Results 7,861-7,880 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The pilot initiative to assist self-employed visual artists and writers who apply to my Department for jobseekers allowance was launched in June 2017.  The initiative, which is a commitment under the Creative Ireland Programme, is a collaboration between the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and what is now the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made by my Department to full-time carers. The due date of the grant is the 1stThursday in June. Over 90% of all grants are paid automatically on this date to persons in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. A small number of persons in receipt of Constant Attendance Allowance (108...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Registration Service (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: There were no prosecutions initiated by the Office of an tArd-Chlaralitheoir for the years in question. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Communications (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 571 and 572 together. My Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. In this context, I am fully committed to ensuring that members of the general public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services that are available, as well as ensuring that key changes are communicated to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands.  These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Irish Language (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department's Language Scheme 2019 - 2022, prepared as required under the Official Languages Act 2003, has been confirmed by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.  The Scheme took effect from 26 February 2019 and shall remain in force for a period of 3 years from this date or until a new Scheme has been confirmed by the Minister, whichever is the later.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has no role in setting the level of pensions increases received by members of occupational pension schemes, irrespective of whether those schemes operate in the public or private sector.  In this regard, pension increases for occupational pensions are entirely a matter for the scheme trustees and the sponsoring employer to whom enquiries should be addressed. I hope this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands.  These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The application for a Companion Free Travel pass from the person concerned was medically assessed by the Chief Medical Assessor on 29 March 2019.  The medical opinion has been conveyed to Household Benefits Section in Sligo and the applicant will be contacted shortly regarding the decision on their application.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Employers are required to maintain accurate records of employees and contractors who they engage and to pay the appropriate class of PRSI.  There are already legislative provisions within the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 prohibiting the practice of misclassifying employment in order to avoid paying the correct social insurance contributions.  Workers who have concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The JobPath providers are obliged to provide a baseline level of support to each participant but are free to adapt that support in individual cases, provided that it is not unduly onerous. The JobPath contracts provide that a person should not have to travel more than 60 minutes in normal circumstances to attend an appointment. Where a person has transport difficulties, the JobPath Company...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Activation and Family Support Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: TESG (Technical Support Grant) is a grant available to customers on internal activation with the Department's Intreo offices and does not apply to customers with JobPath. Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help overcome barriers to employment and to find jobs. Each person is assigned a personal adviser who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The introduction of a total contributions approach, TCA, to establishing the level of entitlement for all new State pension (contributory) claims was signalled by the then Government in the national pensions framework in 2010. At that time it set a target date of 2020 for the implementation of TCA. More recently, the Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023 targeted implementation of TCA from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I cannot say what the Deputy has asked me to say because it is not true. Although there are no guarantees in life and obviously anything could happen between now and 2020, the Government's ambition is to start up contributions in 2020 and that has not changed. We cannot rule out something happening next month or next year, but that is the ambition and that is the roadmap we are working...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I would be very comfortable if the Deputy said to his constituents what I say to mine, namely, that our intention is to introduce it in quarter 3 of 2020. That intention and the roadmap for pensions have not changed since we drew up that roadmap in 2018. There were many submissions on the topic referred to by the Deputy. However, things have changed over the years. The original formation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Commission Bill 2018, sponsored by the Deputy, seeks, among other things, to establish a commission to monitor and make recommendations on social welfare rates at least once a year. The Deputy will be aware that ideas of benchmarking and indexation of social welfare rates are not new. For example, previous studies were conducted by the Commission on Social...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: It never ceases to amaze me when I read things in the newspapers which I am supposed to have said or done but which are nowhere close to anything I have said or done at all. They either fail to accord with what I said or did or they are completely made up. I do not know where the idea that the Department is considering indexing against the CPI came from but it certainly did not come from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I apologise for that. I was talking too much and ran out of time. The launch of the national action plan for social inclusion is pencilled in for 22 May 2019. The Taoiseach is going to launch it. The reason it has been delayed is that, as the Deputy suggested, it involves a multidisciplinary and, more importantly, cross-departmental approach. If it only involved the Department of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: If it were, I would be leaving it very late at 22 May. People will have already made up their minds by then. Can I answer the Deputy's other question?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: As I said to Deputy Brady last week, I am very happy to sit down with him to discuss the Bill. I know I was supposed to call him this week. I am actually more concerned about getting consensus in both Houses. The only way I can do that is to bring our proposals to the joint Oireachtas committee to get everyone's views. The Deputy and I might share the same view on this particular issue...