Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 117: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her recent proposals to assist lone parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3254/09]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 133: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 11 of 11 November 2008, the progress that has been made by her Department in implementing the Government proposals for supporting lone parents, in particular the introduction of a new income support payment for low income parents, whether living alone or with a partner with young children; when she expects to introduce this new payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3329/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 133 together.

The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals to tackle obstacles to employment for lone parents and other low income families. These included proposals for the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents, focused provision of childcare and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children.

Any proposed new payment cannot be introduced without co-ordinated supports and services being put in place by other Departments and Agencies. The Senior Officials Group on Social Inclusion is working on an implementation plan to progress the non-income recommendations.

Issues including access to childcare support, education, training and activation measures are being discussed with the relevant Departments and Agencies in tandem with the development of a new payment scheme.

To further inform the process, the Department, with the co-operation of FÁS, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education and Science, tested the proposals in both an urban and rural setting: Coolock, Dublin and Kilkenny. These studies were carried out to facilitate the development of the policy and operational details of the new scheme. The process involved both lone parents and qualified adults. It was carried out on a voluntary basis and the take-up was low.

The experience has however highlighted how both lone parents and qualified adults are not a homogenous group, are of different ages, have experienced different routes into their current situation and have different needs. Educational levels of those who participated were generally low, there was little or no engagement with FÁS, some participants intended to return to full or part-time work when their child was a few months old; others, however, had been out of the work force for a considerable period of time. Earnings from previous employment were generally low. For almost all of those intending to return to work, affordable childcare is a critical issue.

Officials in the Department continue to work on developing the proposed new income support payment and the experience of this engagement process is feeding into the development of our approach to working with lone parents and qualified adults.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 118: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of farm families benefiting from farm assist; if she is satisfied that farmers are aware that this scheme could benefit them; her views on whether it is fair that farmers should be questioned by a social welfare inspector who advised them to apply for farm assist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3332/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are 7,538 claimants on the farm assist scheme at present; of which 76 are new claims awarded since 1 January 2009. The average weekly payment is €219.60. There has been a steady decline in uptake of the farm assist scheme. This is due to the significant increase in off-farm employment in recent years and the take up of the Rural Social Scheme which is operated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and which also specifically targets low-income farmers.

The Department's information policy is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their entitlements and that they are kept informed of changes and improvements in schemes and services as they occur. Information on farm assist is provided through the normal channels including information leaflets and guides and through the Department's network of local and branch offices. Each Local Office has officers who are dedicated to providing information and are available to explain supports and services to people. This locally based service is supported by central Information Unit which operates a LoCall information line (1890 66 22 44) which customers may Call for information and guidance on their entitlements.

Staff of the department also attend exhibitions and seminars throughout the country promoting information on social welfare rights and entitlements. A stand was provided at the Ploughing Championships in Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny in September giving information on all schemes and services including farm assist. In addition, information on all schemes and services is available on the Department's webswww.welfare.ie. The Citizens Information Board, which comes under the aegis of the Department, also provides information through approximately 260 Citizen Information Centres and other outlets around the country, through a phone service which operates from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday, and the website www.citizensinformation.ie.

Farm assist has brought about significant worthwhile improvements for low income farmers, particularly for those with children, making a valuable contribution to supporting those who are at the lower end of the farm income spectrum. The Department will continue to promote and publicise the scheme in order to achieve and maintain maximum take up.

It is an intrinsic part of the role of Social Welfare Inspectors to provide information and advice on Social Welfare schemes and in this context, inspectors in rural areas actually facilitate the farm assist scheme.

Social Welfare Inspectors are also required to assess the means of applicants for farm assist and provide a report on the farmer's income to a Deciding Officer. The Deciding Officer makes a decision based on the Inspector's report. Any farmer who is dissatisfied with a decision given on a farm assist application may appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 120: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the target times that apply to the processing of jobseeker payments. [3230/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The target for jobseeker's benefit is that 85% of claims will be processed within 2 weeks. For jobseeker's allowance the target is 70% in two weeks. During December, 69% of jobseeker's benefit claims were decided within 2 weeks and 40% of jobseeker's allowance claims were decided within 2 weeks. However, these figures must be viewed in the context that there has been a 71% increase in the live register since December 2007.

During December 2008, a total of 24,052 jobseeker benefit claims and 11,685 jobseeker allowance claims were decided as compared with 10,235 and 5,875 respectively in December 2007 representing almost a 122% increase in the number of decisions made.

The existing performance targets for all schemes are currently being reviewed by the Department. As I outlined in the answer to the first priority question, the Department has taken a number of steps to improve processing times for jobseeker's payments. An additional 31 staff were assigned to 15 local offices following a review of the number of staffing levels in local offices in May and June last year.

Following a further review late last year, it was decided to put an extra 115 staff in place. 57 of these have already taken up work, while start dates have been agreed for a further 19 staff over the next two to three weeks. It is expected that all of the posts will be filled by late February. Appropriate training will be given to the new staff on their assignment to the local offices.

Four Central Decisions Units are also being set up in Dublin City Centre, Sligo, Finglas and Carrick-on-Shannon, each of which will have 10 staff.

In addition to this, a further 16 Social Welfare Inspectors are being assigned to various locations throughout the country to do means and other work associated with processing claims for jobseeker's payments.

This brings to 202 the number of additional staff being assigned to local offices and claim processing roles.

At the same time, the procedures and processes associated with claims for jobseeker payments are being reviewed and a number of process improvement initiatives are being implemented. For example, the Dundalk initiative I referred to earlier involves applicants for jobseeker's payments having their claims taken and decided upon during an appointment with a deciding officer.

Some 40% of jobseeker's applications are now being decided upon this way in the Dundalk office. Having been well-received by customers, this initiative will be extended to other offices on a phased basis.