Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

622. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an interim payment can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39766/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The person concerned submitted an application for Disability Allowance on 13 June 2023. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that they were substantially restricted in taking up employment.

The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 11 September 2023 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

The person concerned can apply to the Community Welfare Officer for the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance if they are in need of financial assistance.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

623. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is her intention that foster carers be allowed to maintain a social protection stamp/credit while continuing their foster caring and not be required to fulfil the signing-on requirements for jobseeker's credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39770/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla.

More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State pension (contributory) system provides for a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculations of a payment rate.

Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker's Scheme or HomeCaring Periods on the same basis as other carers, and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for Homemaker's Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension (Contributory). They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years paid contributions.

I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system last September in response to the Pensions Commission's recommendations.

An important reform agreed by Government is enhanced State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. This will be done by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. Foster carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependent or dependents for over 20 years will also benefit from this important change. My officials are currently working to implement these reforms.

All jobseekers including those in receipt of jobseeker's credits only, are required to satisfy certain conditions, including being available for full-time work, genuinely seeking work and signing the live register to confirm their continuing eligibility for the scheme. If a person cannot attend the office at the allotted time they should contact their Intreo office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

624. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for clarification on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39795/23]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

627. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application (details supplied) will be processed; the reason that this process takes so long; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39838/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 624 and 627 together.

The Free Travel Scheme permits free travel on most CIE public transport services, Local Link, Luas and a range of services offered by some 73 private operators in various parts of the country for those eligible. The scheme is available to all persons aged over 66, and those under age 66 on qualifying payments, who are living legally and permanently in the State.

My Department carries out surveys, on a phased basis, of some 73 private transport operators participating in the scheme and new transport operators applying to join the scheme. Survey work was suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic for public health reasons, and because survey outcomes at that time, and in that operating environment, would not reflect free travel passenger numbers in normal times. The uncertainty around numbers opting to travel and the consequential lack of reliable survey data made it a difficult time for operators to participate in the scheme.

Since then, my officials have kept a record of those operators who contacted my Department with a view to bringing a new route into the Free Travel scheme, or re-surveying an existing route, until the survey process re-commenced. Surveys resumed in Q1 of 2023 and my officials are working to complete surveys on those transport operators who applied. These surveys are being conducted in date order.

My officials received correspondence from this transport operator on 3 July 2023, detailing his request to bring a transport route into the Free Travel scheme. On the same day, my officials responded outlining that the operator would be added to the list of travel operators requesting to join the Free Travel scheme and that it would be next year before my Department would in a position to start the surveying process for this route to join the scheme.

On the 8 September, my officials received a further request from this operator to bring a second route into the Free Travel scheme. My officials responded acknowledging the request to bring both routes into the scheme and indicating that they will be in touch with them in due course with details of the survey process.

My officials will be in contact with this operator when they are in a position to begin the Free Travel survey process.

I trust this clarifies matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at further or higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist social welfare recipients to improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment. The Government has provided €49.08 million for the scheme in 2023.

A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the Back to Education Allowance scheme must satisfy certain conditions including being in receipt of a qualifying payment for a specified time, which is 3 months for further level courses and 9 months for higher level courses.

The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant, payable by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Science, is the primary support for people pursuing further and higher education. This grant offers funding to eligible students, from school leavers to mature students returning to education who are taking approved courses.

The Back to Education Allowance scheme is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the higher education system.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income. People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.

I have already reduced the qualifying period for Fuel Allowance for those on Jobseekers Allowance from 15 months to 12 months for the 2022/23 Fuel Allowance season.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

628. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39881/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 19 May 2023.

It is a condition for receipt of CA that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required. The person concerned failed to provide information to determine if their means were below the statutory limit.

As the requested information was not supplied, it was decided that the person concerned was not entitled to CA.

The person concerned was notified on 29 June 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal. The person concerned has requested a review of this decision.

Additional information in relation to the person’s means and employment was requested by a deciding officer on 12 September 2023.

Once this information is received, the review will be further examined, and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

629. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the review of payments to a person (details supplied) will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39882/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

The person concerned has been in receipt of half-rate CA since 27 August 2015 as they were also in receipt of a primary payment in their own right from this Department. Following a request to review the rate of CA, it was decided that the person concerned was entitled to full rate CA from 23 February 2023 as their primary payment ceased on 22 February 2023.

The CA claim for the person concerned was updated and the first CA payment at full rate issued to their nominated post office on 16 March 2023. Arrears due from 23 February 2023 to 15 March 2023 issued to their nominated post office on 16 March 2023. The person concerned was notified on 15 March 2023 of this outcome and of their right of review and appeal.

I can confirm that my department received an application for Disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 16 March 2023. The person concerned was awarded DA with effect from 22 February 2023 at a rate of €181.50 as they had means assessed of €323.96. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 23 June 2023. The first payment was made by their chosen payment method on 7 July 2023.

Where a person satisfies the conditions for carer's allowance and is in receipt of another social welfare payment, excluding unemployment payments or supplementary welfare allowance, half rate carer's allowance is payable alongside their existing payment.

As the person concerned was awarded DA from 22 February 2023 their CA claim was re-rated to half rate from that date.

The DA arrears were reduced for amounts received from CA, in excess of their entitlement. Net arrears of DA of €330.00 due from 22 February 2023 to 28 June 2023 issued to the person concerned on 6 July 2023 by her chosen payment method. A letter notifying her that arrears would issue was sent to her home address on 6 July 2023.

The arrears for this period were calculated as follows:

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.