February 23 2010

Parliamentary Questions

• Delays in processing applications for habitual residency, job seeker’s allowance, medical cards and disability allowance
• Refusal of Social Welfare Payment
• Additional supports to job facilitators
• Increasing payments to carers
• Appeal under the Disabled Drivers Scheme
• Alternative models of care for young children with disabilities
• Control costs in disability sector
• Breakdown of rental tenancies
• SNAs employed in Dublin 15 primary and secondary schools from 2006 to 2010
• Change in level of resource teachers
• PQ replies from the NCSE
• Staff cuts at school in Dublin 24

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Delays in processing applications for habitual residency, job seeker’s allowance, medical cards and disability allowance

Deputy Martin Ferris (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will make a statement on the delays in processing applications for habitual residency, job seeker’s allowance, medical cards and disability allowance; and the steps she is taking to clear the backlog of applications.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): Firstly, with regard to the Deputy’s query on medical cards, this is a matter for the HSE. I have no role in the issuing of medical cards. The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that all applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme. The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes, including Jobseekers Allowance and Disability Allowance, with effect from 1 May 2004. For clarity, applications for habitual residency are not received in the Department. However, when an application for one of these social assistance schemes is received, the Deciding Officer has to be satisfied that the claimant is habitually resident in the state in addition to satisfying the other qualifying conditions for the particular scheme.

Jobseekers Schemes

As the House is aware, there has been a huge increase in claims for jobseeker’s schemes due to the downturn in the economy. The live register grew from 290,018 to 423,595 in the 12 months to December 2009 which has put a strain on services in our offices. The average processing time for claims decided in January 2010 was 2.15 weeks for jobseeker’s benefit and 6.82 weeks for jobseeker’s allowance. This is the average nationally — there are fluctuations between offices. Processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the claim, the availability of the necessary documentation from the applicant or their employer and in some jobseeker’s benefit cases, the need to request social insurance details from other EU countries. In the case of jobseeker’s allowance, as this is a means-tested payment, a means assessment has to be carried out. This may require a home visit by a Social Welfare Inspector. Some jobseeker’s allowance claims can be complex, particularly if there is property (other than the family home) or self-employment involved. Furthermore, all applicants for jobseeker’s allowance must satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition. In order to deal effectively with the increasing workload, the Department has tackled the issues in a number of ways. Additional staff, including investigative staff, have been assigned to our offices. In addition, six central decision making sections have been set up in Dublin City, Tallaght, Finglas, Carrick-on-Shannon, Roscommon and Sligo. Several process improvement initiatives have also been introduced to streamline the claims acceptance and decision process.

Disability Allowance

Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to certain people with a disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test. Because there are three elements involved in establishing entitlement, this can add time to the overall claim adjudication process. Delays can also arise if people applying for the allowance are not in a position to supply all the necessary information in support of their claim at time of application. In some instances, claims have to be referred to Social Welfare Investigators for means assessments which can be complex and take some time to complete. Measures introduced by the Department to address the efficiency of Disability Allowance claim processing include the review of existing processes and procedures with the objective of reducing delays in claim processing, the review of ongoing staffing requirements and the judicious application of overtime working.

Another measure to improve the claim processing time is an increase in the number of claims which are desk assessed for means purposes with only the more complex cases being sent to Social Welfare Inspectors for investigation. In addition, all claims are now being desk assessed by the Department’s Medical Assessors, which saves time and resources. The position regarding claim processing times over all schemes will continue to be closely monitored by the Department. Anyone who is under financial pressure while awaiting a decision on their claim for a jobseekers scheme or Disability Allowance may apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance, which is subject to a means test and other qualifying conditions.

• Refusal of Social Welfare Payment

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons who have been refused a social welfare payment on means test grounds in each of the past three years; the number of persons who were previously self-employed; the number of persons who have been refused a payment on the grounds of failure to comply with the habitual residential clause; the number of persons who have failed on medical or means grounds to qualify for carer’s or respite care allowance; the number of persons who have been refused child benefit; the grounds for such refusal; the number of persons who have been refused old age or widows or widowers pension; the most common ground for such refusal; the number of persons who have been refused disability or sick benefit allowances or payments; the number of persons from other EU member states who have been refused social welfare payments here on whatever grounds; the number of such states with which this country has bilateral social welfare agreements;

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): The statistical information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within the Department.

Ireland has Bilateral Agreements on Social Security with the UK, Austria and Switzerland. All three agreements are non-effective in so far as they have been superseded by EU Legislation following the entry of both the UK and Austria to the EU and an agreement between Switzerland and the EU that they would be covered by EU legislation in the area of Social Security. The Bilateral Agreement with the UK is still effective in so far as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are concerned as these Islands are not included within the scope of EU regulations on Social Security.

• Additional supports to job facilitators

Deputy Catherine Byrne (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the additional supports that have been given to job facilitators to deal with the increased demand for access to support;

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): The Department’s facilitators work with social welfare recipients of working age, including people in receipt of jobseekers payments, people parenting alone, people in receipt of disability welfare payments and people providing care, to promote participation and social inclusion. Facilitators work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes which will enhance the skills that the individual has and ultimately improve their employment chances, as well as help them to continue to develop personally. Facilitators develop individual progression plans with the customer. They are located throughout the country and are assigned to cover defined geographical areas. They work closely with FÁS and other agencies at a local level to identify and target appropriate education, training and development opportunities. In the current economic climate the demand for the facilitator service is elevated. Facilitators make every effort to contact all interested customers as quickly as possible. A formal targeted programme of activation was introduced under the National Development Plan (NDP). Under this programme, the Department actively selects cases for referral to facilitators.

21,500 cases were referred to facilitators during 2009. The facilitator service was enhanced under the National Development Plan (NDP) Social and Economic Participation Programme. 23 additional facilitators have been appointed since

September, 2008 (59 are currently serving) with a further 11 due for appointment. There are currently 59 facilitators in place. Clerical support for facilitators is provided centrally by Employment Support Services section. Facilitators have two funding streams available to them; the Activation and Family Support

Programme (AFSP) and the Technical Assistance and Training Scheme (TATS). The purpose of the AFSP is to enable the Department to assist local organisations and agencies to implement projects addressing the disadvantaged personal, social and economic circumstances of recipients of welfare payments and their families. Such projects are usually co-funded by the AFSP with other agencies or organisations. The provisional spend for 2009 is approximately €5m. Under the technical assistance and training scheme (TATS), a welfare recipient may qualify for a grant up to a maximum of €1,000. The grant is mainly targeted towards certain business start-up expenses of clients in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance scheme. This fund is designed to enhance the person’s prospects of succeeding in becoming independent of the social welfare system through support for training in the areas of starting a business, bookkeeping/accounts, preparation of business plans, marketing, literacy and computer training or assistance with the purchase of small items of equipment. Provisional spend for 2009 is approximately €3.5m. The number of facilitators in place, their workload, and the effectiveness of the service will continue to be monitored.

• Increasing payments to carers

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on increasing the payments given to persons who are caring for the sick and disabled due to the increase in cost associated with their care.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): Carer’s allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain older people or people with a disability with full time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit. Persons who are in receipt of carer’s allowance also receive the annual respite care grant, the household benefits package and the free travel pass. Carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit, as an income support for carers, is not designed to cover the medical or other care costs of the person for whom care is provided. In the majority of cases, persons who are being cared for will be in receipt of a payment in their own right (for example a state pension or disability allowance, or domiciliary care allowance for a child under sixteen).

• Appeal under the Disabled Drivers Scheme

Deputy Niall Collins (FF): asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of a person that has been refused upon appeal on an application under the disabled drivers scheme, they will be independently assessed by another body;

Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan): The initial application for a Primary Medical Certificate under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, is made to the Senior Medical Officer of the relevant local Health Service Executive administrative area. If the Primary Medical Certificate is refused, the person may appeal the refusal to the Medical Board of Appeal, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Rochestown Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. I understand the person appealed the decision of the Senior Medical Officer not to grant a Primary Medical Certificate and the appeal was subsequently refused by the Medical Board of Appeal. If the person wishes to apply again for a Primary Medical Certificate, the application to the Senior Medical Officer must be accompanied by a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner indicating that the practitioner has formed the opinion that the medical condition of the person concerned has materially disimproved since the previous application. I would point out that the medical Board of Appeal is independent in the exercise of its functions.

• Alternative models of care for young children with disabilities

Deputy Denis Naughten (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on the Trinity College Dublin report, a cost and outcomes analysis of alternative models of care for young children with severe disabilities in Ireland; if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied);

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): The HSE provided funding of €585,000 to the Jack and Jill Foundation in 2009 and will be happy to consider the report “There’s no Place like Home” as part of its engagement with the Foundation this year. Neither my Department nor the HSE were involved in the preparation of this report. I agree that, in general, children’s needs are most appropriately met and provided in the home, and that we need to ensure more efficient use of resources. However, many children availing of services provided by the Jack and Jill Foundation also avail of other disability services, and the report did not compare the respective costs of the home based care provided by the Foundation with the cost of similar services provided by the HSE. The current economic and budgetary position means we can only continue to fund new services by reducing costs and greater efficiency, including achieving greater integration of services provided by the statutory and non-statutory sectors. I should mention in this context that my Department is undertaking a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the health and personal services provided to people with disabilities. This review is part of the Government’s Value for Money and Policy Review programme. The review will focus, in particular, on the scope for achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness from the substantial resources expended on services for people with disabilities, and will support the future planning and development of such services. I can assure the Deputy that the issues raised in the Jack and Jill Report will be considered as part of that review.

• Control costs in disability sector

Deputy Finian McGrath (I): asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will support a matter (details supplied);

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): The HSE Estimate for 2010 requires the Executive to operate within tight spending parameters while meeting the objective of maintaining population health and access to services. The Minister is confident that the initiatives taken by Government to control costs will allow the HSE to maintain service levels next year. The Minister believes that building on the ambitions and achievements to date of the HSE, there is significant scope within the health system to achieve more through greater efficiency and effectiveness.

In relation to Disability, the HSE National Service Plan 2010 includes the following:

• Core disability service levels to be maintained at the same level as 2009
• Demographic Service Pressure funding for disability services to provide for a growth in demand for residential, day places and additional hours of personal assistant/home supports.
• Innovation funding to support the transition from institutions to person centred models of care in disability and mental health.

In the meantime, the Government is undertaking a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the health and personal social services for people with disabilities in Ireland. This review is part of the Government’s Value for Money and Policy Review programme for 2009 — 2011. This in-depth review will assess how well current health and personal social services for people with disabilities meet their objectives. The evaluation will focus on the current provision of disability services and explore the way forward for the development of services within a value for money and policy framework. It is expected that the review will develop proposals to achieve optimal effectiveness and efficiency within the existing substantial resources expended on health and personal services for people with a disability and also support the future planning and development of services.

• Breakdown of rental tenancies

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (FG): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the break down of all rental tenancies here by type (details supplied) from 1999 to 2009.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): Information on the number of local authority tenancies and thenumbers of households supported through the Rental Accommodation Scheme to end 2008can be found in my Department’s Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins which are available onmy Department’s website at www.environ.ie. Approved voluntary and co-operative housingbodies provide some 23,000 units of accommodation to meet the needs of various categoriesof tenants including older people, people with a physical or intellectual disability, the homeless,the elderly, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. Details of the number ofunits provided per year by the sector over the period 1999 to 2008 are also set out in theannual Housing Statistics Bulletins. Figures for 2009 will be published later this year in the2009 Bulletin.437 units had been leased under the long term leasing initiative up to the end of 2009.Information on activity under the long term leasing initiative — which first commenced in 2009 — will be carried in future Annual Statistics Bulletins. The rent supplement scheme is the responsibility of the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

• SNAs employed in Dublin 15 primary and secondary schools from 2006 to 2010

Deputy Joan Burton (L): asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants or full-time equivalents employed in Dublin 15 primary and secondary schools in the academic years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10; the number of special needs assistants or full-time equivalents employed in each of the schools (details supplied) in Dublin 15 in 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs assistants or full time equivalents employed in Dublin 15 primary and secondary schools is not readily available in the requested format. The number of wholetime equivalent Special Needs Assistants employed in each of the three schools named by the Deputy in September of the school year 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 is provided in the table below.

• Change in level of resource teachers

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resources teachers is less in September 2009 than it was in September 2008 on a county basis; the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resource teachers is greater in September 2009 than it was in September 2009 on a county basis; the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resource teachers was the same in September 2009 as it was in September 2008 on a county basis;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): …The general allocation system of learning support/resource teachers provides teaching resources to schools to enable them to cater for children with high-incidence special education needs. It is a matter for the individual school to use its professional judgement to identify pupils that will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers to schools to support children with special educational needs. The number of resource posts in individual schools change from year to year based on changes in the number and needs of their pupils. The number of whole time equivalent learning support/resource teacher posts at primary level in the current school year is 6,192. There were 5,842 posts in place in the 2008/09 school year. The level of detail sought by the Deputy in respect of each individual school would take some time to collate within my Department. My Department’s Teacher Allocation Section is currently focused on the initial work for the allocation of staffing for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time in the allocation process.

• PQ replies from the NCSE

Deputy Tom Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will intervene with officials at the special needs section, Trim, County Meath to enable replies to be obtained.

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency which is responsible for allocating special needs resources to schools in line with my Department’s policy. The NCSE has advised my Department that it will ensure that a response issues to the Deputy within the coming days.

• Staff cuts at school in Dublin 24

Deputy Joanna Tuffy (L): asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reconsider proposals to reduce staff at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24; if his attention has been drawn to the impact such proposals will have on the pupils and staff at the school;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is at present carrying out a review of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This is an exercise in identifying surplus posts which are in the system and which do not meet the current criteria — posts that have been retained when a pupil’s care needs have diminished or where the pupil has left. The NCSE has advised the school that it is to reduce the number of SNAs by four and that this should have been achieved by 19th February. The NCSE has also advised the school that it will not alter the level of teaching staff in the school for the remainder of the current school year. The NCSE is committed to engaging with the school authorities and all other relevant State agencies to manage the situation in the short term and to ensure a sound basis for staff levels in the interest of pupils. The NCSE has already met with the school and is arranging a further meeting. Without prejudice to the NCSE’s role in allocating resources, my Department has indicated to the NCSE that it is prepared to attend a meeting with the school if this is considered helpful. The NCSE has already offered to meet with any parents who may wish to meet with them. The Deputy is fully aware that I have prioritised the provision of special education supports to schools. This is a key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources, allocated in response to various historical factors, are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources it is essential that we ensure that public resources, both staff and resources, are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area. I am sure that the Deputy shares my concern to ensure that there is a consistent application of policy in relation to the allocation of special needs supports across the country. This is all that is happening at the moment. I can assure the Deputy that supports will continue to be made available to schools, including the school in question, in line with my Department’s policy.

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