AnRoinn Gn6thai Fostafochta agus Coimirce S6isialai Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Annual Report 2017 Contents
CHAPTER 1: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 5 The Department: Its Business and Organisation 6 Functions of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 6 The Department’s Mission 6 Scale of The Department’s Business 6 Organisation of the Department 7
CHAPTER 2: 2017 Performance 9 Expenditure 2017 10 Organisation 11 Organisations and Key Activities 2017 12 Recipients by Scheme 2017 13 Customer Satisfaction 14 Compliance and Anti-Fraud 15 Changes to Welfare Payments 16 Impact Assessment 17 Social Impact Assessment 17 National Social Target for Poverty Reduction 18 Distributive Impact of Social Transfers 20 Key Employment Statistics (2017) 20 Live Register Data: December 2017 21 Youth Unemployment Data December 2017 21 Other Developments 2017 21 Expansion of Remit 21 Changes in National Minimum Wage in 2017 (September to December) 22 Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund 22
CHAPTER 3: Strategic Objectives and Review 23 The Department’s Strategic Objectives 2017 to 2020 24 Objective 1 - Put the Client at the Centre of Policy and Service Delivery 25 Children 26 People of Working Age 30 Working Age - Income Supports 32 Working Age - Employment Supports 33 Illness, Disability and Carers 40 European Union (EU)/International Unit 55 Objective 2 - Drive Cost, Efficiency and Effectiveness 63 MyWelfare.ie 66 Financial Management 67 Objective 3 – Develop Staff, Structures and Processes 69
APPENDICES 77 Appendix 1 Organisation Structure 78 Appendix 2 Legislation Enacted in 2017 80 Appendix 3 Publications in 2017 81 Appendix 4 Ministers of the Department Since 1947 82 Appendix 5 Minister of States of the Department Since 1947 83
2 Annual Report 2017 | Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Foreword Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty T.D.
I welcome the publication of the Annual Report 2017 of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Since being appointed Minister in 2017, I am constantly self-employed. We are working to modernise our pension reminded of the Department’s significant and varied role. system while continuing to target resources at the most in It is the largest Department in Government with over need. 6,000 civil servants. We made progress on all of our priorities in Budget 2018. Each week, nearly 1.6 million people receive a social We increased the rate of weekly payments for 1.47 million welfare payment. These payments benefit almost 2.1 beneficiaries including pensioners, lone parents, jobseekers, million people, when qualified adults and children are carers, people with disabilities and widows. We increased included. Our Department spends approximately €20 the national minimum wage. We enhanced the JobsPlus billion a year on schemes and benefits for families and Recruitment Incentive to encourage employers to hire older individuals in our society. We have a lot to be proud of. workers. We extended the Fuel Allowance to 27 weeks and offered our customers the option of lump sum payments for To that end, through the wide range of services it the first time. provides, the Department impacts on the lives of almost every citizen in the State in the course of their life; from My focus is firmly on employment, pension reform, and child benefit to the State pension and every contingency reducing child poverty. I want to ensure that families are in between such as maternity, paternity, illness, better off in work than on welfare. My goal is to ensure that unemployment and redundancy. people are rewarded for working by reforming the PRSI system and reinforcing the contributory principle. As a Government, our top priority for the next few years is to remain prudent in our approach to the economy My specific goals for the coming year include pensions and public spending. As a Department, our priority is to reform, enhanced working conditions for unsecure workers, use our improved public finances for the betterment of more benefits for the self-employed, and reform of the our people – particularly those who need it most. Or, Gender Recognition Act. to use the words of our mission statement, we promote Since my appointment as Minister for Employment Affairs active participation and inclusion in society through the and Social Protection, I have been consistently impressed by framework of employment rights and the provision of the calibre and commitment of Departmental staff. I thank income supports, employment services and other services. them for their commitment, on behalf of the millions who benefit from their great work. This report shows the wide range of service and policy reforms implemented by the Department in the last year. Regina Doherty T.D. Minister for Employment Affairs and Social We have extended Treatment Benefits to the Protection
3 Annual Report 2017 | Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Foreword Secretary General John McKeon
This is the first Annual Report on the Department’s Statement of Strategy 2017 to 2020 and sets out the progress made during 2017.
The role of the Department and the demand for its services technology and ways of working but to enhance their existing continues to evolve. Most notably, during 2017, the service skills. I am very pleased therefore, at the significant Department was entrusted with the additional responsibility progress that has been made in developing and delivering for employment affairs including ten Acts of primary an accredited programme of education and development in legislation relating to protection of employment, minimum association with the National College of Ireland. 50 graduates wages (the Low Pay Commission) and the organisation two programmes received a certificate in Professional of working time. This transfer of policy responsibility Practice (special purpose award level 8), and Irish Institute for employment affairs reflects the close relationship of Training and Development (IITD) Certificate in Training which exists between welfare and work, builds on the and Development (level 6) on the National Framework of Department’s existing role in the provision of employment Qualifications in the provision of employment services. It is our services and is in line with how many States around the intention to make this programme of education available to all world allocate responsibility for the development and of our staff over the next five to seven years. administration of welfare and labour laws and services. This is my first report as Secretary General having been While our policy brief was expanded the heart of the appointed into the role at the end of July 2017. I would Department’s business is still the provision of customer like to extend my thanks to all of the staff, and Department services. In 2017 we developed and rolled out new services stakeholders, who have supported me over the past few to make it easier for customers to transact business with us. months. I would in particular like to acknowledge the excellent The new Paternity Benefit scheme, a modified Treatment leadership of my predecessor, Niamh O’ Donoghue. The Benefit scheme and the provision of customer statements are progress outlined in this report is a testament to her vision and now delivered largely through our online Portal – MyWelfare. leadership over the past seven years. ie. This portal has at the time of writing supported over 5,000 Finally, to include a message I have shared with all staff over paternity claims, over 1,000 maternity claims, and over 16,000 the past few months. I joined the Department nearly eight customer contribution statements. These developments were years ago having worked for many years in the private sector. recognised at the Civil Service Excellence awards where the I was immediately impressed not just by the quality of the provision of online customer statements won the overall prize staff but by their commitment to customer service, by their for Excellence in Customer Service. These new and improved personal investment, as public servants, in the work with services rely in turn on the rollout of the MyGovID system. which they were entrusted and their sense of ownership of the This is a system that was developed by the Department on a organisation in which they served. It was this staff commitment ‘whole of Government basis’ to support the safe and secure that sustained the Department during a period of ever authentication of a person’s identity when accessing valuable increasing workloads and expenditure reductions. It was this State services. A notable landmark in helping to secure and public service ethos that informed how the staff took on the assure a person’s identity for access to public services was major service and organisation challenges – for example the the issue over 3 million Public Service Cards by year end development of the Intreo service – that were essential not 2017. With this established customer base the Department just to ensuring service continuity but ensuring that the State can now move on to developing and offering online options could respond with agility to the challenges of the recession for all of its other services. This will be a major focus of years. This commitment is at least part of the reason why the the Department’s service agenda in the years ahead. levels of unemployment have fallen faster than anyone could Although online services are becoming an increasing part of have anticipated – why the Irish economic recovery has been our business operations, personal service, delivered by front- jobs-led rather than jobless. The staff of the Department can line staff, will always be core to what we do. We are very be proud of their work, as I am of them, and together we can fortunate in the calibre and experience of our staff but we look forward with confidence to the challenges that lie ahead. want to do more to help our staff not just to adapt to new John McKeon, Secretary General
4 Chapter 1 The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
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The Department: Its disabilities, carers and older people. In more recent times, the Department has expanded its remit to Business and Organisation provide a range of services to employers, and it has invested significantly in developing relationships Functions of the Department of with employers to position the Department Employment Affairs and Social Protection as their partner of first choice in relation to The Department supports the Minister for Employment recruitment and employment support services. Affairs and Social Protection in the discharge of The Department administers over 70 separate governmental, parliamentary and departmental duties. schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost The main functions of the Department are to: every person in the State. Key services include:
• advise the Government and formulate appropriate • payment of a wide range of social insurance social protection and social inclusion policies; and social assistance income supports such as jobseeker payments, illness benefit • design, develop and deliver effective and and disability payments, pensions and cost-efficient income supports, activation and supplementary welfare allowances, in addition employment services and provide comprehensive, to the universal payment of child benefit; accurate information to all of its customers; • integration through Intreo, employment and • work towards providing seamless delivery benefit payment services to ensure that the of services in conjunction with other payment of income supports to people who do Departments, agencies and bodies; not have a job is directly linked to the important • develop employment law and task of supporting people in their pursuit of labour affairs policy and; employment, training and education opportunities, in order to improve their life chances; • control suspected fraud and abuse in relation to social welfare payments. • provision of a range of employment supports, internship opportunities, Responsibility for employment affairs and guidance and placement services to help labour law, including the Low Pay Commission, jobseekers find and secure employment; was transferred to the Department with effect • delivery of a range of employer services including from September 2017 and subsequently, the recruitment services, online publication of job Department’s name changed from the Department vacancies, employment supports (e.g. wage subsidy of Social Protection to the Department of schemes available to people with disabilities) Employment Affairs and Social Protection. and redundancy and insolvency services;
• a range of community services to promote The Department's Mission social inclusion and provide a pathway to To promote active participation and inclusion employment for those who are unemployed; in society through a framework of employment • the development of appropriate and robust rights and the provision of income supports, policy in areas such as pensions, disability, child employment services and other services. income support, jobseekers and activation; and
• co-ordination of the implementation of Scale of the Department’s Business Government strategies for social inclusion under The Department serves a wide and diverse group the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion and of clients including families, people in employment, the Europe 2020 Strategy for Jobs and Growth. unemployed people, people with illnesses and
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Management Board of the Department of Social Protection 2017. Pictured back row, left to right are Joan Gordon, Kathleen Stack, John McKeon, John Conlon, Mick Bunyan, Oliver Egan, Tim Duggan, Teresa Leonard and Simonetta Ryan. Pictured front row, left to right are Helen Faughnan, Anne Vaughan, Níamh O’Donoghue and Patricia Murphy.
Organisation of the Department • The Department managed a network of 62 Intreo Centres. These provide services At the end of 2017, the Department had primarily to Jobseekers and single parents. a total of 6,730 staff serving (6,391 whole time equivalent posts) which includes • A range of service partners including Branch both permanent and temporary staff. Office providers, Local employment Services, Jobclubs, Jobpath providers, Community The Departments Organisation Structure is set Employment and Tús providers and out in Appendix 1. From a customer perspective EmployAbility companies. services are provided through:
• Centralised offices at various locations countrywide. These offices administer the Department’s long-term schemes, many of its short-term schemes, and also have a range of policy responsibilities. These include offices in Buncrana, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Longford, Roscommon, Sligo, and Waterford.
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Offices and statutory bodies under the • The Citizens Information Board (CIB) aegis of the Department include; Funded by the Department, the CIB is the national agency responsible for supporting the • The General Register Office (GRO) provision of information, advice and advocacy on The GRO is responsible for the registration of social and public services through the Citizens births, stillbirths, adoptions, marriages, civil Information Services (CIS), and for the provision partnerships and deaths in the State. Day-to-day of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service delivery of the Civil Registration Service is largely (MABS). The MABS service, in turn, provides provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE), Abhaile - a service to help homeowners find a through a network of local Civil Registration resolution to their home mortgage arrears. Service offices across the State. The GRO also • operates a genealogical research facility. The Pensions Authority This organisation provides information, • The Social Welfare Appeals Office regulation and governance in relation to This organisation is independently occupational and private pensions. responsible for determining appeals against • decisions on social welfare entitlement The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman This organisation independently investigates and insurability of employment. and rules on complaints and disputes • The Social Welfare Tribunal from individuals about their occupational This organisation is a statutory body that deals and private pension schemes in cases of with cases where entitlement to Jobseeker’s maladministration and financial loss. Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance is refused due to • an involvement in a trade dispute. Where a person The Low Pay Commission The principal function of the Low Pay feels that he/she has been unreasonably deprived Commission is, on an annual basis, to examine of employment because his/her employer refused and make recommendations to the Minister or failed to follow the negotiating machinery on the appropriate level of the national available for settling disputes, he/she may apply minimum wage and related matters. to the Tribunal for an adjudication on the matter.
• The Pensions Council This organisation provides advice to the Minister on matters of relevance to pensions, with a particular focus on policies to support the future sustainability and adequacy of pension provision.
8 Chapter 2 2017 Performance
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Expenditure 2017 schemes, services and administration. This allocation reflects projected trends in recipient The provisional outturn or total expenditure for 2017 numbers and payment values in 2018, as well as is €19.942 billion. the impact of improvements announced as part The 2018 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) provides of Budget 2018. The Department’s expenditure is for expenditure of €20.011 billion on all departmental spread across seven programme areas, as follows:
TABLE 1: Total Department Expenditure by Programme in 2017 and 2018
2017 Provisional 2018 Percentage of Total Outturn REV Estimate Expenditure in 2018 REV Administration €617,680,000 €629,200,000 3.1%
Pensions €7,386,723,000 €7,571,360,000 37.8%
Working Age Income Supports €3,598,328,000 €3,365,825,000 16.8%
Working Age Employment Supports €920,523,000 €823,485,000 4.1%
Illness, Disability and Carers €3,962,215,000 €4,163,220,000 20.8%
Children €2,621,329,000 €2,644,190,000 13.2%
Supplementary Payments, Agencies €835,595,000 €814,031,000 4.1% and Miscellaneous Services
Total DEASP expenditure €19,942,393,000 €20,011,311,000 100%
CHART 1: Percentage of Total Expenditure in 2018 Rev Estimate
4.1% Administration 13.2% 3.1% Pensions
Working Age Income Supports
Working Age Employment Supports 20.8% Illness, Disability and Carers
Children 37.8% Supplementary Payments, Agencies 4.1% and Miscellaneous Services
16.8%
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Organisation
TABLE 2: Staff Numbers - Full Time Equivalents
All Permanent Staff - by Grade Dec-15 Dec-16 Dec-17
Secretary General 1.00 1.00 1.00
Deputy Secretary 1.00 1.00 1.00
Assistant Secretary 12.60 11.00 9.00
Principal Officer 55.60 61.80 59.60
Medical Assessor 25.70 31.00 30.30
Assistant Principal 269.89 273.88 271.18
Administrative Officer 15.40 23.36 24.40
Higher Executive Officer 1535.51 1518.47 1495.67
Executive Officer 900.25 921.82 1477.77
Staff Officer 610.83 575.07 0.00*
Clerical Officer 2581.16 2575.87 2508.96
Service Grades 149.86 143.10 146.24
Total Permanent Staff 6158.79 6137.37 6391
* In 2017, the Staff Officer grade was amalgamated with the Executive Officer grade.
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Organisations and Key Activities 2017
TABLE 3: 2017 at a Glance
Budget Staff & Services
No. of Intreo 2017 allocation No. of phone €19,942 million 8,300,000 centres and 122 figure enquiries dealt with branch offices
% of gross voted public 37% No. of PSCs issued 680,000 No. of staff 6,391 expenditure
No. of Personal Public No. of separate Admin figure €617.6 million Service Number 180,000 schemes and Over 70 (PPSN) allocated services
Activation Payment Control
Job opportunities Applications 124,000 1,700,000 Control reviews 754,525 advertised processed
Special Investigations No. of events for Weekly payment 106 1,600,000 Unit (SIU) case 21,576 Jobsweek 2017 recipients investigation number
Individual 82,200,000 Money saved €530 million payments made
Monthly child 619,000 benefit recipients
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Recipients by Scheme 2017
TABLE 4: Number of Recipients by Scheme 2017
2017
Pensions - Social Assistance 95,140
Pensions - Social Insurance 516,255
Total Pensions 611,395
Working Age Income Supports - Social Assistance 256,697
Working Age Income Supports - Social Insurance 57,066
Total Working Age Income Supports 313,763
Working Age on Employment Supports - Social Assistance 55,342
Working Age on Employment Supports - Social Insurance 394
Total Working Age on Employment Supports 55,736
Illness, Disability, and Caring - Social Assistance 246,033
Illness, Disability, and Caring - Social Insurance 129,404
Total Illness, Disability, and Caring 375,437
Child Related Payments - Social Assistance 682,924
Child Related Payments - Social Insurance 1,036
Total Child Related Payments 683,960
Supplementary Payments, Agencies and Miscellaneous Services - Social Assistance 33,399
Total - Supplementary Payments, Agencies and Miscellaneous Services 33,399
Total - Social Assistance 1,369,535
Total - Social insurance 704,155
Total Recipients 2,073,690
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Customer Satisfaction The results were also positive for JobPath clients. Their overall satisfaction with their JobPath Having undertaken customer satisfaction surveys provider improved on 2016, to an average score in 2015 and 2016, the Department also conducted of 4.3 out of 5, and 68% of JobPath clients a customer satisfaction survey in 2017. Overall, “strongly agree” that JobPath has improved their satisfaction levels improved on those reported in employment prospects. 2016. Of particular note for Jobseekers was the positive rating of staff, with an average score of JobPath clients also reported greater levels of 4.7 out of 5. In 2017, Jobseekers were also more satisfaction with the services offered by JobPath confident that their interactions with Intreo Centres/ in 2017 than 2016, with particularly high levels of Branch Offices would improve their employment satisfaction reported for the one-on-one meetings prospects into the future. with personal advisors.
FIGURE 1: Jobseeker Overall Satisfaction FIGURE 2: Jobpath Overall Satisfaction 2015-2017 2016-2017
2015 2016 2017 2016 2017
41% 60% 57% 35% 56% 83% 79% 87% 79% 82%
38% 23% 30% 44% 26%
16% 13% 10% 15% 11% 3% 2% 2% 4% 4% 1% 2% 1% 2% 3%
Mean 4.38 4.13 4.39 4.05 4.26 score
Very Satisfied (5) Fairly Satisfied (4) Neutral (3) Moderately Dissatisfied (2) Very Dissatisfied (1)
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Compliance and Anti-Fraud the Department is obliged to report any change in Prevention of Fraud and Error their lives or circumstances which could result in a reduction in their level of payment. Sometimes First, the Department attempts to prevent situations customers do not realise that they need to report such arising where a person can gain access to a benefit by changes or are reluctant to do so. The consequence making a fraudulent claim for support. can be an accumulated overpayment that will have Such claims may be supported by false and/or to be recovered over a protracted period of time. misleading information or documentation. Individual scheme areas have policies in place The actions we take require that all applicants that ensure that frequent enquiries are made of verify their identity to our satisfaction and be customers requiring them to provide an update of issued with a Public Services Card (PSC). their circumstances. These are referred to as “control reviews.” The Public Services Card establishes and fully authenticates a person’s identity and allows them to The third aspect of our prevention approach is to help access a range of services from the Department and customers avoid making mistakes. This is achieved other public services in an easy and safe manner. The through the provision of clear and understandable PSC is used to prevent multiple identities being used information in publicity campaigns, information to access schemes and payments. The next step is leaflets, on the Department’s web site and through to validate and verify the information provided by the assistance provided by our staff. Mistakes are an applicant. A range of processes are employed also made, on occasion, by staff in determining the across the Department, including requiring original correct level or rate of payment to be made. These are documentation to be provided, cross-checking addressed through on-going training, mentoring and information submitted with information already within review as well as internal information briefings and the Department or with another public body. awareness programmes.
Second, a person who is receiving a payment from
FIGURE 3: Outputs for 2017
� Nearly 755,000 reviews of claims, inspections and investigations were undertaken
� Control savings, which includes some element of overpayments, are recorded at €530 million – the annual target of €510 million was exceeded.
� Overpayments of benefit and assistance on individual cases amounted to €111 million over the course of the year.
� Repayments of €81 million were made in respect of overpayments raised during 2017 and previous years. The target was to recover €90 million in the year.
� Over 300 cases referred to the Courts or to the Gardaí for prosecution during the year. At the end of the year, the Department had 589 cases in the court system at various stages of the prosecution process.
� The public awareness campaign “Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All” ran from April to July 2017. The campaign was designed to raise awareness of social welfare fraud and encourage members of the public to report potential cases of welfare fraud.
� The results of three fraud and error surveys were published during the year and work continues on a number of surveys which will be published during 2018.
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Changes to Welfare Payments A wide range of changes were introduced in March 2017 as a result of the Budget. There was a €5 increase in all maximum weekly pension payments including State Pension Contributory and Non-Contributory, Widow’s, Widower’s, Surviving Civil Partner’s and Disablement Pension with proportionate increases for those on reduced rates of payment. The income assessment for Farm Assist was improved. In addition, new treatments were provided for, as part of the Treatment Benefit scheme from October 2017. Access to Invalidity Pension for self-employed people was introduced in December 2017. The Minister also improved the terms of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme (increased by 25%), announced in June 2017 with effect from the new school year, to assist families and children, in particular, lone parent families. Budget 2018 continued the process of improving welfare payments and introduced some targeted changes.
The main measures announced in Budget 2018 proportionate increases for qualified adults costing an additional €343 million, are as follows: and those on reduced rates. This builds on the similar weekly rate increase in Budget 2017. Christmas Bonus In December 2017, an 85 per cent bonus was paid to The Programme for Partnership Government over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, committed to an above-inflation rate increase including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, for pensioners and supported rate increased for lone parents and the long-term unemployed. people with disabilities and carers. This measure fulfils this commitment and, moreover, will also Weekly Rates of Payment benefit the full range of working age social welfare From the last week of March 2018, the recipients, such as those in receipt of maternity maximum weekly rate of all social welfare and paternity benefit, lone parents, jobseekers payments increased by €5 per week, with and employment programme participants.
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Families and Children Impact Assessment The payment in respect of qualified children Social Impact Assessment increased from €29.80 to €31.80 per week. This was the first increase in this weekly rate of payment In February 2018, the Department published its social since 2010. The measure is targeted at low-income impact assessment of the welfare and income tax families, such as lone parents and their children, measures in Budget 2018. The assessment builds on who have relatively high rates of poverty. prior analyses prepared by the Department to inform ministerial deliberations on the Budget. The income disregards for the One Parent Family payment and Jobseeker’s Transition payment increased The publication is intended to contribute to public by €20, from €110 to €130 per week, to encourage understanding of the impact of budgetary policy. one parent families to stay in, and return to, work. Social impact assessment is an evidence-based The thresholds for the Family Income Supplement methodology which estimates the likely effects of (now renamed the Working Family Payment, policies on household incomes, families, poverty and to better reflect that it is a payment aimed access to employment. It uses the ESRI (Economic specifically at working families) increased by €10 and Social Research Institute) tax/welfare model, per week for families with up to three children. SWITCH (Simulating Welfare and Income Tax Changes), to simulate the impact of budgetary changes on a Additional funding of €3.2 million was also allocated representative sample of households drawn from to the Department’s School Meals Programme the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) Survey on Income in 2017. This will enable the extension of school and Living Conditions (SILC) 20161. As well as the main breakfasts to newly designated DEIS schools. welfare and income tax measures in Budget 2018, the School breakfasts have been shown to increase assessment took account of the increase in the national attendance and improve concentration levels in minimum wage. The principal finding was that average children. Total School Meals funding allocated household incomes increased by 1.1 per cent (€11.40 for 2017 was €47.5 million and expenditure was per week) as a result of Budget 2018. The bottom two €46.6 million. Allocation for 2018 is €54 million. income quintiles gained most, with smaller gains among the middle and top quintiles. The bottom quintile Other Payments gained over twice that of the top quintile (1.9 per cent Budget 2018 provided for the introduction of a new compared to 0.8 per cent). Telephone Support Allowance, designed to provide additional financial support to pensioners and people with disabilities with limited means, living on their own. Eligible customers (who are in receipt of both the Living Alone Increased and the Fuel Allowance) will automatically receive payments of €2.50 per week from June 2018.
The Fuel Allowance season was extended by an additional week, from 26 weeks to 27 weeks. Funding for the Free Travel scheme increased by €10 million to €90 million in 2018, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to fully protect the scheme.
1 Central Statistics Office (CSO) (2016). Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2017, from https://pdf.cso.ie/www/pdf/20180316124231_Survey_on_Income_and_Living_Conditions_2016_full.pdf.
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The welfare measures primarily benefitted lower- National Social Target for Poverty income households. The income tax measures, though Reduction spread across all quintiles, were most beneficial to Progress towards reaching the national social those in the second and fourth quintiles. target for poverty reduction is reported annually in the Social Inclusion Monitor (SIM). The latest The assessment found that non-earning households Monitor is based on the CSO’s SILC for 2016. (lone parents, couples with and without children and Aligned with Ireland’s continued economic singles) gain most from Budget 2018 (up to 3 per cent and employment growth during that year, the more). Some other family types with above average 2016 survey results show continued signs of earnings gained including earning lone parents, single- social recovery across the income distribution. earner couples with children and retired singles. This general improvement in living conditions is evident in the growth of 3.1 per cent in real The assessment shows that social transfers continued median disposable income and reductions in basic to perform strongly in reducing poverty with an deprivation and income inequality. estimated 0.6 percentage point reduction in the population at-risk-of-poverty.
The full research briefing is available on the Department’s website, www.welfare.ie.
FIGURE 4: Poverty and Deprivation Rates by Year
Consistent Poverty Basic Deprivation At-risk-of-poverty
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
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FIGURE 5: Trend in the Poverty Reduction Effect of Social Transfers in 2016
45% 70%
40% 60%
35% 50% 30%
25% 40%
20% 30%
15% At-risk-of-poverty-rate
20% effect reduction Poverty 10%
10% 5%
0% 0% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
� Absolute reduction in the at-risk- of-poverty rate due to social trans- 13.3% 13.6% 15.2% 16.6% 20.2% 21.9% 24.4% 23.8% 21.8% 21.6% 19.3% 18.0% 17.1% fers (excl pensions) (left hand side)
� At-risk-of-poverty rate after social 19.4% 18.3% 17.0% 16.5% 14.4% 14.1% 14.7% 16.0% 17.3% 16.5% 17.2% 16.9% 16.5% transfers (left hand side)
� % reduction (‘poverty reduction effect’) in at-risk-of-poverty rate (excl 40.7% 42.6% 47.2% 50.2% 58.4% 60.8% 62.4% 59.8% 55.8% 56.7% 52.9% 51.6% 50.9% pensions) (right hand side)
The main changes include: • Basic deprivation fell by 4.5 percentage points • Consistent poverty – a measure that combines to 21 per cent in 2016. This is a continuation relatively low income and deprivation – having of the yearly decline in deprivation rates since fallen from 9.1 per cent in 2013 to 8.7 per cent in the peak level of 30.5 per cent in 2013. 2015, continued to trend downwards to 8.3 per • The at-risk-of-poverty rate fell from 16.9 cent in 2016. per cent to 16.5 per cent in 2016, not a • Consistent poverty among children fell to 11.1 per statistically significant change on the 2015 cent in 2016. This equates to 132,000 children in rate. The at-risk-of-poverty threshold 2015, down from 152,000 in 2014. increased slightly from €230 to €237 per week for a single person in 2016. • There was also an improvement in the Irish contribution to the Europe 2020 poverty target. • The Gini coefficient – a measure of ‘Combined poverty’ – persons who are either inequality – reduced from 30.8 in 2015 at-risk-of-poverty or deprived – fell from 33.7 per to 30.6 in 2016. This is the lowest it has cent in 2015 to 29.2 per cent. been since 2009 (29.3).
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The full impact of the recovery is not yet reflected As a proportion of gross income, the impact in these 2016 figures. Macro-economic and labour of social transfers was highest for those in the market indicators have shown continued economic bottom two income deciles (78 per cent to 69 per and employment growth since then. cent). The proportion then fell across the other deciles. The improvement in the economy, together with new welfare measures, is likely to have supported Social transfers in 2016 continued to perform a reduction in poverty since the period in 2016 to strongly in reducing the at-risk-of-poverty rate. which the SILC publication refers. This improvement Social transfers (excluding pensions) reduced the is expected to continue with further rises in incomes at-risk-of-poverty rate from 33.6 per cent to 16.5 and living standards. per cent, a reduction of 17.1 percentage points. In relative terms, this represents a poverty reduction Distributive Impact of Social Transfers effect of 51 per cent.3 Ireland is amongst the best performing EU member States in reducing poverty Analysis, based on data from the CSO Survey on through social transfers. Income and Living Conditions 2016, shows that social transfers play an important income distribution role for low and middle income groups. Key Employment Statistics (2017) In 2017, Ireland’s strong economic recovery In 2016, social transfers represented a share of continued. After a prolonged and steep decline 22.5 per cent of total gross income while direct between 2008 and 2012, employment has seen a income accounted for the remainder. substantial increase for over five years.
FIGURE 6: Distributive Effect of Social Transfers in 2015
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% Decile 1 Decile 2 Decile 3 Decile 4 Decile 5 Decile 6 Decile 7 Decile 8 Decile 9 Decile 10
Source: CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2016
3 If pensions are included, the reduction is from 44.9 per cent to 16.5 per cent, or 63 per cent in relative terms.
20 Annual Report 2017 | Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Chapter 2 2017 Performance
Ireland's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by an Other Developments in 2017 estimated +4.8 per cent in real terms, making it the fastest-growing economy in the Euro-zone for the fourth Expansion of Remit successive year. In employment terms; Following a Government decision, on Saturday, 2nd • Employment increased by 2.2 per cent in the year to of September, 2017, the Department of Employment the third quarter of 2017, bringing total employment to Affairs and Social Protection took over some of the 2,206,800 persons. work which had previously been carried out by the • Full-time employment was up 113,900 (+6.9 per cent), Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. and part-time employment was down 65,800 (-13.1 per cent) over the year. The new functions are largely concerned with • The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December employment policy and labour law at both national 2017 was 6.2 per cent, down from 7.4 per cent in January and EU/international level. 2017 and a peak of 15 per cent in 2012. On Saturday, 2nd September 2017 the Department • The total number of persons in the labour force was came to be known as the Department of 2,370,400 in quarter 3 2017, an increase of 10,700 Employment Affairs and Social Protection or, An (+0.1 per cent) over the year. Roinn Gnóthaí Fostaíochta agus Coimirce Sóisialaí. The Irish labour market continued to perform strongly. Unemployment levels at the end of 2017 were nearing The Low Pay Commission (LPC) was established by rates that pertained in the pre-crisis period. The the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) unemployment rate is forecast to average 5.4 per cent in Act 2015. Its principal remit is to recommend levels 2018. The tightening of the labour market and projections for the national minimum wage so that: for inflation are also likely to result in moderate rises in wages over the period. As the labour market approaches (a) It is designed to assist as many low paid workers full employment levels, wage growth has intensified, rising as is reasonably practicable; four times faster in the period between quarter 2 2016 (b) It is set at a rate that is both fair and sustainable; and quarter 2 2017 compared to the same period in the previous year. (c) Where adjustment is appropriate, it is adjusted incrementally; and Live Register Data December 2017 (d) Over time, it is progressively increased, without • 241,300 people (seasonally-adjusted) 236,268 non- creating significant adverse consequences for seasonally adjusted on the live register. This represents employment or competitiveness. an annual decrease of 40,234 (-14.6 per cent). As well as making recommendations regarding Youth Unemployment Data December 2017 the national minimum wage, the Commission was requested to examine the appropriateness of • Irish youth unemployment has fallen from a peak of the sub-minima rates as currently provided for in 31.2 per cent in 2012 to 13.7 per cent in December the National Minimum Wage Acts with regard, in 2017. Irish youth unemployment has thus fallen from particular, to their impact on youth unemployment well above the EU average in 2012 (23 per cent) to rates and participation in education. well below the current figure of 16.2 per cent in the European Union (EU) 28 and 20.5 per cent in the euro The Commission was also requested to examine the region. issues surrounding the preponderance of women on • Youth unemployment can be expected to fall further in the national minimum wage, and to report its views 2018, in line with the continuing forecast fall in overall in relation to the underlying causes. unemployment. Additionally, Ireland is on course to bring youth unemployment below 12 per cent and long- term unemployment below 2.5 per cent in accordance with Pathways to Work 2016-20204.
4 www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/PathwaysToWork2016-2020.pdf.
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The Commission submitted its Reports on both issues reviews in relation to social insurance benefits and to the Minister at the end of October. In relation to pensions. The Review considers the adequacy or the appropriateness of the sub-minima rates, the otherwise of the current contribution rates to finance Commission did not consider it appropriate to make social insurance benefits. The Review projects the recommendations in the absence of up-to-date data contribution income to and expenditure from the from the Central Statistics Office which is pending SIF, calculates the break-even contribution rates as a validation.The Commission undertook to submit its percentage of current contribution rates and calculated recommendations in a supplementary report as the net contingent assets/liabilities of the Fund soon as the data is validated. discounted to present values.
With regard to its report on women on the national The Review considered the effects of various policy minimum wage, preliminary findings of the research options including options for: carried out by the ESRI on this matter indicated • indexation of payments; that the predominant issues which affect the risk of being on the minimum wage are the sector in which • reform of State pension by moving from the current one works and whether one is part-time or full- “Yearly Average” method of calculating pension time. Women, if working part-time, are much more entitlements to a Total Contribution Approach likely to be doing so for reasons related to ‘caring as described in the 2010 National Pensions responsibilities’ than men (one-in-five women as Framework; and opposed to just one-in-twenty men). The Commission • the PRSI contribution rates required for provision noted the measures being put in place around the of additional social insurance benefits to Class S affordability of childcare, which it might be expected self-employed contributors on a cost neutral basis. should be of assistance to women in this area. It is anticipated that the Review will play an important Changes in NMW in 2017 role in informing debate about the scope of the social (September to December) insurance system and how it can be funded - including the appropriate level of social insurance contribution The annual recommendation from the LPC on the rate rates and benefit. of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) was accepted by Government and the Minister made an Order in October introducing the new rate of €9.55 (an increase of 30c) with effect from 1st January 2018. Again on the basis of LPC recommendations, the Order also adjusted the payments for board and lodgings (which had not been adjusted since it was introduced in 2000), increasing the rates by 2.4 per cent, and moving to an hourly rather than a daily/weekly rate for board, which will benefit those working part-time.
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund The Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) as at 31st December 2015 was published in October 2017. The Actuarial Review relates to social insurance payments only. The key objective of the Review is to inform both short/medium term and long term policy development in relation to the social insurance system generally and builds on the findings of the previous
22 Chapter 3 Strategic Objectives and Review
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Chapter 3 Strategic Objectives and Review
The Department’s Strategic OBJECTIVE Objectives 2017 - 2020 Put the client at the centre of The Statement of Strategy 2017-20205 policy and service delivery was published during the year and is the Department’s eleventh Statement of Strategy. The Department sets out its mission, high-level objectives and key actions that it will pursue in delivering the policies and priorities as set OBJECTIVE down by the Minister for Employment Affairs Social Protection and the Government. The Drive cost, efficiency Department’s overall objective for 2017 to 2010 and effectiveness is to promote active participation and inclusion in society through the framework of employment rights and the provision of income supports, employment services and other services. OBJECTIVE It identifies three Strategic Objectives for the Department for the period in order Develop staff, structures to achieve its overall mission: and processes
5 http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Statement_of_Strategy_2017-2020.pdf
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OBJECTIVE
Put the client at the centre of policy and service delivery
Put the Client at the Centre of Policy and Service Delivery
Objective 1 of the Department’s Statement of Strategy 2017 to 2020 is a commitment to put the client at the centre of its services and policies. High-level strategies identified to deliver on this objective include:
• Delivering client focused commitments in the • Working with other Departments, offices, Programme for a Partnership Government agencies, employers and stakeholders and broader Government policy. in providing client-centred services. • Contributing to Government social protection • Attaining better outcomes by tackling poverty and employment policy formulation through for children and families, people of working economic analysis and evaluation. This will age, people with disabilities and older people be supported by the Department’s by providing appropriate income supports. participation in the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service’s Medium • Ensuring that the Department’s Term Strategy 2016 to 2019, as appropriate. services and information resources are • Ensuring speedy access to accurate accessible to people with disabilities. decisions, payment and reviews • Identifying client service requirements for all schemes and services. and establishing client satisfaction • Focusing on maximising employability levels through regular surveys and the by providing income support, targeted provision of feedback mechanisms. activation and training referral, development and employment services.
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Children Maternity Benefit - Premature Births
From 1st October 2017, the period for which maternity leave is paid was extended in cases where a baby is born prematurely. This new measure was introduced jointly by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan T.D. who has responsibility for maternity leave and the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty T.D. who has responsibility for maternity benefit.
Under the new arrangements, in addition to the current 26 weeks of paid maternity leave, a mother will be entitled to an additional period of paid maternity leave. The additional period will commence at the end of the standard 26 week period of paid maternity leave. The additional period to be added will be the number of weeks from So, for example where a baby is born in the 30th the baby’s actual date of birth up to two weeks week of gestation, the mother would have an before the expected date of confinement which additional entitlement of approximately 7 weeks would have been the 37th week of the pregnancy, of maternity leave and benefit i.e. from the date at which point the current entitlement to 26 of birth in the 30th week to the two weeks weeks leave and benefit would normally begin. before the expected date of confinement.
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Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefit - Holiday Period
Generally, a person is disqualified from receiving a payment while outside the state unless there are exemptions provided for in the legislation or, in situations covered by EU regulations concerning payments. Maternity, Adoptive and Paternity Benefit are ‘exportable benefits’ under EU social security regulations and as such Irish/EU citizens can be paid Paternity Benefit Maternity/Paternity and Adoptive Benefit within the EU member states. Before this measure, people who The Paternity Benefit Scheme was introduced are non EU nationals residing in Ireland could only for children born on or after 1st September be paid Maternity/Adoptive and Paternity Benefit 2016 and also applies to children placed with within Ireland. The measure allows new mothers to their adoptive parents on or after that date. continue receiving Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit for up to six weeks while they are out of During the first four months of the scheme, the country, so long as their primary place of work 4,932 applicants received the payment. In 2017 is Ireland. The Regulation also allows the standard which was the first full year for the scheme in two weeks of Paternity Benefit to be paid in similar excess of 26,000 paternity claims were awarded. situations. Continued payment of these benefits is An awareness campaign was launched by the also being extended to Irish and EU citizens who Minister in August 2017 to encourage new or travel outside of the EU for a maximum of six weeks. expectant fathers to apply for Paternity Benefit.
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Pictured Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar T.D. and Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D. with students from St Joseph’s Secondary School in Stanhope Street.
School Meals Programme 2017 school term. The school meals programme, with its focus on the provision of breakfast clubs, Funding towards school meals was provided in 1,540 schools and organisations, supporting over creates positive outcomes for vulnerable children 230,000 children, with a budget provision of some in terms of their energy levels, punctuality and €47.5 million during 2017. The programme is an school attendance. important component of policies to encourage The Ministers made the announcement at St. school attendance and extra educational achievement. Funding for the School Meals Joseph’s Secondary School in Stanhope Street, programme has increased by €6.5 million to €54 Dublin which received funding under the school million in 2018. meals programme for this academic year to provide breakfast and lunch to 216 pupils. In March, Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar T.D. and Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D. jointly announced a €3.2 million expansion of the School Meals Programme, effective from the beginning of the September
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At year-end 2017, a total of 1,530 schools were Agreement (SLA) was also put in place with all participating in the school meals scheme benefiting schools in 2017, which clearly sets out both the some 241,000 children. This included 129 new non- Department's and the school’s obligations in DEIS schools. implementing the scheme.
From September 2017 funding was provided to some In September 2017, ‘Nutrition Standards for 60 new DEIS schools and additional funding was School Meals’ was published under the also provided to existing DEIS schools to provide auspices of Healthy Ireland, the national breakfast and lunch for the majority of children. Framework which aims to improve the health Funding was also provided for the first time in and wellbeing of the population of Ireland. many years to some 120 new non DEIS schools for These guidelines complement and support the provision of breakfast clubs. These measures existing healthy eating policies and will be fully benefited up to 50,000 children. implemented in all schools in the Meals Scheme during 2018. The Department has implemented an inspection programme of all schools and organisations in the scheme and approximately 960 organisations have been inspected since August 2015. This supports the schools in ensuring that the scheme is delivered in line with the Department’s policy to provide maximum benefit to the children. A Service Level
From September 2017 funding was provided to some 60 new DEIS schools and additional funding was also provided to existing DEIS schools to provide breakfast and lunch for the majority of children.
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People of Working Age The strategy contains 86 actions across 11 Departments and agencies. There are 10 Pathways to Work 2016 – 2020 metrics against which progress is measured. The latest Pathways to Work strategy for the period 2016-2020 was published in January By the end of Q4 2017, 77% of the actions 2016. The strategy considers how activation in Pathways to Work 2016-2020 have been approaches, developed during a time of completed. These include: Developing a recession, should be adapted for a time of pro-active engagement approach to support recovery and used as a tool of social/active qualified adult dependants of job-seekers inclusion during a period of prosperity. secure employment; promoting the availability of employment and activation services to walk- Accordingly, it continues to focus on people who in clients; expanding the use of Intreo centres are registered as unemployed and especially as a gateway to engage with people with those who are long-term unemployed and disabilities and increasing the number of Intreo youth unemployed. However, it also seeks staff trained in the provision of employment to encourage other ‘non-active’ cohorts supports to people with disabilities. to participate in the labour market. Under the Pathways to Work evaluations The Pathways to Work strategy takes programme, the Department carried out a two-pronged approach: reviews of Intreo Process Reforms, Local Employment Services and the Back to Work • Consolidation: Consolidating the recent Enterprise Allowance. reforms to the Public Employment and Welfare Services and optimising provision In 2017, the Department undertook customer to maximise outcomes for its clients. satisfaction surveys with jobseekers, Jobpath • Development: Gradually expanding access and JobsPlus customers, These surveys show to activation services, as resources allow, to continued high levels of satisfaction with other non-employed people of working age. these services.6.
6 http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/JobPath-performance-report-January-2017.pdf
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JobsWeek 2017
In September, the Department’s Intreo service hosted JobsWeek 2017, with more than 100 events taking place across the country, aimed at both employers and jobseekers.
Over 16,000 unemployed jobseekers attended events which offered one-to-one CV clinics, interview preparation workshops, seminars, career coaching and recruitment fairs targeted at specific sectors. This dedicated week of intense activity provided jobseekers and employers the opportunity to network, recruit, and also provided the Department with an opportunity to promote Intreo services and supports to both jobseekers and employers.
Pictured Aidan Mullally, Assistant Principal at A number of events around the country were the Department addressing the Dublin Castle dedicated to increasing workplace diversity and Jobsweek event as part of JobsWeek 2017 with a selection of images from JobsWeek 2017 offered information and supports to employ people with disabilities.
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Working Age – Income Supports The report was completed in April 2017.
Department of Education and Skills report As a result of this report, a new Bursary Fund There was a commitment in the Programme for was announced by Minister Richard Bruton in Government to prepare a report on the barriers September 2017 to provide €5,000 per annum for to lone parents accessing higher education. 600 college students from low income backgrounds (including lone parents). The Department of Following a procurement process, Dr. Delma Byrne Employment Affairs and Social Protection will not of NUI Maynooth was engaged by the Department assess the income from the new bursaries as means of Education and Skills (DES) to conduct the review for the purposes of social welfare schemes. in July 2016. Back to Work Family Dividend The title of this research was “An independent (BTWFD) Scheme review to identify the supports and barriers for lone parents in accessing higher education and to This scheme assists in moving welfare recipients examine measures to increase participation”. from dependency on primary social welfare payments into work. It also reduces the risk of child The review was overseen by a Steering Committee poverty, in line with the Programme for Government that was chaired by the Department of Education commitments. and Skills, and which also included the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and the Amounts paid in respect of children for BTWFD Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA). will increase in March 2018 (additional €2 per week at full rate). A draft version of the report (published in September 2016) helped to inform Budget 2017 discussions and resulted in the Cost of Education Allowance (worth €500) being reintroduced for Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) recipients with children.
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Working Age – Employment Supports Employment Supports
A new Youth Employment Support Scheme was also developed during 2017. This scheme is targeted at young jobseekers who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. The new work experience programme aims to provide these young people with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive Recruitment campaigns ranged from assisting environment while on a work placement. start-up companies, to identifying suitable candidates, to supporting well-established firms The number of places on the Rural Social Scheme to fill vacancies. Dedicated Account Managers was also increased in 2018. This will enable an provided an intensive service to large employers additional 250 underemployed farmers and and co-ordinated national recruitment campaigns, fishermen/women to be supported to carry out while divisional Employer Engagement staff community-based work, delivering on the supported smaller employers locally. Programme for a Partnership Government commitment. Over 100 new companies signed the Employment and Youth Activation Charter in 2017, bringing the Employer Engagement Activity total to over 550. 29 companies participated in During 2017, the Department enhanced the Feeding Ireland’s Future (FIF) 2017 to help young provision of services to employers including jobseekers enhance their job searching skills and supporting recruitment campaigns, and the advise them on careers in the fast moving consumer development of upskilling programmes for goods sector. Feedback from participants is very jobseekers aligned to job growth areas. The positive. 98 per cent of participants have said they Department also worked with companies to felt more confident applying for a job after taking leverage their Corporate Social Responsibility part in FIF and that the opportunity provided very to enhance the job search skills and useful advice on skills such as improving their CV. employability of jobseekers.
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One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) Indecon International Economic Consultants was subsequently awarded a contract to During the debate on the Social Welfare Budget conduct the necessary research and analysis. Act 2016, the Minister agreed to commission an independent report on the amendments to the The analysis was based on survey responses – One-Parent Family Payment, made since January one of the largest surveys of one-parent families 2012. The review’s aim was to deliver quantitative, in Ireland (33,000), and on independent Indecon qualitative and cost-benefit analyses of the OFP research using Department of Employment Affairs amendments taking into account the following and Social Protection, Revenue and EU SILC data. outcome areas (which are required as per the legislative commitment in Section 178F This report was completed by Indecon and laid of the Social Welfare Act 2016): before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 9th 1. Social Effects; October 2017.
2. Financial and Poverty; and
3. Welfare Dependency & Employment.
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Pathways to Work, Action Plan Progress against each of the reform actions for Jobless Households and milestones will be monitored and reported on quarterly to the Cabinet Committee on the The Action Plan for Jobless Households published Economy and Jobs and published annually. on 25th September 2017 fulfils a commitment Implementation of these policy measures in the Programme for Government and in the should see the level of joblessness fall more overall Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy. rapidly than is already anticipated over the It also responds to concerns about the level of next few years. These targets are in addition household joblessness raised at European level. to the existing Pathways to Work targets 2020 – bringing unemployment down to between The Plan therefore sets out to extend activation 5 per cent and 6 per cent, bringing long-term services to people who are not working but unemployment below 2.5 per cent, and bringing are not defined as unemployed by traditional youth unemployment below 12 per cent. measures. It focuses in particular on improving employment rates of households with children – both the traditional ‘nuclear’ family and the lone JobBridge parent family. A number of key policy initiatives The JobBridge Scheme7 was brought to an to achieve that goal are currently underway: orderly close in 2017 when the last placements in the scheme finished on 19th August. In total, Extending active engagement with the Intreo more than 49,000 jobseekers participated on employment service to additional groups of the programme since its inception in 2011, economically inactive working age adults with more than 19,000 employers providing who could, with appropriate supports, take these work placement opportunities. up employment. In this regard, the process of increasing Intreo engagement with lone parents and with people with disabilities has been First Steps continuing since the publication of the Plan. The First Steps programme for very disadvantaged young people continued Progressing plans to pilot a new family focused during 2017, with more than 200 jobseekers case management approach in five geographical availing of placement opportunities areas (Limerick, Waterford, Cork, Dundalk in a variety of different sectors. and Tallaght) to improve employment rates and reduce joblessness in households across The First Steps programme was closed to new Ireland. These pilots are being prepared and applications on Thursday 30th November, will commence in the first half of 2018. to allow for the introduction of a new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) in Improving the earnings of people with families Quarter 2, 2018 which was announced as when they transition from welfare to employment. part of budget 2018. This decision allows A number of measures taken in Budget 2018 for the current programme to be brought to are designed to deliver on this commitment. an orderly close at the end of March 2018. These include increases to income limits for Working Family Payment and extending the Back to Work Family Dividend scheme.
7 http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Indecon-Report-on-Evaluation-of-JobBridge.pdf
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Young Jobseekers - Youth Employment found it difficult to get a foothold on the career Support Scheme (YESS) ladder. The new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) will provide them with the opportunity to Following the closure of the JobBridge Scheme learn basic work and social skills in a supportive in 2017, the Minister for Employment Affairs environment while on a work placement. Placement and Social Protection announced that she will Hosts will be encouraged to hire participants introduce a new work experience programme who have performed well and will qualify for a targeted specifically at young jobseekers who are financial subsidy under JobsPlus Youth. YESS will long-term unemployed or who face significant complement other initiatives such as the expanded barriers to gaining employment – people who range of Apprenticeships and Career Traineeships even during the Celtic Tiger years would have and is expected to be introduced in Mid-2018.
Placement Hosts will be encouraged to hire participants who have performed well and will qualify for a financial subsidy under JobsPlus Youth.
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Jobseeker’s Allowance - Pilot Scheme to Assist Self-Employed Artists and Writers
In June 2017 a pilot scheme to make it easier for artists and writers to access social welfare supports was announced by the Ministers for Social Protection and Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The initiative, which is a key commitment under the Creative Ireland Programme, assists self-employed artists on jobseekers allowance. It applies initially to visual artists and writers and will be reviewed in 2018.
JobsPlus
A Focused Policy Assessment of the scheme was Following on from the results of the Focused Policy carried out during 2017 and published in August. Assessment, changes to JobsPlus employee eligibility Some of the key findings of the FPA were: criteria were announced as part of Budget 2018:
• JobsPlus has proven effective at getting people who • Employers who recruit a worker over the age of 50 were long-term unemployed off the Live Register: will be eligible for JobsPlus at the higher (€10,000) 87 per cent of employees who participated on rate if the employee has been on the Live Register JobsPlus remain off the Live Register between 30 for at least one year (This is down from two years). and 36 months after their commencement date • Employers who recruit a worker under the age on the scheme. For employees who complete 24 of 50 will be eligible for JobsPlus at the higher months on the scheme, this percentage rises to (€10,000) rate if the employee has been on the Live 94.8 per cent. Register for at least three years (This is up from two • The tiered nature of the JobsPlus incentive years) These changes were effective from the 1st of has been effective in targeting the longer term January 2018. unemployed. Approximately 70 per cent of grants are paid at the higher €10,000 level in respect of employees who have been unemployed for more than two years.
• Workers over the age of 50 are under-represented on JobsPlus. Fewer than 10 per cent of JobsPlus employees are in this age bracket. By contrast, around 40 per cent of those who are long-term unemployed are over 50.
• By the end of 2017 over 9,000 employers had been paid by JobsPlus since the scheme began in 2013 and over 15,000 people who were long- term unemployed had commenced work with the support of JobsPlus.
• 6,180 employers received JobsPlus in respect of 8,960 employees in 2017.
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EURES As part of the new redesigned service, candidate profiles are automatically matched to job specifications EURES is a Pan-EU employment service designed to posted by employers, with both candidate and support employers and workers recruit and find jobs employer notified via email and/or SMS when throughout the EU. As part of the mainstreaming of a suitable match is found. Candidates can also EURES in the Department and the integration with use the site to apply for the jobs advertised. Intreo Services, EURES ran a nationwide campaign including distribution of information packs for The system will integrate with the Department’s case officers and employer liaison officers to all Intreo service, and will include other new features Divisions to assist them in providing information such as allowing jobseekers to post CVs and video on EURES services to all relevant clients. profiles if they wish. The service was implemented During Jobs Week 2017 a number of EURES events on a phased basis after going live in July 2016. took place around the country including Dublin, The service was improved during 2017 through Cork, Mallow and Navan. The jobs fair in Navan the provision of added functionality. Further attracted over 1,300 jobseekers and accommodated development was undertaken during 2017 to 41 exhibitors. EURES Advisers from France, Sweden, ensure that the JobsIreland website was fully Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands attended GDPR compliant by the deadline in May 2018. 2 meetings with employers from the Hospitality Promotion of the service to Job Seekers is continually sector and Business Support/Customer Service taking place through the various client engagement sector organised by EURES Cork, to discuss possible co-operation in an area of recruitment supports provided by Intreo and the Department’s for skills shortages emerging in both sectors. contracted employment services to raise awareness and to maximise job seeking opportunities for clients. Meetings took place with EURES Germany, EURES Sweden and EURES France to discuss projects Simultaneously at national and divisional level, and further cooperation outlined in the ‘Service employers have also been encouraged to register Level Agreements’ signed with these countries. on the site and advertise their job vacancies. The EURES Ireland delivered a number of recruitment service is a no cost service for both employers and job projects for Irish-based companies sourcing suitably seekers and forms an integral part of the developing skilled candidates from Europe particularly in cohesive employment services being provided by the the areas of ICT, language and nursing skills. Department as part of the Pathways to Work strategy.
In addition, assistance was provided to European JobPath employers seeking to identify Irish candidates for available positions in Europe including placements The JobPath service continued to deliver activation under the ‘Co-sponsored Placement Programme’. services for the long term unemployed people Approximately 250 interview and relocation grants through the Department’s contracted partners were awarded under ‘Your First EURES Job’ and Seetec and Turas Nua. The JobPath service provides ‘Reactivate’ mobility schemes to support jobseekers one-to one, intensive and regular engagement with relocating for work to another EU/EEA country. a personal adviser to assist long term unemployed persons in identifying and overcoming barriers to returning to the work force. The service also Jobs Ireland National Contact Centre provides in-work support to persons who have In 2016, the Department commissioned the gained employment to assist them in sustaining that redevelopment of the Jobsireland.ie service, a free employment. The service continued to expand in online jobs site for employers and employees, to 2017 with over 88,000 persons referred to one of enable both employers and jobseekers to search the 91 locations across the State where the service for each other using competencies and skillsets, is delivered. Independent research indicates a high as well as the traditional job-type classifications. level of customer satisfaction with the services.
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Community Services Programme (CSP) in 2017 Back to Work Enterprise Allowance – BTWEA in 2017 Responsibility for Community Services Programme moves to the Department of Rural and Community In 2017, a review of the BTWEA scheme was Development from the 1st of January 2018. published by Minister Varadkar. Overall, the review found that the scheme offers effective support An extra €1 million funding for CSP was secured as for people who are long-term unemployed and part of the measures included in Budget 2017. who are interested in self-employment as a route This additional funding was allocated to a targeted to entering the labour market. The scheme plays call for proposals from social enterprises that a useful role in supporting the development of recruit at least 70% of workers from specific new enterprises. Research demonstrated that the disadvantaged groups, which include: numbers returning from self-employment to the Live • Long-term unemployed; Register, after participating on the scheme, are low.
• People in receipt of Disability Allowance, Based on the comparison of the BTWEA participants Invalidity Pension or Blind Person’s Pension; to a control group of similar jobseekers who did • Travellers in receipt of Jobseeker’s payments or not choose the scheme as an option, the BTWEA One-Parent Family payment (OFP); participant was over twice as likely to remain off the Live Register six months after the payments on • Stabilised and recovering drug misusers; the scheme had ceased. This trend continues when • People with convictions who are in contact examined following an 18 month period after the with probationary services; payments ceasing. • People who are homeless; Participants who take up self-employment are now • Migrants receiving Jobseeker’s payments or able to access the BTWEA after 9 months, down one-parent family payment (OFP). from 12 months. This enables access to the supports The evaluation and business planning process has of the BTWEA to those wishing to commence now been completed for this targeted call and the self-employment at an earlier stage of their successful social enterprises will be announced by unemployment. DRCD in early 2018. Back to Education Allowance – BTEA The budget for CSP in 2017 was €46.1 million. At the end of 2017 CSP funding was supporting The cost of education grant (€500 per annum) was the employment of 290 managers and over 1,600 introduced to assist students with child dependants full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) in 385 social with the costs of returning to education. This grant enterprises. was payable from September 2017.
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Illness, Disability, Carers • The CES provided for the setting up of an interdepartmental group, “Make Work Pay”, Comprehensive Employment Strategy under an independent chair, Professor Frances The Department continued to contribute Ruane. The group’s purpose was to identify towards progress under the Comprehensive any significant disincentives for people with Employment Strategy (CES) launched by disabilities in taking up or returning to work, and the Government in October 2015. to make recommendations on making work pay for people with disabilities. In April 2017, the Key actions for the Department include developing group published its report8. This report found employment supports and making work pay a policy of strong evidence to support early for people with disabilities and developments engagement with persons with disabilities in order in 2017 and included the following: to help them meet their employment ambitions.
• In 2017, the Midlands Division commenced a • Based on this report the Department has consultative engagement with local and national implemented a number of changes to how it disability stakeholders with a view to informing supports people with disabilities access the engagement with people with disabilities employment. For example: people with a long- so that they were aware of the employment term disability payment who get a job will services offered to persons with a disability retain their Free Travel Pass for a period of five through the Department’s Intreo service. years; a “fast–track” reinstatement of Disability People with disabilities may on a voluntary Allowance, or Invalidity Pension has been basis seek an appointment with a case officer introduced for people where employment does to discuss their employment ambitions and not work out; and development is underway develop an appropriate personal plan. Four on a new “ready reckoner”, to calculate the net named case officers have been designated benefits and financial implications of working. as contacts for people with disabilities in • In addition, following a commitment at the Longford, Mullingar, Athlone and Portlaoise launch of the report, the Department is and people with disabilities can make an currently engaged in a wider consultation appointment through the local Intreo service process with disability sectoral groups, people or by contacting the named officers directly by with disabilities and parents of people with phone or email. Employment services are already disabilities on the issue of early engagement. available for persons with a disability across the network of 62 Intreo centres nationwide and it is intended that the learning from this initiative will improve the degree of access.
8 http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/2017-03-04_MakeWorkPay_Report.pdf
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Pictured at the launch of the Make Work Pay Report are Ms Joan O’Donnell, Disability Federation of Ireland, Minster for Social Protection Leo Varadkar T.D, and Prof. Francis Ruane, chairperson of the Interdepartmental Group.
“Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities” In order to maximise the accessibility of the report report launched & changes introduced for people with disabilities, the Department produced a total of twelve formats of the In April, Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar Make Work Pay report including an Executive T.D., Minister for Health Simon Harris T.D, and Summary, a Plain English summary, an Easy to Minister for Disabilities Finian McGrath T.D. together Read version aimed at people with intellectual published the “Make Work Pay” report. The report is designed to help people with disabilities to achieve disabilities, a number of Irish Sign Language videos their ambitions and find work, and to remove the -subtitled versions in English and Irish, and a many barriers which prevent them from doing so. number of audio versions and braille versions.
The report was produced by an Interdepartmental A number of significant changes described Group independently chaired by Professor in the previous pages were introduced Frances Ruane. The report concludes that work following the report launch. makes financial sense for the majority of people with disabilities who wish to engage in work and have the capacity to do so. However people with disabilities face significant financial and other obstacles in finding suitable employment.
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Engagement with and Education of General Practitioners (GPs)
In August 2017 the Medical Review and Assessment Service (MRAS) completed an engagement and innovation project, the main aim of which was to increase GP awareness of the various Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection schemes. Working in partnership with a number of the Department's scheme areas relating to illness, disability and supports for families and carers, the MRAS team and Communications Unit compiled a new GP country in 2017. To promote the reference guide, reference book which explained Department and further engagement with the GP community, schemes and supports relating to illness, disability the Department’s MRAS also delivered a two and caring. A poster was also produced for GP hour presentation at the Irish College of General offices. The GP booklet and poster were distributed Practitioners’ (ICGP) Summer Medical Conference to over 4,000 general practitioners across the which was held in Athlone in June.
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Pictured are Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty T.D. with Jerry Murphy, Deputy CEO of Pobal and Minister of State with special responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, T.D..
Launch of Programme for Young co-funded by the Irish Exchequer and the European Persons with a Disability (“Ability”) Social Fund Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning operational programme, 2014-2020. In September 2017, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., The programme will promote employment together with the Minister of State with special prospects and meaningful social roles for responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, T.D., young people with disabilities. The programme announced the launch of a new pre-activation is being delivered by national, regional and programme for young people with disabilities called local organisations that have experience in “Ability”. Attending the launch was Jerry Murphy, working with young people with a disability. Deputy CEO of Pobal, who will be managing the programme on behalf of the Department of The central focus of the programme will be on projects aimed at supporting young people with Employment Affairs and Social Protection. disabilities (aged 15 – 29) in their transition from €10 million in funding has been allocated to the school to further education and employment, “Ability” programme over a three year period and it is via a range of person-centred supports.
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Supports for Carers loss and supporting them to proactively define and plan their new life at home, at work and During 2017, the Department continued to socially. Projects are aligned to and address provide and to build on supports for carers. actions within the National Carers Strategy and Developments during the year included: in the current Programme for Government.
• Budget 2017 provided that from January • The Intreo service is available to provide 2017, carer’s allowance will continue assistance for working age carers who wish to be paid for 12 weeks where the to return to work and this will be reflected care recipient is permanently admitted in communications to individual carers. to a hospital/nursing home. • The Department hosted the Annual Carers • Provision of support through the Dormant Forum which took place in April 2017 as Accounts Action Plan 2016, which in previous years. The forum provides an sponsors a measure, supporting training opportunity for carer representative groups to and transitional supports for family carers discuss issues with relevant departments and at the end of their full-time caring role. State Agencies. One of the positive outcomes Three projects applied and were awarded arising from the dialogue is that a review of funding under the measure; Family Carers the carer’s allowance application process has Ireland, the Irish Foster Care Association been completed following consultation with the and the Galway Hospice Foundation. The Policy, Operational and Medical Assessment projects commenced in December 2017 and areas of the Department and with a focus group will continue through 2018. The measure arranged by Family Carers Ireland. A redesigned administered and managed by Pobal on behalf application process and form for carers payments of the Department, will assist carers to deal was undertaken in 2017 and associated with the loss of their caring role, living with processing changes will be implemented in 2018.
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Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar T.D., Pictured with staff from Docklands Dental
Social Insurance Benefits extended employees, if they become permanently incapable to the Self Employed of work as a result of an illness or disability, without having to go through a means test. In Budget 2017, Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar T.D. announced that the Treatment Extension of Treatment Benefit services Benefit scheme was to be extended to some 450,000 self-employed people and their dependent Treatment benefit entitlements were further spouses, for the first time. This includes small extended from October 2017 so as to provide business owners, farmers, tradespeople, freelancers, further dental and optical benefits to both contractors and professionals. This change meant employees and the self-employed. The Optical that people who work for themselves and pay PRSI scheme now covers the provision of glasses, at class S can now get the same regular dental either free or subsidised if an upgraded design is and optical examinations, free of charge, that chosen, or provide a contribution towards contact previously were only available to employees. lenses. Repairs to glasses and contributions towards the cost of hearing aids are also covered The extension of Invalidity Pension to the self- under the scheme. The Dental scheme now employed from December 2017 was also announced. includes a contribution to cleanings, either This gave the self-employed access to the safety- an annual scale and polish or more extensive net of state income supports, on a similar basis to periodontal treatment if clinically required.
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Extension of Invalidity Pension to the self-employed
In December, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty T.D. announced that self-employed workers who cannot work due to long term illness or disability were eligible to claim Invalidity Pension. Here’s some good news for the self-employed that Invalidity Pension is a pension payment for people we hope you’ll never need. who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability. This change means that this payment is’ available to small business owners, farmers, tradespeople, freelancers, contractors and professionals who work for themselves. For the first time, the self-employed will have access to the safety-net of State income supports Invalidity Pension is now available if they have a serious illness or injury that prevents for the self-employed. From December 1st, self-employed people them from working without having to go through a will be able to apply for Invalidity Pension if they become permanently incapable of work. means test. The Department promoted this change For more information visit through a targeted public information campaign. www.welfare.ie/invalidity
A Government of Ireland measure brought to you by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
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Fuel Allowance “Lump -Sum” Option Announced
Fuel Allowance is a means assessed payment to assist householders receiving long-term social welfare payments who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. It is paid weekly between October and April. In July, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty, T.D. announced that Department customers who receive Fuel Allowance would now have the option to receive their payment in two lump sum payments - with one at the beginning of the fuel season in October and the second in January.
The Minister made the announcement at the Department’s “Pre-Budget Forum” in Dublin Castle, Warmth. following a study by the Department showing the Now available in bulk. potential for significant customer savings when Fuel AllowAnce purchasing fuel in bulk. The announcement was If you’re on Fuel Allowance this winter, it’s not too late to get this year’s second broadly welcomed by stakeholder organisations. Fuel Allowance lump sum payment. Apply by December 1st. Visit www.welfare.ie/fuel or pick up a form at your local Social Protection Office or The Department undertook a communications Post Office. If you’ve already applied or if you want to campaign to promote public awareness of the new stay on weekly payments you don’t have A Government of Ireland measure brought to you by the to do anything. Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection lump sum option. In 2017, 53,732 customers chose to avail of the new lump sum option, with 316,899 customers continuing to be paid weekly. A total of 370,631 customers received fuel allowance in 2017.
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Rent supplement ‘Rebuilding Ireland – An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness’. Rebuilding Ireland also sets In 2017, the rent supplement scheme supported a target date for the completion of all applicable approximately 40,600 tenancies per month at a cost rent supplement transfers to HAP by 2020. of over €230 million. In recognition of the difficulties in the rental market, the Department continues From January 2017, the Department introduced to implement a targeted, case-by-case approach a change to the minimum contribution for young that allows for flexibility and supports tenants to people under age 26 in receipt of rent supplement remain in their homes. A protocol arrangement with and reduced rates of weekly social welfare. This Threshold operates in the areas where housing measure provides a young person with additional supply issues are particularly acute covering Dublin, disposable income of between €10 and €20 per week. Cork, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow and Galway City. This service provides advice and advocacy support The Department also provides supports to to tenants who are renting and at risk of losing their tenants towards rent deposits and rent in homes. During 2017, approximately 1,700 families arrears under the Exceptional Needs Payment and individuals, or 32 per week, were supported (ENP) scheme. In 2017, some 3,000 payments through increased rent supplement payments. were made at a cost of almost €2.1 million.
Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) The Back to School Clothing and Footwear scheme, responsibility for the provision of rental Allowance (BSCFA) helps eligible families with the assistance to tenants with a long-term housing need extra costs of clothing and footwear when children is transferring from the rent supplement scheme start school each autumn. The rates of the payment to Local Authorities. HAP has been available on a for the 2017 scheme were increased from €100 nationwide basis since 1st March 2017. A priority to €125 for children aged 4 to 11 and from €200 for the HAP scheme in 2018 is to facilitate some to €250 for children aged 12 years and over. 7,000 transfers from long term rent supplement to HAP as part of an overall target of 17,000 HAP tenancies for 2018 in line with targets set out in
Pictured Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty T.D. and students from Culmullen National School, Meath at the launch of the 2017 Back To School Clothing and Footwear Scheme Information campaign
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In 2017, as in previous years, the majority The Department has been fully engaged with this of BSCFA payments were fully automated process throughout, and participated in the Inter- with no application form required from Departmental Taskforce established following the customers. This process, undertaken in the Supreme Court judgement in 2017. It will continue Department’s office in Letterkenny, identified to participate in 2018 in the process to opt-in to almost 114,000 families that, on the basis of the Directive through the Implementation Group the information available, qualified under the and the Subgroups established to specifically look scheme and these payments were made in July at “labour market access” (which includes access to 2017. Some 55,400 applications were also the Department’s Public Employment Services) and processed in 2017 by the Department’s office “material reception conditions” (which covers the in Sligo. A total of almost 151,000 families services and payments to protection seekers). with some 275,000 children benefitted from the scheme at a cost of €49 million in 2017. Humanitarian Assistance Scheme
In May, Minister for Social Protection, Minister The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Leo Varadkar T.D. increased the Back to School Government is the lead Department for severe Clothing and Footwear Allowance from €100 to weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works €125 for children aged 4-11, and from €200 to has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. €250 for children aged 12 years and over. The However, the Department of Employment Affairs Department undertook a national advertising and Social Protection has an important role to campaign to increase public awareness of the play in assisting householders in the immediate scheme and awareness of the increase in its value. aftermath of emergency weather events through its Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. This means tested scheme is administered by the Department’s local The International Protection Act Community Welfare Service and is made available Applicants for International Protection are people to assist people whose homes are damaged by who have applied for refugee status or subsidiary severe weather and who are not in a position to protection and whose cases have not been meet costs for essential needs, household items decided by the International Protection Office. and in some instances structural repair. In 2017, These applicants were previously prohibited the Department activated the scheme to provide from accessing the labour market in Ireland by a support to householders affected following the specific provision of the International Protection flooding in County Donegal in August and in Act 2015. Following on from a Supreme Court County Laois in November. The scheme played Decision in 2017, that provision was struck down an important role in helping to alleviate the from 9 February 2018. As a result, International impact of the severe weather on households at a Protection Applicants have the right to access the very distressing time. Department staff provided labour market (subject to certain restrictions) from reassurance to the householders affected and were that date. proactive in assessing and meeting the demand for assistance, including providing emergency clinics and The Government has decided to opt-in to the EU visiting the homes of people affected as necessary. (recast) Reception Conditions Directive which There was ongoing engagement with the local will provide the framework for the rules around authorities and other emergency personnel during labour market access and other issues. The opt-in this time to ensure a co-ordinated response. process will take a number of months and interim arrangements are in place to cover the period In 2017, payments were made under the from 9th February until the opt-in process is Scheme to some 220 households with expenditure complete (later in 2018). of over €610,000.
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Fund for European Aid to the most to assist people in their communities. Notably, the food Deprived- FEAD products available allow recipients to prepare a complete meal for one person or family and/or to prepare food In 2017, through a network of charitable partner despite only having basic cooking utensils. Additionally, organisations, the Department distributed almost in 2017, the Department ran a pilot project in the greater 1,000 tonnes of food to over 80,000 people in Limerick/South Clare area. Under this pilot scheme, communities throughout the country. 4,000 school starter kits were packaged and distributed to various age groups of children. Approximately €3m was spent on 23 food products consisting of foods that are non-perishable, and which The Department also works with The Irish Red Cross are easy to transport and store. These foods were under FEAD to distribute welcome kits consisting of centrally procured and made available for charities hygiene goods and clothing, to new migrants.
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Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or an alternative is not Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) available at that time.In 2017, over 103,000 payments scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional were issued under the scheme at a provisional cost of needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once- €38 million. off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) is a once-off payment made to people who may not normally qualify for SWA
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Social Inclusion Forum 2017
The Department convened the 13th Social Inclusion Forum (SIF) of stakeholders to address issues relating to poverty and social inclusion in May 2017. The Forum gives people who are directly affected by poverty and social exclusion and those who work with them a voice in the development and implementation of the policies that directly affect them.
The event also provides a forum for wider public Pictured is Leo Varadkar T.D. consultation and discussion on social inclusion issues (Minister of Social Protection) at between officials from Government Departments, the Social Inclusion Forum 2017 Community and Voluntary Organisations and people experiencing poverty in relation to the updated National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2015- 2017. presentations on the proposed development of the next National Action Plan for Social Inclusion The theme of the 2017 Forum was ‘National Action and on how the EU perspective could influence its Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2017: reflecting on development. The event highlighted and identified the past and informing the future’. Current issues many common themes, including a number of related to this theme were discussed over four overarching recommendations for the attention of separate workshops. The agenda also featured policy makers.
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Research on Poverty and Social Exclusion The Department also provides funding for the annual programme undertaken in conjunction with In 2017, the Department of Employment Affairs and the Irish Research Council. In December 2017, the Social Protection and ESRI published a technical most recent research funded under this programme paper entitled Poverty Transitions in Ireland: An was published by Professor Jane Gray and Dr Cliona Analysis of the longitudinal Central Statistics Office Rooney, entitled ‘Supporting Low Income Families: (CSO) Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), Enabling Resilience’. 11 The study investigated the 2004-2015.9 experiences and resilience practices of low-income families receiving Family Income Supplement Using Irish SILC longitudinal data from 2004-2015, (now renamed Working Family Payment). the paper examined poverty transitions among social risk groups and entry and exit rates into deprivation and poverty, as well as the incidence of consistent poverty and deprivation.
The technical paper, which focuses on the measurement of poverty is an output of the Department’s research programme with the ESRI on the Measurement and Analysis of Household Income and Living Conditions.
The Department also provides funding for the Department of Social Protection Research Innovation Awards (DSPRIA), an annual programme undertaken in conjunction with the Irish Research Council.
9 http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/9203/1/ER
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Pictured are members of BeLonG To with Moninne Griffin and Minister Regina Doherty T.D.
Review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015
In November 2017, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty T.D. announced Moninne Griffith as Chair of the Review Group of the Gender Recognition The review of the 2015 Act 2015. Ms. Griffith is Executive Director of BeLonG To, a national organisation for Act will cover issues such Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender as gender recognition for (LGBT) young people, aged between 14 and 23. The Minister also announced three children younger than 16 other members of the group: Sara Phillips, Seamus Byrne and Dr Tanya Ní Mhuirthile. years of age; arrangements for 16 and 17 year olds; and The review of the 2015 Act will cover issues such as gender recognition for children the position of non-binary younger than 16 years of age; arrangements for 16 and 17 year olds; and the position and intersex persons. of non-binary and intersex people.
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EU/International Unit EU – UK Relations Revisions to EU Regulations on the Following the decision of the UK to withdraw from Coordination of Social Security Systems the EU, Phase 1 of the Article 50 negotiations on the UK withdrawal was completed at European As part of its Labour Mobility Package and in Council on 15th December 2017 with an agreed order to continue the process of modernisation Progress report on the three Phase 1 issues: citizens’ of the EU law on social security coordination, rights, Ireland issues and financial settlement. Phase the European Commission launched a set of 2 of these negotiations will continue in 2018. The proposals for the revision of the EU Regulations key social protection area that will be impacted on the Coordination of social security systems is the coordination of social security payments (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) in December between the UK and Ireland. This issue is integrally 2016. These proposals focus on a number of linked with the principle of free movement of areas of co-ordination where the Commission people, goods and services. The future operation of considers that improvements are required, i.e.: the coordination arrangements for social security • access to social benefits for payments between the UK and Ireland is a priority economically inactive EU citizens; issue as part of negotiations between the UK and the remaining EU Member States, and bilaterally • coordination of Long-Term Care Benefits; between the UK and Ireland. The Department is continuing an assessment of the implications of • Unemployment Benefits for Brexit on a scheme-by-scheme and client basis. cross-border workers;
• Family Benefits which replace income ‘Ireland and the UK: social welfare pensions, rights during child-raising periods, and; and entitlements’ Stakeholder Engagement Event
• applicable legislation in the In February, the Department hosted an important case of posted workers. stakeholder engagement event on the subject of Brexit, with the theme of ‘Ireland and UK: The proposals also provide for a number of technical social welfare pensions, rights and entitlements’. amendments to the procedures of the recovery for This citizen-centred and client-focussed forum social security benefits and contributions, cross- was attended by trade unions, civil society border data sharing and the calculation of benefits representatives, business representatives, academia, and costs to be reimbursed between Member States. TDs and Senators. The event covered a range of issues relating to social welfare including family Discussions at Council level commenced in benefits, unemployment, sickness and maternity January 2017 and will continue during 2018, benefits and old age and survivor benefits. with the intention of seeking agreement between the European Parliament and The opening address was given by then Minister the Council by the end of 2018. for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar T.D., who assured stakeholders of the Department’s long- Ireland broadly welcomes these proposals to term objective to ensure the continued reciprocity modernise the EU rules on the coordination of civic rights, specifically social welfare rights of social security systems, which will be in the and entitlements. The Department ensured that interests of mobile EU citizens and businesses, the stakeholder contributions were shared for and also of Member States and their institutions. consideration as part of the Second Plenary All Island Civic Dialogue on Brexit, undertaken by the Government later in February.
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Communications & Customer Service managing the Department’s Comments and Complaints system, and coordinating the Customer Charter and The Communications and Customer Service Action Plan and the Department’s Annual Report. Unit (CCSU) is responsible for promoting the work and services of the Department • Management of the Department’s through consistent internal and external website www.welfare.ie communications, thereby improving services • Through the Press Office, communicating for both staff and customers alike. the messages of the Minister and the Department to the media and responding The CCSU is responsible for: in a timely manner to media queries. • Developing and implementing communications, customer service and internal communications The Department adheres to a principle of a structured strategy for the Department. approach with external stakeholders in relation to the development, delivery and review of services and policies. • Media communications, design and branding, public information campaigns and advertising including through social media.
• Supporting customer service delivery throughout the Department including: the provision of a general information support function to customers, delivering general information sessions to members of the public, representing the Department at various events,
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Communications / Public Information 2017 at a Glance
In 2017 the CCSU oversaw:
CAMPAIGNS EVENTS PRESS ACCESSIBILITY
WEB
DESIGN
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Communication & Customer Service Events 2017 Translation and Interpretive Services
Every year the Communication and Customer The Customer Charter and Action Plan sets out Services Unit in the Department arranges an official the Department’s commitments to providing a “stand” presence at events that we believe provide professional, efficient and courteous service to all key opportunities for face-to-face engagement its customers. Specific commitments are included with customers and the general public. The relating to the provision of interpretive and aim of such events is to provide information to translation services and the provision of information customers and to increase awareness of the wide in alternative formats such as Braille or Audio. range of services and supports provided by the Department. In 2017, the Department provided In 2017, the Department arranged for the translation an official information stand presence at: of over 650 documents into and from Irish. In addition, there were over 3,700 translations into • The Ploughing Championships in Tullamore; some 50 other languages. Almost 1,800 clients • The Pregnancy and Baby Fair in the RDS and; were provided with assistance from language • Over 50’s Show also held in the RDS. interpretation services; 38 clients availed of the services of a Sign Language Interpreter and 33 Events like these are effective, as knowledgeable received information in alternative formats. staff were present to provide customers with information, either general or a one to one if During 2017, the Department continued the requested. Over the years there has been positive rollout of the Irish Remote Interpreting Service feedback as customers need to know where (IRIS) across the network of Intreo offices and by and how to obtain information on the various the end of the year the service was available in schemes that are provided by the Department. almost 50 locations in total. IRIS offers a video link to a live Irish Sign Language Interpreter.
Official Languages Act
The Department continued to provide a service through Irish in 2017 in line with the requirements of the Official Languages Act, 2003. The Department’s Customer Charter and Action Plan states that the Department will ‘provide quality services through Irish and/or bilingually, and inform customers of their right to choose to be dealt with through one or other of the official languages’. The Department’s Language Scheme 2015 to 2018 sets out the Department’s commitments to customer service in Irish and advises of the availability of services through Irish.
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Freedom of Information (FOI)
Over the last few years the Department has seen a significant increase in the number of FOI requests received; 2,641 requests were received in 2017 (compared to 2,089 received in 2016).
Of these, 2,280 (86%) requests received in 2017 were from members of the public requesting copies of their personal details, the remaining 361 FOI requests were of a non-personal / mixed nature.
European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) increases the obligations and responsibilities for the Department in how we collect, use and protect personal data. At the centre of the new law is the requirement to be fully transparent about how we are using and safeguarding personal data, and to be able to demonstrate accountability Assistance Payments, access to Exceptional for all of our data processing activities. Needs Payments in Direct Provision, and the Habitual Residence Condition. The Migrant Consultative Forum (MCF)
The Migrant Consultative Forum (MCF) was set up Disability Consultative Forum (DCF) in 2012 to address issues raised in the ‘Person or The Disability Consultative Forum (DCF) consists Number?’ report, which had been prepared in February of representatives of disability organisations. 2012 by 3 NGOs who represent migrant groups. The It usually meets quarterly to discuss a range of Forum consists of representatives of FLAC, Crosscare, issues related to the Department’s services and New Communities, One Family, Dublin City Centre its commitments under various national strategies CIC and a number of areas of the Department. such as the National Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy. During 2017 the work of the Migrant Consultative Forum continued. The forum focused on advancing Customer Service Forum (CSF) the 4 key areas identified in the work plan, namely: The Customer Service Forum has firmly established • Training issues; itself as a quarterly opportunity • Customer Action Plan & Customer for the Department to reach out to some of Comments/Complaints; its main customers. The Forum aims to • Arrears Payments; and share information about the Department’s schemes and services and to learn and receive feedback from • Supplementary Welfare Allowance and our customers and their representative groups. Exceptional Needs Payments administration. During 2017 the Customer Service Forums Examples of some of the more significant items focused on changes which were occurring in the discussed during 2017 were: Family Income Department, featuring talks on changes to Illness Supplement, Absence from the State, Housing Benefit, the MyGov.ie website and Brexit.
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A range of representative groups were invited to This forum was attended by groups including NALA attend including: (National Adult Literacy Agency) and the NCBI (National Council for the Blind of Ireland). The Forum is organised • Family Carers Ireland by the Communications and Customer Service Unit. • National Youth Council of Ireland • St Vincent de Paul • Retirement Planning Council of Ireland
The final talk in 2017 was given by iReach Insights. They were conducting research on behalf of Clickworks for the re-design of the Departments Website.
During 2017 the Customer Service Forums focused on changes which were occurring in the Department...
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Feedback From Customers
“I have huge respect for you and everyone who “Making a holiday application from Jobseeker’s works in the Department as I know that it must be Benefit. I had to do this on 2 occasions. I find the staff a challenging job. Thank you for all of your heroic at the centre always very helpful and courteous. The work!” speed at which I have been seen is very quick and the ticketing system works very well.” Georgia, Dublin Mid-Leinster (01.08.2017) Anonymous, Dublin South/Mid-Leinster (06.03.2017) “Their caring attitude and efficient processing of the documentation took a great deal of stress away and I “From being on the dole and starting off in my am very grateful.” kitchen, then being placed on the Start Your Own Business Scheme in the middle of a recession… I can Jennifer, Illness Benefit (28.07.2017) show people there is hope once you have ambition. “I have been in the office twice in the past week, I always had an interest in hair and fashion. I was looking like a drowned rat, and trailing two screaming cutting hair casually from about the age of 17. At children. I could not have encountered nicer staff . the time it was more of a past time than a career From the guy at reception, who handed me tissues opportunity but it was something I really was to dry my glasses, down to the lady who offered help passionate about. It was very hard. After a fashion with the baby. I was so pleasantly surprised, especially company I worked for closed down, I decided to do considering I was dreading going in! I just wanted to something for myself where I didn’t have to rely on say thank you!” others to make ends meet. I did my initial training in Knights School of Barbering and travelled to Dublin Ellen, Dublin South/Mid-Leinster (Newbridge) every day to gain my introduction into the barbering (27.07.2017) world, and I started cutting hair from my kitchen. I spent months gathering information and doing “I was bowled over by your kindness to me. You went market research into what I wanted the business to above and beyond to make sure I had the payment be. During my research, I also found out there was in time. I’m not used to being spoiled like that. Thank such thing as a Start Your Own Business Scheme. you sincerely.” This is where I met two people who were influential Frank, Mid-West (09.03.2017) in guiding me along, they were Bernie Judge and Seamus Quigley from the Department of Employment “Life has been too hard of late so the help of the Affairs and Social Protection.” department in general has been welcome. I don’t Barry, Dundalk think I could survive without it.”
Patricia, Cork Central (17.07.2017)
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Feedback From Staff
“I arrived into this department over forty years “They reckon that it was 100 years since anything like ago, as a young clerical officer. There was a that was seen before (the Donegal floods). And the rather strict Staff Officer there. I was sitting at people were left standing in the street with just the my desk and I was authorising claims. He came clothes they were standing in. The main thing was over to me. Stood over me and said, “Eh...what to let people see that there was help there for them have you got there?” So I counted the claims and get them something sorted right away. They got and I can still remember the number. 22. And immediate aid in the form of a cash cheque at least to give them comfort of starting off again.” I said to him “I’ve 22 claims Mr. Daly.” And he said, “no, not really. I’d prefer if you looked at it Eileen, Donegal like this. You’ve a queue of 22 people, queuing “I do find the work very satisfying and very fulfilling. at your desk, for service. And the faster you get And [I’m] never bored with it. It is good job satisfaction through those claims, the happier they will be. when you realise the customer, you know, that did Remember that, you’ll be more efficient and have a loss, that you’ve helped them out. And that you’ll give better customer service.” I’ve never you’ve organised and made sure that they’ve got their forgotten that.” payment and they get it in a prompt fashion.”
Tom, Dublin Geraldine, Longford
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OBJECTIVE
Drive cost, efficiency and effectiveness
Drive Cost, Efficiency and Effectiveness
Public Sector Duty service agencies in the development and implementation of identity management policy A Public Sector Duty group was set up in 2017 through a senior-level interdepartmental group. as part of the Department’s Strategy 2017-2020. It will help to eliminate discrimination while promoting equality and human rights. It will help Personal Public Service (PPS) Number to ensure that the Department’s services and The Department provides identity management information are accessible to all service users services to public service agencies, facilitating and that the Department is compliant with its the use of the PPS Number in the delivery of Public Sector Duty in all its activities. public services, developing online services and enhancing systems for control of fraud and abuse. Identity Management and A total of 188,956 PPS Numbers were Secure Access to Services allocated in 2017.
The Department’s Client Identity Services (CIS) SAFE/Public Services Card Project is responsible for providing a range of identity management functions to the Department and SAFE2 registration has been established to to other public bodies. It issues and manages verify a person’s identity to a substantial level the Personal Public Service (PPS) Number and of assurance and thereby enable individuals the Public Services Card (PSC) and provides gain access to public services more efficiently related identity data services to other public and with a minimum of duplication of effort, bodies specified in legislation. The Department while at the same time preserving their liaises closely with the Department of Public privacy to the maximum extent possible. Expenditure and Reform and other public
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SAFE2 registration results in a Public Services WelfarePartners Card (PSC) being issued to a person. During A number of important changes were introduced to 2017, over 680,000 PSCs were issued bringing the treatment benefit scheme during 2017, arising to over 3.03 million the number of PSC’s issued from Government decisions taken at Budget time. by end 2017. This includes over 990,000 First, the existing scheme was extended to cover PSCs providing entitlement to Free Travel. self-employed contributors from 27th March 2017. Second, an extended range of benefits was made Arising from SAFE2 identity verification processes, available under the scheme from 28th October 2017. a total of 171 cases of suspected identity fraud have been detected and referred for investigation; The benefits are available to employed and self- these cases are at various different stages of the employed contributors and their dependant spouses/ investigation and prosecution process. During partners. Some 2.5 million qualified contributors are 2017, the Department published a Comprehensive entitled to benefit from the scheme. The Department Guide to SAFE Registration and the Public has developed a new system to support the delivery of Services Card which is available at the treatment benefit scheme. www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Department_ Comprehensive_Guide_to_SAFE_Registration_and_ This includes a portal (WelfarePartners) for use by the_PSC.pdf. contractors (dentists, opticians and audiologists) to check patient eligibility and to submit claims and This Guide provides detailed information on receive payments. Over the course of 2017 the SAFE registration/identity verification, the PSC, Department worked on this development; releasing identity data and how it is secured, managed, functionality on a staged basis for use by contractors. governed and shared, and MyGovID. Initially they were able to check eligibility, with functionality extended to cover the full claim and In addition, the Department of Public Expenditure payment process available from mid-November. By year and Reform published the Government- end, some 227,000 claims had been submitted and paid approved e-Government Strategy 2017 -2020 amounting to almost €15 million in monetary terms. (see http://egovstrategy.gov.ie/) which sets Over 60% of dentists, opticians and audiologists have out plans for extended use of SAFE2 identity signed up to use the new online facility and by year end verification in the provision of public services. over 70% of claim activity is being transacted online.
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Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy TABLE 5: MyWelfare.ie 2017 Data The Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 set out the Department’s 01/01/17 - Online Appointment overall strategic approach to tackling fraud 31/12/2017 and abuse of the social welfare system. Create Irish Language PPSN/PSC 652 Appointment Under the Strategy, the Department has outlined a range of measures to detect and prevent fraud from Cancel a PPSN/PSC Appointment 21,813 entering the welfare system, allied to more effective Amend a PPSN/PSC Appointment 14,890 debt management and recovery and the putting Create Sign Language PPSN/PSC in place of deterrence measures. As part of these 1,530 measures, the Department is continuing to utilise a Appointment range of approaches to enhance and improve how it Create a PPSN/PSC Appointment 180,562 undertakes its work to deliver on these objectives. Scheme Maintenance
The Department’s First Digital Services Create Close Claim Request 2,465 Strategy was agreed Create Holiday Request 1,195
In line with customer expectation and changing MAT PAT Payment Method 72 and evolving demands the Department needs to Change provide services that are easy to access, quickly and Scheme Application securely, across different channels. In 2014/2015, the Department started work on the objective of Child Benefit Application 1,158 delivering secure, personalised, services online. Jobseeker Application 1,248 The new government-wide platform MyGovID was built, which is a single, secure, online identity and Maternity Benefit Application 1,058 access portal that provides access to a range of Paternity Benefit Application 5,078 government services. To enable the Department’s customers to access personalised and online My Details welfare services, the Department also built a secure, Change of Address 1,636 online customer facing portal called MyWelfare. Change Language Request 91 In 2017, the Department finalised its first Digital Statement Services Strategy which sets out the rationale Contribution History Statement for the introduction of this new online channel, 8,759 - Level 0 the principles underpinning its introduction and the expected benefits this channel will Contribution History Statement 8,252 bring to our customers and the Department. - Level 2 Payment Statement Request 5,072 The principles as set out in this strategy underpin the work that the Department does to Activation modernise our services by taking advantage of My Work And Skills 126 technological developments while also keeping our customers’ needs at the heart of the online Apply For services that we deliver. We recognise that PRSI Refund 184 online is just one additional channel through which we can engage with our customers.
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MyWelfare.ie
Summary Digital Services Channel Strategy 2017 - 2020
Why introduce online? Principles Benefits to Customers
Improve Channel and � Better and faster 1customer service 1Service choice service - 24/7 Current and growing Digital is one channel � More choice - demand for secure, among suite of channels additional channel fast and efficient Digital by online services for our � Safe and secure Desire customers 2 Design Services around � Easier for Serve increasing the customer for digital Customers 2number of receipt and processing customers Demographics and Self Service options Self service options Benefits to Department other changes creating 3 introduced across office increased and long- � Improved network to support digital term demands in Customer Service Department’s services Minimum or zero � Operational touch processes Improve 4 efficiencies 3efficiencies Design processes to Online delivery maximise efficiencies � Potential to provides an from digital improve internal processes opportunity to Process adaption improve our Design process � Helps deal processes, and to 5 around customer and with increasing improve and better technology customer numbers manage workflows in line with available High quality resources 6customer support Support the customer on the online journey using latest technologies
MyWelfare.ie Safe and Secure 7Deliver a service that is safe and secure for customers and Department
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MyGOVID
MyGovID is a secure online account for accessing public services digitally. MyGovID accounts have been developed so that they can also be used by other Government departments and State agencies to authenticate customers online. MyGovID is currently used to provide authenticated access to this Department’s MyWelfare.ie service, to the Revenue Commissioners’ myAccount online service and to the JobsIreland website. Work is underway with other Government Departments and State agencies to help them to use this facility to provide their services online.
Over the course of 2017, there has been increased take-up of this service by customers with over 407,000 accounts established and over 83,000 of these verified to allow access to high-value and personalised online public services.
Financial Management In accordance with Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 which requires FOI bodies Project governance and procurement policy to publish as much information as possible in an The Project Governance Committee (PGC), open and accessible manner, the Department a committee of the Management Board, publishes details of all public contracts awarded approves and monitors the Departments project for ICT contracts over €10K, and €25K for all other portfolio. Project proposals are evaluated and contracts, on its website at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/ prioritised, and budgets and resources assigned Contracts-Awarded.aspx. in line with the Department’s Statement of Strategy and business plans. Particular focus is Project management leaders/advisory services given to aligning priorities with the Programme for Government and the public service reform agenda. Action 17 of The Civil Service Renewal Plan committed to improving project management The PGC exercises an oversight role to ensure capacity in the public service. A Project Management best practice is applied in the management of Leaders/Advisory Service (PMLAS) was established programmes and projects and in all procurement comprising of representatives from a number of matters. The Department aims to achieve value for Departments and Offices and was chaired by John money in the procurement of goods and services Mc Keon, then Assistant Secretary, Department and is committed to participating fully in the of Social Protection. The PMLAS group developed public procurement reform initiatives of the Office and published a Project Manager’s Handbook/ of Government Procurement. Guidance Document for use within the Civil Service; established a Project Managers’ Network (PMN) Information about the Department’s procurement and also established a web portal as a source of policy is available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/ information and reference documentation Procurement-Policy.aspx. www.projectmanagersnetwork.gov.ie.
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The PMLAS group organised four major Project The aim of the scheme is to move people from Managers’ Network events in the Printworks in the use of high cost moneylenders to legitimate Dublin Castle during 2017 with the themes of: low cost, locally available, alternative credit.
• Governance; At the end of 2017, over 6,000 customers were • Benefits Realisation; making PMC loan repayments by way of deductions through the Household Budgeting facility, while • Change Management; others are making repayments through direct • Building Project Management Capability: debit or standing order arrangements. The list of Insights and Trends. participating Credit Unions is updated regularly on the website for the It Makes Sense loan scheme at Speakers included leaders from the public and www.itmakessenseloan.ie/participating-credit-unions private sector and the events were attended by some 411 people engaged in project management The Programme for a Partnership Government 2016 from across the civil and public service. - 2021 provides for the rollout and extension of the Personal Micro Credit Scheme. Incremental progress Personal Micro Credit Scheme- “It Makes Sense” is being made towards extending the geographical coverage of the Personal Micro Credit Scheme In 2017, the Department continued to advance through efforts to recruit Credit Unions to participate the Personal Micro Credit (PMC) Scheme which in the scheme. At December 2017, 112 Credit Unions provides for small scale loans by Credit Unions to have signed up to participate in the scheme, resulting borrowers who would otherwise have difficulty in the availability of the It Makes Sense loan in over accessing low cost credit. 240 local Credit Union offices across the country.
In 2017, the Department continued to advance the Personal Micro Credit (PMC) Scheme which provides for small scale loans by Credit Unions to borrowers who would otherwise have difficulty accessing low cost credit.
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OBJECTIVE
Develop staff, structures and processes
Develop Staff, Structures and Processes
Learning and Development in frontline roles. The One DEASP curriculum comprises 70 classroom and e-learning modules The Department’s Staff Development Unit (SDU) reflecting the roles and functions across frontline has responsibility for the planning and provision services provided by the Department. Since its of learning and development programmes to launch in 2015, there have been over 11,000 staff and management in the organisation. attendees at One DEASP classroom modules The unit develops, delivers, and oversees high and almost 10,000 e-learning completions. quality training and education provision in the Department in order to ensure that staff are fully In 2016, the Department entered into partnership equipped to perform their functions effectively. with the National College of Ireland (NCI) to develop and deliver accredited programmes for These learning and development needs are the Department’s staff, building upon the One addressed through a mixture of internally and DEASP curriculum. A key strategic objective, externally delivered training and education. delivering accredited programmes, which are on the National Framework of Qualifications, aims In 2017, Staff Development Unit was awarded the to equip staff with the knowledge and skills to Excellence Through People (ETP) Award by the further enhance the delivery of a professional National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) under service to the Department’s customers. the National Human Resource Management Scheme. Work is progressing on obtaining approval from Quality Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for the proposed One DEASP Curriculum and Accreditation accredited programmes. Once secured this will As part of the overall One DEASP, the Department enable the delivery of accredited programmes embarked on a key initiative to review and redesign across six frontline roles in the Department. learning and development programmes for staff
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Pictured above are the NCI Department Graduates and the Senior Management Board
A Certificate in Social Protection Studies, initially Engagement & Innovation for new entrants but ultimately for all staff, will In 2017, The Engagement & Innovation (E&I) also be available, which will provide staff with a programme continued to develop and grow across comprehensive introduction to the Department, the Department. The Engagement and Innovation including the role it plays in Irish society in terms of programme is a key process which engages staff assisting our customers. and enables them to contribute to organisation development and customer service projects. The Approximately 100 case officers have registered for programme aims to engage and empower staff and to a Level 8 Special Purpose Award in Employability facilitate organisation-wide innovation. It encourages Services. The first group of students graduated in the and supports staff to become involved and to contribute NCI in 2017, along with trainers in the Department to the changes that affect their everyday work. who received qualifications from the Institute of Training and Development. Above is a photograph E&I leadership teams (Strategic Leadership Team, of the Department’s first ever graduation ceremony 2 Regional Leadership Teams and 3 Headquarter from November 2017. Leadership Teams) met quarterly during 2017. Work continued throughout the year on a wide range of Other learning and development initiatives projects. The Strategic Leadership Team decided on SDU is working with the Department of Public topics for two special projects to be undertaken at Expenditure & Reform to implement Action 9 under national level (a project on the Role of the HEO in the the Civil Service Renewal Plan – shared learning and Intreo Centre and a project on Data Protection). development. It continues to engage in the process From the commencement of the programme in 2013 to of development of One Learning through the Steering the end of 2017: Group and coordination of engagement by SDU and wider Departmental staff participating in and • 123 E&I projects have been established. evaluating various ‘pilot’ courses. SDU is currently • 102 E&I projects have been completed to date with working to develop a process for the drawdown of over 800 members of staff involved. Highlighting training from the One Learning curriculum pending issues as diverse as Wellness at Work, Improving the introduction of a portal to manage training across Integration Locally and Training Needs Analysis the whole of the Civil Service. for staff.
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Culture and Values
The process of embedding the core values continued during 2017, making all staff aware of the core values and their central position in all of the Department’s activities.
The One Department Values Recognition Awards event was held on 30th November and attended by nominees from all over the country. Representing a wide variety of functions, projects, individual achievements and locations, all of whom were nominated for making exceptional contributions in line with the Department’s values of Public Service, Customer Focus, Total Professionalism, Engaged Staff and Innovation. Over 70 nominations were received and there were a total of 30 award winners across the Department’s five core values.
In November the Department commenced a series of Staff Engagement roadshows. The purpose of these roadshows was to outline to staff the future strategic direction of the Department and how staff in the Department would be supported through new learning and development initiatives.
Protected Disclosures Act 2014
The Department is committed to fostering an appropriate environment for addressing concerns relating to potential wrongdoing in the workplace and to providing the necessary support for staff that raise genuine concerns. The Act requires public bodies to establish and maintain procedures for dealing with protected disclosures and to provide written information relating to these procedures to workers. The Department has such procedures in place.
Ten submissions were made to the Department 4: No action necessary following initial assessment under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 1: Passed to another Dept. following assessment resulting in the following: 1: Investigated 2: Awaiting further information 2: In progress at end of year.
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Annual Social Welfare Summer School CHART 2: Course study categories The Annual Social Welfare Summer School is a joint initiative of the Department for 2 10 Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department for Communities in 23 Northern Ireland. It was held in Dublin City 10 University in August 2017. 46 students from both departments attended. The theme of the 2017 Summer School was ‘Making Welfare Work; from Exclusion to Inclusion’. 23 The School provides a unique learning and 36 significant development opportunity for staff at EO, HEO and AO level, particularly Total 104 those who wouldn’t normally have an involvement in policy development in Level 5 Certificate the course of their day-to-day work. The Level 6 Advanced/Higher Certificate Summer School provides an opportunity for staff to analyse and debate topical Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor Degree social policy issues facing both jurisdictions Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree/Higher Diploma within a university environment and to gain Level 9 Masters Degree/Post-Grad Diploma valuable knowledge and understanding of the policy development process. It Level 10 Doctoral Degree/Higher Doctorate also facilitates an exchange of views and insights between staff of this Department and their Northern Ireland counterparts. TABLE 6: Subject Categories
Refund of Fees Scheme Public Policy/ Admin/ Mgmt/ Analysis
The Refund of Fees scheme assisted and Human Resource Management supported staff who wished to pursue Business Studies/ Admin/ Mgmt third-level part-time education in their own Information Technology time by offering full and partial support of fees. Students were supported in a broad Adult Guidance range of learning related to Departmental Social Policy/ Sociology business needs with courses ranging across Financial Management the various levels from Level 5 to Level 10. Law
In the academic year 2016/17, 104 people Accountancy were approved for funding under the Leaving Certificate Refund of Fees (RoF) Scheme, as detailed in the chart and table to the right. Systems Analysis/ Statistics Education and Training (adult)
Leadership Programme Economics
The Department’s Leadership 2020 Gaeilge course approved for accreditation by the Other Institute of Leadership & Management / City & Guilds was rolled out to staff.
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Assistant Principal Forum 2017 Over the course of the gathering APs had the opportunity to hear contributions from speakers The annual Assistant Principal (AP) Forum was held from inside and outside the Department, including in Dublin Castle in January 2017. In excess of 220 an external perspective from NUI Maynooth and the staff attended. office of the Ombudsman.
The AP Forum is an important event for the Presentations were delivered on Brexit, The Digital Department which brings APs together from Agenda, Divisional and Scheme area developments, throughout the Department for two days to discuss HR, Project Management, staff supports and Health the priorities of the Department for the coming and Safety. year and key strategic issues. APs are key staff in the Department as they are essential in developing The event also provides an important networking policy and driving the implementation of the event for APs throughout the organisation. Department’s strategies on the ground throughout the country.
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One DEASP Values Recognition Awards 2017
The One DEASP Values Recognition Awards event was held in November and attended by nominees from all over the country. There were sixteen individual and sixteen team award winners. All of whom were nominated for making exceptional contributions in line with the Department’s values of Public Service, Customer Focus, Total Professionalism, Engaged Staff and Innovation. Pictured John McKeon, Secretary-General at Department Values Recognition awards 2017
The One Department Values Recognition Awards event was held in November and attended by nominees from all over the country.
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Pictured are Tony Kieran, Principal Officer, Department (6th from left) receiving a Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Award, Secretary General of Department of Finance Robert Watt, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe T.D. and fellow award recipients.
Department awarded a “Civil Service Excellence Social insurance statements provide a detailed and Innovation Award” social insurance history and are very important documents, particularly for people approaching In November, the Department was honoured to retirement age or making decisions relating to receive an award in the category of ‘Excellence in pensions or retirement planning. Customer Service’ at the Civil Service Excellence The number of requests for statements has and Innovation Awards. The award recognised grown significantly over recent years, with the Department's work in creating and expanding over 80,000 requests in 2016 and a projected its online service channel to include Social demand for 100,000 statements for 2017. This is Insurance statements. expected to continue to increase further in line Prior to the introduction of the MyWelfare.ie with an ageing population in Ireland. online service option, production of social insurance statements was a complex and time- Secure online availability of a social insurance consuming manual clerical task. The online service statement via MyWelfare.ie transformed and provides a much quicker and more convenient modernised the process by which customers service for many of the Department’s customers. could request and receive their statements. Real-time statements access are available to customers with verified online accounts. Other customers can request a copy of their statement to be sent to their postal address. The project went live in January 2017, and over 17,000 statements were requested that year.
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Pictured are Mr. Hans Horst Konkolewsky, General Secretary of the International Social Security Association, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty T.D., and Ms. Irene Mandl, Head of the research unit ‘Employment’ at Eurofound
Department's 70th Anniversary Conference economy and the potential effects on social security coverage and financing. Key note speakers included The year 2017 was the 70th anniversary of the Mr. Hans Horst Konkolewsky, General Secretary founding of the Department. In November, to of the International Social Security Association, mark this, the Department hosted a half-day Open Policy Conference on Thursday, 9th November on Ms. Irene Mandl, Head of the research unit ‘The Digital Economy, New Forms of Work and ‘Employment’ at Eurofound and Mr. Sean Ó Riain, Challenges for Social Security Systems; Financing Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University. and Coverage’. Papers from the conference were collated in a The Conference, which was hosted with Maynooth special edition of the Journal 'Administration' University, examined the disruptive potential of published by the Institute for Public Administration. emerging forms of employment and the digital
76 Appendices
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Appendix 1 Organisation Structure
Secretary General John McKeon
Chief Appeals Officer Joan Gordon
Deputy CAO Brian Duff
Deidre Shanley Patricia Murphy Niall Egan Michael Bunyan Tim Duggan Simonetta Ryan Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary
Finance/ HR/Empl Service IS Services Pens. Pol & NW Welfare Pol, Corporate Affairs Development Enterprise Centralised Disability & Int'l Financial Control SDU/IR Communications & Architect Schemes EU International Jim McDonnell Vacancy Customer Services Alan Flynn Pensions/ HHB Mary O’Sullivan Estimates & Workforce Sarah Software Eng. Policy Brexit/ Social EUFCU Planning O’Callaghan Louise McKeever Helen McDonald Pillar/ GRO Policy Ciaran Lawler Tadgh O’Leary Service Quality/ Infrastructure Auto-Enrolment Dearbháil Nic Giolla Legislation/ Performance Citizens Kevin Coady Programme Mhicíl Planning Sec Ann Marie Information Board Robert Nicholson Policy Reviews/ Sé Goulding PGC /Procurment/ Elaine Quinn O’Connor Proj. Mgmt/Digital Non Con VFMS Corporate Facilities Business Architect Platform Pens/ HHB Dave Dillon Planning/BISU Management Paul O’Meara Daragh O’Connor Miriam Finnegan Illness & Invalidity Joan McMahon Turlough Kieran External Service Service Delivery Con Pensions Pol. GDPR & Employment Delivery (Incl. BMs Sean Gaffney Anne Marie John Bohan Investigations Rights & EmployAbility) Cassidy DA/ Carers/ IP John O’Toole Dermot Sheridan Chris Kane CB/ DCA/ TB/ WFP ops PRSI Policy/Scope Digital Services CES/ MAT Peter Scully Sean Reilly Donal Spellman Tony Kieran Civil Registration Service* Kieran Feely
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Appendix 1 Organisation Structure
Internal Audit Seamus Quinn
Deputy Secretary Anne Vaughan
Kathleen Stack John Conlon Teresa Leonard Oliver Egan Devesh Singh Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Acting Chief Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Medical Officer
Control/DAO Jobseeker/PES Regions Regions Deputy Chief Medical Officer DAO/FOI Business FO/BO Dublin North (Acting) Anne McManus Intelligence Programme Siobhán Lawlor Teck Tai Control Policy/Ops Ciaran Judge Philip O’Donohoe Dublin Central TJ Fleming Activation Policy/ Activation Case Noel Hand CIS SID Mgmt. RSU/ Dublin South/Mid Phil Cox Terry Corcoran Process Owner Leinster Barry Kennedy IB/ R&I Ops /PRSI Programmes Eoghan Ryan Refunds - CE/TUS RSS Mid-West Cork Niall Harrington (+Jobsplus ops) Jim Lynch Marie O’Flynn Nora Durcan SIU North West North East Kieran O’Dwyer JA/ JB/ BTEA/ Mairin Haran Paul Carroll BTWEA/ PTJI/ Civil Registration West South East + BO JobsPlus Eoin Brown Service Jackie Harrington (Pro-tem) Kieran Feely Midlands Liam Daly LPC/ OFP/ WFP/ Veronica O’Brien *CRS to Transfer IQA Employer Relations on conclusion of Maire Ní Chuirc Ronan Hession Org. Review SWA Des Henry
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Appendix 2 Legislation enacted in 2017
Social Welfare Acts 2017
Social Welfare Act 2017 (No. 38 of 2017)
Social Welfare and Employment Affairs Statutory Instruments 2017
Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Absence from the State) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 12 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 2) (Nominated Persons) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 13 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Voluntary Contributions) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 38 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Jobseeker’s Benefit Variation of Rate Specified in Sections 65A and 66(1A) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 62 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) (Amendment) (No. 1) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 63 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 3) (Change in Rates) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 64 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Diet Supplement) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 71 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Rent Allowance) (Amendment) (No. 1) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 72 of 2017)
Social Welfare Act 2016 (Section 9(a)) (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 94 of 2017)
Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 4) (Household Budgeting) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 185 of 2017)
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Appendix 3 Publications in 2017
Annual Report 2016 Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan 2016-2018 Make Work Pay Report 2017 Social Forum Report 2017 Social Welfare Appeals Office 2017 Indecon Report: Indecon Independent Review of the Amendments to the One-parent Family Payment since January 2012 www.welfare.ie/en/pressoffice/Pages/pr091017.aspx Annual Report under Section 6 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 www.welfare.ie/en/pressoffice/Pages/pr140717.aspx
81 Annual Report 2017 | Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Appendix 4 Ministers of the Department since 1947
From To James Ryan 22 January 1947 18 February 1948 William Norton 18 February 1948 14 June 1951 James Ryan 14 June 1951 2 June 1954 Brendan Corish 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Patrick Smyth 20 March 1957 27 November 1957 Seán MacEntee 27 November 1957 24 June 1959 Seán MacEntee 24 June 1959 12 October 1961 Kevin Boland 12 October 1961 21 April 1965 Kevin Boland 21 April 1965 16 November 1966 Joseph Brennan 16 November 1966 2 July 1969 Kevin Boland 2 July 1969 6 May 1970 Joseph Brennan 6 May 1970 14 March 1973 Brendan Corish 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 Charles J Haughey 5 July 1977 12 December 1979 Michael Woods 12 December 1979 30 June 1981 Eileen Desmond 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Michael Woods 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Barry Desmond 14 December 1982 14 February 1986 Gemma Hussey 14 February 1986 10 March 1987 Michael Woods 10 March 1987 18 July 1989 Michael Woods 18 July 1989 13 November 1991 Brendan Daly 13 November 1991 11 February 1992 Charlie McCreevy 11 February 1992 12 January 1993 Michael Woods 12 January 1993 15 December 1994 Proinsias De Rossa 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 Dermot Ahern 26 June 1997 17 June 2002 Mary Coughlan 17 June 2002 29 September 2004 Séamus Brennan 29 September 2004 14 June 2007 Martin Cullen 14 June 2007 7 May 2008 Mary Hanafin 7 May 2008 23 March 2010 Éamon Ó Cuív 23 March 2010 9 March 2011 Joan Burton 9 March 2011 6 May 2016 Leo Varadkar 6 May 2016 14 June 2017 Regina Doherty 14 June 2017
82 Annual Report 2017 | Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Appendix 5 Ministers of State at the Department since 1947
From To Michael J. Kennedy 19 June 1951 24 April 1954 Michael J. Kennedy 24 April 1954 2 June 1954 Michael J. Kennedy 1 March 1957 23 June 1959 Michael J. Kennedy 23 June 1959 15 September 1961 John Geoghan 9 July 1969 5 February 1973 John Geoghan 2 March 1973 14 March 1973 Frank Clusky 14 March 1973 25 May 1977 Tom Nolan 25 March 1980 17 December 1980 Tom Hussey 17 December 1980 30 June 1981 Mary Flaherty 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Denis Gallagher 23 March 1982 27 October 1982 Rory O’Hanlon 27 October 1982 14 December 1982 Fergus O’Brien 16 December 1982 15 December 1983 John Donnellan 15 December 1983 14 February 1986 Seamus Pattison 14 February 1986 20 January 1987 Joan Burton 14 January 1993 17 November 1994 Bernard J Durkan 20 December 1994 26 June 1997 Máire Hoctor 11 July 2007 7 May 2008 Máire Hoctor 13 May 2008 22 April 2009 Áine Brady 22 April 2009 9 March 2011 Kevin Humphreys 15 July 2014 6 May 2016 Finian McGrath 6 May 2016
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