Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
sponsor and will be subject to verification and agreement by the Department on a case by case
basis. Our Officers are currently working with Sponsors to this end.
Community Employment Schemes
310. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding
a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the
matter. [7684/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The person concerned started on a
Community Employment (CE) scheme in Cahirciveen in May 2011 and has eligibility for one
year on the scheme. The full allowance for training for CE participants, before the changes
announced in the 2012 Budget, was €500 per participant per year. The person concerned has
already received training to the value of €75 and has been approved for further training of
€380.
Social Welfare Benefits
311. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a
matter (details supplied) regarding small business contractors. [7687/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Self-employed people can apply for
the means-tested jobseeker’s allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as
a result of a downturn in demand for their services. Self-employed customers do not have to
de-register as self-employed persons in order to claim jobseeker’s allowance.
Legislation provides for the assessment of all income in cash and any non-cash benefits which
the person or his or her spouse may reasonably expect to receive during the succeeding year.
While accounts provide significant information, a means assessment is not based solely on
audited accounts. The income from the previous twelve months is used as an indicator of likely
future earnings but it is not simply assumed that the previous year’s earnings will be received
in the following year. Any circumstances that would be likely to lead to a significant variation,
either upward or downward, in the level of a person’s income from one year to the next are
taken into consideration.
If a self-employed person’s situation changes after they have made an initial claim for jobseeker’s
allowance, the person can apply to have his or her means reviewed in the light of these
changed circumstances. In addition, it is open to the individual to appeal to the Social Welfare
Appeals Office if he or she is dissatisfied with the level of means assessed.
Information on all social welfare entitlements, including supports for self-employed people,
is set out on the Department’s website — www.welfare.ie.
312. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons
in receipt of the living alone allowance increase; if she will provide a breakdown of recipients
by qualifying payment and age group; the amount this payment cost in 2011; and if she will
make a statement on the matter. [7699/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): At the end of December 2011 there
were 174,015 recipients of the living alone allowance at a weekly cost to the exchequer of
€1.34m. This equates to some €70m. per annum. More than 80% of recipients of the Living
Alone Allowance are aged 65 years or over and more than 30% are aged 80 years or over.
A breakdown of the recipients by scheme and age group follows.
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