Results 6,661-6,680 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Irish Sign Language (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Irish Sign Language Act, 2017 was signed into law in December 2017 and recognises Irish Sign Language as a native and independent language. Section 9 of the Irish Sign Language Act, 2017 provides that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, provide...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. The number of persons in receipt of carer's allowance and carer's benefit at 31 December 2016 and 2017 and at 30 November 2018. Number of recipients  Carer's Allowance  Carer's Benefit 31 December 2016 70,459 2,710 31 December 2017 75,264 2,762 30 November 2018 79,545 2,705

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. PleaseI note that 'claims awarded' and 'claims rejected' refer to the total number of claims awarded or rejected in each period, and may include claim decisions in respect of claims made in previous periods. Equally, 'claims registered' includes claims which are still pending award at the end...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The following table below provide details of appeal receipts for carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit in 2017 and 2018 as requested...

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

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 557, inclusive, together. The Government are implementing transformational reforms under the Civil Service Renewal agenda. A key commitment in the Civil Service Renewal Plan is to maximise the contribution of all staff, by nurturing and rewarding talent and by encouraging civil servants to develop their potential in a workplace committed to equality and...

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

Regina Doherty: The Labour Market Council was established in September 2013 to support and advise the Government on the implementation of the Pathways to Work Strategy and wider policy issues relating to the agenda of supporting long-term unemployed in their return to work. The Council met on 28 occasions. Membership of the Council comprised of industry, trade union and policy experts appointed on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Funding (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB)  provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted and need help and advice with debt problems.  As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Abhaile service, is a national mortgage arrears resolution service, provided free of charge to the borrower and its aim is to help mortgage holders in arrears to find the best solutions and keep them, wherever possible, in their own homes.  The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) acts as the gateway for the service and can be contacted by telephoning (0761)07 2000 or by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) was introduced on Monday 1st October 2018 and has been open to application since that date.  A total of 65 participants have commenced the scheme to date. YESS is targeted at young jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. The scheme aims to provide jobseekers with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Christmas Bonus was paid last week to 1.2 million long-term social welfare beneficiaries, such as pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and long-term unemployed jobseekers, among others.  For the first time in 10 years, the Bonus was paid at 100%.  The Bonus is paid in recognition of the long-term financial dependence of these recipients on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: An age-related reduced rate of €100 per week for Jobseeker's Allowance recipients was introduced in the Supplementary Budget in 2009 in respect of 18 and 19 year olds. Budget 2010 extended the €100 per week rate to 20 and 21 year olds and introduced a new €150 per week rate for 23 and 24 year olds.  Budget 2011 reduced the €150 per week rate to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education, subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. The objective is to raise educational and skills levels to enable them to better access to emerging  labour market needs in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parliamentary Questions Data (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information sought by the Deputy is contained in the following table: Year Written PQs Oral/Priority PQs Total PQs 2016 2,975 61 3,036 2017 3,692 105 3,797 2018* 2,549 68 2,617 * Till end September (latest data available) All questions were answered directly, with input from agencies under the Department's remit, as required. None were referred for direct answer by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (12 Dec 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 child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 19 July 2018. A person can be considered to be providing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has informed the Department that the appeal for this customer was successful.  Their Jobseekers Allowance Payment has thus bee awarded from the 08 June 2018 at a personal rate of €198.00 per week.  Arrears of €5282.00 for the period 08 June 2018 to 11 December 2018 have been awarded. I hope this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (12 Dec 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.  In advance of this, on the 23rd January this year, the Government agreed to a proposal that will allow pensioners affected by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment made to a person who leaves the workforce to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 10 July 2018.  The person in respect of whom the claim was made, died...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Commencement of Legislation (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am aware of the pressing need to make technical amendments to the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, and of the impact that this issue is having on affected families, particularly same-sex female couples wishing to have the second partner entered in the register of births as the parent of their child. My intention is to make these necessary amendments at the earliest...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am aware of the pressing need to make technical amendments to the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, and of the impact that this issue is having on affected families, particularly same-sex female couples wishing to have the second partner entered in the register of births as the parent of their child. My intention is to make these necessary amendments at the earliest...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Payments (12 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department administers the Illness Benefit scheme to those customers who cannot work because they are sick or ill., provided they are covered by the appropriate class of social insurance (PRSI) and satisfy the PRSI conditions. Illness Benefit rates are graduated according to your average weekly earnings in the relevant tax year. Average weekly earnings are calculated by dividing...