Tuesday, 28 Mar 2023

Written Answers Nos. 1-94

Cabinet Committees

Questions (30)

Alan Dillon

Question:

30. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Housing will next meet. [12791/23]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Cabinet Committee on Housing last met on 2nd of March.

This Committee works to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of Housing for All.

The next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Housing is scheduled for 17th of April.

Questions Nos. 31 to 35, inclusive, resubmitted.

Cabinet Committees

Questions (36)

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

36. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Housing will next meet. [13881/23]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Cabinet Committee on Housing last met on 2nd of March.

This Committee works to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of Housing for All.

The next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Housing is scheduled for 17th of April.

Questions Nos. 37 to 49, inclusive, resubmitted.

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Questions (50)

Alan Farrell

Question:

50. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent engagements with the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. [12641/23]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I hosted the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for a working lunch in Government Buildings on Thursday 2 March.

Ireland is currently marking 50 years of EU membership, and Spain is advancing preparations for its Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year.

We discussed issues on the EU agenda including solidarity for Ukraine, the transition to sustainable energy resources, migration, trade and ensuring a strong European economy into the future.

I thanked Prime Minister Sánchez for Spain’s solidarity throughout the Brexit process and briefed him on the potential of the Windsor Framework to help pave the way for restoration of the institutions under the Good Friday Agreement. He briefed me on the state of play in negotiations regarding Gibraltar.

I also met Prime Minister Sánchez at last week’s meeting of the European Council in Brussels.

Questions Nos. 51 to 76, inclusive, resubmitted.

Question No. 77 answered orally.

Social Welfare Rates

Questions (78)

Bríd Smith

Question:

78. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any plans to increase welfare rates for those on disability payments in light of additional costs and rising cost-of-living pressures; if any consideration is being given to the provision of a universal non means-tested payment for those suffering from long-term disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15453/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My Department provides a range of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability.

I introduced a number of measures as part of Budget 2023 to support disabled people to mitigate the impacts of the rising cost of living. These were a combination of once-off payments and increases to the rate of weekly income support payments and income thresholds.

In October and November those on long-term disability payments received a once-off double payment and a €500 cost of living Disability Support Grant payment.

People in receipt of the Fuel Allowance benefited from a €400 lump sum payment, with €200 paid to those in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance.

The Christmas Bonus was paid to 1.3 million social welfare recipients, including those on long-term disability payments.

As well as once-off cost of living measures, I also secured increases to weekly payments and income disregards which took effect in January 2023. I increased the maximum rate of disability payments by €12 a week – the largest increase in recent years.

To make secondary benefits more accessible, the means threshold for Fuel Allowance increased from €120 to €200, and Disablement Benefit is now not considered as means for Fuel Allowance applicants.

I also increased the earnings threshold for people on Disability Allowance and Blind Pension by €25 a week from €140 to €165. This means that people can earn more and keep more of their social welfare payment.

The Deputy asked if there has been any consideration of providing a universal non-means tested payment. Any universal payment would involve a significant addition cost and would limit the extent to which available funds can be targeted most effectively to those most in need of financial support. My officials are currently working on a Strawman proposal that will look at the restructuring of long-term disability supports. Work on the Strawman is at an advanced stage and I expect it to be published, for public consultation, during in the next month or so.

I will continue to keep the supports for people with disabilities under review, however any changes to disability payment schemes would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.

Questions Nos. 79 and 80 answered orally.

Social Welfare Code

Questions (81)

Danny Healy-Rae

Question:

81. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason people on benefit payments, who have worked and paid their taxes, are still not eligible for the fuel allowance or any cost-of-living benefits. [15409/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

It is incorrect to say that the Fuel Allowance is not available to benefit recipients. In fact, it is available to recipients of long-term benefit payments including pensioners and people with disabilities.

Some short-term benefit payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness benefit and Maternity Benefit are not, however, qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance. The reason for this is that Fuel Allowance is intended as a support for households with a long-term dependence on welfare payments. The schemes just mentioned are short-term payments for those who suffer a short period of interruption to their employment. These payments are not means-tested; the recipients still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to the workforce. However, as part of Budget 2023 some of these households in receipt of benefit payments, including those not eligible for Fuel Allowance, benefitted from many of the cost-of-living measures including increases to the maximum rate of core Social Welfare rates in January and from the double week in social welfare payments in October and December.

I recently announced a further range of measures to support families through this difficult period. This package includes a €200 lump sum payment which will be paid to over 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments including to those on Jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months. This lump sum will be paid in April and will cost approximately €261 million.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Questions Nos. 82 to 85, inclusive, answered orally.

International Protection

Questions (86)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

86. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if, following the report of the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Projections Process, there are plans to increase the direct provision allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15049/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is the lead department for all matters relating to the provision of support for applicants for international protection.

The report by the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protections Process, chaired by Dr Catherine Day, was published in September 2020.

A White Paper to End Direct Provision was subsequently adopted by the Government in February 2021.

The Department of Social Protection currently administers the Daily Expenses Allowance to applicants for international protection who are directly provided with meals and accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Services. This weekly payment is provided in order to meet personal expenses.

The Government has provided €20.15 million for this allowance in 2023. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child. There are approximately 10,600 adults and 2,300 children residing in IPAS provided accommodation in respect of whom daily expenses allowance is being paid.

Any increase to the current rate of daily expenses allowance is a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and would have to be approved by Government.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Code

Questions (87)

Gary Gannon

Question:

87. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to award the fuel allowance to households in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15177/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The 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 €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.

People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.

The Working Family Payment is a weekly, tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources.

While Working Family Payment is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, people may receive Fuel Allowance while on Working Family Payment if they are in receipt of One Parent Family Payment.

In response to an amendment tabled at Committee Stage of the the Social Welfare Bill 2023, I have asked my Department officials to prepare a report on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. The work is ongoing and when finished, I will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Rates

Questions (88)

Gino Kenny

Question:

88. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase social welfare rates in line with inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15204/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I fully recognise the challenges the increased the cost of living has brought to many people and families. That is why, in September, I announced the largest social protection Budget package in the history of the State - comprising measures worth almost €2.2 billion.This included eight separate cost of living lump sum payments paid in Quarter 4 last year to ease the pressure that many households are facing.From the start of January, we have seen a wide range of increases come into effect. This includes a €12 across the board increase to weekly rates – the largest increase to weekly rates since the mid-2000s.I also announced the largest ever expansion in the Fuel Allowance scheme, and over 32,000 additional households have already joined this scheme since the Budget announcement in September.The ESRI post-Budget analysis shows that Budget 2023, combined with once-off measures to reduce the cost of living, has been effective in protecting most households from rising prices through the winter and in fact that lower income households are better off than if they had just received an inflation indexed increase in basic rates.Government has continued to monitor the situation and that is why, last month we announced additional support for people over the coming months, including:

- A €200 lump sum payment to be provided to people on long-term Social Protection payments, on the same basis as the Christmas bonus, and including Working Family Payment recipients;

- For people receiving Child Benefit, a €100 lump sum payment for each child to be paid in June;

- An additional payment of €100 to be paid for each child for whom Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is paid.

Together, these supports will provide a further €410 million in additional supports to households and families in need.

I can assure the Deputy that the Government will continued to monitor the situation.

Questions Nos. 89 and 90 answered orally.

Social Welfare Payments

Questions (91)

Seán Haughey

Question:

91. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount her Department spent on the farm assist payment in 2022; the total number of recipients for the same year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14927/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Farm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. A person can qualify for Farm Assist if they are aged 18 to 66 and engaged in farming and meet the other statutory scheme conditions. The Farm Assist Scheme is similar to Jobseeker’s Allowance in a number of ways, such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. However, the means test is more generous on Farm Assist.

The scheme is demand-led and there are currently just under 4,400 farmers availing of the payment.

Provisional expenditure for the Farm Assist scheme for 2022 was almost €55.1 million and there were over 4,400 claims in payment at the end of December 2022. Government has provided €49.4 million for the scheme in 2023.

I have made a number of improvements to the means assessment for Farm Assist in recent years. Following a review of means testing disregards for the scheme in 2021, I expanded significantly the list of agri-environmental schemes that attract a specific disregard for Farm Assist. This expansion applied from June 2022. In addition, I increased the amount of the disregard for agri-environmental schemes, which almost doubled the amount from €2,540 to €5,000. This measure came into effect in January 2023.

The 2021 review also recommended that my Department would work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify schemes in Ireland's Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which may be considered for inclusion in the list of agri-environmental schemes which attract a disregard for Farm Assist. This process is underway.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Nursing Homes

Questions (92)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

92. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will prioritise the right of homeowners in nursing homes to rent out their vacant homes without it affecting their non-contributory pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15137/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Non-contributory pension is a payment to people over 66 whose entitlements is based on a means test. All means tests in my Department are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. Last year I announced a series of measures designed to remove barriers facing social welfare customers who choose to accommodate people in their homes.

In July 2022 I signed legislation which introduced a disregard of up to €269.23 per week in respect of income from renting a room in their own home. This disregard means that a social welfare customer will be able to rent out a room in their home for up to €14,000 per annum and this income will not see their means-tested social welfare payment impacted.

I introduced this regulation with the aim of removing any means disincentive for people letting out a room in their home for fear that it would impact their social welfare payment and I am pleased that Government has recently approved the extension of this disregard for a further two years.

I am aware that the Minister for Health introduced changes to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, last November, which reduced the rate of assessment on rental income in respect of that scheme. I understand that the effect of these changes are being currently reviewed.

Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in the Department of Health as part of this review. Means testing and disregards will form part of this discussion, but any changes in relation to means testing will have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary arithmetic.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Questions Nos. 93 and 94 answered orally.