Written Answers Nos. 2420-2439
2420. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount provided by his Department to rape crisis centres each year for the past ten years; and the services and supports provided from this funding by each centre or project. [35411/18]
View answerThe Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) Ltd is funded by my Department through the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) in the Community and Voluntary Sector, which aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. RCNI has been funded through the SSNO since 2008. Until June 2014 annual allocations of funding were provided.
|
Year |
Funding Allocated |
|
2008 |
106,000 |
|
2009 |
101,760 |
|
2010 |
91,584 |
|
2011 |
81,172 |
|
2012 |
90,000 |
|
2013 |
84,780 |
|
2014 to end June 2014 |
37,303 |
A new iteration of the SSNO commenced on 1 July 2014 to run for a period of 24 months. Following a competitive application process, RCNI was allocated €156,107 for the period to 30 June 2016.
The current iteration of the SSNO commenced on 1 July 2016 to run for a period of three years to 30 June 2019. Following a further competitive application process, RCNI was allocated a total of €269,960 for the 36 month duration of the scheme.
2421. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the Registration of Wills Bill 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32557/18]
View answerThe Registration of Wills Bill 2016 is a Private Members Bill which is sponsored by Senators Terry Leyden, Catherine Ardagh and Lorraine Clifford-Lee.
The intention of the Bill is to provide for a scheme of registration of wills in order to allow persons register the fact that they have made a will and the whereabouts of the will. The Bill passed Second Stage in the Seanad on 14 December 2016. I have no information regarding a possible date for Committee Stage – that is a scheduling matter for the Seanad.
While the Government did not oppose the Bill, during this Second Stage speech, my predecessor, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar T.D. pointed out that there are a number of issues about the Bill which would need to be addressed. In particular, he referred to the fact that, in 2006, the Law Society expressed concerns about the day-to-day practical implementation of a similar Bill. They pointed out that as the proposed registration is to be voluntary, it would have limited effect in remedying some existing deficiencies. They also indicated that registration does not guarantee that the registered will is the last will. The most the proposed registration system could achieve would be to confirm that a particular will was registered on a particular day. Furthermore, registration is not proof of validity; to be valid, a will must comply with statutory requirements.
I have written to my colleague Charlie Flanagan T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality, asking that his officials seek the view of the Law Society in relation to the current Bill and I look forward to receiving those views.
2422. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application for farm assist will be processed for a person (details supplied). [32560/18]
View answerThe customer’s application for Farm Assist is currently with the Social Welfare Inspector.
Additional information has been requested and once received by the Social Welfare Inspector it will be forwarded to Deciding Officer for a decision.
2423. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase the State pension to pre-recession rates in view of the increase in the cost of living and the higher cost of living incurred by those living alone in rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32672/18]
View answerThe value of the State Pension is higher today than it was prior to the recession. In 2006, the maximum rate of the State Pension (contributory) was €193.30. This was increased by €14 to €209.30 for 2007 and by €14 again for 2008 bringing the rate to €223.30. In January 2009, the contributory pension was increased by €7 to bring the rate to €230.30.
As the recession continued, the contributory pension rate did not see any reduction, and remained at €230.30 until an increase of €3 in 2016. The rate has since increased each year since and currently stands at €243.30, some €50 more than it was in 2006 and €13 more than it was in 2009.
Any changes to the rate of the State Pension (contributory) could have significant budget implications and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
2424. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to introduce a travel allowance for those that hold a free travel pass but are unable to utilise it due to living rurally and away from access to public transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32676/18]
View answerThe free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 914,000 customers with direct eligibility. The scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. To qualify for the scheme, applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. These are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.
Any decision to introduce a travel allowance along the lines suggested by the Deputy would significantly change the nature of the free travel scheme and would have considerable budgetary consequences. Various alternatives to the existing system, including the use of vouchers, have been examined previously by my Department. It concluded that a voucher type system, which would be open to a wide range of transport providers including taxis, would be extremely difficult to administer, open to misuse and unlikely to be sufficient to provide for an acceptable amount of travel.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme my Department may award a travel supplement in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I acknowledge that not all customers have easy access to transport providers participating in the free travel scheme particularly in parts of rural Ireland. A further provision of €10 million was made for the scheme in Budget 2018 to facilitate more private commercial operators joining the free travel scheme for the first time, existing participants adding more routes, and operators returning to the scheme where they had previously withdrawn. My Department also provides €1.5 million in funding towards the rural transport programme which enables the development of better links between local/rural transport, and scheduled bus/rail services.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
2425. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to combat the issue of poverty among disabled adults (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32728/18]
View answerThe CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2016 indicates that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability, was 26.3% in 2016. This compared to 22.4% the year before. However, this figure (like other statistics for very small groups in the survey) has been volatile in recent years. This is most likely due to the smaller sample sizes for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability within the SILC participants. It is not possible to say with certainty whether the change over the year is statistically significant and indicative of a sustained trend. It is worth noting, moreover, that the level of deprivation reported for this group of households in 2016 was 46.7%, down from 53.2% in 2015.
The Government’s most recent strategy for addressing poverty and social exclusion was set out in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2017. The Plan identified a wide range of targeted actions and interventions to achieve the overall objective of reducing consistent poverty. The Department is currently in the process of developing an updated plan for the period 2018-2021.
The Government is committed to increasing the employment opportunities for people with a disability. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities adopts a cross-government approach that brings together various measures, to be taken by different Departments and State agencies, in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on the employment of people with disabilities. The six strategic priorities are to: build skills, capacity and independence; provide bridges and supports into work; make work pay; promote job retention and re-entry into work; provide co-ordinated and seamless support; and engage employers. These priorities are incorporated into the Pathways to Work Strategy and this ensures that there is an integrated focus on supports that enable people with disabilities to participate in employment where they have the capacity to do so.
My Department provides a range of specific income, activation and employment supports for people with a disability. For instance, the partial capacity benefit scheme enables recipients of invalidity pension and illness benefit to take-up employment, on a voluntary basis, while continuing to receive income support. The Department manages a supported employment service (EmployAbility) which provides a dedicated job-coaching service for people with disabilities. Intreo services are also available to provide employment support services for people with disabilities who wish to engage with the service on a voluntary basis. There is also a focus on supports available to employers who employ people with disabilities such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Workplace Adaption Grant Scheme.
2426. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she has taken to address the regional imbalance resulting from the recent announcement of the Ability programme grants which ignored the northwest region and failed to provide funding north of a line from counties Galway to Roscommon to Dublin; and the progress she has made since this Deputy provided a submission on the matter of regional funding imbalances with an accompanying map highlighting the funding neglect of the north west area in early June 2018. [32827/18]
View answerThe ‘Ability’ programme is a pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. It is co-funded by the Exchequer and the EU (under the European Social Fund, as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020).
The projects being funded will provide supports and assistance to more than 2,600 young people with disabilities aged between 15 to 29 years old. The programme will promote employment prospects and meaningful social roles for young people with disabilities and in particular, young people who are distant from the labour market, using a range of person-centred supports.
Recommendations as to which applications should receive funding were based on a detailed and independent assessment process undertaken by Pobal. Pobal awarded scores (out of 100) for all applications, with scores being assigned to each proposal based on a weighted marking system linked with the schemes evaluation criteria as follows:
- Meeting the programme/ measure priorities (40%)
- Need for the proposal (20%)
- Capacity of the organisation (20%)
- Value for money (20%)
The assessment process was based on the materials provided by the applicant as to how they proposed to address the objectives of the scheme in line with the award criteria, as set out above. This process was based entirely on the quality of the application and this applied irrespective of where the application originated.
Therefore, the likelihood that an application based in an individual county would receive funding was based on the number of applications from that county and on an objective assessment by Pobal of the quality of that application.
Only projects receiving a score of 60 or above were deemed by Pobal to be of sufficiently high standard to be recommended for funding. On this basis, of the 59 applications received Pobal recommended 27 projects as being suitable for funding; this represents some 46% of the proposals received.
The 59 applications were received from organisations in 22 counties. There were 13 counties in total for which only one application was received for example Donegal. Counties for which an application was received but could not be recommended for funding by Pobal include - Donegal, Carlow, Clare, Westmeath and Waterford.
It is also important to note that while some of the successful applications came from organisations that are headquartered or based in particular locations, some of the projects will be providing services beyond the particular location they are based in.
These recommendations were accepted as they were made by Pobal on the basis of the above objective criteria only, which were communicated to all applicants equally as part of the information campaign and programme materials.
Decisions as to funding were based entirely on the assessment and on the recommendation coming from the Pobal assessment process. Neither I, the Minister for State nor the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection had any role to play in deciding on individual recommendations under this completely independent assessment process.
It is important to note, that at the time of the launch of the ‘Ability’ programme, it was expected that funding for the programme would amount to some €10 million over a three year period. However, given the number and quality of the proposals received, enhanced funding arrangements have been put in place of €16 million to support all 27 projects recommended for funding by Pobal.
In addition to the above and in order to support the process, Pobal has put in place an appeals procedure for applicants who feel that decisions taken and procedures followed by Pobal in relation to its administration of applications was not applied fairly or consistently. Details of the procedure are on Pobal’s website (under “Useful Links”) at: https://www.pobal.ie/FundingProgrammes/Ability%20Programme/Pages/Ability%20Programme.aspx
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection continues through its nationwide network of Intreo offices and through the EmployAbility service (a specialist service that has been designed to support people with disabilities – which is delivered on behalf of the department by 23 companies located around the country) to offer a full range of supports and services to people with disabilities who wish to pursue their employment ambitions.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the deputy.
2427. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost in each of the years 2019 to 2023 of meeting the projected deficits in the social insurance fund; if those projected costs have been incorporated into the expenditure base for her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33204/18]
View answer2480. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the projected surplus or deficit of the social insurance fund in each of the years 2019 to 2023; if this surplus or deficit includes the extension of invalidity pension to the self-employed; if the surplus or deficit has excluded the cost of extending illness, jobseeker's and carer's benefit to the self-employed; if the cost has been factored into the expenditure base for her Department for deficit years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33203/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2427 and 2480 together.
The following table provides a forecast of the Social Insurance Fund position from 2019 to 2021, showing an operating surplus in each of these years.
|
2019 estimate |
2020 estimate |
2021 estimate |
|
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
|
Income |
10,848 |
11,416 |
11,970 |
|
Expenditure |
9,647 |
9,872 |
10,097 |
|
Operating Surplus |
1,201 |
1,544 |
1,873 |
Macro-economic data on employment and wage trends beyond 2021 are not available so it is not possible to estimate Social Insurance Fund income for 2022 and 2023.
The expenditure estimates for 2019 to 2021 include the ongoing cost of extending Invalidity Pension to the self-employed in these years. The estimates do not include the cost of any potential extension of Illness Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit or Carer's Benefit to the self-employed.
The above estimates will be revised to take account of the latest trends in the run up to Budget 2019.
2428. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools participating in the school meals programme; and the number of children benefiting in this regard. [33326/18]
View answer2429. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools participating in the school meals programme, by county, in tabular form. [33327/18]
View answer2578. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools in receipt of payments under the school meals programme; the number of pupils that benefited; the number of schools in DEIS not utilising the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35235/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2428, 2429 and 2578 together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting up to 250,000 children at a total cost of €54 million in 2018 representing an increase of €6.5 million over the previous year. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
In recent years priority for new applications for funding had been given to schools which are part of the DEIS programme. In the 2017/2018 academic year there were 49 DEIS schools not participating in the scheme. These schools have been contacted again and invited to participate in the scheme for the coming academic year.
There are two schemes operated under the school meals programme. The first scheme is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects. The second is the urban school meals scheme which is operated by local authorities in some 300 schools and part-financed by the Department.
The number of schools and organisations by county participating in the school meals programme is provided in the attached tabular statement.
Table 1: Number of schools & organisations benefitting from the School Meals (Local Projects) Scheme in the 2017/2018 academic year by county
Number of schools and organisations benefitting from SMLPS in 2017/2018
|
County |
Number of schools |
Number of organisations |
Total |
|
Carlow |
26 |
5 |
31 |
|
Cavan |
17 |
12 |
29 |
|
Clare |
27 |
6 |
33 |
|
Cork |
89 |
25 |
114 |
|
Donegal |
142 |
9 |
151 |
|
Dublin |
284 |
83 |
367 |
|
Galway |
63 |
6 |
69 |
|
Kerry |
44 |
13 |
57 |
|
Kildare |
25 |
4 |
29 |
|
Kilkenny |
17 |
5 |
22 |
|
Laois |
14 |
2 |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
13 |
4 |
17 |
|
Limerick |
42 |
11 |
53 |
|
Longford |
19 |
2 |
21 |
|
Louth |
27 |
5 |
32 |
|
Mayo |
99 |
2 |
101 |
|
Meath |
18 |
1 |
19 |
|
Monaghan |
22 |
9 |
31 |
|
Offaly |
23 |
1 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
26 |
6 |
32 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
2 |
30 |
|
Tipperary |
43 |
9 |
52 |
|
Waterford |
22 |
8 |
30 |
|
Westmeath |
24 |
4 |
28 |
|
Wexford |
43 |
9 |
52 |
|
Wicklow |
17 |
4 |
21 |
|
Grand Total |
1,214 |
247 |
1,461 |
Table 2: Number of schools benefitting from the Urban School Meals Scheme in 2018
Schools benefitting from USMS in 2018
|
County |
Number of schools |
|
Carlow |
3 |
|
Cork |
31 |
|
Dublin |
219 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
|
Limerick |
14 |
|
Louth |
6 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
|
Waterford |
10 |
|
Wexford |
6 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
|
Grand Total |
307 |
Table 3: Number of schools benefitting from the Schools Meals (Local Projects) Scheme and the Urban School Meals Scheme in 2018
Number of schools and organisations benefitting from SMLPS & USMS with duplicate removed where schools benefit from both schemes.
|
County |
Number of schools |
Number of other organisation |
Total |
|
Carlow |
27 |
5 |
32 |
|
Cavan |
17 |
12 |
29 |
|
Clare |
27 |
6 |
33 |
|
Cork |
93 |
25 |
118 |
|
Donegal |
142 |
9 |
151 |
|
Dublin |
376 |
83 |
459 |
|
Galway |
63 |
6 |
69 |
|
Kerry |
46 |
13 |
59 |
|
Kildare |
25 |
4 |
29 |
|
Kilkenny |
19 |
5 |
24 |
|
Laois |
14 |
2 |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
13 |
4 |
17 |
|
Limerick |
45 |
11 |
56 |
|
Longford |
19 |
2 |
21 |
|
Louth |
30 |
5 |
35 |
|
Mayo |
99 |
2 |
101 |
|
Meath |
19 |
1 |
20 |
|
Monaghan |
22 |
9 |
31 |
|
Offaly |
23 |
1 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
26 |
6 |
32 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
2 |
30 |
|
Tipperary |
45 |
9 |
54 |
|
Waterford |
26 |
8 |
34 |
|
Westmeath |
24 |
4 |
28 |
|
Wexford |
47 |
9 |
56 |
|
Wicklow |
20 |
4 |
24 |
|
Grand Total |
1,335 |
247 |
1,582 |
2430. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there is discretion which can be exercised in a case (details supplied); if not, if there is an appeals process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33342/18]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children at a total cost of €54 million in 2018 representing an increase of €6.5 million over the previous year. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
In recent years priority for new applications for funding had been given to schools which are part of the DEIS programme. The Department was a member of the Inter-Departmental Advisory Group for the Review of the DEIS Programme undertaken by the Department of Education and Skills (DES), following which DEIS Plan 2017 was published in February 2017. The Plan sets out targets and actions aimed at improving the educational outcome for pupils at greatest risk of not reaching their full potential by virtue of their socio-economic circumstances.
Some 240 additional schools, including DEIS and non-DEIS schools, were identified to receive support under the school meals scheme from September 2017 in consultation with DES, which has developed a more robust and responsive framework for assessing individual schools levels of concentrated disadvantage as part of this process.
In 2018 the Department liaised with DES with a view to including additional non-DEIS schools in the scheme, deemed in need of support under the school meals programme, from September. The individual schools were contacted and invited to participate in the scheme.
The Department has no record of receiving an application from Kilmallock Community Childcare Services Ltd., T/A Abbey Kids. However, as the organisation is not a school, regrettably, they cannot currently be considered for funding under the school meals scheme at this time.
The school meals (local projects) scheme is a non-statutory scheme and is not covered under social welfare legislation. It is one of a number of social welfare schemes which operates on an administrative basis. Administrative schemes are not appealable under social welfare legislation. To extend the scheme to crèches such as Kilmallock Community Childcare Services Ltd. could only be considered in the overall budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
2431. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a carer's benefit payment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33413/18]
View answerCarer's benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention.
An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 2 May 2018.
The application was awarded to the person concerned on 20 July 2018 and the first payment will issue to her nominated Post Office on 26 July 2018.
Arrears of benefit due from 12 April 2018 to 25 July 2018 have also issued.
The person concerned was notified of these details on 20 July 2018.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
2432. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of a 50% increase in payments made to those are resident in direct provision. [33684/18]
View answer2433. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of doubling the payments made to those that are resident in direct provision. [33738/18]
View answer2434. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the weekly allowance for asylum seekers living in direct provision to €38.74 for adults and €29.80 for children in line with the recommendations of the McMahon report. [33763/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2432 to 2434, inclusive, together.
Ireland has opted in to the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive with effect from 30 June 2018. As a result, direct provision allowance is being renamed daily expenses allowance. The Government has provided over €5.6 million for the allowance in 2018. This payment is administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality and is paid to applicants for international protection who live in the direct provision system where they are provided with full board accommodation and other facilities/services.
The allowance is currently paid at the rate of €21.60 per week per adult and child. There are approximately 3,700 adults and 1,560 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom the allowance is being paid.
The additional full-year cost, based on the current numbers, of increasing the weekly rate by 50% to €32.40 per week would cost some €2.95 million.
The additional full-year cost, based on the current numbers, of doubling the weekly rate to €43.20 per week would cost some €5.91 million.
The additional full-year cost, based on the current numbers, of increasing the weekly rate to €38.74 per week for adults and to €29.80 for children, in line with the recommendations of the McMahon Report on Improvement to the Protection Process, would cost some €3.96 million.
Any increases to the rate of this allowance would have to be approved by Government and considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
2435. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of prosecutions which the State took against those suspected of social welfare fraud in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; the number of appeals in relation to either conviction or sentencing taken by the State in relation to such cases; and the cost in pursuing these cases. [33842/18]
View answerMy Department takes criminal prosecutions against persons who defraud the social welfare system and against employers who fail to carry out their statutory obligations under social welfare legislation. This reflects the Department's specific obligations to ensure the welfare system operates in a fair and cost effective way and that public funds are used for the purposes provided by the Oireachtas.
Cases involving the detection of theft, impersonation, identity fraud or multiple claiming are sent to An Gardaí Síochána for investigation and for consideration by the DPP for prosecution under criminal justice legislation.
The table below sets out details of cases submitted by the department for prosecution under Social Welfare Acts and cases referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation and consideration by the DPP to prosecute under the Criminal Justice Acts.
TABLE: Cases referred for Prosecution /to An Garda Síochána 2014-2018 (to end June)
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 (end June) |
|
|
Cases referred by the Department for offences under the Social Welfare Act |
201 |
202 |
181 |
171 |
45 |
|
Cases referred by the Department to An Garda Síochána for offences under Criminal Justice Act |
115 |
151 |
160 |
130 |
51 |
|
Total |
316 |
353 |
341 |
301 |
96 |
The department has not appealed a sentence or conviction made by a court regarding a social welfare fraud case prosecuted under Social Welfare Acts in the period specified. The Department understands that the DPP has not appealed the outcome of any cases referred by it to An Garda Síochána to investigate for this period. The matter of costs relating to appeals does not arise where no appeals have been made.
I hope this information is helpful to the Deputy and addresses the issues raised.
2436. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a single parent that is paying a mortgage cannot rent an unoccupied room in their house to help assist in the payment of the mortgage in view of the fact if they do rent a room the equivalent of the income generated is removed from the social welfare payment; her plans to address the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32407/18]
View answerSocial welfare legislation provides that for social assistance schemes, such as jobseeker’s allowance and one-parent family payment, all income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant are assessable for means assessment purposes.
Accordingly, where an individual is renting part of their family home, the cash value of the rental income is assessed. However, such rental income is reduced by a range of deductions. These include:
i. a proportion of any mortgage interest paid by the claimant on the part of the property rented;
ii. a 15% deduction for voids (i.e. periods when the accommodation is vacant between lettings); and,
iii. if the rooms let are furnished, a 5% deduction for wear and tear..
In this regard, the cash value of any rental income is not assessed in full – at least 20% of such income may be disregarded. These arrangements are outlined on the Department’s website at the following link: http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Means-Assessment.aspx.
Fully disregarding all rental income would run contrary to the policy of ensuring that social welfare expenditure is targeted to those who need it the most. It could also potentially negatively impact on the incentive to work for working age recipients.
Any change to my Department’s means assessment policies would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
2437. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for illness benefit by a person (details supplied); when payment will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32490/18]
View answerThe person concerned applied for illness benefit from September 2011 but apart from the initial medical certificate no further medical evidence was received by my Department. However, my officials have recently been in contact with the applicant to discuss the application and to request further information which the person concerned has undertaken to provide.
Once this additional information is received the application will be processed and the claimant will be advised, in writing, of the outcome.
2438. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible for jobseeker's benefit or other social welfare entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32505/18]
View answerThe person concerned is not entitled to Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) as he does not satisfy the contribution scheme conditions. However he made an application for means tested Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) on the 18 June 2018 to the Department’s Intreo office in Carrick-on Shannon. The claim was disallowed on 21 June 2018 in accordance with Section 142(2)(b) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as the means of the person concerned exceeded the limit allowed based on his family circumstances. The person concerned has been advised in writing of his decision and right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
2439. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the expenditure incurred by her Department in respect of legal fees in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32525/18]
View answer2601. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount paid for external legal services in each of the years 2012 to 2017; the details of these payments; the companies that received the payments; the amount received by each company; the hourly rates that applied to each company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35397/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2439 and 2601 together.
The information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputies as soon as possible.
