Written Answers Nos. 169-179
169. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if review and appeal will be arranged in respect of refusal of carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); if this parliamentary question will be taken as notice of appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16623/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 13 April 2016. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 9 June 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. If the person concerned wishes to have her application reviewed she should request this in writing, setting out the reasons that she is dissatisfied and providing any available evidence supporting her case. A deciding officer will then review the case. If the outcome of any such review by a DO is to confirm the original decision, the person in question will retain the right to appeal the decision to the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO) for 21 days after notification of that outcome.
If the person concerned wishes to appeal to the SWAO, she should write to that office stating her wish to appeal and clearly outlining her grounds.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
170. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when arrears of disability allowance is likely to be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16624/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability allowance arrears due were issued to the person in question on 31 May 2016.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a jobseeker's allowance will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16626/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned will receive their jobseeker's allowance payment on Monday, 20th June, including any arrears that are due.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to indicate determination to date in respect of entitlement to rent support in the case of a person (details supplied); if it is expected that the person must become destitute before availing of rent support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16628/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 78, Reference No. 8399/16, of 26th April 2016 and a further nine previous Parliamentary Questions relating to this case.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the availability of jobseeker's allowance and rent support in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16631/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobseeker’s Allowance has been awarded to the person concerned and payment will be available for collection next week.
Rent Supplement is currently in payment to the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedure to be followed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16632/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person in question has been in contact directly with my department regarding the options available to him whilst pursuing third level education. He indicated he may pursue a course with an Educational Training Board. A letter issued to the person in question confirming he may do so whilst remaining on disability allowance (DA).
If, however, the course is provided through Solas and a training allowance is payable, then DA will not be payable in conjunction with that allowance for the duration of the course. The person in question should get back in touch with my department to confirm the details of his proposed course as soon as those details are available to him.
175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if dental and ophthalmic benefit are available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16636/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to remains qualified for treatment benefits.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
176. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the process a person (details supplied) has to go through to obtain an Irish passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16381/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn Irish Passport is issued in accordance with the Passport Act 2008 and the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004. If the applicant has an Irish mother or father who was born in Ireland, then they can claim citizenship through that parent. Applicants will be required to provide a copy of the long form of the birth certificate and a copy of the Irish passport of the parent.
Where the applicant does not have Irish parents but has an Irish-born grandparent, they may apply to have their birth entered into the Foreign Births Registration system and be issued with an FBR Certificate. Once this certificate is received they can then apply for an Irish Passport. Details on the FBR application process can be found on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/citizenship/born-abroad/.
Non-nationals living in the State for an extended period can make an application to acquire citizenship via naturalisation. Decisions on applications are made by the Minister for Justice and Equality and further details on the process are on the Department of Justice and Equality website at www.inis.ie.
177. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the implementation of the Fresh Start agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16420/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra178. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his proposals, to have further meetings with Members of the Northern Ireland Executive and with other parties represented in the Stormont Assembly and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the implementation of the Fresh Start agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16421/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.
Full and timely implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement is a key priority for the Government and this is reflected by its inclusion in the new Programme for Government. The Government continues to work closely with all relevant stakeholders in this regard.
A quarterly review process, originally established under the Stormont House Agreement of December 2014, now also takes account of the Fresh Start Agreement. These review meetings track the progress on the implementation of these agreements. They are convened by the Irish and UK Governments with the appropriate participation of the political parties in Northern Ireland. The last review meeting was held on 14 January 2016 involving both the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I, as well as the leadership of the DUP, Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance. Following the completion of the election cycles, North and South, the next review meeting on the Agreements is currently being scheduled.
Overall, there has been a good start to the implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement with each administration undertaking the necessary work to fulfil its commitments.
Together with the Minister for Justice and Equality, I hosted a trilateral ministerial meeting on enhancing law enforcement co-operation on the island, as envisaged by the Fresh Start Agreement, in Farmleigh on 21 December 2015. This meeting, which included the two Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive, also launched the Joint Agency Task Force on cross-border crime.
Just before Christmas, the Executive appointed Monica McWilliams, Lord Alderdice, and John McBurney as its three-person Panel to develop a strategy on paramilitarism, as envisaged in the Fresh Start Agreement. The Panel’s report on the disbandment of paramilitary groups was published by the Northern Ireland Executive on 7 June. The Panel’s recommendations will now inform the development over the coming weeks of an Executive Strategy aimed at putting an end to the scourge of paramilitarism in Northern Ireland. In addition, the drafting of the necessary international agreement between the two Governments to establish a four person body to monitor progress on ending paramilitarism is also underway.
The Government is also meeting its financial commitments under the Fresh Start Agreement. Discussions at senior official level are underway with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding co-operation on infrastructure projects, including the A5 motorway, the Narrow Water Bridge and the Ulster Canal. The Government’s committed funding of €2.5 million to the North West Development Fund has been provided and will be matched by the Executive.
The Executive and the British Government are also proceeding with implementation of their respective commitments under the Fresh Start Agreement. The Executive signed off on the 2016-17 Budget last December and the Welfare Bill implementing the relevant provisions in the Agreement passed into UK law on 25 November 2015. The UK Treasury also recently approved the release of monies from the Stormont House Agreement funding to support integrated education.
The institutional reforms provided for under the Fresh Start Agreement have also been implemented, including the reduction in the number of Executive Ministries from 12 to 9 and the option for parties entitled to a place in the Executive to instead designate as part of the formal opposition in the Assembly. This option was taken up by both the UUP and the SDLP following last month’s election.
With regards to the establishment of a framework for dealing with the legacy of the past, as envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement but on which final agreement could not be reached during last year’s Fresh Start talks, the Government remains committed to the full implementation of these commitments.
Over the last number of months, officials from my Department have met with a range of victims’ groups from across the affected communities, to hear their perspectives on how best to establish the legacy institutions and to listen to their views on possible solutions to outstanding issues. These consultations proved very valuable and will inform my approach to seeking an agreement on the outstanding crucial issues, including finding the appropriate balance between information disclosure and safeguarding national security.
Since my reappointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have already had conversations with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and some party leaders on the urgency of now re-engaging on these outstanding issues. The recent developments in regard to the Kingsmill and Loughinisland massacres, as well as the new policing investigation being launched on the “Stakeknife” allegations, demonstrate once again how imperative it is to secure agreement on the establishment of dedicated institutions for dealing with the toxic legacy of the past.
In the weeks and months ahead, I will therefore be continuing my active engagement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the political parties with a view to securing an overall agreement on dealing with the legacy of the past which is vital both for individual victims and survivors and for society as a whole.
179. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider issuing a text and e-mail providing six months advance notice of a passport's expiry date to passport holders, given the huge backlog that occurs each summer and the problems persons have when they notice their passports are out of date. [16467/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs advised in the briefing on the passport applications process that I circulated to Members on 26 May, I am pleased to confirm that the Passport Service already offers a passport reminder service to customers. The reminder service, which can be accessed via the Passport Service web pages at www.passport.ie, sends an e-mail both three months and six months before a passport is due to expire to those who register. Registration simply requires passport holders to record their name, e-mail address and the expiry date of the passport.
It is possible to register a number of different passports (e.g. family members) using a single e-mail address. The reminder e-mail also provides details of how to renew the passport and where to obtain passport application forms.
It is in envisaged that as part of the future online application process for renewals (scheduled to launch in early 2017) that reminder notifications will automatically be sent to passport holders in advance of their renewal date.
