Results 2,641-2,660 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I was pleased to announce on Budget Day that the maximum rates of all primary weekly social welfare rates will increase by €5 per week from the end of March 2018, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payment. This represents a 2.1% increase (at a minimum), and builds on a similar €5 weekly rate increase in Budget 2017, and a €3...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Dental Services (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I am pleased to confirm that the changes to the dental benefit scheme will come into effect from 28 October 2017. From that date the dental benefit scheme will provide for a payment towards either a scale and polish or, if clinically necessary, protracted periodontal treatment; in addition to the existing free dental exam. If the normal fee charged by the individual dental clinic for a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: JobPath is one of a range of activation supports, including schemes such as Community Employment (CE) and Tús, catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers. Referral to JobPath is by random selection and is generally for a 52-week period. Jobseekers who are already participating with the JobPath service will not be referred to Tús as they can only participate with one activation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget Measures (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The qualification criteria for the new Working Family Payment (WFP) will remain the same as the current qualifying criteria under Family Income Supplement (FIS). The Department’s approach to developing the Working Family Payment was guided by two principles. First, that it should ensure that work pays, and second, that it should have a positive effect on reducing child poverty....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget Measures (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) is a new work experience programme targeted at young jobseekers who are long-term unemployed or who face significant barriers to gaining employment – people who even during the Celtic Tiger years would have found it difficult to get a foothold on the career ladder. The programme aims to provide them with the opportunity to learn basic work...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I was pleased to announce on Budget Day that the maximum rates of all primary weekly social welfare rates will increase by €5 per week from the end of March 2018, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payment. This includes the State Pension Non-Contributory, the personal rate for which will increase by €5 for all recipients from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: On 3 October 2017 I, together with my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, announced increased maternity leave and maternity benefit for mothers whose babies are born prematurely. 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 maternity leave and benefit where...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. As part of Budget 2017, the funding for the scheme was substantially increased by an additional €5.5 million which is benefitting up to 50,000 additional children from September 2017, bringing the total number of schools in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I have received the review referred to by the Deputy, which assessed the financial and social effects of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) changes, taking into account the effects on welfare dependency and the poverty rates of those affected. I welcome a number of positive findings in the Review: - The policy changes introduced have been successful in increasing employment and in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Invalidity Pension applications are medically assessed at desk, and not in person, by one of the Department’s team of Medical Assessors, based on medical reports/medical evidence and in accordance with evidence-based protocols. The customer’s application for Invalidity Pension was medically assessed by a Medical Assessor in the Department on 19 October 2017. The medical...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Increase for qualified adult is a means-tested payment, based on the means of the person’s dependent spouse or partner. In addition to the age and means of the qualified adult claimed for, the rate payable is also directly linked to the weekly rate of State pension (contributory) entitlement of the claimant. The person concerned is in receipt of reduced rate of State pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for providing information, advice (including money and budgeting advice service) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers on this remit through a network of delivery partners, which includes 42 local Citizens Information Services (CIS) and 51 local Money...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: People engaged with the JobPath service receive intensive individual support to help overcome barriers on their journey back to full time sustainable work. Each person is assigned a personal adviser who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a personal progress plan (PPP) that includes a schedule of activities, including relevant training and educational...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: My Department, like all Government Departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff numbers. The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Work Family Dividend Scheme (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme is specifically targeted at long-term unemployed persons with qualifying children, and those parenting alone, to assist them in the transition from welfare to work. Claimants (and if applicable, their adult dependant) must sign off their primary social welfare payment and will then receive a weekly payment for up to 2 years. They are paid the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The position remains as set out in the reply provided by my predecessor in response to your previous question. The complexity of the Court of Justice ruling on the impact of employments with an international organisation when calculating entitlement to social security old age pensions, requires extensive examination. My Department is discussing issues arising from this case with other EU...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I can confirm that arrears of carers allowance due from 08 December 2016 to 16 August 2017, issued to the nominated post office of the person concerned on 04 October 2017. This equates to thirty six weeks payments. Fourteen weeks at a rate of €102.00 and twenty two weeks at a rate of €104.50. Arrears of carers allowance due from 17 August 2017 to 23 August 2017 issued to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (24 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a scheme that allows persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments the opportunity to pursue a course of study, while still maintaining their income support, subject to satisfying a number of conditions. The conditions include progressing in the level of education held by the client, with reference to the national framework of qualifications....

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Services Programme (25 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, the Community Services Programme (CSP) provides financial support to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a socially inclusive nature. The CSP works on a social-enterprise model which means that it does not fully fund contract holders but requires that they generate revenue by charging fees or raising funds. All CSP recipients are obliged to...