Results 7,061-7,080 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Eligibility (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was advised by letter dated 14th January 2019 that she was not entitled to payment of Illness Benefit as she does not satisfy all of the contribution conditions. In order to qualify for an illness benefit payment a claimant must have 104 total PRSI contributions paid since entering insurable employment. According to the department's records the person concerned has 99...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Data (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 574 together. The numbers of applications for hearing aids under the Treatment Benefit scheme in the years 2016 to 2018 are detailed in the following table. There has been an increase in applications of over 50% in the last number of years; this included a significant increase since the self-employed first qualified for the scheme in March 2017. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €630 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €240 million in 2019. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Payments (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Illness Benefit claim for the person concerned is fully paid up to the 26th January 2019. Her payment pattern is determined by the date her medical certificates are received and the dates her payments are due. A payment of €162.78 issued to her bank account on the 8th January 2019 that paid her for the period of 8th January - 12th January 2019. A further payment of €195.33...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Process (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: No pieces of legislation or draft heads of bills have been sent by my Department to EU institutions before their publication during the period of the 32nd Dáil. In relation to the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019, and Brexit Preparedness and Contingency planning more generally, the Government continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The rates of payment, and qualification rules for benefits paid by my Department change from time to time with the approval of Government and the Oireachtas. Generally these are improvements, at times of inflation and economic growth, but during the economic crisis (and the very significant price deflation at that time), there were reductions in a wide range of payments, which were necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: I presume that in asking this question the Deputy is alluding to the provisions of the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018. Responsibility for this legislation lies with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As the Deputy is aware the provisions of the Act apply to public service employees only. Participants and supervisors on Community Employment and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Local Employment Service (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department oversees the procurement for JobPath , the Local Employment Services (LES) and Jobs Clubs.The LES and Job Clubs are currently on annual contracts which are reviewed on an ongoing basis. The contracts for JobPath are due to expire at end-2019, with some contractual provisions for extension, although this is not envisaged at this point. In this context, my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (29 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: Social welfare legislation provides that all income and property belonging to the claimant (and his or her spouse/partner, where applicable) is assessable for means testing purposes for social assistance schemes, such as Disability Allowance. In the assessment of earnings, various disregards and tapers are in place to ensure that financial incentives exist to take up employment. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pensions Legislation (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The overarching objective of the IORP II directive is to facilitate the development of occupational retirement savings in every EU country. Many of the provisions contained in the directive will support positive reform of the Irish occupational pension sector. The implementation of the directive will greatly enhance scheme governance and consumer protection for pensioners, members and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pensions Legislation (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: With the height of respect, I do not believe the Deputy's information is not accurate. The application of the directive is prospective, so all of the 1,250 small self-administered pension schemes in Dundalk to which he refers are entirely safe. There is no risk of the loss of the 30 jobs to which the Deputy alluded because none of the current practices are changing. The directive only...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: Rent supplement continues its vital role in housing families and individuals for which the Government has provided €132.4 million for 2019. The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose; that of a short-term income support, has been primarily facilitated by the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The “Rebuilding Ireland - Action...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 28 June 2018. The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Commencement of Legislation (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under current legislation, a Public Services Card (PSC) cannot be requested by any public or private body or person that is not designated as a specified body in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). The PSC can only be used by public bodies specified in this legislation when conducting a public transaction with the person concerned. One of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The JobPath service is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed, including those working part time, to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. All jobseekers in receipt of a Jobseeker's payment from my Department are required to be available for and seeking full time employment. In the case of clients already in part-time employment, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Applications (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 26 November 2018. The Department wrote to the applicant on 25 January 2019 and has requested additional information. On receipt of the requested details from the person concerned their WFP...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Income Data (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The collation of the information requested by the Deputy does not fall under the remit of my Department, but is rather a matter for the Central Statistics Office.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: According to our records no application has been received from the named person in respect of assistance in obtaining a motorised buggy. The named person may apply for an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's representative at his local Intreo Centre. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (30 Jan 2019)

Regina Doherty: The aim of Community Employment is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. It also helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. CE schemes are typically...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (30 Jan 2019)

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. The exact amount of hours or days for which care must be provided is not defined in legislation. Full-time care and...