Results 5,301-5,320 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Income Data (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: The most recent Eurostat data shows that some 6.5% of the population in Ireland were severely materially deprived in 2016, as compared to the EU28 average rate of 7.5% (see Table 1). This is an improvement on 2015 where the rates were 7.5% and 8.1% respectively. The continuing improvement in the economy, together with welfare measures introduced in Budgets 2017 and 2018, are likely to have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. There are currently 437,769 customers in receipt of the free television licence as part of the household benefits package. Total expenditure on the TV licence element of the HHB package in 2017 was €53,184,556. Payment for the TV licence element of the HHB package by My...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Advisers Data (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: There is one full-time Special Adviser responsible for media employed in my Department. The position is paid at the Principal Officer (Standard) scale. The full year cost of employing the adviser is €84,973.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: National Development Plan (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 549 together. My Department’s capital allocation is split across three subheads i.e. A.2.v Office Equipment and External IT Services, A.2.vi Office Premises Expenses and A.2.ix eGovernment Related Projects. In relation to 2019 it is intended that the allocation will primarily assist the Department in delivering additional IT modernisation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has a capital budget of €11m in 2018 (including €1m carryover from 2017). The projected capital underspend outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 Fiscal Monitor relates to the A.2.(v) Office Equipment and External IT Services and A.2.(vi) Office Premises Expenses Subheads. However, the actual capital underspend at end...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: I refer the Deputy to the answer given to this question yesterday, Tuesday 10 July. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 552 and 553 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided over €36 million for exceptional and urgent needs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Appeals (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: There are two separate arrangements whereby the Department can assist with the burials costs of a deceased person. The first is an arrangement under Section 206 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act. Under this Section of the Act the Department may make arrangements for and provide assistance towards the burial of a person, where that person has died in the State and suitable arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 557, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will know the primary purpose of the activation services provided by my Department, including the JobPath service is to assist and support jobseekers to look for and sustain full time employment. People who have been long term unemployed are referred to the JobPath service to receive one-to one intensive support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: It is a requirement of the JobPath Providers contract with the Department that, in the first instance, the JobPath providers investigate any issues that may arise in respect of the service they provide. Each JobPath Provider has a comprehensive Complaints Procedure which is available in every location. The contact details for both JobPath Providers are as follows: Seetec: A customer can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: Overpayments of social welfare assistance and benefit payments arise as a consequence of decisions made under the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended. As part of the statutory process of finalising a decision and assessing an overpayment, the deciding officer is required to engage with the person concerned and offer them the opportunity to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. Full-time care and attention is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: General Data Protection Regulation Data (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with both European Union and Irish data protection legislation. The Department is required to lawfully & fairly process personal data about employees, customers, suppliers and other individuals in order to achieve its mission and functions. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection attaches a high importance to data protection in line with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. A Data Protection Officer (DPO) has been appointed at the level of Principal Officer. The DPO leads a team of eleven officers. My Department also has a Business Information Security Unit which deals with data protection and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: General Data Protection Regulation (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: Two data protection impact assessments have commenced in my Department since 15/5/2018, in accordance with Article 35 of the GDPR. They are in relation to data sharing arrangements with 1.) the Local Government Management Authority (LGMA), acting on behalf of local authorities, for the purpose of housing assessments and rent calculations, and 2.) Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Regulations (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: It is understood that the deputy is referring to a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. The proposal is aimed at strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement. The Department is aware of the proposed regulation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested payment, made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An increased payment can be made where full-time care and attention is being provided to two people. A person can be considered to be providing full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: General Data Protection Regulation (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: Biometric data, as defined in the GDPR, Article 4. 14, means “personal data resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, which allow or confirm the unique identification of that natural person, such as facial images or dactyloscopic [fingerprint] data.” The GDPR clarifies that the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: In January the Government agreed an interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) solution for those affected by the 2012 rate-band changes. Under this approach, a person who reached pension age after 1 September 2012 (i.e. who is among those affected by the new ratebands introduced from that date) and who has a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (11 Jul 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together. It is estimated that two-thirds of those affected by the rate band changes in September 2012, will see their rate of payment increased under the interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) announced on 23 January. The precise number cannot be known at this time as there may be inflows from persons on other schemes, such as the State...