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[Deputy Joan Burton.] Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers generally dealt with on a chronological basis but if a person had an urgent need for a decision the matter would be expedited. Yesterday I launched a new scheme called partial capacity benefit. The scheme will provide an opportunity for people with medical conditions and assessed and deemed to have an employment capacity which is restricted when compared to the norm to avail of employment opportunities while continuing to receive an income support payment. The introduction of the scheme seeks to respond to weaknesses in the current structure of the welfare system, which categorises people only as “fit to work” or “unfit to work”. This does not reflect the reality for many existing welfare customers. The scheme will be open to people who are in receipt of invalidity pension or who have been in receipt of illness benefit for a minimum of six months. Following the introduction of the new scheme exemptions for participation in part-time work will no longer be available. Participation in the partial capacity benefit scheme will be voluntary. 324. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that an existing community employment participant who also receives illness benefit will continue to receive both payments if their CE participation is extended for a third year. [7871/12] Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Existing CE participants who have their contracts renewed after the 16th January 2012 will retain their social welfare payment provided they are continuously employed on CE from that date. This provision is subject to the standard CE participation limits and a final cut-off date for double payments of December 2014. All CE participants will receive a single payment only from that date. Job Initiative 325. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the ineligibility of one-parent family recipients for the JobBridge scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7888/12] Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals on the Live Register, in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors. The scheme is limited to individuals who are currently on the Live Register and have been in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit or are signing on for credits for at least 3 of the last 6 months. The eligibility to access the National Internship Scheme is based on the overall objective of labour market policy in ensuring a pathway to appropriate employment, training and education opportunities for those on the Live Register. It is important that as employment opportunities become available they are taken up by those on the Live Register. The structure for achieving this objective is through a reinvigorated National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) which currently provides the framework for engaging with the unemployed. Given the scale of the unemployment crisis, the key objective of labour market policy and of the NEAP will be to keep those on the Live Register close to the Labour Market and prevent the drift into long-term unemployment. This will ensure that Live Register members availing of activation measures such as the National Internship Scheme will, while retaining social welfare unemployment payments and a top up allowance of €50, get an opportunity to engage in the workplace, get work experience and so be in a position to avail of employment opportunities as the economy improves. For these reasons, it has been proposed as a matter of public policy that eligibility for the scheme be confined to those on the Live Register and in receipt of unemployment payments 468
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers or signing for credits for 3 of the last 6 months. As such, the policy objective is to prioritise scarce resources on those on the Live Register so as to increase their chances of leaving it thereby ensuring a reduction in Exchequer costs over time. My Department continues to monitor and review the operation of the JobBridge scheme including its eligibility criteria on an ongoing basis. The extension of JobBridge to those in receipt of One Parent Family Payments forms part of this broader review process. Individuals in receipt of a One Parent Family Payment may access a wide range of activation supports including the Work Placement Programme, which is designed to provide participants with valuable work experience, thereby improving their prospects of securing employment. Social Welfare Appeals 326. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal against a decision to refuse invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7892/12] Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that it has not received an appeal from the person concerned. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements. Question No. 327 answered with question No. 321. Social Welfare Benefits 328. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when the new rules in relation to social welfare payments for FÁS community scheme participants came into force; the category of participants affected by these rule changes; if she carried out any poverty impact analysis before making her decision in respect of these changes; the result of such an analysis; the relative poverty of the groups in question before these decisions were taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7911/12] Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): From 16th January 2012, new participants on Community Employment (CE) schemes will not be able to simultaneously claim their original social welfare payment and a Community Employment allowance, as per section 12 of the Social Welfare Act 2011. This measure affects those in receipt of the following payments commencing CE after that date: • One Parent Family Payment, • Deserted Wife’s Benefit, • Widow(er)s Pension, • Illness Benefit, • Disability Allowance, • Invalidity Pension, • Blind Pension. 469
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Appendix 4. Annual summary of Staph
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2007 2008 2009 2010 2011(Q1-3) †
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Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

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