Written answers

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Department of Social Protection

Social Welfare Code

7:00 pm

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is any data available to indicate the number of public sector workers currently in receipt of family income supplement; if he will provide an analysis of same by Department. [21914/11]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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There are currently approximately 24,250 people in receipt of a weekly family income supplement (FIS) payment, of which 2,600 are public servants. The number of civil servants who are receiving FIS is included in the figure for public servants. A separate breakdown for civil/public servants by department is not currently available, due to the way in which data is captured on the department's computer data base for FIS applicants.

Photo of Peter MathewsPeter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible for an Irish citizen who has emigrated to Canada to transfer his Irish company pension to his Canadian defined contribution registered retirement savings plan (details supplied); if not, if he plans to introduce legislation to permit this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21993/11]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Pensions Act provides that where a person leaves employment, their accrued pension entitlement can be preserved in the pension scheme of their former employer or transferred to an overseas arrangement that provides for retirement benefits.

Such a transfer can be made provided that the trustees of the scheme or the Personal Retirement Savings Account provider as appropriate, have satisfied themselves that the benefits provided under the overseas arrangements are relevant benefits within the meaning of section 770(1) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. Trustees and providers are required to obtain written confirmation to that effect from the trustees, administrators of the overseas arrangements to which the transfer is to be made.

The trustees of a pension scheme are required to provide full details of the rights and options available to a person on leaving the employment including the option to preserve pension benefits in the scheme or have a person's accrued pension rights transferred. A person can apply for a transfer payment within two years of termination of employment or longer if the scheme allows but before the preserved benefit becomes payable. Arrangements to make the transfer payment must be made by the scheme within three months of the application being received. Once the appropriate transfer payment is made, the trustees are discharged from any further obligation to provide benefits relating to the member's preserved benefit.

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a back to school allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21865/11]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The administrative arrangements for the 2011 back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme differ from those that applied in previous years. For this year, the majority of back to school clothing and footwear allowance entitlements were fully automated with no application form required from customers. Those customers who did not receive an automated payment are required to complete an application form that is available for download from www.welfare.ie or by texting "Form BTSCFA", followed by their name and address to 51909.

Processing has begun on the manual applications already received and it will take 4-6 weeks to process applications. In all cases a letter will issue to applicants informing them of the decision and, where payment has been awarded, when and where they can collect the payment. In the case of refusal of the allowance the procedures for review of the decision will be outlined to customers. Due to the large volume of applications received, information regarding the receipt or progress of individual applications will not be available until such time as the applications have been examined and a decision taken.

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