Written Answers Nos. 620-639
620. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration would be given to classifying long-Covid as an occupational illness, in line with other European countries such as France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Denmark, which have formally recognised long-Covid as an occupational disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39752/23]
View answerChapter 13 of Part 2 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 legislates for the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme for persons injured by an accident at work or caused by a prescribed disease due to the nature of their employment.
Covid-19 is not currently a prescribed disease or illness for the purposes of the Occupation Injuries Benefit scheme. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
My Department is aware of the recommendation of the European Commission made in 2022 regarding the prescription of Covid-19 as an occupational illness. It should be noted that the European Commission has not made a recommendation about recognising long-COVID as an occupational disease and most member states have not recognised long-COVID.
The decision on whether or not to recognise an illness as an occupational illness is a Member State competence. I have consulted with other relevant departments and Ministers on the matter of recognition of COVID-19, and the responses received are currently under consideration. I intend having further discussions with my colleagues before a decision will be made.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
621. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39765/23]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.
I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 13 June 2023. As their initial application did not contain all the information required for a decision, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 29 June 2023 to supply this supporting documentation. I can confirm that this information was received on 24 July 2023.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 11 September 2023. They were given the right to request a review or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). I can confirm that no request for a review or an appeal has been received to date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
622. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an interim payment can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39766/23]
View answerThe person concerned submitted an application for Disability Allowance on 13 June 2023. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that they were substantially restricted in taking up employment.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 11 September 2023 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
The person concerned can apply to the Community Welfare Officer for the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance if they are in need of financial assistance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
623. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is her intention that foster carers be allowed to maintain a social protection stamp/credit while continuing their foster caring and not be required to fulfil the signing-on requirements for jobseeker's credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39770/23]
View answerMatters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla.
More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State pension (contributory) system provides for a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculations of a payment rate.
Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker's Scheme or HomeCaring Periods on the same basis as other carers, and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for Homemaker's Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.
Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension (Contributory). They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years paid contributions.
I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system last September in response to the Pensions Commission's recommendations.
An important reform agreed by Government is enhanced State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. This will be done by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. Foster carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependent or dependents for over 20 years will also benefit from this important change. My officials are currently working to implement these reforms.
All jobseekers including those in receipt of jobseeker's credits only, are required to satisfy certain conditions, including being available for full-time work, genuinely seeking work and signing the live register to confirm their continuing eligibility for the scheme. If a person cannot attend the office at the allotted time they should contact their Intreo office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
624. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection for clarification on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39795/23]
View answer627. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application (details supplied) will be processed; the reason that this process takes so long; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39838/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 624 and 627 together.
The Free Travel Scheme permits free travel on most CIE public transport services, Local Link, Luas and a range of services offered by some 73 private operators in various parts of the country for those eligible. The scheme is available to all persons aged over 66, and those under age 66 on qualifying payments, who are living legally and permanently in the State.
My Department carries out surveys, on a phased basis, of some 73 private transport operators participating in the scheme and new transport operators applying to join the scheme. Survey work was suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic for public health reasons, and because survey outcomes at that time, and in that operating environment, would not reflect free travel passenger numbers in normal times. The uncertainty around numbers opting to travel and the consequential lack of reliable survey data made it a difficult time for operators to participate in the scheme.
Since then, my officials have kept a record of those operators who contacted my Department with a view to bringing a new route into the Free Travel scheme, or re-surveying an existing route, until the survey process re-commenced. Surveys resumed in Q1 of 2023 and my officials are working to complete surveys on those transport operators who applied. These surveys are being conducted in date order.
My officials received correspondence from this transport operator on 3 July 2023, detailing his request to bring a transport route into the Free Travel scheme. On the same day, my officials responded outlining that the operator would be added to the list of travel operators requesting to join the Free Travel scheme and that it would be next year before my Department would in a position to start the surveying process for this route to join the scheme.
On the 8 September, my officials received a further request from this operator to bring a second route into the Free Travel scheme. My officials responded acknowledging the request to bring both routes into the scheme and indicating that they will be in touch with them in due course with details of the survey process.
My officials will be in contact with this operator when they are in a position to begin the Free Travel survey process.
I trust this clarifies matter for the Deputy.
625. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection for details of funding for students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39820/23]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at further or higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist social welfare recipients to improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment. The Government has provided €49.08 million for the scheme in 2023.
A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the Back to Education Allowance scheme must satisfy certain conditions including being in receipt of a qualifying payment for a specified time, which is 3 months for further level courses and 9 months for higher level courses.
The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant, payable by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Science, is the primary support for people pursuing further and higher education. This grant offers funding to eligible students, from school leavers to mature students returning to education who are taking approved courses.
The Back to Education Allowance scheme is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the higher education system.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
626. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39821/23]
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 €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.
I have already reduced the qualifying period for Fuel Allowance for those on Jobseekers Allowance from 15 months to 12 months for the 2022/23 Fuel Allowance season.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
628. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39881/23]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 19 May 2023.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required. The person concerned failed to provide information to determine if their means were below the statutory limit.
As the requested information was not supplied, it was decided that the person concerned was not entitled to CA.
The person concerned was notified on 29 June 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal. The person concerned has requested a review of this decision.
Additional information in relation to the person’s means and employment was requested by a deciding officer on 12 September 2023.
Once this information is received, the review will be further examined, and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
629. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when the review of payments to a person (details supplied) will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39882/23]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
The person concerned has been in receipt of half-rate CA since 27 August 2015 as they were also in receipt of a primary payment in their own right from this Department. Following a request to review the rate of CA, it was decided that the person concerned was entitled to full rate CA from 23 February 2023 as their primary payment ceased on 22 February 2023.
The CA claim for the person concerned was updated and the first CA payment at full rate issued to their nominated post office on 16 March 2023. Arrears due from 23 February 2023 to 15 March 2023 issued to their nominated post office on 16 March 2023. The person concerned was notified on 15 March 2023 of this outcome and of their right of review and appeal.
I can confirm that my department received an application for Disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 16 March 2023. The person concerned was awarded DA with effect from 22 February 2023 at a rate of €181.50 as they had means assessed of €323.96. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 23 June 2023. The first payment was made by their chosen payment method on 7 July 2023.
Where a person satisfies the conditions for carer's allowance and is in receipt of another social welfare payment, excluding unemployment payments or supplementary welfare allowance, half rate carer's allowance is payable alongside their existing payment.
As the person concerned was awarded DA from 22 February 2023 their CA claim was re-rated to half rate from that date.
The DA arrears were reduced for amounts received from CA, in excess of their entitlement. Net arrears of DA of €330.00 due from 22 February 2023 to 28 June 2023 issued to the person concerned on 6 July 2023 by her chosen payment method. A letter notifying her that arrears would issue was sent to her home address on 6 July 2023.
The arrears for this period were calculated as follows:
|
Disability Allowance |
From |
To |
No. of Weeks |
Weekly Rate |
Total Amount |
|
Weekly rate of entitlement |
22/02/2023 |
28/06/2023 |
18 |
€148.50 |
€2,673.00 |
|
Fuel Allowance |
22/02/2023 |
11/04/2023 |
7 |
€33.00 |
€231.00 |
|
Total Due |
€2,904.00 |
||||
|
Less Social Welfare payments made during this period |
|||||
|
Excess Carers Allowance (above half rate) |
23/02/2023 |
28/06/2023 |
18 |
€143.00 |
€2,574.00 |
|
TOTAL ARREARS PAYABLE |
€330.00 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
630. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to include fibromyalgia as a recognised long-term illness condition for social protection purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39894/23]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness but on the extent to which a particular illness impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
My Department does not distinguish in relation to illnesses. Every application for the Department's schemes are individually assessed, in line with the provisions specified in the relevant social welfare legislation. Assessment is based on the medical information provided by healthcare providers and the claimant and taking into account the opinion of the Department’s Medical Assessor.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
631. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection why a service funded by her Department is not available at a location (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40017/23]
View answerThe EmployAbility Service is an is an employment and recruitment service that helps people who have a disability, an injury or and an illness to get and to keep a job. The service is delivered under contract by 23 EmployAbility Service Providers on behalf of my Department. These contractors include EmployAbility Service West Cork and Employability Service Cork, who between them provide a service to all areas of Cork.
Should the Deputy be aware of any case where a person has had difficulties in accessing the EmployAbility service, he should forward details to my Department for review.
My Department has recently published a request for tender (RFT) for the provision of contracted employment services for people with disabilities. It is open to all perspective tenderers to submit a bid in respect of any geographical lot detailed on the RFT.
632. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications by schools, per county, to change from providing a cold lunch to students to the provision of another meal, in tabular form; what the process for this change is; and what funding is available for these schools who wish to change from cold food provision to hot food provision. [40101/23]
View answerThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations benefitting 300,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2023 provided €94.4 million for the programme. In February, the Government approved an additional €14.5m to allow access to the Hot School Meals scheme for all remaining DEIS schools from September 2023.
My Department provides the funding for the School Meals Programme directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each individual school to administer the programme in their school. Funding under the school meals scheme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided.
The hot school meal commenced as a pilot in 2019. Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection, I have increased the number of schools with access to the Hot School Meal option from 37 to 1,100. I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, I am rolling out the Hot School Meals to all remaining DEIS primary and special schools from September 2023.
A tabular breakdown of the number of schools and pupils per county with access to hot school meal funding from September 2023 as well as a tabular breakdown of all the schools per county that already moved to the provision of hot school meals in the 2022/2023 school year is provided below.
The School Meals programme is currently accepting applications for the 2023/2024 school year. All DEIS primary schools and special schools invited to avail of the hot school meals option, can go online and download the SMLPS 1 application on gov.ie - School Meals Scheme (www.gov.ie). This application has a list of club options available on page 3, with the corresponding payment rates on page 7. The current rate for cold lunch is €1.70 per child, per day compared to the hot school meal rate of €3.20 per child, per day.
I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, as part of significant plans to extend the Hot School Meals programme, all remaining primary schools have been contacted and have been asked to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals. Expressions of interest forms were received from over 900 non DEIS schools in respect of 150,000 children. From 2024, I intend commencing the roll-out of Hot School Meals to all remaining primary schools on a phased basis.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Table 1. Schools and pupils per county with access to hot school meal funding
|
2023/2024 |
Number of Schools |
Pupils with option to avail |
|
CARLOW |
18 |
3,875 |
|
CAVAN |
18 |
3,145 |
|
CLARE |
31 |
3,301 |
|
CORK |
71 |
11,219 |
|
DONEGAL |
134 |
11,737 |
|
DUBLIN |
215 |
44,471 |
|
GALWAY |
72 |
7,867 |
|
KERRY |
40 |
4,118 |
|
KILDARE |
20 |
4,459 |
|
KILKENNY |
18 |
2,090 |
|
LAOIS |
18 |
2,694 |
|
LEITRIM |
16 |
1,225 |
|
LIMERICK |
42 |
6,461 |
|
LONGFORD |
18 |
3,548 |
|
LOUTH |
23 |
5,791 |
|
MAYO |
85 |
6,247 |
|
MEATH |
15 |
3,901 |
|
MONAGHAN |
18 |
2,635 |
|
OFFALY |
26 |
4,441 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
30 |
2,302 |
|
SLIGO |
24 |
2,593 |
|
TIPPERARY |
50 |
6,531 |
|
WATERFORD |
22 |
4,946 |
|
WESTMEATH |
23 |
3,984 |
|
WEXFORD |
35 |
7,808 |
|
WICKLOW |
18 |
3,804 |
|
Grand Total |
1,100 |
165,193 |
Table 2. Schools who availed of hot school meals in 2022/2023
|
County |
Number of Schools |
|
Carlow |
13 |
|
Cavan |
11 |
|
Clare |
20 |
|
Cork |
28 |
|
Donegal |
49 |
|
Dublin |
93 |
|
Galway |
11 |
|
Kerry |
17 |
|
Kildare |
9 |
|
Kilkenny |
9 |
|
Laois |
10 |
|
Leitrim |
8 |
|
Limerick |
28 |
|
Longford |
8 |
|
Louth |
10 |
|
Mayo |
15 |
|
Meath |
8 |
|
Monaghan |
8 |
|
Offaly |
22 |
|
Roscommon |
13 |
|
Sligo |
7 |
|
Tipperary |
37 |
|
Waterford |
12 |
|
Westmeath |
13 |
|
Wexford |
27 |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
|
Grand Total |
493 |
633. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of disability allowance and State pension (contributory) as of August 2023; and the total spend on each payment in August 2023. [40127/23]
View answerAs of end of August 2023 there were 160,585 recipients of Disability Allowance and 499,108 recipients of State Pension (Contributory).
The total expenditure for these schemes in August 2023 was €193 million for Disability Allowance and €521 million for State pension (Contributory).
634. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the delays regarding an appeal by a person (details supplied) for an invalidity pension, as well as the denial of supplementary welfare allowance, and who has had no social welfare supports since 17 August 2023, when their illness benefit was stopped; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40147/23]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered on the 14th August 2023. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought.
When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
635. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if the workplace equipment adaptation grant can be obtained to hire an interpreter for a deaf employee; and if not, what supports, if any, are available. [40185/23]
View answerMy Department provides a wide range of supports for jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme.
It is important to note that these grants are demand led, i.e. the overall value of the grants issued each year rises or falls in response to the number and value of the grants applied for.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund includes four grants which were designed to assist jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities, and to encourage employers in the private sector to recruit Jobseekers with disabilities:
The Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant cannot be used to hire an interpreter for a deaf employee as this is a grant towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment.
The Job Interview Interpreter Grant does provide funding for a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend interviews for a jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech impairment. The amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid which may vary. There is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter.
My Department has recently published a review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. The review made a number of recommendations including that they be amalgamated into a single flexible scheme, that the number of interpreter hours eligible for funding would be increased and that the scheme would be opened up to other employers, for example the voluntary and community sector. Work on implementation of these recommendations is underway and it is hoped to launch a reformed scheme in Q1 2024.
636. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of a decision on a carer’s allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40198/23]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.
Means are any income belonging to the Carer and their spouse / civil partner / cohabitant; property (except their own home); or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income (for example, occupational pensions or pensions or benefits from another country).
I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 28 July 2023.
Following an investigation, the person concerned did not provide such certificates, documents information or evidence that has been requested from them. A decision was made to disallow the application as the means of the person concerned could not be determined.
The person concerned was notified on 28 August 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of the right of review and appeal.
A review was requested on behalf of the person concerned and the requested documents were provided on 30 August 2023.
Following a review, the person concerned was awarded Carer's Allowance from 3 August 2023. The first payment and arrears due will issue to their designated post office on 21 September 2023. Correspondence informing the person concerned was issued on 14 September 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
637. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the means test for carers allowance to take into account certain expenses such as rent or mortgage payments. [40216/23]
View answerThe system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.
By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure.
As part of Budget 2022, the weekly income disregard was increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. As a result, Carer's Allowance disregards are the highest income disregards in the entire social welfare system.
The capital disregard for Carer’s Allowance was also increased in 2022 from €20,000 to €50,000. This allows carers who have accumulated savings, often to provide care for a loved one, to retain an entitlement to Carer's Allowance.
Introducing a rent or mortgage disregard for Carer's Allowance would have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes. It would also significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment. Any changes in this regard would have to be considered in the overall policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
638. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has plans to review the qualifying criteria for fuel allowance. [40217/23]
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 €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 criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
As part of the overall welfare Budget 2023 package of €2.2 Billion, a number of considerable reforms were made to the Fuel Allowance Scheme including the introduction of changes for those aged over 70. These reforms included removing the requirement for those aged over 70 to be in receipt of a qualifying social protection payment. I also introduced a new means threshold for those aged over 70 of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
The Government will continue to monitor the cost-of-living situation closely and how it can support people on low incomes and those on social welfare payments who are at risk of fuel poverty. However, any further changes to the criteria for accessing the fuel allowance scheme can only be considered while taking account of the overall policy and budgetary situation.
Finally, my Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
639. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details on the measures her Department has taken to implement specific action points (details supplied) of the action plan to support the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021. [40239/23]
View answerIn response to the information sought, the following are the measures that the Department has undertaken to address the specific action points in the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 - 2021; for ease of reference I will use the abbreviation 'LGBTI+' throughout.
1.2 Identify key large-scale events each year to promote LGBTI+ visibility
Department officials coordinate yearly, Pride month, celebrations and webinars with keynote speakers. Promotional posters, lanyards and merchandise are also distributed while informative communications are issued to all staff including a guide to LGBTI+ and relevant terminology; there are also live events and wider promotion of the LGBTI+ Network.
1.4 Coordinate a series of events and communications to support positive messaging around Pride and festivals nationwide and more broadly to promote LGBTI+ visibility, awareness and expertise.
The Department's Secretary General announces Pride month as part of an overall awareness campaign and Department officials maintain ongoing engagement with staff and the LGBTI+ Network;
2.2 Ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is a core feature of organisational and HR strategy and subject to ongoing review.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is a key priority in the Department People Strategy 2020-23 and will be achieved through meaningful staff engagement and the delivery of targeted learning and development supports; the promotion and development of diversity and inclusion initiatives is also a key objective in the Department Statement of Strategy.
2.4 Develop a Civil and Public Service wide LGBTQ+ Employee and Ally Network.
The Department has its own LGBTQ+ Network and actively participates in the wider Civil & Public Service Network
3.2 Coordinate the roll out of a public recognition marker denoting LGBTI+ friendly service provision, particularly in rural and other hard to reach communities.
The Department does not have the related co-ordination role
5.1 Utilise the Equality and Human Rights Public Sector Duty to take account of LGBTQ+ considerations in the development or review of public sector policy, to be informed by targeted consultation where necessary.
The Equality and Human Rights Public Sector Duty is used, consulted and considered in all policy changes and reviews. The LGBTQ+ Network is a key stakeholders in all consultation processes relating to such changes.
12.2 Ensure that each relevant Department/Government body examines how, once a Gender Recognition Certificate is obtained, administrative processes can be streamlined, improving interconnection between Departments, and reducing costs for replacement of official documents, while maintaining a person’s privacy .
At present Department officials are drafting a Gender Recognition & Expression policy and this will inform a wider review of required administrative procedures and potential impacts relating to the presentation of Gender Recognition Certificates that will need to be addressed in due course.
24.2 Informed by the findings of the above research, develop an appropriate package of measures for implementation in response.
The Department will liaise with DPENDR and other Departments and agencies in the development of appropriate measures in response to research findings when available.
