Results 9,381-9,400 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (16 Oct 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. Where a care recipient dies, there is a continued payment of carer's allowance for 12 weeks after the death.  However, the department informs me that there is no application by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs.  The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons.  The fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2020 (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together. The issue of extending additional social insurance benefits to the self-employed paying class S PRSI was considered in the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) as at 31 December, 2015, which was published on 18 October 2017.  The review, required by legislation, was carried out by independent consultants, KPMG. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: It is my intention that the new scheme of jobseeker's benefit for the self-employed, which I announced as part of the Budget 2019, will be introduced from November this year.  This scheme will provide a social insurance contribution-based benefit to the self-employed who lose their self-employment and consequently are not engaged in self-employment. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2020 (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The allocation for the Rural Social Scheme in 2020 is €54m, as published in the 2020 Budget Estimates on Budget Day.  The allocation for the Farm Assist Scheme in 2020 is €61m, as published in the 2020 Budget Estimates on Budget Day.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Notwithstanding the very positive and consistent developments in the labour market, there is an ongoing need to target activation interventions at those who are distant from the labour market. Recent research from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service found that women represented the majority of inactive working age adults, despite the fact that the number of females in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (16 Oct 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Projects (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The sadness surrounding the bereavement of a loved one can be further compounded by the financial worries that some families can endure at this time.  A report by Senator Mary Louise O’Donnell “Finite Lives - An examination of State Services in Ireland” (Part 2 of which was published in 2017), set out recommendations for a whole of Government approach to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: As part of Budget Measures 2020, I announced that those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support Grant could increase the number of hours they can work, study or attend a training course outside the home from 15 to 18.5 hours.  Over 1,200 family carers are expected to benefit from this change at a cost of €11.6...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: For contributory schemes based on the claimant's social insurance record (such as State Pension Contributory), an increase for a Qualified Adult is payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the spouse/partner is €100 a week or less.  Reduced rates are payable where the means are over €100 and less than €310 per week.  No increase is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Leave (16 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Parent’s Benefit is a new scheme which will provide two weeks paid leave to both parents, who are on parent's leave from work and covered by social insurance.  It will be available for the first year of a child’s life and will be paid at the same rate as that for maternity or paternity leave.  This leave will be available to parents of children born or placed with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (17 Oct 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: As part of Budget Measures 2020, I announced that family carers in receipt of my Department's income supports for carers  could increase the number of hours they can work, study or attend a training course outside the home from 15 to 18.5 hours.  This applies to those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support Grant....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 24 September 2019. At the hearing the Appeals Officer requested that some additional documentation be provided by the person concerned and that information is still awaited. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: An application for the Household Benefits Package was received from the person concerned on 10 October 2019.  The claimant was awarded the Household Benefits and the claim will be backdated to the date of their 70th birthday.  I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy cannot be provided within the timeframe available. The Department is compiling the documentation sought by the Deputy and will provide the relevant documentation to the Deputy under separate cover as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, on 13 September 2019, an appeal by the person concerned was referred 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department has no record of an application for child benefit from the person concerned. The person concerned should submit a child benefit application (CB1) at his earliest convenience.  Upon receipt of same, a decision will issue to him as soon as possible. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.  

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2020 (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: As outlined by my colleague Minister Pascal O’Donoghue, TD, Budget 2020 has been framed in the shadow of Brexit.  In the event of a no-Deal Brexit and its economic consequences, €365 million will be provided for extra Social Protection expenditure on the Live Register and related schemes with a further €45 million being made available to assist people to transition...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2020 (17 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department undertakes ex-ante and ex-post social impact assessments of the main welfare and direct tax budgetary policies.  These assessments are carried out by the Social Inclusion Division in advance of and after the Budget. The Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is an evidence-based methodology which estimates the likely distributive effects of policies on household incomes, families...