Results 9,581-9,600 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

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

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 9...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) (5 Nov 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. In order to satisfy the habitual residence condition, the person must have a legal right of residence in the State. ...

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

Regina Doherty: The main social welfare schemes for people who are unemployed are the jobseeker’s allowance and benefit schemes which provide income support for people who have lost work andare unable to find alternative full-time employment. On 1 November I introduced a new scheme of job-seekers benefit for self-employed people which is based on a person's social insurance record. Jobseekers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (5 Nov 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 person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 6 September 2018, and indicated on the application form that they wished to apply for fuel allowance. In order to ascertain their eligibility for fuel allowance, details of their...

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

Regina Doherty: The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for a Partnership Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. My Department provides a range of supports to those who are caring for family members, friends or neighbours. These income supports...

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

Regina Doherty: Initially, it should be noted that central policy relating to public service pensions rests with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Depending on the sector the person in question works in, their pension scheme may have its own specific qualifying rules and criteria. The interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) arrangements, as announced in January 2018, work alongside the...

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

Regina Doherty: My Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and to providing a quality service to all claimants. Please see the following table containing sought information. Scheme Numbers of applications Awaiting Desk Assessment as of 04/11/19 Current Wait Time (in weeks) on Medical opinions as of 04/11/19. ...

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

Regina Doherty: Social welfare legislation provides that a person can only use their PSC for the purposes of a transaction with a body which has been specified in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). It also provides that only a specified body may request a person's PSC for the purpose of transacting with that body. Credit unions or other financial institutions are not...

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

Regina Doherty: The Public Services Card (PSC) can only be requested by a body specified in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, and only where that specified body has a transaction with the person concerned. Specified bodies are, in all cases, required to process and store data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018,...

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

Regina Doherty: An application for the Household Benefits Package was received from the person concerned on 7 October 2019. The person concerned has been awarded the Household Benefit Package, backdated to the date of award of their Invalidity Pension. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Regina Doherty: JobPath is a contracted public employment service supporting people who are long-term unemployed to secure and sustain full time paid employment. Two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua, are currently contracted by my Department to deliver the service. The JobPath employment service commenced in 2015 and, under the terms of the contracts signed with the providers, was to run for at least...

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

Regina Doherty: As part of Budget 2019, I announced my intention to commission research into the cost of disability. This is the first step in reaching an in-depth understanding of this complex issue. Indecon International Consultants have been commissioned to carry out the research and are expected to submit an interim report shortly. Their work programme to date has included the following elements:- -...

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

Regina Doherty: The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for a Partnership Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. My Department provides a range of supports to those who are caring for family members, friends or neighbours. These income supports...

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

Regina Doherty: I am aware of the Motion the Deputy has referred to. The Deputy will also be aware that the principal function of the Low Pay Commission is, once each year, to examine the national minimum hourly rate of pay and to make a recommendation regarding the rate, ensuring that all decisions are evidence-based, fair and sustainable, and do not create significant adverse consequences for employment...

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

Regina Doherty: My Department utilises a wide variety of computer operating systems and associated services across its extensive ICT desktop and server environments. The number of Windows 7 operating system devices across the entire network is 11,010 and consists of desktop PCs, small factor PCs used for video conferencing and laptops. I am advised that the project to upgrade and replace the Windows 7...

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

Regina Doherty: My Department makes every effort to maximise the product lifetime and value it extracts from its ICT assets.A project to upgrade and replace all Windows 7 devices is underway in my Department and it will complete during 2020. The focus of this project up to this point, has been on compiling, building and extensively testing the variety of customised Windows 10 images that are required...

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

Regina Doherty: My Department has comprehensive cyber security arrangements and patch management protocols in place to secure all devices on the Department's ICT network irrespective of the operating system being used. My Department has plans in place to ensure continuing support for devices running the Windows 7 operating system until all are fully retired in 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 21 March 2019. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new...

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

Regina Doherty: The Protection of Employment Act 1977 makes it mandatory on employers proposing a collective redundancy: (a) to engage in an information and consultation process with employees’ representatives and (b) to notify the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection of the proposed collective redundancy (SI 140/1977 sets out the information an employer is obliged to provide to the...

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

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1063, 1066 and 1069 together. My Department does not have a policy to issue a Public Services Card (PSC) when a person reaches the age of 18 years. In cases where a person applied for and was issued a PSC before the age of 18, a new card issues when they turn 18. If a person under the age of 18 presents for SAFE registration, they must be accompanied by a...