Results 9,261-9,280 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: It might frame whether she presses one or both. The Senator suggested that individual Departments should be responsible individually. They are. The lead Department, however, is the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. There is a Cabinet committee on climate change, climate action and a just transition of any carbon effects and challenges, particularly new charges...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I feel like a real killjoy today but I am again not accepting the Senator's amendment. Again, it is because we already do all this stuff. We do not provide employment supports just because a crisis is imminent, as there are crises in businesses today for some other reason. It is slightly different from what Bord na Móna is experiencing or some of the other companies that we know will...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: We are not.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: No, I am the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: It is a different game to what the Senator has suggested.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: It is not.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Again, that process already exists. We do not have a bank of caseworkers sitting and waiting for a problem to happen. If a company approaches us because it is in trouble, it is assigned a case officer immediately.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Individuals are given exactly the same treatment. If an individual walks into a local Intreo office and needs to retrain because his or her job is in jeopardy, that person will get a personal progression plan and be offered options through Springboard, for example. It is frightening to say it but when I spoke to the Senator nearly two years ago, we did not have in-work training or the 70%...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Senator mentioned she gave me options in four areas. I do not see them in the amendment. Will she give me the detail?

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 18 October 2019.  The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am aware that the Deputy made representations to my Department concerning this case early last month. The person concerned originally applied for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) in July 2017 in respect of a third level course which he was due to start in September 2017.  However, I am advised that based upon his Leaving Certificate results and his educational record...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 355 together. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an application for carer's allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection on 21 November 2018 and this was upheld by a review of the Department on 25 April 2019.  An appeal by the person concerned was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department is obliged to recover all debt owed to it as quickly as possible and within the relevant legislation and guidelines governing the recovery of debt.  The person concerned has an outstanding One Parent Family Parent (OPFP) debt and proposals on its recovery have been made to her. Previously the person concerned was repaying this debt by monthly direct debit payments for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: A breakdown of the cases which are repaying and not repaying by scheme area and by the year in which the overpayment was raised is set out in tables 1 and 2 respectively.  I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. Table 1 - Outstanding customer debts – value outstanding over €10,000 by scheme area – as at end August 2019 Scheme   Repaying  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Promotions (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff numbers. The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am currently engaging with representatives of Community Emloyment supervisors and assistant supervisors to discuss issues arising following the 2008 Labour Court Recommendation.  All parties to the engagement process have agreed that the detail of the discussions should remain confidential while the engagement is ongoing and I would ask Deputies to respect these wishes and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The 2019 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) scheme of €1.6 billion.  Reduced rates for JA recipients aged 18-25 were introduced on a phased basis to tackle high youth unemployment and to prevent long term welfare dependency.  This is in line with other EU and OECD jurisdictions. Receiving the maximum rate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (3 Oct 2019)

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. The Dedicated Mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. Table 1. Average weeks to award a claim in August 2019 Average Weeks to Award  August 2019 Illness Benefit 1 Disability Allowance 14  Carer's Allowance 16  Carer's Benefit 13  Invalidity Pension 10  Domiciliary Care Allowance 10

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Occupational Injuries Benefit Payments (3 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: An application for Occupational Injury Benefit was received by the Department on the 26th September 2019. This application has been awarded at a rate of €203 per week. The person concerned is currently medically certified as unfit for work until the 7th October 2019, and all arrears have been issued to him. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.