Results 8,081-8,100 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Funding (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) supports the actions of EU countries to provide material/food assistance to the most deprived.  Funding of €3.8 billion is available via the Fund between 2014 and 2020.  Each Member State has to match this with a minimum of 15% national funding. The total value of the Fund in Ireland for the period 2014 to 2020 is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Anti-Poverty Strategy (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction  was agreed by Government in 2012 and aimed to reduce consistent poverty from 6.3% in 2010 to 4% by 2016 (interim target) and to 2% or less by 2020. This was an ambitious target, particularly during a time of economic recession, but one to which the Government remained committed.  Data from the CSO Survey on Income and Living...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The material deprivation rate is an indicator derived from Eurostat EU-SILC data that expresses the inability to afford some items considered by most people to be desirable, or even necessary, to lead an adequate life.  The indicator distinguishes between individuals who cannot afford a certain good or service, and those who do not have this good or service for another reason...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 March 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: Employment Support Services (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy will be aware JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. The JobPath providers are required to offer in-work support to the person for up to twelve months while they remain in employment.  This includes scheduled contact with the person as well as ad-hoc contact should...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Agencies Data (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Low Pay Commission and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The administrative headquarters for these bodies are located in Dublin. There are no direct employees of the Pensions Council, the Low Pay Commission and the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Payments (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a payment for men and women under 66 who are raising children without the support of a partner. To get this payment it is necessary to meet certain conditions and to satisfy a means test. My Department is not in a position to determine entitlements prior to a claim application being submitted. The person concerned can complete an OFP application form...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned has not had an active claim with my Department since May 2017. The person concerned made a new claim for Jobseekers Allowance (JA) in March 2018. At that time the Social Welfare Inspector requested information from the person concerned to support their application, but the information requested was not provided, and the application for JA was disallowed as the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (18 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) pension calculation which includes provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Community Welfare Officer (CWO) with responsibility for the area in which the person concerned resides advises that no application for an exceptional needs payment (ENP) has been received from the person concerned. An application form has issued to the person concerned today (16 April 2019). I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Payments (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is receiving the correct rate of One Parent Family Payment based on their current circumstances. A means assessment was recently finalised for the person concerned on 21st March 2019. The weekly means figure was calculated based on the person concerned's part-time earnings and maintenance payments received at that time. A means review form will issue again to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (18 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: Departmental Staff Data (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: 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 diversity.  The gender balance policy measures have...

Seanad: Civil Registration Bill 2019: Second Stage (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: It is a pleasure to be in the Seanad. Before proceeding, I express my genuine appreciation to the House for facilitating an early consideration of the Bill. I have just been given the delightful news that Committee and Report Stage will be facilitated next week.

Seanad: Civil Registration Bill 2019: Second Stage (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: It will be at the Seanad's earliest convenience I am sure. My main reason for seeking quick passage of this legislation through the Oireachtas is to expedite commencement of existing legislation that provides for the registration of donor-assisted births. This issue particularly affects female same-sex couples who wish to register the particulars of both partners in the relationship as...

Seanad: Civil Registration Bill 2019: Second Stage (18 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Members of the Seanad, not just for today but for the last couple of months. I appreciate everyone's frustration, but I hope that it is realised that this is literally the only legislation drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel since January apart from the Brexit-related legislation. That is how important this legislation is. There are difficult concepts remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Registration Legislation (8 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Civil Registration Act 2004 provides that a registrar must establish whether a person is free to marry in the State. An impediment to marriage exists where either party to a proposed marriage is already married. Where one or both of the parties to an intended marriage was married previously, the registrar must establish whether an impediment continues to exist or whether the marriage has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (8 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Ireland already has a comprehensive body of employment legislation, in respect of which the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is mandated to secure compliance.  Ireland’s employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on a contract of service basis. Where an individual believes they are being deprived of employment rights applicable to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Wage (8 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Legislation in relation to the setting of the National Minimum Wage has existed since 2000.  The Low Pay Commission was established in 2015 and its primary function is, on an annual basis, to examine and make recommendations on the national minimum wage, with a view to providing for adjustments which do not impact negatively on jobs or competitiveness.  The Commission thus takes an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (8 May 2019)

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 January 2018, I announced the Government Decision to introduce a new interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to the calculation...