Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

499. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the introduction of a standard means test that would apply across all arms of Government to avoid the current situation whereby persons have to complete multiple means test forms depending on the body they are applying to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13308/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department operates a range of means tested schemes and these schemes, including the means testing elements, are administered through a network of local and central offices.

In the case of means tested social assistance schemes, the vast majority of claimants are means tested only once. In a small number of cases, a second means test may be required if they apply for basic supplementary welfare allowance or rent supplement.

In 2010, DSP commenced work on a project to build an application to allow the capture and storage of means data for customers across 13 different means-tested schemes. The resulting application is known as the Means Assessment Object (MAO). The Department has now completed a further project to enhance the Means Assessment Object. This project has extended the functionality of the system in order to facilitate the capture of means data for a number of contributory-based schemes for the purposes of determining entitlements to additional allowances (e.g. Increases for a Qualified Adult or a Qualified Child) which have a means testing element.

Now that the functionality for the relevant schemes to use the MAO is in place, roll-out of the application will be undertaken to the additional business and scheme areas involved. The overall effect of this development is to ensure that once means data is captured in the MAO it is available for re-use by other scheme areas, thereby eliminating the need to provide similar information a second or subsequent time.

A second project, the Means Information Sharing Service (MISS), will provide the capability to allow for the electronic sharing and re-use of means element data as stored by DSP within the MAO with participating State bodies. Exchanges of data will relate solely to information on means and will assist participating bodies in providing a better service to customers, by reducing the number of times customers would be required to provide information on their means where possible entitlements are being assessed. This project has now developed a web service which is due to go into live use with one State organisation shortly. The feedback from this live test will inform the further development and roll-out of the service.