Results 7,161-7,180 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Community non-profit employment services have a strong track record of delivering quality services in communities throughout Ireland. The recently-published Indecon Reports on Local Employment Services and Job Clubs highlighted these strengths. The process of procuring contracted public employment services for 2020 and beyond is still in its early stages but my officials work closely...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: A decision on the person concerned's application for One Parent Family Payment was finalised on 8 February 2019 and a letter communicating the decision of the Deciding Officer was posted to the person concerned. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware Community employment (CE) scheme supervisors are planning to withdraw their labour on 18th February for one day. I understand that this arises due to a claim by CE supervisors and assistant supervisors, through their union representatives, for the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Since the end of September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of pensioners born on or after 1 September 1946 who were awarded state pension (contributory) on reduced post Budget 2012 rate bands. Information letters were issued to these pensioners explaining that my Department will contact them again to either inform them about the outcome of their review or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based 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. An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 14 January 2019. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 12 December 2018 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Work schemes such as Community Employment (CE) are positive initiatives that enable the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment. This scheme helps to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances to return to the labour market. CE schemes are typically sponsored by groups...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Since the end of September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of pensioners born on or after 1 September 1946 who have an entitlement to and are being paid a reduced state pension (contributory) under post Budget 2012 rate bands. Their rate of payment will be reviewed under recently enacted legislation. Given the numbers involved, the reviews will take a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Data (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 709 to 712, inclusive, together. Qualification for treatment benefit (TB), which includes dental, optical and medical appliances (hearing aids), is based on the person having paid the required number of PRSI contributions since starting employment and also having the required number of contributions or credits in the relevant tax year. The number of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 9th January 2019. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: A primary qualifying condition for the Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit payments is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. However, in order to support a carers continued attachment to the workforce and broader social inclusion, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training, while still being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Carer’s Support Grant (formerly known as the Respite Care Grant) is an annual payment of €1,700 a year for each care recipient paid in a single lump sum with no requirement to satisfy a means test. The grant is paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance or Prescribed Relative’s Allowance....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Advisers Data (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under Government guidelines I am permitted to appoint a maximum of two Special Advisors. Since I took up my appointment as Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, three special advisers have been employed by my Department. All my advisers have worked across a wide range of areas within the remit of the Department including Employment Law, Employment Supports and Activation,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Regulations (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: A Proposed Regulation on strengthening the security of ID cards and of residence documents was submitted by the Commission on 17 April 2018. Irish officials at the Permanent Representation in Brussels engaged extensively in discussions on the proposed Regulation to ensure that the institutions and EU Member States were fully informed about Ireland’s national law with regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (12 Feb 2019)

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. Officials from my Department have been appointed to the Boards of three of these bodies – the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority and the Pensions Council....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: As a result of an Appeals Officer’s decision, carer's allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 7 February 2019 with effect from 10 January 2019. The first payment will issue to her nominated post office on 14 February 2019. Arrears for the period from 10 January 2019 to 13 February will also issue on 14 February 2019. The person concerned was notified of the outcome on 7...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Deciding Officers (DOs) are appointed under social welfare legislation to decide, among other things, whether a person is eligible to receive a social welfare payment or not. They make these decisions based on the evidence available to them at the time. If a person is not satisfied with the decision of a DO, they can appeal that decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: The main social welfare schemes for people who are unemployed are the jobseeker’s allowance and benefit schemes which provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2019 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s schemes of €1.95 billion. Jobseeker's allowance is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (12 Feb 2019)

Regina Doherty: Social welfare legislation provides that all income (including earnings) and assets belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse, partner or cohabitant are assessable for social welfare means testing purposes. Where a person remains living in the same household as their spouse, social welfare inspectors have a key role in investigating and advising the Department’s deciding officers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (12 Feb 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. A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment,...