Results 4,141-4,160 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Roadmap for Pensions Reform commits the Government to examine and develop proposals this year, to set a formal benchmark of 34% of average earnings for the State pension (contributory). These proposals when developed later this year will also set out what this will mean, in practical terms, for those in receipt of the State pension (non-contributory). I can assure the Deputy, however,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023 sets out how we intend to implement the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to calculating entitlement to the State pension (contributory) from 2020 onwards. Subject to finalisation of the scheme design following a public consultation, it is intended that the TCA will offer a full State pension to all people with a full record of 40 years social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Let me begin by clarifying that policy with regard to tax relief on private pensions is a matter for the Minister for Finance. However, I can say that I am in favour of financially incentivising retirement savings to help address a situation where the proportion of employees in Ireland with supplementary pension cover is far too low at just 35% of the private sector workforce. This suggests...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Government believes that as we live longer and healthier lives many people wish to, and can, continue to work to an older age and make a positive contribution through their work to our society. Accordingly The Roadmap for Pensions Reform details a range of measures intended to support a positive ageing environment, where older people are, to the greatest extent possible, encouraged, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pay (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: As Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection I have responsibility for State pension policy. However, my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has responsibility for public service pay and pensions.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Staff in the Communications and Customer Service Unit of my Department perform a number of different roles which may change depending on the business needs of the Department. Staff are divided between the following teams within the Unit: - Communications Team: The communications team are responsible for all planned external communications and public information campaigns as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (8 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department is continuously engaging with its broad customer and stakeholder base to increase public awareness of its many schemes and services. With this in mind, a dedicated Communications and Customer Services Unit exists within my Department whose role is to ensure information about the Departments schemes and its work is effectively communicated with customers and stakeholder using a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Definitions (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Endometriosis (WHO ICD-10 code N80) is a gynaecological medical condition. It is recognised by this Department as a medical condition which may result in some form of disability. Medical suitability for a disability payment is determined by medical assessment.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Data (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 922 and 923 together. The estimated amount of PRSI raised by increasing the employee and employer PRSI rates by 0.5% is provided in the following table: Rate Estimated Full Year Yield Increase Employer Lower Rate by 0.5% €18.2m Increase Employer Higher Rate by 0.5% €341.6m Increase Employee Rate by 0.5% €343.2m These estimates are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Banking (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Negative interest arises from the necessary application by the Central Bank of Ireland of the policies and decisions of the European Central Bank (ECB). The ECB imposed negative interest rates on certain overnight deposits held with the Central Bank with effect from June 2014. This included SIF overnight balances in respect of PRSI receipts collected by the Revenue Commissioners (RC) and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is as set out in the following tables: Public Awareness Campaigns 2017 (Amounts are exclusive of VAT) Date Campaign Name Cost Social Media Spend Online Company Engaged March MyGovID €68,027 €6,500 €6,500 Engage Communications / MEC Ireland April Welfare Fraud €163,922 N/A €11,300 Creed / MEC Ireland April...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Training Support Grant (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Training Support Grant (TSG) funded by my Department is designed to facilitate quick access to short-term training that is identified to assist an individual jobseekers access immediate work opportunities. The scheme is activation focused and the jobseeker is required to provide reasonable evidence of need, in the form of a potential job offer or a requirement to maintain or achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: My officials and I are currently finalising a number of additional provisions for inclusion at Committee Stage of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017. These provisions include important measures relating in particular to pensions and data protection. Subject to the additional provisions being finalised within the envisaged timescale, it is expected that the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. The Government has announced its intention to proceed with that policy in its recently published Roadmap for Pensions Reform. To that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Applications (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (formerly Family Income Supplement) is a weekly tax free payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. An application for Working Family Payment (WFP) was received from the person concerned on 23rd January 2018 and assigned to a Deciding Officer (DO) on 29thJanuary 2018. However, the application was referred to a local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card Authentication (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: A Public Services Card (PSC) may be issued to a person who has successfully completed a SAFE 2 registration. As part of the SAFE registration process, a person’s identity is verified, usually by means of acceptable photographic ID. Where an Irish citizen person does not have acceptable photographic ID, their identity may be verified by means of an interview process. ML10 forms are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The following is the position with regard to civil service appointments to my Department via a route other than the Public Appointments Service (PAS): 1. I have appointed two Special Advisers, at the grade of Principal, in accordance with the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and the Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: In responding to the recent severe weather event my Department sought to continue to deliver essential services where possible, subject at all times to the need to protect the safety of staff and customers. In deciding on office closures due regard was had to the advice of the National Emergency Coordination Group. I can assure the Deputy that where offices were closed and staff were...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Court Judgments (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The recent court proceedings whereby an individual sought leave for judicial review to challenge decisions taken by my Department were refused by the High Court in the judgment delivered on 26th January 2018. I want to emphasise to the Deputy that there are no recent court decisions which have implications for the application of penalty rates by my Department and there is no basis for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (20 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 935 and 936 together. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on issues relating to a particular pension scheme. However, generally speaking, trustees of pension schemes have duties and responsibilities under the Pensions Act, under trust law, and under other relevant legislation. They must administer the trust in accordance with the law and...