Results 3,621-3,640 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Funding (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 609 and 618 together. As the Deputies are aware, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) is a statutory body established by the Oireachtas. In addition to its own statutory responsibilities in relation to information and advocacy service provision, it has statutory responsibility for the countrywide networks of Citizens Information Services (CIS) and the Money...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The recently published Indecon report found that the changes to the one-parent family payment scheme (OFP) made over the last number of years increased employment and reduced welfare dependency. It also found that the changes increased the probability of employment and higher employment income for lone parents. The report also concluded that assisting lone parents to enhance skills also...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Anti-Poverty Strategy (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: Tackling poverty remains a fundamental aspiration of Irish society and the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a firm commitment to develop a new Integrated Framework for Social Inclusion, to tackle inequality and poverty. This will be a successor to the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAP inclusion) and its 2015-2017 update which concluded last year. My...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 34,400 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018. A county breakdown of rent supplement recipients is provided in the attached tabular statement. My Department continues to support the transfer of long term rent supplement tenancies to HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: State pension (contributory) entitlement is calculated by the ‘yearly average’ system, where the total number of contributions paid or credited is divided by the number of years of the person’s insurance record. The maximum rate of pension is payable where a person has a yearly average of at least 48, and there are banded entitlements below that. In calculating the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: This is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies Data (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Low Pay Commission, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Two statutory bodies have been established by my Department since 2011, namely; - The Pensions Authority, formerly the Pensions Board, which was established on 7 March 2014, and - The Pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Injury Claims (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The two agencies under the aegis of my Department, the Pensions Authority and the Citizens Information Board have not made any pay-outs for personal injury claims during the timeframe in question.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (23 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The National Association of Citizens Information Services (NACIS) represents the boards, staff and volunteers of the 42 Citizens Information Services. The Citizens Information Board has allocated €55,000 to NACIS to fund its activities for 2018. NACIS has commissioned a review to help inform its future role, following the restructuring of governance arrangements which is underway...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: Pensions legislation provides for the supervision and regulation of occupational pension schemes and, in that context, requires defined benefit schemes to meet the commitments they have made to their members. This method by which this is regulated is set out in the Funding Standard. The Funding Standard provides a benchmark against which the ‘health’ of a scheme can be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: An application for carer’s benefit was received from the person concerned on 12 December 2017. The application was awarded to the person concerned with effect from 22 February 2018 from when her carer’s leave commences. The first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 22 February 2018. The person concerned was notified on 12 January 2018 of this decision, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) under the aegis of my Department is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money advice and budgeting) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. The Citizens Information Board delivers on this remit through direct provision, by supporting a network of delivery partners, and by funding targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Programme (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: I hope to have the Bill taken at Second Stage on the week commencing the 13th February, subject to the agreement of the House Business Committee. The Bill is an important piece of legislation with a particular focus on low-paid and precariously employed workers. The key objective of the Bill is to improve the security and predictability of working hours for employees on insecure contracts...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The classification of a worker for PRSI purposes is increasingly complicated by ‘disguised –employment’, such as intermediary employment structures and certain self-employment arrangements. These mechanisms can be used to reduce the amount of PRSI and tax being paid, with a subsequent loss to the exchequer and the social insurance fund. An interdepartmental working...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Benefit (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: Paternity benefit provides a payment in respect of two weeks paternity leave to be taken within 26 weeks of the birth of the baby. During the 2017 year, 26,139 people availed of this leave and were awarded paternity benefit.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) under the aegis of my Department is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money advice and budgeting) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. The Citizens Information Board delivers on this remit through direct provision, by supporting a network of delivery partners, and by funding targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: On the 23rdJanuary, the Government agreed to a proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated by a new “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA) which will include up to 20 years of a new HomeCaring credit. This approach is expected to significantly benefit many people, particularly women, whose work history...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: All Jobseekers on the live register must be capable of available for and actively seeking full time employment, they are also required to engage with the Department’s activation services. The Social Welfare (Consolidated) Act 2005, as amended, specifies that participation in activation meetings is mandatory. JobPath is provided for long term unemployed jobseekers only and those...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together. Penalty Rates are a legal provision within the Jobseeker schemes to ensure that the Department can achieve compliance with Government Activation Policy as stated in Pathways to Work. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group or individual meetings, and/or avail of suitable education, training or development...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: On the 23rdJanuary, the Government agreed to a proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated by a new “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA) which will include up to 20 years of a new HomeCaring credit. This approach is expected to significantly benefit many people, particularly women, whose work...