Written Answers Nos. 231-245
231. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule to include sale price and location of school buildings that her Department has disposed of in the past 50 years to date in 2022. [36874/22]
View answerTraditionally, school buildings are owned by the school patron. In general, this may be a diocese or religious congregation. Prior to 1999 when a decision was taken for the Minister for Education to acquire sites for schools the main schools owned by the Minister for Education were in the Community and Comprehensive school sector.
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. Officials from my Department will make contact with the Deputy’s office to discuss how this request may be progressed.
232. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education when the construction of the new school (details supplied) in Roscrea will commence. [36878/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Tipperary Education and Training Board (TETB).
I am pleased to confirm that a design team to deliver this project has been appointed by the ETB. The Design Team will now begin preparing the Stage 1 report (preliminary design).
The Design Team will ensure that the project progresses through the design stages, obtains the necessary statutory planning permission, and moves onward to tender and construction in due course.
It is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project at this early stage.
233. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the reason that a DEIS appeal by a school (details supplied) has been unsuccessful; the details of the analysis process that was undertaken in reaching the decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36938/22]
View answerIn March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to the Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to a total of in the region of €180million. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. This model uses information from my Department's enrolment databases and the Pobal HP Deprivation index. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The extension of the DEIS programme to additional schools follows intensive work by the DEIS technical group, which involved valuable input from stakeholders. The refined DEIS identification model builds on the objectivity and fairness of the 2017 version, but now captures a greater breadth of disadvantage and accounts for severity of disadvantage through the application of a weighted process. It also takes into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and of students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. The DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources at those schools with the highest concentrations of students who are at risk of educational disadvantage.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed.
All appeals submitted have now been processed by my Department and schools have been notified of the outcome.
The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants and the results are final. My Department will continue to support schools to deliver high quality, inclusive teaching and learning to students and young learners.
The details of the Appeals process is outlined in Circular 0019/2022 which can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/
It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my Department’s vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, my Department recognises that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this, and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders and will consider information provided by schools in correspondence following the application of the refined DEIS identification model.
In addition to this, following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index when available can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
234. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to matters raised in correspondence from the principal of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the steps that she plans to take to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36952/22]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that a technical inspection was carried out on the school to which she refers. The purpose of the inspection was to assess the school's Emergency Works Application to remove Asbestos Containing Material from tiles within their building. The school were advised to arrange a Management Asbestos Survey (MAS), and the scope of work was agreed upon with the possibility of increasing the scope which would be dependent on the findings of the specialist Management Asbestos survey. After completing the Management Asbestos Survey report, the school's consultant forwarded a copy of the report which contained a revised cost breakdown of the works. The Department's technical team have been reviewing this as a priority and the Emergency Works team will be in contact with the Principal as soon as possible to discuss the outcome.
Regarding a separate Emergency Works Application for Universal Access Works, the Department recommends that the scope of works are revised and extended to include additional works as per the Department's Technical Guidance Documents. The Emergency Works team will be in contact with the school shortly outlining the recommended additional works required.
235. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlement to an interim social welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); if they are entitled to jobseekers benefit in the interim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36779/22]
View answerJobseekers Benefit has been awarded for the person concerned at the rate of €208.00 per week. Notification has been sent to the customer concerned on 04/07/2022. The person concerned will receive their first payment on 07/07/2022 at their chosen post office.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlement to an interim social welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); if they have an entitlement to jobseekers benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36781/22]
View answerThe person concerned has no Jobseekers Benefit claim open with the Department. Once the person concerned has made a claim application for Jobseeker's Benefit, with relevant supporting documentation, the application will be processed in a timely manner.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
237. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for an interim social welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); if they have an entitlement to jobseekers benefit and allowance in the interim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36783/22]
View answerJobseekers Benefit has been awarded from 04/07/2022 at €208.00 per week for the person concerned. First payment will issue on 13/07/2022 to the selected post office for the person concerned. The decision letter was issued 04/07/2022 confirming payment to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
238. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for the invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); when the application is likely to be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36791/22]
View answerThe person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 02 June 2022 and will receive his first payment to his nominated bank account on 21 July 2022. Any arrears due from 02 June 2022 to 20 July 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 05 July 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
239. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if a pension application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36817/22]
View answerAccording to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 14 December 2021. He was awarded the maximum weekly rate of SPC which is currently €253.30.
An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.
Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is payable. Where their weekly means are over €100 and not more than €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment. The weekly means were assessed as €393.42 which exceeded the statutory limit.
Following the receipt of further information, the claim was reviewed. An Increase for the Qualified Adult allowance was awarded, from 14 December 2021, at a weekly rate of €119.70. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 05 July 2022.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
240. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review will be carried out on widow’s pension (details supplied). [36828/22]
View answerEntitlement to Widow(er)’s or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension (WSCPCP) is based on the social insurance record of either the applicant or their deceased spouse or civil partner.
In order to qualify for a maximum rate pension a person must have a yearly average of 48 weeks social insurance contributions paid before the death of their spouse or civil partner. The late spouse of the person concerned did not have sufficient social insurance contributions paid. The person concerned has a yearly average of 35 weeks social insurance contributions based on her own record, which entitles her to a weekly pension rate of €207.80. The maximum rate for a person under age 66 is currently €213.50.
In addition to her widows' contributory pension, the person concerned is in receipt of a fuel allowance. The fuel allowance is paid during the winter months.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, an Additional Needs Payment may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own weekly income. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis by the local Community Welfare Service staff in my Department.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
241. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36831/22]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
My Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on these payments to carers in 2022 is estimated to exceed €1.5 billion.
Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment awarded to those carers who are caring for certain people whose needs are such that they require full-time care and attention. The projected expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2022 is approximately €990 million.
There are a number of basic principles which underpin the social welfare system, one of which is the general principle of one person, one payment, which applies across the social welfare system. Generally, people qualifying for two social welfare payments receive the higher payment for which they are eligible.
There are a limited number of exceptions to the general principle of one person, one payment. In 2007, a new Half-rate Carer’s Allowance was introduced for certain people with another social welfare entitlement. This had been a particular concern to people in receipt of a social welfare payment when they became carers. The issue was highlighted by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs in its Report on the Positions of Full-time Carers (2003). In order to address these concerns, reforms in this area were provided for in Budget 2007. Under the new arrangements, people in receipt of certain social welfare payments other than Carer’s Allowance or Benefit who are providing full-time care and attention can retain their main payment and receive another payment, depending on their means, the maximum of which is equivalent to a half-rate Carer’s Allowance. Therefore, a person who may have an underlying entitlement to another social welfare payment - such as the State Pension - can transfer to that payment and continue to receive up to a half-rate Carer’s Allowance. These arrangements apply to almost all weekly social welfare payments and to people in receipt of an increase for a qualified adult. Recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit are not eligible given the jobseeking nature of these payments.
In addition, the annual Carer’s Support Grant is available to family carers providing full-time care and assistance regardless of means. This is not available for any other group. Despite the extra financial demands due to the Covid-19 crisis, in Budget 2021, I increased the Carer’s Support Grant by €150 to its current rate of €1,850. This is the highest rate since its introduction. The estimated spend on this grant in 2022 is over €262 million.
In acknowledgement of the crucial role that family carers play in our society, I introduced a number of measures as part of Budget 2022 in relation to supports provided by my Department for carers. These include the following changes to the Carer's Allowance means test which took effect last month:
- An increase in the Capital/Savings disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €20,000 to €50,000.
- An increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €332.50 to €350 a week for single carers and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
In addition, I announced the following changes also benefitting carers which came into effect in January:
- €5 increase in maximum rate of all core weekly payments, including carers.
- €3 increase for qualified child dependants aged 12 and over and €2 for those up to age 12, in all core weekly payments.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance is now paid for children who go into hospital for up to 6 months (formerly 3 months). The payment of Carer’s Allowance where applicable, also continues to be paid in respect of children who go into hospital for 6 months.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by this Department under review and will ensure that consultations with carers' representative groups continue so that the overall objectives of the carer income support schemes provided are met. However, to pay full-rate Carer's Allowance along with another social welfare payment, as proposed, would involve significant additional expenditure and could only be considered in an overall Budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
242. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a query (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36832/22]
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, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.
My Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance under the Household Benefits scheme at an estimated cost of €203 million in 2022. This is paid at a rate of €35 per month, 12 months of the year.
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. Therefore, to receive the fuel allowance a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment from my Department and also have satisfied a means test.
Any decision to remove the means test qualifying criteria for fuel allowance for those who are in receipt of the State Pension Contributory would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
As part of the overall welfare budget package of €600m in increases I secured for 2022, I was pleased to be able to increase the Fuel Allowance payment by €5 per week effective from Budget night and to increase the weekly income threshold for Fuel Allowance by €20. In addition, further lump sum payments of €125 and €100 were made in March and May of this year respectively to Fuel Allowance recipients. These measures are better targeted at those most at risk of fuel poverty.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs. If a recipient of a social protection or HSE payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which he/she is unable to meet out of household income, that person may apply for a heating supplement. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. Heating supplements are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Under the SWA scheme, Additional Needs Payments may also be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost, which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress, if any, that has been made in attempting to have funds recovered following a transfer to an incorrect account in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36840/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the person concerned provided incorrect bank details when she made an application for Illness Benefit.
My Department's Accounts Branch made efforts to have the money refunded from the recipient bank but unfortunately this approach was unsuccessful. The Illness Benefit section subsequently tried to contact the company involved by phone but were unable to get in touch with an individual who had authority to deal with the refund of the monies involved. The Illness Benefit section subsequently wrote to the company seeking to make arrangements to have the monies returned to the Department so that same can be re-issued to the person concerned. In the absence of a response to the initial letter a further letter issued last week.
I am aware that this matter needs to be resolved; however taking all of the above into account I am satisfied that the Department is making all reasonable efforts to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
244. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for social welfare assistance claims that were granted and refused, granted on review, granted on appeal by scheme in the last available year for which figures are available in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36869/22]
View answer245. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for social welfare benefit claims that were granted and refused, granted on review, granted on appeal by scheme in the last available year for which figures are available in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36870/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.
My Department does not distinguish between claims awarded following registration, claims awarded and subsequently disallowed or on claims that are awarded following review. Detailed information on claims awarded, claims rejected, claims withdrawn and total claims registered are available in the Annual Statistics report at www.gov.ie/dsp/statistics.
Claims awarded on appeal are managed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office which functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and approximately 2% are appealed.
There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person.
Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the person concerned as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the person concerned in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.
Table 1 below shows the outcome of appeals finalised by assistance scheme in 2021.
|
Allowed |
Partially Allowed |
Revised Decision |
Disallowed |
With drawn |
Total |
|
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments |
181 |
40 |
233 |
577 |
144 |
1,175 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means |
65 |
33 |
141 |
506 |
146 |
891 |
|
Jobseeker’s Transitional |
11 |
6 |
20 |
38 |
18 |
93 |
|
Farm Assist |
6 |
4 |
12 |
41 |
9 |
72 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
56 |
10 |
56 |
98 |
29 |
249 |
|
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory) |
1 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
12 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
182 |
27 |
121 |
486 |
70 |
886 |
|
Disability Allowance |
2,611 |
101 |
643 |
2,178 |
42 |
5,575 |
|
Blind Pension |
0 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
0 |
17 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
886 |
95 |
519 |
1,743 |
24 |
3,267 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
533 |
25 |
484 |
338 |
5 |
1,385 |
|
Working Family Payment |
106 |
10 |
610 |
300 |
95 |
1,121 |
|
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory) |
3 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
- |
16 |
Table 2 below shows the outcome of appeals finalised by benefit in 2021.
|
Benefit |
Allowed |
Partially Allowed |
Revised Decision |
Disallowed |
With drawn |
Total |
|
State Pension (Contributory |
29 |
7 |
58 |
241 |
9 |
344 |
|
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory) |
5 |
2 |
11 |
38 |
5 |
61 |
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit |
96 |
93 |
242 |
562 |
109 |
1,102 |
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit Over 65 |
11 |
- |
7 |
121 |
7 |
146 |
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit Self Employed |
3 |
0 |
4 |
14 |
4 |
25 |
|
Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment |
14 |
2 |
1,984 |
630 |
35 |
2,665 |
|
Deserted Wife’s Benefit |
3 |
- |
1 |
2 |
- |
6 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
4 |
3 |
21 |
30 |
1 |
59 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
3 |
2 |
17 |
14 |
0 |
36 |
|
Parent’s Benefit |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
42 |
- |
14 |
81 |
12 |
149 |
|
Illness Benefit |
33 |
10 |
433 |
202 |
49 |
727 |
|
Injury Benefit |
15 |
1 |
13 |
32 |
18 |
79 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
869 |
5 |
439 |
675 |
19 |
2,007 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
79 |
18 |
41 |
169 |
4 |
311 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
|
Medical Care |
- |
- |
1 |
2 |
- |
3 |
|
Carer’s Benefit |
58 |
3 |
97 |
119 |
4 |
281 |
