Results 3,561-3,580 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Unemployment Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: According to the EUROSTAT Labour Force Survey, in 2016 there were 170.76 million households in the EU (excluding households composed solely of students or solely of inactive people aged 65 and over). Of these, some 29.49 million households (17.3% of the total) were jobless - that is, no adult in the household was working. For Ireland, the total number of relevant households was 1,440,600,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed where available in the attached tabular statements. Overall, 60.1% (11,405) of appeals finalised in 2017 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer. There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years; 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2. The average number of participants on the BTWEA scheme in 2017 was 10,380. The BTWEA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Priorities (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Capital Review Plan 2016 – 2021 was published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in September, 2017. The Plan outlines the Department’s intentions to continue to make significant investment in the continued upgrading and modernisation of DEASP’s IT infrastructure and in carrying out works associated to meet the requirements of the Intreo service and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Grievance Procedures (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Dignity at Work policy is the anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service. This policy came into effect on 20thFebruary 2015 and replaced the previous policy, ‘A Positive Working Environment’. State bodies and agencies under the aegis of this Department have similar policies in place. The Dignity at Work policy sets out the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Alone Allowance (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The living alone allowance (LAA) is an increase of €9.00 per week made to people who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and are in receipt of long-term illness and disability payments. The payment of the living alone allowance is considered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment – including long-term unemployment and youth unemployment – is twofold. The Action Plan for Jobs supports continuing strong economic recovery and employment growth. Policies and actions to ensure that unemployed people benefit from the increase in employment are set out in the strategy paper Pathways to Work...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: There are three main State pensions. Firstly, the State pension non-contributory is a means-tested pension funded from taxation. Secondly, the State pension contributory, which is not means-tested, is paid from the Social Insurance Fund, via the PRSI system. The third main state pension available to some people over 66 is the Widows/Widowers Contributory Pension. It is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The current rate bands applying to the State pension contributory were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. The rate bands prior to 2000 were less generous, and the improved rate bands introduced in 2000 were a feature of the economic and political environment at that time. The economic crash changed the focus and while other payments were reduced as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information sought by the Deputy is detailed in the tables. The 2018 Revised Estimate for pension expenditure is €7,571,360 million. Details of expenditure to date in 2018 will not be available until the first week of February. Table 1: Pensions Expenditure Outturn, 2004-2010 Expenditure (€000) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 State Pension (Non Contributory) 599,988...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The rate of payment under the State Pension (Contributory) scheme is related to contributions paid over the years into the Social Insurance Fund, and credited contributions where applicable. There are a number of criteria which must be satisfied in order to qualify for a State pension contributory, whether at full or reduced level. These include that the person must be aged 66 or over, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2015 to 2017 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the tables below. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: There are three main State pensions. Firstly, the State pension non-contributory is a means-tested pension funded from taxation. Secondly, the State pension contributory, which is not means-tested, is paid from the Social Insurance Fund, via the PRSI system. Thirdly, the Widows/Widowers Contributory Pension is available to some people over 66. Where someone does not qualify for a full...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy will be aware that my Department, like all government departments, must operate within the staffing budget and headcount determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. In that context, the staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed. This takes account of workloads, management priorities and the competing demands arising, to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Live Register Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The official measure of unemployment is sourced from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). Measures of unemployment from the QNHS are based on International Labour Office (ILO) definitions. To be ‘ILO unemployed’ a person must in the week before the survey be without work but available for work and have recently taken specific job-search steps. The Live Register,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme enables my Department to work with people who have found themselves dependent on the welfare system for various reasons but who have an idea or have identified an opportunity to start their own business. In 2017, a review of the BTWEA scheme was released. Overall, the review found that the scheme offers effective support for people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an ongoing reality and must be tackled proactively. Anti-fraud and control measures are set out in the Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 and are designed to prevent and detect...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Support Services (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The main support my Department offers to families living on uneconomic holdings is the farm assist scheme which provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The farm assist scheme is a means tested payment and the means test is flexible so as to allow for significant income fluctuations from one year to the next. It may also be noted that farm...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: On 7 December last year, I published the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 in response to the commitment in the current Programme for Government to tackle problems caused by the increased casualisation of work and to strengthen the regulation of precarious work. The proposed legislation aims to improve the security and predictability of working hours for employees on insecure...