Results 9,601-9,620 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

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

Regina Doherty: A recipient of the state pension (contributory) can claim an increase to their pension in respect of a qualified adult. A qualified adult is the spouse / partner of the pensioner who is being wholly or mainly maintained by the pensioner. An increase may be payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the spouse / partner is €100 a week or less, while reduced rates are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (5 Nov 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...

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

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was in receipt of a jobseeker's benefit payment until his entitlement to this short term payment completed on 9/5/2019. The person concerned is currently in receipt of unemployment credits with effect from 10/5/2019. An unemployment credited contributions claim does not confer any payment entitlement rather it ensures that a person's social insurance record remains...

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

Regina Doherty: In figures to end September, there were the equivalent of 6,308 staff on full-time contracts (6,651 people) and 5 staff on part-time contracts. The figure for full time equivalents takes account of staff that avail of work-share options. All staff are paid above the minimum wage level.

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

Regina Doherty: I am pleased that the Government recently approved significant elements of my design for an automatic enrolment retirement savings system. These include key decisions in relation to the target membership, the contribution rates, the policies in relation to opting-out and re-enrolment, the administrative arrangements and organisational approach and the investment options. As stated in...

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

Regina Doherty: My department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 June 2018. 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. The evidence submitted in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Appeals (5 Nov 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 4 September 2019. At the hearing it was agreed that further investigation of the case was required and, accordingly, the matter was referred to a social welfare inspector. The report of the social welfare inspector has now been received and the case will be reviewed, in...

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

Regina Doherty: When a customer on Jobseekers Transitional (JST) wishes to commence a course of education, they are required to advise their Intreo Centre where an appointment will be made with a case officer to discuss the customer’s options. Customers in receipt of Jobseekers Transitional (JST) payments have two options if they wish to complete a course of education. First, where the course can...

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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 7 June 2019. Additional information in relation to the...

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

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied on the 25th February 2019 for an illness benefit payment whilst undergoing medical treatment. Once an illness benefit claim is opened, Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) is no longer payable as a condition of JST is that a claimant must be fit for work. The JST claim continued to be paid until the 6thMarch 2019 when the claim was closed. The person concerned...

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

Regina Doherty: A minimum of 520 full-rate paid contributions is required for the standard state pension (contributory), with a minimum of 260 full-rate paid contributions required for entitlement to a mixed insurance pro- rata pension. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned does not have any full rate social insurance contributions. The person concerned was employed with the...

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

Regina Doherty: Social welfare legislation provides for the use of S Class contributions from self-employment in a person’s 66th year (up to their 66th birthday) to satisfy the ‘minimum 520 paid contributions’ condition for State pension (contributory) eligibility. The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 22 July 2013. They did not have the required 520...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension 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 allow the invalidity pension appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 7 February 2019. The appeal was allowed with effect from 2 September 2018. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and...

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

Regina Doherty: The historic database used in the Scope Section of my Department prior to 2018 did not provide data regarding decisions made on employment and self-employment status. Since then, a new system has been introduced. The new system records and categorises, in a more specific way, the different types of cases handled by Scope Section, including those dealing with employment status. A breakdown...

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

Regina Doherty: The procurement of supplies and services is essential to support my Department and bodies under the aegis of my Department in providing high quality services to the public, in a cost effective and efficient manner. The tables below set out details of contracts over €25,000 that were found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Department of Employment...

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

Regina Doherty: I am advised that an appeal application for a companion free travel pass for the person concerned was medically assessed by a Medical Assessor on 22 October 2019 where she was deemed eligible for Companion Free Travel Pass after the additional medical evidence submitted was considered. The medical opinion was conveyed to Household Benefits Section in Sligo and correspondence giving the result...

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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 14 June 2019. Additional information in relation to the...

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

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1087 to 1089, inclusive, together. The fuel allowance is 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. The allowance...

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

Regina Doherty: I am satisfied that my Department has fully complied with its legal obligations under EU law and Irish law with regard to the tender process for the implementation, production, personalisation and distribution of the Public Services Card (PSC). The request for tender was an open procurement which was advertised on eTenders, which is the Irish Government's electronic tendering platform...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (5 Nov 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 September 2019 Average Weeks to Award September 2019 Domiciliary Care 10 Carer's Allowance 15 Carer's Benefit 10 Invalidity Pension 9 ...