been made on these and the remaining Programme for Government commitments.
12. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to extend eligibility of carer’s benefit to include people who are self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37672/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.Carer's Benefit is available to people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. It is payable for a period of 2 years for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years.Only PRSI contributions paid at classes A, B, C, D, E and H are counted towards Carer's Benefit. Self-employed contributions, paid at class S, do not count. Self-employed workers paying class S contributions are currently covered for most of the benefits available under the social insurance system.Self-employed people pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund at a lower rate of 4%. This is 11 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.05% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors.The only benefits that Class S PRSI does not provide access to are carer's benefit, health and safety benefit, illness benefit and occupational injuries benefits.Where a carer cannot satisfy the PRSI conditions attached to the Carer's Benefit payment, application for the non-means tested payment of Carer's Allowance is available. A self-employed carer may also be eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carers Support Grant provided they satisfy the criteria for those schemes. My Department will continue to keep its range of supports under review to ensure that they meet their overall objectives. However, any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context, and in the context of contribution rates for self-employed contributors.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
14. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether weekly social protection rates should be treated equally in terms of increases in Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37526/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am fully committed to making the case for a fair budget that protects the people most in need in our society - particularly families on low incomes and those people, including pensioners and carers, who are dependent on social protection payments. No decisions have been made in terms of the composition of next year's Budget. As part of Budget 2024, I secured a €2.3 billion Social Protection package. This was, for the second consecutive year, the largest in the history of the State.Our social protection system provides a range of targeted supports, such as the Living Alone Allowance, Adult & Child Dependent Allowances and Fuel Allowance, which are provided to people dependent on their particular circumstances and needs. Therefore, tailored targeted support is a feature of our social protection system. This tailored approach is backed up by empirical research on the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) published by the Vincentian MESL Research Centre, which measures costs for a range of people, based against the individual needs of their particular household types. In early July, I met with many stakeholders at our annual pre-budget forum with a view to continuing this progress. I listened to their views on the priorities for the forthcoming budget. In recent years, the pre-budget forum has been a key input to my thinking on Budget formulation and the measures that I will bring forward for consideration of Government.Decisions about Budget 2025 will be made in the coming weeks and Government will continue to prioritise evidence-based measures aimed at supporting the most vulnerable in our society. As I have already stated, I am fully committed to making a strong case for a fair budget that protects the people most in need in our society. However, any changes to weekly social protection rates would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
16. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 940 of 9 September 2024, if she will outline the policy and budgetary context in which the household benefits package for carers who do not live with the person they care for was scrapped in 2012; if she has considered it within the context of Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37645/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €294 million this year on the Household Benefits Package for over 529,000 customers. People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. In 2012, new customers who were awarded carer’s allowance effective from 2 April 2012, were no longer entitled to the Household Benefits package, where they did not reside with the person for whom they are caring. The decision at the time was made to ensure resources were targeted at those most in need and it was considered that a greater need arises for carers who are residing with the person they are caring for. This cohort of carers continued to qualify for the Household Benefits Package.In addition to Carer's Allowance, carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and the annual Carer's Support Grant in respect of each person for whom they care. Any decision to extend the qualifying conditions for the Household Benefits package to include those who are in receipt of Carers Allowance and who don’t live with the caree would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
20. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the performance of processing ‘hubs’ for community welfare and other services; whether her Department has any plans for creating similar hubs for other social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37674/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Welfare Service is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. It is a key service providing Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance payments, Additional Needs Payments, Rent and other supplement applications. Approximately 16,900 claims handled during the month of August.To deal efficiently with the volume of claims being received and to ensure a consistent level of service, local Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are supported by a network of national administration support teams based in seven ‘hubs’ located around the country. These ‘hubs’ take-on routine administrative tasks associated with claim processing which frees up front-line CWOs to deal directly with clients and their claims and allows them to respond to any other events or incidents that arise. These measures show the clear commitment by my Department to support customers.The Community Welfare Service support hubs continue to play a vital role in the response to priority projects, including dealing with New Accommodation Kit Outs and funeral assistance claims, supporting people arriving from Ukraine, and dealing with the ongoing increase in international protection applicants.There are no delays in any of the support hubs and all claims received into a hub are made ready for decision as quickly as possible and returned to the local based CWO within a short time for decision. There are no backlogs and work on hand is within normal CWS processing levels. Where the required claim application forms and documentation are supplied, claims are sent to local CWOs on the same day. Where it has been identified that a person has an urgent or immediate need, regardless of whether they have provided all the required documentation, these claims are referred immediately to a CWO. The hubs play a very important part in ensuring that decisions on entitlement are made without delay. There are currently no plans in my department to create any other similar hubs for other social protection payments.I trust this clarifies the matter.
21. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the "working week" for working age payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37485/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary support for jobseeker's is available under the social insurance based Jobseeker's Benefit scheme or the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. In circumstances where full-time work is not available, these schemes provide that a person can work up to 3 days per week where they are fully unemployed for at least four in any seven consecutive days. Currently, almost 21,000 people working on a part-time basis are in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment.The jobseekers supports are undergoing a period of reform and the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 sets out the legislative framework for a new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme which will be payable to those who lose their employment. Jobseeker's Benefit will remain available to persons who work on a part-time or other atypical basis.Work is also continuing in relation to the development of the possible features of a Working Age Payment. A proposed model would effectively merge Jobseeker’s Allowance and Working Family Payment so that a person’s payment would be based on a percentage of the difference between their income and a specified threshold for their family type. The principle would be to flexibly adjust payments in line with employment earnings and obviate the need for the current system of ‘casual days’, ‘disregards’ and ‘minimum hours’ requirements within the working week. Draft proposals on a Working Age Payment were included in the public consultations on Pay-Related Jobseeker’s Benefit and the Green Paper on Disability Reform. The responses received will form part of the inputs to the development of this proposal.In addition to the jobseeker's schemes, the Working Family Payment supports families on low incomes and there are tapered income disregards across a number of schemes to support the take up of employment.I trust this clarifies the matter.
22. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she intends to take regarding the extent of the backlog in processing disability allowance claims. [37680/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made in a timely manner. My Department understands the pressures faced by people and always seeks to ensure that claims are processed quickly and efficiently.The processing time for individual Disability Allowance (DA) claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information the person provides in support of their claim.When determining someone’s suitability for DA, evidence must be examined in respect of the applicant’s medical condition, the extent to which it restricts them from taking up employment, their means and their habitual residency. To assist the Department to make timely and fair decisions on applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the form fully and attach all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application form. It is critical that applicants provide comprehensive details about their medical conditions at the outset to best support their claim.Many applicants submit their forms before securing all necessary supporting documentation to establish an early entitlement date. While this is understandable, claims with incomplete information typically take longer to process. My Department has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised. Recent process improvements have positively impacted applicants DA determined and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that we are currently meeting our processing target for the DA scheme, which aims to award 75% of applications within 10 weeks. The average processing time for DA claims has remained at 6 weeks for several months. These processing improvements occurred at a time where increases in DA applications grew by 10% over the past year.If the Deputy has a specific case they would like my officials to examine, I encourage him to forward the details for consideration.I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
23. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of fraudulent claims of payments through her Department, by payment type, of those residing in the State and those residing outside the State, by county, in each of the past ten years; the number of fraudulent claims, by payment type, currently under investigation, of those residing in the State and those residing outside the State, by country; the cost to the State of all fraudulent claims and legal investigation costs for the same time period, per year, of those residing in the State and those residing outside the State, by country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37631/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPersons who have been overpaid social welfare have a liability to refund the overpayment as they have been in receipt of a payment to which they were not entitled. In 2023 the total value of overpayments - as a percentage of total scheme expenditure was approximately 0.48%.The table below sets out the number of overpayments raised and the associated value of those cases where an element of fraudulent activity was suspected in the years from 2018 to 2023. Due to changes in my Department's debt reporting environment, information in respect of earlier years is not readily available.
|
Year |
No. of Cases |
Value of Overpayments due to Fraud or Suspected Fraud |
|
2018 |
7,766 |
€29,740,268 |
|
2019 |
6,963 |
€31,356,136 |
|
2020 |
5,338 |
€20,253,317 |
|
2021 |
6,290 |
€19,014,828 |
|
2022 |
5,597 |
€19,635,546 |
|
2023 |
5,097 |
€17,963,080 |
For the years 2018 to 2023, on average, the schemes with the highest number of cases where an element of fraudulent activity is suspected are: Jobseeker's payments (71% of cases); Illness Benefit (7% of cases); Child Benefit (6% of cases); One Parent Family Allowance (4% of cases); Supplementary Welfare Allowance (2% of cases); State Pensions (2% of cases) and Disability Allowance (1% of cases). The remaining 7% of cases are spread across a number of schemes. During 2021 the Pandemic Unemployment Payment accounted for 7% of the overall cases for that year; for 10% of cases in 2022; and 5% of cases in 2023.My Department carries out a range of control measures across all its schemes to prevent, detect and deter fraud. During 2023 figures indicate that just under 632,500 reviews of social welfare claims have been undertaken, resulting in savings of almost €527 million.Preventing fraudulent claims from entering the social welfare system or carrying out review activity to identify possible fraudulent claims in payment are key requirements for my Department. It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of tackling social welfare fraud from the overall administration costs of the Department given that many of the tasks associated with the control and anti-fraud measures are an inherent element of the roles of social welfare officials.I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
24. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection given the pressing need for enhanced support in drug and alcohol services in north-inner city Dublin, the specific measures being taken to increase the number of peer support and lived experience workers in these services, particularly through the implementation of financial incentives as part of community employment schemes. [37652/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. It also helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine.My Department supports the objectives of the National Drugs Strategy “Reducing Harm, supporting Recovery” 2017-2025 with focused services for the re-integration of people recovering from substance misuse. Primary amongst these is the CE Programme with an allocation of some 1,000 dedicated ring-fenced drug rehabilitation places. The estimated annual cost of the dedicated CE schemes is in the region of €20m. As the Deputy is aware, these CE drug rehabilitation schemes have a very significant social inclusion focus, are well embedded in our local communities nationally and are generally engaged in significant levels of local service support and delivery.My Department provides participant grant funding for the recruitment of support workers on CE drug rehabilitation schemes to support the work of the project and the referred participants. The role of the service support worker is crucial in providing these services. Support workers must comply with normal CE eligibility conditions and are assigned tasks associated with the work of the project, including supporting the development of other participants referred for rehabilitation, where the support worker has relevant lived experience in the field of addiction and/or holds a relevant qualification in a related area.These support worker participants are eligible for a maximum continuous duration on CE of 156 weeks. All CE drug rehabilitation projects may apply for support worker places on their project on the basis that for every seven referred participant places approved and filled, they may recruit two support worker participants, as well as one fulltime CE supervisor position.In addition, the per capita participant training grant for CE drug rehabilitation projects is at a higher rate of five hundred euro per participant place. This provides funding for access to more training opportunities given the nature of these projects.The CE Drug Rehabilitation Programme Framework was implemented in January 2016 and involves a multi-agency approach to rehabilitation and is designed to meet the challenging needs of individuals in recovery and to ensure effective and sustainable outcomes. My Department continues to work with the CE Drugs Advisory Group which has representatives from different stakeholders including the HSE, Department of Health, Education and Training Boards (ETBs), CE Sponsors and Drug Task Forces.My colleague, Hildegarde Naughton, Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy has responsibility the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force. The task force oversees public funding for 17 local drug services. The North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force is one of the longest established task forces in the country and since its inception it has played a valuable role in ensuring the effective delivery of services in the community.I am fully committed to the future of the CE Drug Rehabilitation programme in meeting the objectives set out in the National Drugs Strategy and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
26. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason there will reportedly be no increase to jobseeker’s allowance in Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37528/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAny changes to weekly social welfare payments, including jobseeker's allowance, will be announced as part of Budget 2025.
27. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to ensure that workers in Citizens Information Service (CIS) companies are provided with a pay increase given the length of time since their last pay increase, and if she will provide the funding to the Citizens Information Board to ensure this happens via the CIS companies. [37679/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs you will be aware, the Citizens Information Service (CIS) comprises of eight regional companies that are funded by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), the statutory body funded by my Department. The Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS) is also funded by CIB. As I have stated on many occasions, I absolutely acknowledge and value the important information, advice and advocacy services that the staff of the CIS provide right across the country. I believe that CIS workers should be paid fairly for the important work they do and I am supportive of a pay increase.Since the Labour Court issued its recommendation in June in relation to CIS and CIPS pay, my Department has been actively engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Delivery Plan and Reform in relation to a pay agreement and expenditure requirements.In addition, talks commenced last week between representatives from SIPTU, CIS, CIB and my Department in relation to a pay agreement for the CIS and CIPS.I am hopeful that these talks, which are due to resume shortly, will result in an agreement and I strongly encourage all parties involved to continue to engage constructively in this process.
28. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection how her Department assesses the effectiveness of child benefit and back to school allowance payments in reducing child poverty, in light of recent research from the ESRI indicating that nearly 230,000 children in the country lack basic necessities such as food, clothing and heating. [37650/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is keenly aware of issues in relation to child poverty, and these formed a critical input into the development of Budget 2024 which included a social welfare package of almost €2.3 billion. The Budget measures are progressive and proportionately benefit those in lower income quintiles most. It is important that this momentum is maintained for Budget 2025.Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds was one of my key priorities in Budget 2024 and I am very pleased that we were able to bring that change in from May this year. The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. One of the qualifying conditions is that the household income must be within the relevant income limits. Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.Families on low incomes may also be able to avail of other supports from my Department. In Budget 2024, I increased the level of the weekly Increase for a Qualified Child by €4 bringing the rates to €46 for a child under 12 and €54 for a child aged 12 or over. I also increased the income thresholds to qualify for Working Family Payment by €54 per week.Like the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance these schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with children. The Economic and Social Research Institute has found that social transfers targeting children, particularly the Increase for a Qualified Child and Working Family Payment, have the greatest effect on poverty.The 2023 Survey on Income and Living Conditions saw a reduction in consistent poverty from 4.9% in the 2022 release to 3.6% in the 2023 release. This is the lowest recorded consistent poverty rate since the series began. The consistent poverty rate for children also decreased, from 7% in the 2022 release to 4.8% in the 2023 release.The Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2023 relates to income in the calendar year 2022 and as such it does not take account of the significant Budget measures in 2023 and 2024. However, the 2023 release confirmed that the Government’s cost-of-living measures were effective at protecting the most vulnerable from the risk of poverty arising from inflation. Without these cost-of-living measures, the at risk of poverty rate would have increased from 12.5% in the 2022 release to 13% in the 2023 release but instead, it fell to 10.6%.My Department’s schemes are kept under review, particularly in the context of the Budgetary process.I trust this clarifies the position.
29. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the recent extension to paid parental leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37612/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraParent’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. Parent's Leave and Benefit are available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be availed of within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Parent’s Benefit is paid at €274 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefits.In Budget 2024 I provided for the number of weeks of Parent's Leave and Benefit available to each eligible parent to be increased from seven weeks to nine weeks. This increase took effect from August 2024. The estimated cost of this increase in Parent's Benefit is €10.3 million in 2024 and the overall estimated cost for a full year is €25.6 million.In the seven months prior to the Parent's Benefit extension my Department received an average of almost 6,600 Parents Benefit claims per month. Data for the month of August indicates the Department has received just over 14,000 claims for Parents Benefit.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
30. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the recent expansion to the fuel allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37611/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.In Budget 2023, the Government announced the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme.
• In January 2023 a new means threshold was introduced for people aged 70 years and over. The new means threshold was €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
• In addition, for people aged 70 or over, the amount of capital that is disregarded was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only.
• The weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 was increased by €80 to €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory). The means threshold for a single person aged under 70 is €477.30. The means threshold when a qualified spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is aged under 66 is €662 and the means threshold when a qualified spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is aged over 66 is €725.90.
• Also from January 2023, Disablement Benefit and Half-rate Carers Allowance payment are disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes. Disablement Benefit also no longer disbars a household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.
These measures resulted in a significant number of additional households qualifying for the Fuel Allowance payment with an average of 411,000 households qualifying for the payment during the 2023/24 fuel season.Further expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme also occurred in 2024 with the following measures introduced:
• The Fuel Allowance Guidelines were amended from the 1st February 2024 so that a person(s) renting a room under the prescribed conditions that allow the Fuel Allowance applicant to benefit from the rent-a-room disregard, are also disregarded for household composition and means testing purposes when assessing an applicant’s entitlement to Fuel Allowance.
• The allowable means for those aged 70 and over was increased to €512 a week for a single person and to €1,024 a week for a couple.
• The period a person spends on an Employment Support Scheme can now be counted when assessing if a person satisfies the qualifying period criterion for Fuel Allowance purposes. Therefore, claimants who move to an Employment Support Scheme who were previously in receipt of short-term Jobseeker’s Allowance/Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance can accrue entitlement to Fuel Allowance. Those who move onto a qualifying social welfare payment for Fuel Allowance, following completion of an Employment Support Scheme, will also be able to use the period spent on the Employment Support Scheme to satisfy the payment period requirement.
• Income from any maintenance received in respect of a child will no longer be assessed as means for Fuel Allowance purposes. Compensation awards to people under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, together with income from the investment of that money will also be disregarded.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
31. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered options to improve the speed with which applications for disability allowance or similar means-tested payments are processed, thus eliminating hardship for people who may be vulnerable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37658/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made in a timely manner. My Department understands the pressures faced by people and always seeks to ensure that claims are processed quickly and efficiently.When determining someone’s suitability for Disability Allowance (DA), evidence must be examined in respect of the applicant’s medical condition, the extent to which it restricts them from taking up employment, their means and their habitual residency. To assist the Department to make timely and fair decisions on applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the form fully and attach all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application form. It is critical that applicants provide comprehensive details about their medical conditions at the outset to best support their claim.Many applicants submit their forms before securing all necessary supporting documentation to establish an early entitlement date. While this is understandable, claims with incomplete information typically take longer to process. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that we are currently meeting our processing target for the DA scheme, which aims to award 75% of applications within 10 weeks. In fact, the average processing time for DA claims has remained at 6 weeks for several months.It is also worth nothing that approximately 80% of awarded DA applicants are already supported through another social welfare payment during the DA application process. If applicants are not receiving another payment, they may be eligible for an interim payment via the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. When a claim is awarded, DA arrears are issued to the customer, backdated to the date their claim was received.Schemes requiring extensive documentary evidence, particularly illness-related schemes, may take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments often necessitate more detailed investigations and interactions with applicants, which can extend the decision-making process.Regarding Blind Pension, all applications received are registered immediately upon receipt. The ophthalmic report is forwarded to the Medical Review and Assessment section of my Department for examination by a Medical Assessor. Following the Medical Assessor’s review, the Deciding Officer conducts a means assessment and a decision on entitlement is made promptly.I am also pleased to report that claim processing is up to date with processing targets met, or exceeded, for the main medically and means assessed scheme areas. The average processing time for Carer's Allowance claims is currently 7 weeks.If the Deputy has a specific case they would like my officials to examine, I encourage him to forward the details for consideration.I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
