Results 3,321-3,340 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions. Access to BTEA at postgraduate level is limited. BTEA is only payable to persons who wish to pursue a postgraduate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The changes made to State Pension (contributory) rate bands in Budget 2012, affected those pensioners who had a yearly average of 39 or less weekly social insurance contributions over the course of their working life. The current rate bands were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. The rate bands in place between 2000 and 2012 were more generous...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Income Data (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The latest EUROSTAT European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data show that the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households in Ireland was 22.6% in 2015. This is the second successive year the rate has reduced – representing a 9.7 percentage point reduction on the 2013 rate of 32.3%. The Irish rate compares to the EU average of 17.1% in 2015 - see Table 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Poverty (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The most recent EUROSTAT data shows that some 8.9% of children in Ireland were severely materially deprived in 2015, as compared to a EU28 average rate of 9.6% (see Table 1).This is an improvement on 2014 where the rates were 10.1% and 10.4% respectively.Given the continuing economic recovery throughout 2017 and measures introduced in Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018, I expect the severe material...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information (where available) requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table: Average time to Award by scheme at 31 October 2017 Schemes Average time to award (weeks) Jobseeker's Benefit 1 Jobseeker's Allowance 2 One-Parent Family Payment 5 State Pension Contributory (Dom) 5 Widow, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partners Contributory Pension 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The table provides the details which have been requested by the Deputy to the end of November 2017. Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times improved between 2011 and 2016 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 24.1 weeks in 2016 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 17.6...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Question Heading for question(s) 256 (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The full cost of the Department’s 2017 fraud and control awareness campaign came to €163,922 excluding VAT. This includes all design and advertising costs associated with the campaign (print advertising, national and regional radio advertising, outdoor and online/digital advertising). No additional costs arose in staff resources, website development or in the provision of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The most recent EUROSTAT data shows that 7.5% of the population in Ireland was severely materially deprived in 2015, compared to the EU28 average rate of 8.1% (see Table 1). This is an improvement on 2014 where the rates were 8.4% and 8.9% respectively. However, the full impact of the recovery is not reflected in these figures, which relate to 2015. Macro-economic and labour market...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2015 show that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person whose principal economic status was “unable to work due to illness or a disability”, was 22.4% in 2015. The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 34.8% with the basic deprivation rate at 53.2%. Neither Eurostat nor the OECD...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Senator. I do not propose to accept any of the amendments which relate to the public services card and also to the general data protection regulation. I would like first to make some points about the public services card. When I get to the end of my contribution, the Senator might remind me about the fourth amendment, which is not included in this response, as I want to make a...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I will wrap up. I would prefer it if the Senator withdrew the amendments in order that we might discuss this matter further on the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill, since I do not intend to accept these amendments.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I am sorry to interrupt but one is not required to have it. I feel as if we are splitting hairs as both-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: One is not required to have the card. It is illegal at present for anyone to ask one for the card. However, one is required to have gone through the SAFE 2 authentication process. The only way one can prove one has gone through it is to get the registration number from SAFE 2.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: Yes. I know we are always focussing on the card but the card is irrelevant.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I do not propose to accept this amendment because fuel allowance is just one element of the Government’s strategy to tackle energy poverty, which is a complex and multidimensional matter. Energy poverty exists when people are unable to adequately heat their homes or meet other necessary household energy services at an affordable cost. I said on Committee Stage in the Dáil that...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I am not proposing to accept this amendment. The bereavement grant was an insurance based payment. It was entirely based on the amount of credits that somebody had. It was valued at €850 and was usually paid to the person responsible for payment of funeral expenses. The scheme was abolished in January 2014. In 2013, the value of the scheme amounted to just over €20 million....

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: That is normal. With the previous amendment it was moved and pressed without me even being here, which is highly unorthodox. We move on at a pace.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Government and probably everybody in the country recognises and acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play in our society. We are fully committed to supporting carers in that role. The commitment is recognised in the national carers strategy. As the House may be aware, yesterday the Government agreed a new health service measure that will have a positive impact on the lives...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Committee Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The focus of the employment services provided through Intreo is on supporting and assisting people who are returning to work in whatever shape happens to be appropriate for them. Intreo services are already open to jobseekers - since our conversation last night, I have checked this - regardless of their status. Many of the people we help are not on the live register. Local employment...