Results 9,561-9,580 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Wage Subsidy Scheme (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) and the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) schemes seek to improve employment outcomes for persons with disabilities.  However, they operate in different ways and with different qualifying conditions.  In particular, the WSS is a support to employers while the PCB is a support provided to individuals.  The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: It is my intention that the new scheme of job-seeker'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. As with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Training (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection fully recognises the need to support staff and promote disability awareness and has been very proactive in the provision of training and support in this area in recent years, with a very proactive response from staff. The Department supports its staff by offering a suite of disability awareness training, including Mental Health...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Services for People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: In addition to providing income supports, the Department has a wide range of schemes in place which have been designed to assist people with disabilities to enter, re-enter or sustain employment.  One of these supports is the Reasonable Accommodation Fund (RAF).  This fund is comprised of four elements namely: 1. Employee Retention Grant: The purpose of the Employee Retention...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Data (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.  An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised that the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) dealing with this case issued an application form for an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to the person concerned on 16/4/19 which was returned to the Department on 20/5/19.  I understand that the CWO telephoned the person concerned on 20/5/19 to clarify the outstanding documentation necessary to progress her ENP application....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised that this customer’s Jobseeker’s Allowance claim was closed on 28th September 2019 when, with her agreement, she commenced on the TÚS Programme on 30th September 2019 for 19.5 hours per week.  She subsequently requested, and was granted, permission to commence a part time course.  As the customer’s chosen course is for 4 hours per week, this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Eligibility (24 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.  I am advised that the Department has no record of receiving an application for state...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (24 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. The department informs me that there is no application by the person concerned for CA registered.  If the person in question wishes to make an application, she should complete and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card Data (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: MyGovID is a secure online identity verification service that my Department carries out on behalf of bodies providing public services online. It allows individuals to access a range of government services more easily via a single online account and reduces the need to have multiple accounts and passwords with different public sector bodies. The Government’s eGovernment Strategy,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have not been made aware of instances such as those referred to by the Deputy. The Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2015 provide protection for employees from being unfairly dismissed from their jobs by laying down criteria on which the fairness or otherwise of dismissals can be judged, and by providing an adjudication system and redress for an employee whose dismissal has been found to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Board (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy services to citizens on a wide range of public and social services. In 2019, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) has been allocated State funding of €59.26 million to fund its activities and that of its service...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Applications (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Where an application for child benefit is made by a person who is not a parent of the child(ren) concerned the Department contacts the parents/guardians of the children for further information and confirmation (or otherwise) of the information provided in the application. In this case, the required information has been requested from the relevant persons and the Department is awaiting their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 953,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Fuel allowance is a means tested payment. All income, including private/occupational pensions and capital such as savings and investments are taken into account. A single person, under age 80, can have €348.30 per week income (the equivalent of the maximum State Pension Contributory plus €100) and still qualify for fuel allowance. The person concerned applied for fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 28 February 2019. Their entitlement to this pension was examined based on their contribution history, including their Pre 1979 record which was made available to my Department. I am advised that the person concerned does not have the required 520 full-rate contributions to qualify for a standard State pension (contributory). ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. WFP for the person concerned was renewed on 28 February 2019. At the date of renewal the person concerned had an entitlement to €0.65 per week. However once a person qualifies for WFP they are entitled to a minimum payment of €20 per week. Once...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Medical Aids and Appliances Applications (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is qualified for treatment benefits and will be entitled to a grant contribution towards the cost of hearing aids. She will receive a letter within the next few days advising her of the position and confirming her eligibility for medical appliance (hearing aid) benefit. The Audiologist can claim the grant payment directly on-line once the hearing aids have been provided....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Currently, PRSI credited contributions (credits) are awarded to former employees to cover gaps in social insurance where they are not in a position to pay PRSI contributions, for example during periods of unemployment or illness. Self-employed workers do not qualify for credits. The Farm Assist scheme was introduced in 1999 to provide income support for low income farmers. It replaced...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1039, 1040, 1045 and 1046 together. The Fuel Allowance is currently a payment of €22.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €630 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €240 million in 2019. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. It is...