Written answers
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Social Welfare Benefits
5:00 pm
John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the situation in relation to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and the reason financial assistance has been withdrawn. [19518/07]
Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) facilitates people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The scheme enables qualified people who have been getting a social welfare payment to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course. The scheme also provides an annual cost of education grant of €400.
To qualify for participation an applicant must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment and must be at least 21 years of age prior to commencing an approved course of study. People in receipt of disability related payments may access the scheme at 18 years of age. Similarly, lone parents and people in receipt of unemployment payments can qualify at 18 years of age provided they are out of formal education for at least 2 years.
The person concerned was refused for a weekly back to education payment as she was not in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study. Prior to approval for BTEA, she was signing for credits but was not entitled to or receiving a payment. In circumstances where an applicant for BTEA is not in receipt of a payment but is only signing for credited contributions they will not receive a weekly payment.
In the course of preparing this reply, my Department contacted the person in question. As she provided additional information indicating that her circumstances had changed, her claim will now be reviewed and my Department will make further contact with her as soon as possible.
John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the social welfare increases over the past 10 years; if data of fact and comparison can be outlined. [19532/07]
Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The following tables detail the increases in the weekly personal and qualified adult rates of social welfare payment across a range of social welfare schemes over the past ten years:
| Table 1: Long-Term Jobseeker's Allowance & Jobseeker's Benefit — Increases in personal and qualified adult rates of payment 1998-2007 | ||||
| Long-Term Jobseeker's Allowance & Jobseeker's Benefit Personal Rate | Weekly Increase | Long-Term Jobseeker's Allowance & Jobseeker's Benefit Qualified Adult Rate | Weekly Increase | |
| € | € | € | € | |
| 2007 | 185.80 | 20.00 | 123.30 | 13.30 |
| 2006 | 165.80 | 17.00 | 110.00 | 11.30 |
| 2005 | 148.80 | 14.00 | 98.70 | 9.30 |
| 2004 | 134.80 | 10.00 | 89.40 | 6.60 |
| 2003 | 124.80 | 6.00 | 82.80 | 4.00 |
| 2002 | 118.80 | 10.24 | 78.80 | 10.23 |
| 2001 | 108.56 | 10.16 | 68.57 | 8.89 |
| 2000 | 98.40 | 5.07 | 59.68 | 4.83 |
| 1999 | 93.33 | 6.81 | 54.85 | 2.54 |
| 1998 | 89.52 | 3.81 | 52.31 | 1.52 |
Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit replaced Unemployment Assistance and Unemployment Benefit, respectively, in 2006.
| Table 2: State Pension (Non-Contributory) — Increases in personal and qualified adult rates of payment 1998-2007 | ||||
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) Personal Rate | Weekly Increase | State Pension (Non-Contributory) Qualified Adult Rate | Weekly Increase | |
| € | € | € | € | |
| 2007 | 200.00 | 18.00 | 132.20 | 11.90 |
| 2006 | 182.00 | 16.00 | 120.30 | 10.60 |
| 2005 | 166.00 | 12.00 | 109.70 | 7.90 |
| 2004 | 154.00 | 10.00 | 101.80 | 6.60 |
| 2003 | 144.00 | 10.00 | 95.20 | 6.70 |
| 2002 | 134.00 | 12.74 | 88.50 | 11.43 |
| 2001 | 121.26 | 12.70 | 77.07 | 11.42 |
| 2000 | 108.56 | 8.89 | 65.65 | 9.53 |
| 1999 | 99.67 | 7.61 | 56.12 | 3.81 |
| 1998 | 92.06 | 6.35 | 52.31 | 1.52 |
The State Pension Non-Contributory replaced the Old Age Pension in 2006.
| Table 3: State Pension (Contributory) — Increases in personal and qualified adult rates of payment 1998-2007 | ||||
| State Pension (Contributory) Personal Rate | Weekly Increase | State Pension (Contributory) Qualified Adult (Aged 66 or Over) Rate | Weekly Increase | |
| € | € | € | € | |
| 2007 | 209.30 | 16.00 | 173.00 | 23.70 |
| 2006 | 193.30 | 14.00 | 149.30 | 10.80 |
| 2005 | 179.30 | 12.00 | 138.50 | 9.30 |
| 2004 | 167.30 | 10.00 | 129.20 | 7.70 |
| 2003 | 157.30 | 10.00 | 121.50 | 7.70 |
| 2002 | 147.30 | 12.71 | 113.80 | 12.10 |
| 2001 | 134.59 | 12.70 | 101.70 | 19.67 |
| 2000 | 121.89 | 8.88 | 82.03 | 5.97 |
| 1999 | 113.01 | 7.62 | 76.06 | 3.81 |
| 1998 | 105.39 | 6.35 | 72.25 | 1.94 |
The State Pension Contributory replaced the Old Age Contributory Pension in 2006.
Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will not be approved jobseekers benefit in view of the fact that their employment has ceased for the summer months. [19615/07]
Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There is no record in the Department of a current jobseeker's allowance or benefit claim from the person concerned. An application form has been issued to him.
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